Sassuolo vs AC Milan

So here we are at last, the conclusion of a season to forget. Whilst Europa League qualification is technically on the line, many of us will be quite content to see either Parma or Torino qualify in our stead, however it will mean that our players will hopefully approach this game with the right attitude to finish on a high.

Of course the news that has dominated the week is the promotion of Hachim Mastour to the first team at the tender age of 15. He has been called up for his first Serie A squad and many expect him to make his debut from the bench to become our youngest ever player in the league, though I personally believe this will depend on how the match pans out.

With our recent reversion to the 4-3-1-2 and El Shaarawy's return from the bench against Atalanta last week, I would personally like to see us take to the field with this line-up:

Abbiati
Abate---Rami---Mexes---De Sciglio
Montolivo---De Jong---Poli
Kaka
Balotelli---El Shaarawy

Any number of Constant, Taarabt and Muntari/Essien will likely take to the pitch instead however.

Sassuolo ended Allegri's run at Milan after the team switched off are taking an early 2-0 lead. It is such arrogance and complacency that has cost us time and again this season and in our final game it is important that the squad shows the right attitude to the last moments of the season. It is the very least the fans deserve for having stuck by the team throughout a torrid year. Berardi has already put four goals past our side in just one appearance. It can only be hoped that we have learnt the lessons of our last encounter, however we can not simply focus upon their starlet. Zaza, Floro Flores and Sansone are all equally capable of causing us trouble, either in breaking at us on the counter or when playing their own game. Sassuolo have been a brave outfit this season and do not shy away from playing their own game. Even so, this is a game that we quite simply should be winning. We've lost our fear factor as a side and it can only be recaptured by being ruthless in games such as these.

Milan squad for Sassuolo: Abbiati, Amelia, Coppola, Abate, Constant, De Sciglio, Mexes, Rami, Zaccardo, Zapata, Emanuelson, Essien, De Jong, Honda, Kaka, Montolivo, Muntari, Poli, Taarabt, Balotelli, El Shaarawy, Mastour, Pazzini, Petagna

Sassuolo squad for Milan: Pegolo, Polito, Pomini, Antei, Ariaudo, Cannavaro, Gazzola, Longhi, Mendes, Pucino, Rosi, Terranova, Biondini, Brighi, Chibsah, Magnanelli, Marrone, Missiroli, Berardi, Floro Flores, Masucci, Sanabria, Sansone, Zaza

The names in that formation, contrasted with this quote...

Any number of Constant, Taarabt and Muntari/Essien will likely take to the pitch instead however. wrote:

...sum up our season.

pretty much sums up my thoughts about this last game.

Above all i am glad this season is over . This is only the 2nd time in my time as a Milan fan where , apart from being glad the season is done , i am not even eager for the next season to begin , nor am i excited about it. The first one was the 2009-2010 season . I could say now that this one has been much worse than that .

It is a season where Milan failed . The management will either take some trully drastic measures for the club's sake , or else we will experience what Liverpool went through all these years. Have no doubts about that ; we are already quite much behind the top 3 and Fiorentina and Inter will still be here next season.

Normaly i would discuss the game at hand hours before the game , but since our EL qualification is lost , in my eyes it is at least , i would like to talk about what comes next. I've said it before ; this summer will either make or break us. It's up to the management , solely . They either make the proper moves to improve the team , or we end up for some years of mid table fights .

Nothing else will happen , this team as it is , without improving on every single front there is , won't compete against the likes of Juventus , Roma , Napoli , Inter and obviously Fiorentina next season. Unless they invest millions in the summer , yes , i know i know , no money no this and that , ok.

But unless they do , at best we will have a repeat of this season and finish 6th again. And if by good luck we don't lose any important player this summer , a repeat of a disastrous 6th place finish will guarantee that someone really important will be leaving next summer.

I hope with everything i've got that they realise what i am saying 100x more times than me and they do something for Milan . We are in the worst spot since before Berlusconi took over and it's not just about glamour or silverware .

It is about the years to come and what will become of Milan ; we will fall into obscurity unless they actively counter this scenario with immediate investments that will strengthen the 11 , this summer.

Our competition for the top 3 are already quite ahead of us in terms of quality and project wise , which means they will most likely be even stronger come next season. Milan simply cannot afford to continue on this path , it should not be allowed to happen.

As for Mastour , it would be great to see him play in a game at such a young age , though i won't be dissapointed if he doesnt. The fact that he is a part of the first team is enough for me , for the time being. Finally , i expect revenge for the humiliation we suffered at their home , yet i am not optimistic Milan will meet the expectations. Everybody could do with a win , though. Pleasing the fans , like Seedorf or Kaka , or Montolivo have been saying , is impossible after such a disastrous season , in which they time and time again could not turn around . I will be satisfied , but not so very pleased.

