Milan v Catania: Oh Dear

By: Martha | September 30th, 2007

Anyone watching today’s match could tell Milan are a much better team than Catania, but the Rossoneri just cannot put the ball on net, and Catania made them pay with one great counter and a lot of toughness.

Catania actually looked great in the first half — Milan dominated possession, but the Sicilian club put so much presure on their midfielders that no one really had room to run at the defense, and Andrea Pirlo was taken almost entirely out of the game by the lack of space. It was a risky approach by Catania, because they charged the ball down so hard that they always looked a half-step away from being completely torn open (and diving in on Kaka is never a good idea), but they held it together and even grabbed a great goal in the process, going into the half with a 1-0 lead that one could argue was deserved, despite Milan having a goal ruled out for a handball.

The first 25 minutes of the second half were all Milan, though. Catania were playing much more passively (which seemed like a stupid idea, but I suppose chasing the ball for 90 minutes can be sort of exhausting), and Milan took advantage of the space to actually look like Milan for a while. There were clever runs, intelligent, one-touch passing, and a few real threats, one of which resulted in a PK for Kaka, with which he calmly tied the match. Catania continued to counter, but they never put together anything as slick as their first-half attack(s), and Kalac was untroubled in the Milan net.

As the game wore on, Milan’s lack of self-believe really seemed to show: Their attacks ran out of energy, and they started to pay a whole lot more attention to fighting with the referee and arguing with Catania than they did to trying to win the game. Oh, and Inzaghi was booked for diving. Really, the last 20 minutes were incredibly depressing even for me — I can’t imagine how they felt for Milan fans.

Category: AC Milan, Catania, Results, Serie A

Tags: AC Milan, Catania, Results, Serie A

« Roma v Inter: Holy Crap | Home | Torino v Juventus: Typical Trezeguet »

Subscribe   The Offside RSS Feeds

Print

Share

Comments  

• Marco |  September 30th, 2007 at 8:28 am

  
  
  

  I nominate Milan for the “Serie A flop award” of the month of September. I can’t even say “Inter award” because the fu**ers are winning…

  Posted from United States

  

• dean |  September 30th, 2007 at 8:46 am

  
  
  

  I’ve seen all of Milans games this season and at times they play some really beautiful football however it almost looks like they just expect teams to lay down and die for them because they are AC Milan.

  Posted from United States

  

• adam |  September 30th, 2007 at 9:43 am

  
  
  

  whats taking chris so long to post something about the inter 4- roma 1, game. come on chris i like your fresh perspecetive when it comes to inter.
  FORZA CHRIS

  Posted from United States

  

• Martha |  September 30th, 2007 at 9:46 am

  
  
  

  It’s hard to believe, Adam, but even Chris has things to do other than think about Roma. (Stunning, I know.) Either that or he’s on a bender, drowning his sorrows.

  And Marco, saying stuff like that is only going to curse Inter. That’s what you’re trying to do, isn’t it?

  Posted from United States

  

• Francesco |  September 30th, 2007 at 10:05 am

  
  
  

  Bad News- Milan continues to fail to impress and the stubborn management decisions seem to finally be coming into light.

  Good News- Antonio Cassano scores his first goal in Italy after 2 years!

  Posted from United States

  

• Martha |  September 30th, 2007 at 10:26 am

  
  
  

  Saw that goal, Francesco — actually touching to see both Cassano and the Samp supporters so completely elated.

  Posted from United States

  

• Taib |  September 30th, 2007 at 10:52 am

  
  
  

  Milan looked poor going forward. They dod not have nay ideas and will Mr Ancelotti realise that 4321 does not work in the League. In works in the Champions League because Milan can counter attack in the Champions League. In Serie A they dominate possession and instead the other teams hits them on the counter attack. Milan looked most dangerous from set-pieces. They were never going to score form open play.

  Note: Milan join the great company of Torino, Siena, Reggina and Livorno AKA the bottom four as the only clubs so far that have not won a home game. Martha put it extremely well. Oh dear.

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• Marco |  September 30th, 2007 at 5:34 pm

  
  
  

  Yes Martha, in Italy what I’m doing is called “gufare” (i.e. jinxing).

  Adam, forget about Chris writing an article on the Roma loss. What he’s doing right now, is what in Italy we call “rosikare” (i.e. not sulking but worse).

  And the Italian less for today is over.

  Posted from United States

  

• kevin |  September 30th, 2007 at 5:51 pm

  
  
  

  This site makes me hate Roma…so even I have some redemption

  Posted from United States

  

• chris |  September 30th, 2007 at 7:08 pm

  
  
  

  Or moving

  Despite my Roma fan card, I do have my own career to worry about

  kevin, glad to help

  Posted from United States

  

Comments are closed