Recap: Milan v Chievo

On Saturday, Milan defeated Chievo Verona 3-0 at the San Siro. It was a special day and not just for the result. Kaka played in his 300th career match for Milan, wearing the captain's armband in the process. Let's just say it was special day for a special Milan player.

Seedorf fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation that looked like this: Abbiati; Emanuelson, Zaccardo, Rami, Bonera; De Jong, Muntari; Taarabt, Kaka, Honda; Balotelli

The whistle blew and Milan came out of the gate playing an up-tempo style of calcio, bringing it to Chievo. It didn't take long for the Rossoneri to strike as Mario Balotelli scored a one-time goal in the 4th minute thanks to a beautiful ball played in by Rami. 13 goals in 23 games. Bad season? Hmmmm.  

Milan seemed to continue to push the intensity as they doubled their lead inside the 30th minute mark. Honda swung in a ball to Kaka in the box. The Brazilian settled it with his chest calmly and put it by Agazzi for the goal. A special moment for Kaka, who embraced the San Siro's appreciation. Milan were clicking on all cylinders. Abbiati and the defense weren't truly tested through 45 minutes as Milan went into the locker room with a nice 2-0 lead.

The second half began and Milan maintained control of the flow of the match. Chievo really didn't threaten aside from a few spurts of pressure. In the 54th minute, it was Kaka, who scored to earn himself the brace in front of the home crowd. It was one of those days for Kaka and Milan as they cruised to a 3-0 victory.

For Milan, Kaka stole the show, earning MOTM honors for his double. Balotelli also played a very good match, almost adding to his stat sheet with an assist but Honda spoiled a sitter in front of the net. Honda has received some criticism for his disappointing play on the right side but v Chievo, he didn't disappoint. The Japanese playmaker set up Kaka's first goal, was heavily involved in build-up plays, trekked back to defend and appeared to gain confidence as the match progressed.

Back-to-back clean sheet wins for Milan. Yes, you read that correctly. You didn't just see a wild Mesbah appear. A much needed 6 pts for Seedorf and Milan appear to be back on track. The next three opponents include Genoa, Catania and Livorno. I smell 9 pts. Forza Milan.

Stephan El Shaarawy: What His Return Means To Milan

Where art thou "Il Faraone?" The 21 year old Italian forward has been sidelined for pretty much the entire season with multiple injuries. El Shaarawy has appeared in only 7 total matches in all competitions for Milan this year after a very good campaign last year, carrying the club the first half of the season before his performance took a hit. After netting 19 goals in all competitions last season, El Shaarawy has scored just one goal this season, which came against PSV back in late August. Injuries have plagued him this season but his return to the club has already begun as he has started training. Seedorf should have him deployed into the squad by mid April, but how will he be used? What can he provide? Let's take a look at how he fits into the current squad.

Allegri, and now Seedorf, have used the 4-2-3-1 formation this season as oppose to the traditional 4-3-3 and 4-3-1-2 formations of past Milan sides. El Shaarawy is typically used as a left winger in a more attack-based formation in the 4-3-3 but in a 4-2-3-1, he is an attacking midfielder on the left side. He loves to cross inside onto his strong foot and test the keeper. An exceptional dribbler with good pace down the left flank to trek back defensively as well. This is where he is at his best.

Stephan El Shaarawy is expected to be back mid-April when Milan take on Catania April 13th or Torino on the 19th. I expect Seedorf to play him as a LAM or a LW depending on how they line up. How many minutes he gets is a question mark. Taarabt, Kaka and Honda have been the three attacking midfielders behind Balotelli or Pazzini as of late. Fitness has been an issue. With El Shaarawy returning, Seedorf should look to give Kaka a breather as a CAM and shift Honda to the position as suggested by many. Stephan's return provides depth and versatility for the attacking midfield rotation. The issue could be finding minutes for Saponara and Cristante however.

Here are just a few of the possible attacking midfield formations that could be used:

El Shaarawy- Kaka- Honda
El Shaarawy- Honda- Taarabt
El Shaarawy-Kaka- Poli
El Shaarawy- Honda- Poli

Sure, his return gives Milan another attacking threat who can put the ball in the net. However, it also gives Seedorf more depth because it allows players to shift to the bench and come on late in matches to provide a fresh spark.