With all honesty i do appreciate their good will , but it's almost an insult to my intelligence to read that a win against Sassuolo would please me , after whole months of pain and dissapointment. I will be happy for my team , of course , although the moment the game is done i won't be feeling pleased losing european games to Torino or Parma , nor with finishing light years away from the Champions League.

Starting lineup:
Abbiati; MDS, Mexes, Rami, Constant; NDJ, Monto, Muntari; Taarabt, Kaka; Pazzini

Muntari waits all of 12 seconds before shooting from 50 yards.

Our home kit looks better in motion but still not sure about it.

A predictable line-up but at least Pazzini is getting a chance to play from the start for once.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

Muntari

Muntari

No chat

1-0 Muntari with a great shot outside the box, in off the post.

Having taken an early lead in the away leg, we've shown ourselves quite capable of forfeiting our advantage. A good opportunity now to show we've learnt a few lessons from the first leg.

M99 wrote:Muntari

No chat

RG fears the power of the sinister seven

Very close call from the set-piece as Ariaudo's volley flashes over, a worrying lapse in concentration.

Paloschi hit the bar on Inter vs Chievo.

Fantastic shot by Kaka who managed to pull right into space on the edge of the box but well saved to his right by the keeper.

From the set piece Muntari takes his 8th shot of the game.

Pazzini's lovely shot and turn from Rami's ball rightfully disallowed for offside.

Clumsy from De Sciglio to bring down Berardi but Sansone's set piece from the left goes harmlessly over. We've felt capable of getting a second but we've just lacked the cutting edge in the final third at times and it is a good reminder of the fragility of our lead.

A freekick in an excellent position after Cannavaro's clumsy challenge. Will be interesting to see someone other than Balo take it.

GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL DE JONG FROM THE FREE KICK.

2-0 like last time. Don't blow it.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

NDJ!

De Sciglio's cross nearly flies in, good improvisation from the keeper there to fish it out.

NDJ

what a c.. suckin referee!! the worst referee i have seen in a while!

Well we win. End to a terrible season. Worst Milan season I have ever seen.

M99 wrote:Well we win. End to a terrible season. Worst Milan season I have ever seen.

indeed. the worst Milan side in my 15 years of supporting Milan. and is undoubtedly the worst Milan side in our history.

serves the management well for ignoring all the alarms

the season is over. unfortunately, there is nothing to look forward to. maybe we can sell some players like muntari, constant, birsa, honda, mexes, etc. so much dead wood.

Stephan our finest player 2nd half once again, testament to what a chump he makes half our attack look like with his skill and creativity. Cliched as it may be, he will be like a new signing and I'm confident a fit SES would have given us concrete hope for 3rd this season.

Mastour not playing I say was circumstance of Sexes being sent off as that was quite a downer.

Most important outcome will be whether Clarence stays or not, yet most of us know his fate to which will be against our favor.

De Sciglio MOTM by far.

Man the red and penalty on De Sciglio has to be one of the most unfair decisions i've ever seen taken by a ref on the pitch.

Even that other ref , who was besides the posts and is well known (cant recall his name right now) , was like " well , that was nothing , cant do anything tho " .

Such bad luck for De Sciglio , terrible call by the ref there .

Anyway , it was an interesting game from which i got some small consolation after what happened the first time , above all i was excited to see Ses having some good moments again. We will need him at his best next season , if we only have one hope to make it to the champions league places , it's him.

As for Seedorf , i can't bother again with what this laughable sort of management will decide afterall. I am glad for Seedorf's work with the team and i appreciate all he did for Milan these last months , regardless of the decision to hire him being right or wrong , he did his best.

I wish he can stay at Milan , otherwise good luck , on to a normal club and to a great career . When i read Berlusconi saying  

He could stay, as long as he reaches an agreement with the club over his position

i gave up , it was confirmation of yet another puppet coach who cannot ask for what he needs to work with , but should do with the risk/based on chance signings they give him and expect him to deliver on top of that. Well , tbh , all of our coaches have been like that , even Ancelotti. However , more often than not , Ancelotti was actually given what best money could buy and a team with a very strong core when he arrived. And when this stopped , he abandoned ship . Their way is flawed , cause when money stop being available , this hierarchy thingy from the management to the coach gets obsolete ; when there's money anyone can do stuff and any decent coach can work with great players regardless of who asked for said players. When there's no money however , you need expertise and vision , which our management clearly does not excell at in 2014.


Frankly , as i see their minds well set , there's very few to be excited about next season , other than watching Milan again. Literally that , unless some really unexpected arrivals happen during the summer , at best we will finish 4th or 5th. No coach will improve mediocrity , especially at this stage , of that i have not the smallest of doubts.

They either invest on what Seedorf needs to build his team or we simply continue on this exact same path , with or without Seedorf it won't matter , with more or less the same kind of end result , which of course , what will mean again is nothing sort of a yet another failure.