Milan v Fiorentina: So Much Ability, So Little Actually Going On

Despite my love for Fiorentina, I have to say Milan were unlucky not to take the full three points from this one — not only did Kaka narrowly miss a penalty, but he also had a magnificent goal denied by a phantom shove. Apart from those two chances, though, things were pretty quiet at both ends of the pitch. Both teams put together some nice attacking play (the Viola were particularly good in the tight spaces around the box in the first half), but it rarely ended in a shot on goal, and neither keeper — apart from Dida, who made one great save from Reginaldo — was really troubled.

For Milan, about half the team were being rested, which could explain a lack of coherence in attack (as could the presence of Mr Useless, Richardo Oliveira as lone striker). Of course, when the people not being rested including Gattuso, Pirlo and Kaka, one could be forgiven for having high expectations; expectations which, to be fair, all three men had moments of meeting. Really, I think the team did well to play solidly and secure a point — after the incredible emotional highs of midweek, it’s a wonder they could come out and concentrate at all on a match of little consequence to them.

The Viola, on the other hand, were again without Luca Toni but nevertheless looked eager and creative, at least in the first half. Mutu was everywhere and Reginaldo, as has become the norm when he plays, was a pleasure to watch. Both men regularly tracked back to their own penalty box to defend and were explosive and eager going forward, with Mutu freeing others up with his lovely touch while Reginaldo created havoc wherever he went with his pace and aggression. Sadly, both strikers cooled off in the second half, while key man (according to me, anyway) Riccardo Montolivo spent most of the game playing so deep as to be nearly anonymous; when Motolovio is on the pitch but not involved, good things rarely result for the Viola.

Category: AC Milan, Fiorentina, Rumors & News, Serie A

Tags: AC Milan, Fiorentina, Montolivo, Mutu, Reginaldo, Rumors -amp; News, Serie A

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