From an attacking standpoint, El Shaarawy will be a vital component. His knack for scoring is desperately needed, especially for a side who has created many scoring chances but lacked the clinical finishing technique needed to win matches against Juventus and Atletico Madrid in the first leg. El Shaarawy's return to the side will be a breath of fresh air for Milan fans everywhere as he is not only a young star, but also a fan favorite and one who has expressed his love and devotion to the Rossoneri when he publicly stated his desire to stay at the club long-term. We can't wait to have you back Stephan!

Milan's Mock Summer Transfer Wish List

With the Serie A summer transfer window set to open for business this July, Milan should look (more like BETTER look) to add to the squad and at the same time, downsize from the current roster. Milan fans have been discussing possible summer moves prior to the hiring of new manager Clarence Seedorf and the talk continues as we approach the final months of what has been a miserable campaign for the Rossoneri.

At the moment, nobody truly knows what will happen to the club, both financially and management wise. There has been speculation these past few weeks about whether team owner Silvio Berlusconi will sell a stake of the club or perhaps the whole cake. Bloomberg Radio reported that Silvio intends to sell the club but his Milan-based company, Fininvest, has put those rumors to bed. Money is an issue for the club. Free transfers and low-cost value moves won't get this club back atop Europe. Whatever the case may be, Milan needs to find sufficient funds for Galliani and Seedorf to rebuild this once dominant side and the summer mercato is a great place to start.

Several names have been linked to Milan since January. However, many players have been funneled out through the rumor mill. Here is a list of possible Milan targets, some previously linked and others recommended from us:

Paris Saint-German center back, Alex, age 31
Botafogo center back Doria, age 19
Newcastle United full-back Davide Santon, age 23
Redbull Salzburg center back Martin Hinteregger, age 21
Everton (on loan from Barcelona) right-winger Gerard Deulofeu, age 20
Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin, age 21
Ajax attacking midfielder Siem de Jong, age 25
Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul, age 25
Torino FC right-winger Alessio Cerci, age 26
Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, age 27
Udinese goalkeeper Simone Scuffet, age 17
Paris Saint-Germain Ezequiel Lavezzi, age 28
Real Madrid full-back Fabio Coentrao, age 26

Again, this is a list of players rumored to have been linked to Milan as well as few players we feel should be looked at if certain players are sold, which is probably where Milan need to start. Hopefully, young talents including, but not limited to,  Stephan El Shaarawy, Mario Balotelli, Mattia De Sciglio and Bryan Cristante stay on board as they can be cornerstone players to build around for the present and future.

A Look At Milan And Money

Money talks...loudly. It's powerful and it can buy many things. It's something Milan need to spend this summer. No more games. This is a serious problem.

It feels as if we've been talking about this topic for years. As the team declined since the sales of both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, many Milan fans feel the club hasn't reinvested from the return. As a business major, you learn a lot about finance and economics among other things. For the sake of staying on topic, I'll select the terms "investment" and "ROI" which means return on investment. Stay with me on this.

In July of 2012, Milan sold both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to the wealthy French club, Paris Saint-Germain for €20 mil and €42 mil respectively. Simple addition here. €62mil. That can really help a team rebuild for the present and future. Prior to selling both of these stars, Milan finished the season second in the league behind Scudetto champion Juventus. The top 6 in the Serie A table :

1. Juventus- 84 pts
2. Milan- 80 pts
3. Udinese- 64 pts
4. Lazio- 62 pts
5. Napoli- 61 pts
6. Inter- 58 pts.......Yes, Milan were 19 pts better than Napoli and 22 better than Inter.

It's quite clear this team didn't slip after winning the Scudetto the year before. Ibrahimovic led Italy in scoring with 28 goals to his name and Silva was and still is, the world's best central defender. The club was in a poor financial state, which is a large reason why both players were sold. Milan needed to cut the deficit and these players would retrieve the largest return to help them do that. However, Milan still had some core players in tact with some young talent on the come up, which was a positive.

Milan did lose several key, yet aging players from the decade in Inzaghi, Nesta, Gattuso, Zambrotta, Van Bommel and Clarence Seedorf the same summer. We all knew the day would come when our older players would set off into the sunset but this actually stamped the end of an era. The players Milan added after losing several key performers that summer included (w/ fee):

Bakaye Traore- free                             Cristian Zapata- loan

Riccardo Montolivo- free                    Giampaolo Pazzini- €7mil+ Antonio Cassano
Gabriel- €500,000                              M'Baye Niang- undisclosed
Francesco Acerbi- €4mil                    Bojan Krkic- loan
Kevin Constant- loan                          Nigel De Jong- €5mil

As you can see, this isn't nearly enough to replace two of the world's elite players. Montolivo, De Jong, Zapata and Pazzini have been solid players for Milan. However, Niang, Constant, Bojan and Acerbi contributed little.

