Milan was lucky but Cagliari needs work

By: Jeremy | February 22nd, 2009

If anyone watched todays game at the San Siro and thought it was entertaining in any way shape or form, then you must have low expectations or are a rabid fan of MLS. Speaking of MLS, I have to give props to Beckham who was the best player on the pitch today. I have always been a fan of his and want him to play for England as long as he can. If he is going to play for a big club in Italy, I can still like him if he plays for Milan. If you dont think a player like him is still valuable on a top club and international level, then you are missing something.

I knew today was the day to play these guys. They were injured, tired, demoralized, and would likely take us lightly. The perfect set up for a result to go our way. Either way the still had plenty of talent on the pitch and we still had to do something if we want points. We just cant replay the game film of the Juve match over and over hoping that the players will just assume the result will happen. Despite that entertaining game we played in Turin, we are still an offensively inconsistent team and that kind of play wont get you to Europe even if your relegation worries might be eliminated a little earlier then normal because of a nice run of results.

Milan did nothing today. I didnt see a real chance created by them at all. While Inzaghis constant offsides made it seem like they were oh so close to scoring, it took a gaffe by guess who, Diego Lopez, midway through the second half to allow Clarence Seedorf an easy finish and a 1-0 win for them. Luck flows good and bad throughout the season and this was a bad luck week for us, but I cannot be too upset because we are starting to revert back to the Cagliari of old, which is playing tight or lethargically hoping for that last minute goal that gets or saves points. What we can do against teams like Siena or Lecce, we cant expect that against even a depleted Milan on the road. It is really frsutrating that your most experienced defender is constantly in the middle of these game changing messes. I dont think he returns to Cagliari next year and I would like to see the young defenders get some more playing time. They showed they can be Serie A players in the Juve game.

In between Beckhams great play, we really controlled the game and were the faster paced team. Acquafresca was given two nice chances in the first half and he played them in a very non chalant manner. Is it me, or does he think he is Giorgio Chinaglia? I am fine with a lazy forward if he is scoring goals in bunches, but if you make a bad play or are on a bad run of finishing, show you still care and come back for the ball to receive it sooner rather waiting for it to be teed up for you to finish. Acquafresca might be dreaming of Inter, but his play of late is showing him to still be a little immature. He needs to wake up and show some effort. If he thinks he will just be handed a place in the starting eleven for Inter next year, he is mistaken. I think its 50/50 that he is out on loan somewhere next year and if he wants regular play, it is not a bad idea that he comes back to us for another year.

The early part of the second half saw a nice shot by Cossu hit the inside of the post and was inches from giving us a lead. If Milan fans were jeering their club after the match, I could only have imagined what they would have done if we had gone up on that shot. Other then the defensive lapse, the rest of the game was boring. Lots of running by guys like Fini and Pisano, but Biondini took the day off and Milan just played the short passing game when they had it. Cossu was our best player, but the strikers did nothing. Milan was never a threat to do anything, not because of our great defense, but for reasons maybe they can explain.

After the dust settles, we must look realistically at where we are. This talk of Europe is still there, but the top six are pretty clear of the mid table group so we must see if the Copa results shake out to give Serie A that seventh place UEFA spot. Lets just assume that happens. We are in seventh in that place now but there is a big group of teams wanting that spot. This includes Palermo, Atalanta, Napoli, Lazio, and even a couple of others. The results this weekend went well for us if we still keep seventh place, but they are tightening up and all these clubs see that there is likely only one spot to get for Europe if it all and that Cagliari in their minds is not worthy of it. Can we handle the pressure of the chase for the final spot?

Luck aside, if we dont start consistently producing offensively not only in goals, but by the sheer threat of goals that comes with good play, we will end up in 13th or 14th place real quick. Todays game was just another reminder that for all the good that has happened, we are still looking for that consistent magic that we are missing but need to make these european dreams a reality.