Hard luck: Milan vs Barcelona Part V (Buki Baka Edition)

You guys still have a second leg. Don't lose focus lol

Yeah i know, it was just such an emotional win for us. You have no idea what we were going through in the beginning of the season and how we relentlessly trying to climb for a CL spot... Its been such a long time since Milan made me feel like this, such a long time....

El Shaarawy wrote:Yeah i know, it was just such an emotional win for us. You have no idea what we were going through in the beginning of the season and how we relentlessly trying to climb for a CL spot... Its been such a long time since Milan made me feel like this, such a long time....

Oh I know, believe I really do know how it feels. To watch your club go through some tough times but then against all odds pull together for a great result against a tough opponent.

It's the most beautiful and pure feeling you can ever get from something "not important" in life.

But believe me I'm only saying Milan should stay focused because I don't want this great feeling you have to go to waste.

There can be nothing more satisfying than an opportunity taken and this was such a game, to refresh the senses and inspire hope. This result can not be taken by the team to be an achievement in itself, however it is something truly special for the fan base and one can only be thankful to the team for the spirit they showed.

Perhaps the most immediately impressive aspect of such a performance is the belief that the team held before the match, a belief that few else shared and yet one that they have managed to transmit through their tremendous efforts. Allegri's comment that it was a victory that he had believed in from the beginning speaks of the meticulous preparation that went into preparing such a surprise for the world's greatest team. That such a belief was transmitted to the team, a spirit of unity, a will and resolve that permeated the collective, culminated in a performance that embodies the finest compliment a manager can be paid by his team.

The most prevalent criticism of our defence this year has been the inconsistency of each individual, with the collective betrayed by a successive series of bizarre lapses in concentration across the board. Too often, ours has been a team that could promise that it was worthy of such an illustrious name for but a portion of ninety minutes. It was to be a performance of impressive concentration and effort, a performance which was unique amongst the catalogue of defeats that Barcelona have suffered at the hands of its rivals since their modern reign has begun. To see a side of such potency emerge from a match without a single chance of note would have been dismissed as the wishful thinking of a deluded fan before the match. If such a feat were to be managed, most would have thought it a task for a far more fearsome collection of individuals. That this beautiful game is a team sport could find no more poignant an embodiment in the heart of a Milan fan.

The concession of the majority of possession was to be uncontested, however the management of possession was expertly marshaled by our midfield. Ambrosini, Montolivo and Muntari ensured that Barcelona were restricted to enjoying possession on the fringes of our half, marking the passing channels and applying pressure on the ball at the appropriate juncture, Barcelona's advantage was relegated in significance by closing access to the areas of the pitch in which their magic could be worked. The decision to man mark Messi was one that drew considerable commentary in the days leading up to the match, however the realisation of a far more effective strategy ensured that his ability to create space for others was limited, with a fluid but strictly managed 4-5-1 in defence ensuring that the harassment of those in possession was ceaseless in its efforts. It is notable that Barcelona's most promising forays, mere suggestions of danger, came during the first twenty or so minutes, as the team settled down into what is best described as a defensive rhythm, that Barcelona did little to disrupt.

The disruption of such a rhythm requires at heart two essential ingredients, width and a change of pace. Both factors are in a sense out of the hands of a defending team, and in both departments we were aided by Roura's timid and predictable approach, that reminded one much of Loew's efforts against Italy in the Euro 2012 semi-final. If this seems like an unnecessary and arrogant dismissal of a still powerful and superior team, please keep in mind that it is only in comparison to their supreme best that I pass such a comment. We faced the line-up that I wanted to, a line-up that sacrifices the width of a natural attacker on the left flank for the talents of a brilliant but more naturally withdrawn Andres Iniesta, in order to compensate the presence of Cesc Fabregas. I quite admire Cesc as a player, he is someone I would quite like to see in the shirt of Milan, however his presence unquestionably disrupts a previously healthy balance for little evident gain. Given the presence of effectively two central midfielders in Iniesta and Cesc down the left - though I do not want to characterise anyone's position in this Barcelona team in such static terms - it does essentially require of Alba a task that should have been ascribed to two players working in tandem with a single player of the ilk of Iniesta or Fabregas. Instead of playing off a player such as Villa or Tello, Alba is the main course on the left. Whilst an impressive player in attack, his strengths are also those which play into the hands of a fullback such as Abate. Barcelona were left bereft of the combination play and movement that would have at the very least opened up more space between the lines for others to drift into. On both flanks, Barcelona's fullbacks were constantly hounded by El Shaarawy and Boateng, whose efforts were tireless.

