Pregame Expectation

One can hope Milan’s preseason momentum will nullify the kamikaze nature of the opening round of fixtures. The hoodoo is real and devastating for form and fashion. Torino do possess individuals with the ability to hurt Milan and will be traveling to Stadio Giuseppe Meazza with ambitions of spoiling the Paulo Fonseca and Zlatan Ibrahimović party. Alvaro Morata and Strahinja Pavlovic will be in line to make their debut however Youssouf Fofana and Emerson Royal are set to miss out. Alexis Saelemaekers will be competing with Samuel Chukwueze for a starting role. Paulo Fonseca and company will be wishing for a worthy performance along with three points to kickstart the new era.

Postgame Evaluation

The opening day hoodoo is as real as the cursed moments of individualism in defence. The back four were guilty of poor marking, awareness and lack of authority on both goals conceded. Alexis Saelemaekers was in contention to start further up-field. The experiment at left-back belongs on the training field. Paulo Fonseca, please use the options in your squad. The timely introduction of the substitutes was the catalyst for Milan’s comeback and near win as Torino were under siege late on and forced deep within the last-third. Alvaro Morata will prove to be the smartest acquisition of the season and Noah Okafor has the ability to be much more than just a Swiss-Army-Knife.

Pregame Expectation

The away trip to Stadio Ennio Tardini will be a complicated affair thanks to Parma’s surprising display against Fiorentina and the untimely injury to Alvaro Morata. Théo Hernandez will be back on the left and Noah Okafor is odds on to start up-front. Youssouf Fofana, Emerson Royal and Strahinja Pavlovic will be on-hand to possibly debut for the red and black. According to reports the trequartista experiment with Ruben Loftus-Cheek may resurface against Parma thereby forcing Christian Pulisic wide-right. The onus is on Milan to seize the initiative and secure three points to make up for week one wobbles.

Postgame Evaluation

A deserved defeat with slack man-marking and defending across the board. An aggressively high defensive line is invitation for kamikaze defending. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the joker in the final third. A few goals up-top does not make you a playmaker. How is Ruben starting over Samuel Chukwueze and Ismaël Bennacer? Davide Calabria haters, Emerson Royal was robin all-over-the-place at the back (ask any Spurs fan) and Dennis Man was Parma’s Batman on the field while Milan’s batman, Zlatan Ibrahimović watched on despairingly from the stands.

Pregame Expectation

Week three into the season and Paulo Fonseca and company are already under intense pressure thanks to the foolhardy football on the field. The trip to Stadio Olimpico to face a wholly unpredictable Lazio who are also under new stewardship will be far from straightforward, especially when three points are a timely must. Injuries in the final third will have both Tammy Abraham and Francesco Camarda available from the bench. Rumour has it Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao will start on the bench and remarkably Ruben Loftus-Cheek will continue as a red pill Roberto Baggio from the world of Matrix.

Postgame Evaluation

Strahinja Pavlović’s leaping header combined with a Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao cameo may have saved Paulo Fonseca’s job for the foreseeable future, although the writing is on the wall. Two points from three rounds is historically in the wrong direction in conjunction with mind-numbing performances on the field. Ruben Loftus-Cheek continues to star as the greatest joker outside Hollywood, the combative midfielder was largely invisible and firing blanks for the entirety. Emerson Royal should not be starting over Davide Calabria. The naysayers can study the new signings woeful play and sincerely apologise for the disrespect penned at the club captain.

Pregame Expectation

The powers that be can back Paulo Fonseca lyrical, however the heat is on and three points against promoted Venezia are a must. Anything less could induce criticality. Tammy Abraham is expected to start along with Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao. The drought has thankfully settled post water break overreactions. The never-ending Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s positional nightmare somehow lives on. Davide Bartesaghi will be promoted to the matchday squad as insurance for the beleaguered Emerson Royal. No Live TV coverage in the UK therefore I will rely on post-match reports and highlights for postgame analysis.

Postgame Evaluation

A lightning-fast start conjured up four goals in the first half. Predictably the second forty-five was dull with both sides going through the motions. The powers that be could and should have used the second half to maximise squad rotation by introducing substitutions to rest key individuals and offer opportunities for personnel lacking minutes on the field.

Pregame Expectation

The opening round of Champions League football is here with the new format proving plenty of intrigue. A Liverpool littered with star players will provide stiff competition for the Rossoneri on the field and the sideline. The management are already heating up the hot seat. The performance will matter almost as much three points, the red and black have to compete or dare to dare.

Postgame Evaluation

A wonderful start with an early goal to whet the appetite however the red and black forgot to manage the rest of the match. Mike Maignan was visibly injured and not at his best for both Liverpool’s comeback goals. Paulo Fonseca should have replaced the keeper immediately after suffering the injury. Taking an early lead shocked Milan in to sleep mode and galvanised the visiting team into action.

Pregame Expectation

The Derby della Madonnina is upon us. What will be, will be. The trip to Stadio Giuseppe Meazza could be the coaching staff’s first and last milan derby or the first of many.

Postgame Evaluation

Coming Soon.

Pregame Expectation

Milan mustn’t waste the hard-fought victory in the Derby della Madonnina. Three points against the visiting Lecce is imperative to turnaround the season and ease the pressure on the team and the coaching staff.

Postgame Evaluation

As conclusive as you can script in the first half. However, the performance drop-off in the second half is not a pattern the team can afford to persist. The intensity, drive and calibre of play drops considerably in the second forty-five.