Last January, Milan sold Alexandre Pato to Brazilian side Corinthians for a fee around €15mil. Milan then acquired Mario Balotelli from Manchester City for around €22mil. Even after acquiring a premier talent like Balotelli, Milan, mathematically speaking, still had nearly €35mil left to spend on adding players but it has never occurred.

A team in Italy that did reinvest from selling off a big time talent was Napoli when they sold Edinson Cavani to PSG for around €60mil last summer. Napoli spent no time bolstering their squad as they added Dries Mertens, Gonzalo Higuain, Jose Callejon, Pepe Reina and Raul Albiol. Their ROI has resulted in them currently holding a Champions League spot while Milan sit in 10th. Imagine the position Napoli would be in if they didn't reinvest? Hmmm....

As Milan fans, we all understand the club is undergoing construction and transition is the current phase. However, Galliani and Berlusconi really need to give Clarence Seedorf the funds to go out and field a winning side again. This summer is one of the more significant windows in club history. Free transfers, short-term loans and minor additions won't bring Milan out of the depths of Italy. We saw first-hand what Napoli has done with their funds from a summer sale. It's Milan's turn to do the same this summer. Return the favor Galliani and Berlusconi.

Report Card: Clarence Seedorf

Clarence Seedorf has managed 9 matches in total for Milan (1 Coppa Italia, 1 Champions League, 7 Serie A)

Here are the results of each match he managed for Milan, including all competitions:
Jan 19- (H) v Hellas Verona- Win 1-0- Serie A
Jan 22- (H) v Udinese- Loss 2-1- Coppa Italia
Jan 26- (A) v Cagliari- Win 2-1- Serie A
Feb 1- (H) v Torino- Draw 1-1- Serie A
Feb 8- (A) v Napoli- Loss 2-1- Serie A
Feb 14- (H) v Bologna- Win 1-0- Serie A
Feb 19- (H) v Atletico Madrid- Loss 1-0- UCL
Feb 23- (A) v Sampdoria- Win 2-0- Serie A
Mar 2- (H) v Juventus- Loss 2-0- Serie A

Prior to Seedorf's arrival, the team was free falling and headed to a bottom-half league finish, something not associated with Milan. Milan is a club full of legendary footballers who have worn the colors with passion and honor. A rich history that rarely involves embarrassment. Clarence Seedorf has come in and instilled a different mentality and a positive approach to the game.

Coppa Italia

Clarence Seedorf only managed Milan in one cup match and that was in a loss to Udinese, which knocked them out of the tournament. It was only his second match managing the club so I'm not going to really get into it. Its not even a sample size but more of a crumb.

UEFA Champions League

Similar to the Coppa Italia, Seedorf has only managed the one CL match but it was a big one. A Round of 16 first leg match v Atletico Madrid, which resulted in an undeserving 1-0 loss thanks to a late Diego Costa goal. Despite the result, Milan played extremely well, attacking at a level we have rarely seen this season. Kaka nearly scored twice for Milan and Andrea Poli was also denied. If it wasn't for Atletico Madrid's young goalkeeper Courtois denying Milan several times, they probably would have won the match at the San Siro. Sometimes, the "Beautiful Game" isn't so beautiful.  Clarence Seedorf will have to get his club ready for the second leg back in Madrid next Tuesday.

Serie A

The largest serving size. Seedorf has managed 7 Serie A matches for Milan. His record through 7 matches is: 4 Wins, 2 Losses, 1 Draw. A total of 13 pts. For a first time manager, that's pretty solid. Plus, the two losses came against two very good sides in Napoli and Juventus. In the two matches, Milan played above average football and arguably outplayed the opponent despite what the result says. Sure, you would love to have won these matches. However, you must be patient in the development of the club under a new manager. If you watched the matches, you can see improvement and encouraging play from new players Taarabt and Rami. Mario Balotelli and Seedorf have created a relationship that involves trust and a sense of understanding, which is critical for this side. The way Clarence has milked the ability out of some players is exciting going forward.

The Verdict: B+

Clarence Seedorf has managed this squad well and the club is on the rise. A few unlucky moments have taken away points and wins for Milan. The Rossoneri are trending upward. Not being able to finish matches that they have dominated hurts the rating a bit but its an issue we shouldn't be too concerned with moving forward. Milan's upcoming matches are v Udinese Saturday, March 8th and Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, March 11th. Forza Milan.