Barcelona's attitude further played into our hands, with the differences in approach made evident by the unfolding tale on the pitch. This was a result that went to the team that was hungrier, that showed more belief, that wanted this leg to matter. Barcelona came to Milan either with the belief that a result would eventually come or that a stalemate would perfectly suffice given their strength at home. It was ill preparation to face such a well organised side, that was prepared to dig in to the last to prevent a goal, and that would grow in confidence as the game progressed. If I were to describe Barcelona's performance, I think the most telling description would be that it was one paced. It was a side which showed no urgency, no hunger, no drive, until they were rapidly rendered unable to by a side riding on a wave of confidence. Whilst a conservative approach may have been considered entirely appropriate to attempt to quell a difficult stadium and try to ensure that the game was played on their terms in the opening stages, there was no reaction, no venom in the game of our rivals. Once the teams emerged for the second half, both sides should have been chasing the game. Only one appeared to. There was no change of tempo, no alteration in the speed in which possession was recycled amongst the Barcelona players, no significant increase in the risk taken when moving the ball forward. Opening up space without width and speed may suffice against a team that has been defeated before they stepped onto the pitch, but against a team that believed in victory, it was the foundation they needed to take something far more positive than a stalemate to Catalonia.

The ebb and flow of our team's line and intensity in defence was strictly controlled and our attack was no less cleverly orchestrated, though here but one man can claim credit. The moment in which we chose to spring forward, the moments we chose to maintain the ball patiently, the avenues used and the players dedicated to an attack, all flowed naturally from the boot of Riccardo Montolivo. Alongside Ambrosini, was a wall in the middle of the park, dedicated and energetic in retrieving the ball, however it was his composure on the ball and his vision of the field that was the foundation of our victory. Our ability to win the ball back before Barcelona reached dangerous areas was impressive throughout the entire night, however key to ensuring that the pressure of keeping out the world's best team did not overwhelm us was limiting the number of occasions in which our first pass failed to find another player in a Milan shirt. That the consistency with which the team found one another improved from a shaky start was no surprise as the team settled into a rhythm, however Montolivo was calmness personified from the first whistle to the last and he served as a valve always ready to ease the pressure on a team mate. Remove Montolivo, and the number of times that we would fail to play our way out from the back would skyrocket. As it is, we exposed ourselves to the recommencement of an attack immediately after it had been stopped too often during the match, though such is a flaw that must be endured given the limited technical ability of certain members of the team. That our concentration yet never wavered was impressive in the least however.

Our efforts in Barcelona's half may have been limited by the possession we enjoyed, however we tellingly made the times we did enjoy the ball count. Before the match, I spoke of Pazzini having but one job and I was misunderstood by at least one poster as referring to our striker's ability to finish the very few chances that came his way. It was easy to misinterpret and I should obviously given more time to explaining myself. Pazzini spent his time on the pitch in a dedicated performance, fighting tooth and nail to hold the ball up for his team mates, winning fouls, relieving pressure and ensuring that hopeful balls to the front were converted into possession, into opportunities to break forward, into precious periods when our team could express itself in attack rather than seek to negate Barcelona. Pazzini was a pillar of strength, showing a delicate touch when needed in bringing down the ball, fighting to win the ball when it bounced, and ensuring that Puyol had an absolute night to forget, and bravely taking a blow to the head in an incident that arguably should have produced a judicial decision in his favour. His service in the box was incredibly limited as I expected, yet even so he managed to produce a shot of note purely by the use of his strength and determination to hold off Pique and volley on the turn. It was a marvellous performance for the team which perfectly illustrated his tactical use to the team, providing a reference point that proved to be telling, justifying his inclusion ahead of Bojan.

