RYAN REED believes in Milan’s chances to win the Scudetto.
Last season, Milan went through a massive rebuilding phase. After losing our two best players, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, a tumultuous start to the season ensued. Expected by many fans, but accepted by few, this sudden drop in form hit an unbelievable low when the Rossoneri found themselves only one place above the relegation zone.
However, Milan returned to form, coinciding with Mario Balotelli’s transfer to the club. Once Balotelli arrived, Milan’s performance continued to rise, highlighted by a 2-0 win against Barcelona. For all of 2013, Milan lost only one Serie A game, and earned the most points, eventually securing a Champion’s League playoff place. This coming season, Milan may very well be the dark horse to win the Scudetto. Here are three reasons why:
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Form: As stated previously, Milan had a fantastic 2013, losing only one game, and that being to the eventual champions Juventus. Milan also earned the most points during the second half, prompting many to have faith in the Rossoneri to continue their fantastic run of form. Mario Balotelli was a key part of Milan’s renaissance, scoring 12 goals in 13 Serie A appearances. Milan has seemingly kept this form up, playing well in the International Champions cup preseason tournament. If Milan can continue this through season, Milanisti are going to be in for a fantastic year.
Attack: Italian teams fear Milan’s attack. Mario Balotelli, Stephan El Shaarawy, M’Baye Niang, and Giampaolo Pazzini are top-level players who can torture defenses with their fantastic movement and technique. With Japanese playmaker Keisuke Honda arriving in January, if not in this mercato, Ricky Saponara soon to return from injury, and Adem Ljajić a genuine possibility, Milan could very well have the best attacking trio in Europe.
Summer Stability: So far in this mercato, Milan have been rather stable. Aside from the official signing of the on-loan Cristian Zapata, as well as a relatively under-the-radar transfer of Jherson Vergara, Milan have only brought in three players: Riccardo Saponara, Andrea Poli, and Matias Silvestre. Both Silvestre and Poli have blended into the side well, strengthening weak spots and adding depth to Milan’s squad (I wrote an article on Poli’s potential impact to Milan, which you can see here). On the other hand, Milan’s rivals have been very busy in the summer market. Juventus have almost completely revamped their attack, adding Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, and are likely to sell their strikers from last season, Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella, to clubs in the Premier League. Napoli have also gone a massive makeover, the biggest of signings being Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid, as well as Mario Gomez joining Fiorentina. While Higuain, Llorente, Gomez and Tevez are all world-class attackers, it will take time for them to integrate themselves into their new team’s styles, similar to Milan players in the first half of last season. Although they can be dangerous to Milan, the Rossoneri will have the advantage of team consistency and chemistry at the beginning of the season.
Although much has been made about Juventus’ and Napoli’s new-look teams, Milan will actually be the team to beat. Milan’s players have a better chemistry, and while many note El Shaarawy’s goal drought last season as a weakness for Milan, Milanisti will notice the winger’s recent rise, along with his increasing connection with Balotelli, something that was a problem for the Rossoneri last season.
Whereas Juventus and Napoli may have signed stronger players than Milan have, expect Milan to rise against them to win the Scudetto, and maybe more.
Nice article but Milan NEEDS a world class center back to start alongside Mexes… The most reasonable and realistic options are Sakho and Astori.
Also simce Honda is looking like a very unlikly deal now, I think Milan should continue trying to sign Eriksen l to fill in the starting trequartista role and sell Boateng along with the other dead weights to help funds these moves… Because El Shaa- Balo- Eriksen would be awesome and would help is try to compete with juventus
We really do need a quality defender, but I’m not sure about them starting along mexes. Zapata and Silvestre have been looking pretty good in preseason. Although it would be nice, I really don’t see milan signing another good center back. If we do, though, it will most likely be sakho.
“Forza Milan” Let Go There… I Know We Can, With Honda, Sahko & Ljajic Coming Now Or January, I See Milan Adding Trophy To Our Cabinet…!!! Add Me On 2go With Nuradeen61
Balo and El Sha must gel well together, galliani should sign one of Honda or Ljajic and a quality CB, and most importantly, Allegri should use the suitable approach of the game and every player to his fitting role.
I see this squad going somewhere this season. FORZA MILAN
ljajic will join milan..milan will win the so much expected 8th ucl dis season…forza milan.
Last two times we were at the play-offs in the CL, the CL itself was ours ;)
well, in fact we can’t “head to heads” win almost all big serie A opponent last year.. and then the rich club in europe a way too far from us, such as barca, madrid, chelsea, etc.. so realisticaly, dont be over expectation with Rossoneri, but it’ll be good if we positioning Milan as a dark horse.. Forza Milan
Spurs make a offer for ERiksen 9,5 millions.
Milan need CB
Nice article.
Milan has always been contender, and will be.
You cant just write off us.
Forza Milan
i will like to see honda start with the team this month so he can adapt to the team sytle of play
Nice article. If Milan get Honda and Ljajic we will be serious contenders. But, Milan still need better defenders as I think that our new defenders Vergara – has potential but needs experience and Matias Silvestre – just isn’t that great. Still, if Milan can continue the form from the end of last season, i’m sure they will win the scudetto!! Forza!!!!
I actually agree with this article, as I think that our starting line-up is really strong, with everyone fit. However, it’s only our lack of depth that concerns me. But signing Honda and Sakho, is exactly what this team needs. I think Honda is a great player, you guys can shoot me for saying this, but the main reason for me wanting Honda at Milan, is so Boateng will stop playing trequartista. I mean, with Honda and Saponara – two REAL trequartistas, Prince can simply not be choosen ahead of them he just can’t. And Sakho, if molded properly –… Read more »
Stability in the team was the key to our success last season and will continue to be the key this season too. But I can guarantee you one thing we are not going to beat any big teams with Allegri. Infact I can predict this season for you, first we will crash out disappointingly from the UCL qualifiers, we will have an advantage over our serie a rivals but we will not get any victory over them, we will easily defend our way through small teams, and when inter, Napoli and Fiorentina eventually gel the most we can hope for… Read more »
I want you all to note something, that the previous winner of a tournament is always the foremost favorite. Then after about 6-8 games you will hv to rethink, then the second part of the league might make d different.