Recap: Milan v Juventus

Yesterday, Milan lost 2-0 to Juventus in front of a sold out San Siro in round 26 of the Serie A campaign. The formation Clarence Seedorf fielded in his 7th league match, once again, was a 4-2-3-1 that looked like:
Abbiati; Abate, Bonera, Rami, Emanuelson; De Jong, Montolivo; Taarabt, Poli, Kaka; Pazzini.

Milan and Juventus exchanged possession early on in the match. Both sides had a few shots on target but neither Abbiati or Buffon were truly tested. Milan's first opportunity occurred in the 7th minute when they counter attacked but Taarabt's shot took a few deflection's and the chance was squandered. Milan kept the tempo going with a nice display of ball movement around the 18 yard box. Again, the back line for Juventus was able to eliminate any chance of getting a goal.

In the 25th minute, Milan applied pressure as Pazzini received a long ball from Montolivo, taking the ball by himself to the box. A few dummy layoffs created two scoring chances for Kaka. The first shot was saved by Buffon and the rebound shot was denied thanks to Bonucci, who had the far post covered. Milan outplayed Juventus throughout the first half despite the inability to cash in on a handful of legitimate scoring chances.

With the blink of an eye, the draw was broken. In the 44th minute, Fernando Llorente scored for Juventus. Marchisio corralled the ball and dished it off to an attacking Tevez, who then laid it off  immediately to Lichtsteiner. The Swiss international passed the ball across the 6 yard box and the Spaniard didn't spoil the chance. Milan trailed Juventus 1-0 at the break despite controlling more possession and having more shots on net.

The second half was much the like the first for Milan. Taarabt maintained his recent run of form as he had a wonderful cross into the box that was just out of the reach of Pazzini. Seconds later, Juventus lost control of the ball and Kaka attacked, crossing the ball into the box for Poli, who botched yet another chance for Milan to equalize. On the attempt, Poli received a knock and was carried off. Saponara came on for the injured Poli, which was the first of Seedorf's three available substitutions. In the 68th minute, Carlos Tevez scored from far out. A screamer that Abbiati couldn't handle. Boom. The lead was doubled for the away side and life was sucked out of Milan like a leech.

Honda would come on for Montolivo in the 70th minute, who played extremely well. The former captain was involved heavily in counter attacking plays and played with confidence. Another solid performer was subbed out as Taarabt was taken off for Robinho. Adel Taarabt continued his excellent form with yet another quality performance. Adjusting to Italian football has been a breeze for the Moroccan.

After Tevez scored that magnificent goal, the wind was taken right out of Milan's sail. The pressure settled down and momentum shifted heavily in favor of Juventus who had several chances to add on. Pirlo and Pogba would each hit the post later on. Robinho shanked a sitter off the top bar, which was appropriate as it was an unlucky day for Seedorf's side. Milan would lose 2-0 to Juventus.

Milan played a better match than Juventus and it was quite clear. Take the scoreline out of the equation. Milan outplayed Juventus and really brought it to Conte's boys for most of the match. Keyword being "most." They played a solid 60-70 minutes again. If matches were 70 minutes, Milan would most likely be closer to the top 6 of the table but of course, they play 90 minutes in this football.

This side, led by Seedorf, is quite the opposite from Allegri's Milan. Under Allegri, Milan collected points in the dying minutes of several matches while Seedorf's squad plays more consistent but appears to fall apart late into matches. Many believe the side isn't at full fitness. Players look gassed and performance tends to tail off. This has been the trend in almost every match under Clarence Seedorf. I do believe that this fitness issue will be resolved in the next few weeks.

Hold the phone. This post won't end in negativity. The club deserves praise after playing extremely well versus the top club in Italy. Even with Balotelli being injured and unable to play, Milan stayed upbeat and positive. Pazzini, in case you didn't recognize him with his mask on, played in place of the first-team striker and he hit the ground running. Having a player of his caliber on the bench is a luxury. Adel Taarabt continues to prove me wrong as he has become a regular in the starting eleven. Rami was stout once again in the back. Montolivo, who has been picked apart this season for under performing in his CDM role, looked rejuvenated. The squad has improved each week under Seedorf and that's all you can ask for. Milan has performed their best versus Atletico Madrid and Juventus in recent weeks. Two very good sides. Milan is trending upward. Be patient fellow Milanisti. Milan are on the rise.