Pregame Expectation

A difficult trip to BayArena, Leverkusen awaits a Milan on the rebound to finding form. Points are a necessity against a dangerous opponent however I feel the Rossoneri’s performance on the field is almost as important. The red and black needs to compete and fight the good fight against a high-octane and feared opponent reborn under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso.

Postgame Evaluation

A predictably difficult start against a rampaging team who made life very difficult on the field. Thankfully Milan responded valiantly and pegged back Leverkusen for sustained periods in the second half. In the end Milan was ludicrously unlucky not claim a share of the points. Too many chances were squandered and the officiating crew failed mightily on the day. Milan could and should have been awarded two penalties. Excruciatingly a stonewall incident late on was not even referred to VAR.

Pregame Expectation

A faltering viola will provide a truly unpredictable test for Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Both teams are in need of points, and the contest could playout as a dull draw or a high scoring affair. Yacine Adli will be fired up to showcase his repertoire against his parent club. Tammy Abraham and Alvaro Morata are expected to lead the line for the Rossoneri.

Postgame Evaluation

Don’t call it a comeback, David de Gea’s 90 plus minutes of renascence. Another sorry tale of defensive lapses mixed in with missed penalties. Firorentina could and should have wrapped up the game in the first half with a host of missed opportunities. Christian Pulisic was the mandated (number two) penalty take but alas Tammy Abrahams poor goalscoring form continued from 12 yards.

Pregame Expectation

Dejavou, we are back at must win juncture again. The ramifications are three points or walk the plank. Milan are intimately aware of Udinese’s rare skill of upsetting the status-quo. Post International break will guarantee wholesale changes across the team with Rafael Leão expected to start from the bench and Filippo Terracciano deputising for the suspended Théo Hernandez.

Postgame Evaluation

Who are you kidding? Apparently, the universal consensus is last man defending and penalty box area are non-contact. Embarrassing decision and clownish use of VAR. Tijjani Reijnders barely whiffed on last man Sandi Lovric. Thankfully footballing justice prevailed with a dogged Milan deservedly grinding out three points.

Pregame Expectation

Three points or bust againt dogged opposition. Clube Bruge will not be a walk in the park opponent and the pressure is entirey on Milan to kickstart the continentyal campaign after three losses on the bounce. Rafael Leo and Theo Henandez are expected to return to the starting lineup after most recent omissions from patchy form and suspension.

Postgame Evaluation

The away team turned up to compete and could have taken the lead early in the first half with numerous opportunities squandered. In the end you could question whether Milan deserved the points with the red and black struggling to break down a neat and compact Belgian side.

Pregame Expectation

Milan should be extra fresh and prepared for league leaders Napoli at San Siro thanks to adverse weather concerns in and around Stadio Renato Dall’Ara at the weekend. Another omission is on the cards for star-man Rafael Leão, the inconsistency is partially born from Paolo Fonseca’s questionable tenure. Can the under-fire coach explain Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s continued usage on the field?

Postgame Evaluation

Schoolboy defending combined with outragious physical strenght by Lukaka for the opening goal and absolutley shocking goalkeeping for the second. Watch the tape because words are unjustifiable. How did Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s last 86 minutes and was Francesco Camarda going to the flip the script 87th minute onwards? Arrivederci Paulo Fonseca!

Pregame Expectation

Silvio Berlusconi will be looking on as his beloved Milan will be visiting, looking for a first away win of the season. The form book for both sides does not paint a pretty picture for Stadio Brianteo. Adriano Galliani and Zlatan Ibrahimović will be on hand to represent their respective institutions via the stands while pitch-side Daniel Maldini will represent the past and the present.

Postgame Evaluation

Tijjani Reijnders rescued an abject Milan, who struggled all over the field with little or no cohesion in play or methodology. Monza were very unlucky to not share the points with numerous chances and decisions conspiring against the home side. The substitutes bench continues to fail to bring the best out of Rafael Leão and the red and black. 

Pregame Expectation

The Rossoneri’s continental aspirations hang in the balance with a difficult trip to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, against an out-of-form Real Madrid. On paper the squad comparison and the coaching pedigree are night and day, however the contest is on the field. The red and black will have to conduct the perfect game to come away with points in the bag.

Postgame Evaluation

Paulo Fonseca’s finest hour. A famous victory born from perfectly crafted management on the field and the sideline. The Rossoneri did in fact play the perfect game from top to bottom against a wounded but mighty opponent. Going forward the Rossoneri needs to have a semblance of this Milan, week in week out and the question on the mind is where has this Milan been hiding?

Pregame Expectation

Francesco Camrada is designated to make his first start for Milan, and on merit according to Paulo Fonseca and company. Tammy Abraham has continued to struggle mightily in the final third and the youngster’s selection is not risky in fact it’s both justified and courageous. outside looking in, Tammy’s continued selection over Luka Jović from appears wholly unprofessional. It is imperative for Milan to build upon the midweek performance to string together results to climb the league table.

Postgame Evaluation

Shambolic defending collectively has cost Milan points for the umpteenth time. Are we looking at work your socks off midweek and relax on the weekend mentality? Is intensity a problem against less calibre opposition? Francesco Camrada had almost zero service for sixty-nine minutes. Tammy Abraham finally managed to hit the back of the net on 70 minutes, although he couldn’t miss, he has missed similar opportunities all season long.

Pregame Expectation

The international game break will severely impact the result of this game. Predictions are moot because anything can or will happen with the litany of players participating and traveling back and forth. (More Coming Soon).

Postgame Evaluation

Coming Soon.