To his sides, El Shaarawy and Boateng provided spirited performances to compliment their defensive efforts. The Pharoah will naturally be disappointed not to have finished off his opportunity in the 15th minute after a wonderful through ball by Prince, though I had thought him offside. Even then, he took up excellent positions throughout the night, providing a corner that found Prince absolutely unmarked in the box immediately after his disappointingly heavy touch, whilst twice he made superb runs into the box only for Prince's ball to not be quite up to standard. It was he who won the free kick from which our first goal stemmed, whilst his beautifully weighted pass was to be smashed in for Muntari's crucial goal. Whilst it was not a polished performance, El Shaarawy acquitted himself well and at such a young age we can expect much more in the future from such a bright talent.

Boateng, as mentioned before, provided a beautiful through ball, though three of his crosses unfortunately failed to capitalise on an excellent opportunity, however it was an excellent performance nonetheless. Most importantly, his decision making on the night showed selflessness and intelligence, whilst his goal was very well taken, taking advantage of the good fortune of the situation to cause joy to erupt in the heart of every Milan fan around the globe. Whilst Niang remains our best option on the right wing, this was exactly the sort of balanced performance we needed.

Niang himself was superb when he arrived on the pitch, showing composure beyond his years. His touch and fantastic balance were on display at all times in the serenity with which he appeared to move on the pitch, whilst his part in our second goal was truly beautiful. He is a player beginning to come into his own and if he maintains his pace, he has an arsenal of qualities that will terrify any defender. Whilst there are question marks over whether he is ready to take the barrage of physical abuse that one must endure in the centre, he showed himself capable of causing great trouble to Barcelona in the second leg if given more time.

Muntari frustrated me no end in the first half, with my initial assessment being that he was our poorest player in the first period. I have now watched the game three times in total and my judgement may have been hasty in this sense, though he remained a clear weak link in possession at the beginning of the match, spurning two excellent opportunities to counter with poorly weighted passes, whilst his loose short passing game sold Ambrosini short and directly led to Mexes picking up a yellow card. The less said about his forty yard, looping back pass the better, beyond the fact that it provides endless amusement in retrospect. Nethertheless, this was a team effort in which everyone contributed defensively and Muntari's spirit could not be faulted, with his defensive qualities coming to the fore in a game that masked his technical deficiencies given the reduced time spent by all on our team on the ball. Most importantly, his superbly taken goal has given this side a very realistic opportunity of defending our advantage when we travel to the Camp Nou. Against the majority of sides, I believe Flamini to be a more useful player tactically, even if I find it difficult to split the two players for ability, however in a side requiring a disciplined midfielder who is also prepared to be dirty when necessary, Muntari provided a more balanced option who did his job in the end.

I have already given a great degree of praise to Montolivo, who to my mind was the man of the match, however I shall simply add that his development from a deer caught in the headlights against Brazil in the Confederations Cup in 2009 has been astounding. He now stands as a complete player, extremely capable both offensively and defensively and a true leader of this team. It was the performance one would expect of a captain.

It was not the only captain's performance in midfield, and Ambrosini proved that he is not yet ready to be put out to pasture with a tactically perfect showing. His experience and guile allowed a cobweb to be spun that ensnared all in his path, providing protecting to a central defensive partnership that was barely allowed to be tested by the blonde pillar of strength.

The conservative movement of our fullbacks was the most immediately obvious distinction between the attacking display of our side compared to a typical league encounter. Abate and Constant were both solid in defence, though Abate gave perhaps one too many fouls away on the night for me to happy with, whilst Constant allowed himself on one occasion to be too easily done by Messi on the wing, though in his defence he recovered in combination with Mexes and there is no shame in being beaten once by such an opponent. In general though, one could see him diligently tracking the runs of Pedro when he was in his area, whilst he critically addressed a recurring issue of being drawn too far out. He held the defensive line well, defended strongly in the box on the rare occasions when called upon and performed above expectations, though it must be said that Barcelona's play eventually began to focus more prominently down their left flank due to Pedro's anonymous display.

Both fullbacks were unfortunately wasteful at times with their passing, though again this was mainly an issue during the first half an hour, with both proving stricter in possession as they grew in confidence and Abate in particular even began to contribute to our forays forward on occasion, though the first instinct of each was to cut back and hold the ball on the edges of Barcelona's half as the team caught its breath and ensured that the team lines were not broken apart, risking exposure on the counter attack.

