alwaysazzurri
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An interesting view by Daniele Maloni
Allegri and his has-beens capitulate in Turin. Will this be his last season in charge at Milan?
Five points in 5 matches is hardly relegation form. But the team with such a low score is not newly-promoted Novara or relegation fodder Lecce: it’s Italian champions AC Milan. That’s the reason why manager Massimiliano Allegri who managed them to the title last season has come in for harsh criticism from the media, the hardcore supporters and allegedly, by the club’s board as well.
In Turin on Sunday night Milan were overrun, outclassed and outplayed by a resurgent Juventus team. Although the goals have come late on in the match, the Turin-based team thoroughly deserved their 2-0 win: the Milanese did not even shoot at goal despite having key players like Ibrahimovic and Boateng back from injury.
It is AC Milan’s second consecutive away defeat and worst start of the season since 2000. Allegri, a former Cagliari manager, openly admitted that Juve were the better team and that Milan are in bad shape. Supporters have already started voicing their frustration on the web by saying that Allegri’s only plan is to get his players kick the ball up, hoping that Ibrahimovic will do something.
In the summer he let Andrea Pirlo, arguably Italy’s best playmaker, leave for free, trying to bolster and already ageing midfield with Palermo’s Nocerino and Alberto Aquilani on loan from Liverpool. Two AC stalwarts like Ambrosini and Gattuso – well in their thirties – suffered early-season injuries which have sidelined them for most of the games. So, the man who dictates AC’s tempo on the pitch is the rough Dutch veteran Mark Van Bommel, instead of the silky Pirlo. That was a statement of intent on Allegri’s part: Milan going for brawn instead of brain.
The club has built his image around the beautiful game played in the Eighties by Arrigo Sacchi’s Invincibles, a side that boasted the likes of Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Fran Rijkaard and Marco Van Basten among others but Allegri’s not-pleasing-on-the-eye football was forgiven last season when Milan won the Scudetto after 7 years, thus dethroning bitter rivals Inter. Allegri succeded by keeping a tight defensive unit and playing 3 holding midfielders very close to the back 4. Up front Ibrahimovic’s power and Pato’s pace worked wonders for the Milanese.
But things have changed this season... conitnued at AC Milan to sack Allegri in the summer?