Mexes and Zapata still managed to be responsible for their fair share in causing me heart attacks thanks to their elevated opinions of their own ability with the ball, tempting fate with some extremely risky play from the back, however they were solid when called upon and restricted Barcelona to a handful of long efforts and afforded no clear cut chance, an admirable achievement against the most modest of opponents, let alone such an attack. Abbiati meanwhile, as it has been commented, enjoyed such a lazy night that he barely had to raise a sweat, though he proved on the ball when such a night could actually have left him prone to a lapse in concentration through sheer inactivity.

2-0 is a fine result, with the clean sheet importantly affording us a distinct advantage should we prove capable of grabbing an away goal when we travel to Barcelona in three weeks time. It is absolutely imperative that this team takes nothing for granted, maintaining the same high level of vigilance in preparation for the return leg, cognizant of the ability of our opponents to make this result seem a trifling concern. An early goal in Barcelona will give our rivals the belief they need to turn this result around.

We will find ourselves further stretched in the Camp Nou, whether David Villa be fielded in combination with one of Pedro, Sanchez or Tello to further exacerbate our problems. An equally disciplined performance will be required in defence, however it is imperative that we give ourselves the security afforded by an away goal, which would go a long way in ending this tie, particularly if we can reach half time on level terms in the match.

Allegri has given this team the belief that they are capable of defeating the world's best once, now he must prepare this team for an even more difficult match in which they must prove that this was more than a case of fortune once favouring the brave.

Dosto dat long post
Hats off to you, agree with everything you said.
I think im the one who misunderstood Pazzini's role in your previous post
The job is only half done, we need to seal it at the Camp Nou

MILAN CHANNEL: Mexes is perfectly fine, he only had a minor strain and won't be missing the match vs Barcelona

El Shaarawy wrote:MILAN CHANNEL: Mexes is perfectly fine, he only had a minor strain and won't be missing the match vs Barcelona

wat about pazzo??

shamr9pato wrote:

El Shaarawy wrote:MILAN CHANNEL: Mexes is perfectly fine, he only had a minor strain and won't be missing the match vs Barcelona

wat about pazzo??

Still nothing about Pazzo....i hope he can make it

I dont like the vibes I am getting; like we are the favourites or something not far from it. We are good as underdogs, cause we need that extra grit. Hope the players still have the feeling of desperation to beat Barca even at Camp Nou.

Pazzini is officially out of the Barca game.
This is the call-up list:
Abbiati, Amelia, Gabriel, Abate, Antonini, Bonera, De Sciglio, Mexes, Yepes, Zapata, Ambrosini, Boateng, Constant, Flamini, Montolivo, Muntari, Nocerino, Traoré, Bojan, El Shaarawy, Niang, Robinho.

:O nooooo who will play in his role?

juveman17 wrote::O nooooo who will play in his role?

BANG BANG NIANG!

If Robinho plays, we lost.

Allegri, for the love of all that is good in the world, Niang over Robinho... pls.

If Niang the post destroyer starts, I predict him to give the barca defense a scare by hitting the post 3 times with EL Sharaawy finding the net from one of Niang's post hitting rebounds

It's Niang's way or the highway

I'm to excited and nervous about this game already. My appetite has deserted me

KR10 wrote:I'm to excited and nervous about this game already. My appetite a has deserted me

I can not wait ! I am skipping uni for this haha, better be worth it !

can't wait

I m more nervous than the first leg for this.. i honestly didnt give a shit about tht match.. i wasnt even gonna watch that.. but then my heart just forced me nd i traded quality time with my gf for that and boy was that totally worth it.. hopefully we dont become complacent..

Milan31 wrote:

KR10 wrote:I'm to excited and nervous about this game already. My appetite a has deserted me

I can not wait ! I am skipping uni for this haha, better be worth it !

i feel ya bro... i wanted to skip my all important class too, but got exam next week haha fortunately game is right after class woohoo

i hope too it would be worth it.. for all of us.. we fans and club have been through really bad times this season its time we get to enjoy something..

i am so hoping mexes is fit!!! cuz bonera and yepes are slow and disastrous.

fortunately, we got niang el sharawwy and boateng who call ALL attack and defend.

need a bonding between each other, more than first leg... cmon we call pull it off!!! I believe in this team...