I will never write off any team until the final game of the season.
Great article , but MIlan will not win the scudetto.
I prefer to be realistic this scudetto is already painted with the colors of Juventus.
Maybe next season.
Nice, optimistic article. I think that we will in fact be contenders for the Scudetto and Coppa Italia this season – winning at least one of those. That’s being quite realistic. I don’t worry as much about the CB position because despite not being the most “glamorous” pair, Mexes and Zapata have grown a lot together. Saponara and Honda at the trequartista position would make for a huge leap in link-up quality and Poli has already been demonstrating his worth in the midfield. That diamond (Montolivo-De Jong-Poli; Honda/Saponara) could very well yield some great returns for us. I think our… Read more »
I will tell you just one reason why we wont win the scudetto and that is allegri
Milan with Balotelli will win the s cudetto
They will do well in Europe but not this year, next year
With a more mature team will be the great Milan
That will win everything .
Their main weakness is Abbiati, we need a top goali
I think this is a really good article and I agree with most of it. I agree with many of the comments so far that the squad could use a top quality center back, but hopefully Milan can make up for it by lighting up the score board. I do believe that consistency and cohesiveness have been an issue. This is a much different team than Allegri initially inherited, but many of them have now played together for some time and many others are products of the youth system that may have an easier time integrating than new signings. I’m… Read more »
@cyborg and @juninho go support other club, you are not a milanisti
for @cyborg : your comment is always about allegri,allegri this, allegri that, do you really think that you are a b etter manager than allegri? if you manage milan i can guarantee that you will always lose because yo dont know anything about football
for @juninho : you are obviously a juve fan, go support your calciopoli team we dont need people like you in milan. i can guarantee you that we will win the scudetto and copa italia
Honestly Juninho is right,we just have to be honest Even Allegri and Galliani said that Juventus were favorite,Maybe we will win it next season,but for now I tip Juve and Napoli to compete for the Scudetto this season
Forza Milan
Stop dreaming and face the reality that right now Milan are not contender for Scudetto or CL. They both are right, you are wrong. You are one who are deluded and can’t accept the fact that we are no longer like before anymore.
You never heard of differences of opinion.
Me, Galliani and Allegri are in agreement with each other.
I dont know were all this confidence is coming from. Yes the team did well second half of last season. But this team is no European top team. Its a sub- top team nothing more. We need better players. Were all thrilled with Poli now. We used to have players like Kaka, Pirlo, Ronaldinho ect. And now we are praying for Honda? We are heading the wrong way Napoli and Juve have stronger squads than we have. Roma and Fiorentina are equal to us. We need to buy decent players now!
Lets 4get ljajic nd honda .. Go 4 other Gud nd underated players like diamanti.. Dat guy is good nd U̶̲̥̅̊ cn get him on a cheaper rate due 2 his age .. We dnt care abt age cos he is far beta dan boateng in dat role .. Wif a lot of characteristics like dribbling skill passes shot and a good freekick specialist.. Lets get him 4 d main tym ..
I do love the optimism in this write-up and it’s one i share too for the same reasons detailed in the post. But to be honest, Juventus is still the team to beat. Judging from the way they totally outmatched Lazio, with Tevez showing what we missed and would miss in our team this season- someone that would run his socks off for the team. El sharaaway tries in that regard but not as good as Tevez, Why!? Because he hasn’t worked on his left-foot. For this reason, if we ever are to play a 4-3-1-2 formation i would prefare… Read more »
i agree with you kuchini and likewise the article, but am still disappointed in the replacement for Gabriel. though my money is still on juventus to retain the title(which i hope not).
with your choice of Niang…hmm i like him kind-of but he does break my heart with is tiredness atimes. He appears more hungry this early games so i shall lean on your formation till i see him against psv and i want to believe he’ll come out smoking hot.
All the best in the new season…forza Milano
@milanista, i think the teams superior to ours on paper are Juventus and Fiorentina not Napoli. Juventus i am sure are going to carry that superiority unto the pitch, Allegri and other coaches wud just have to come up with an absolutely ingenious plan to stop those guys. Fiorentina haven’t undergone a major shake-up unlike Napoli and they have an abundance of quality quantity in that team that dwarfs Milans ON PAPER. We are yet to see how they would fare on the pitch. Napoli have undergone major changes and until i see them play, i wouldn’t call them title… Read more »
With unity In the team we”ll make. It
No way we’ll win the Scudeto. Our defense is terrible. Simple as that.
Guys the juventus squad isnt all that badass they are just disciploned,jeez,wats with this thing and juve
Don’t knw why some fans live in lala land.To ba frank if milan don’t get ljajic,honda and sakho this summer, milan won’t finish above 2nd place come may next year and as usual Round 16 in UCL. Hopefully allegri wud take coppa italia serious inorder not 2 end up empty handed again
very soon all of you will say gud thing abt milan last 3 season when juven came 4rm relagate people said milan are favourite.
If we were to get Sakho/Astori and Honda/Ljajic before Sep 2nd then I’d say we’re in with a chance. Without any of these players joining I can’t see it. If just a couple of our top players like Balo or Monty get injured we’re screwed. And we still have a coach who thinks SES has to help out in defence and Boateng is a trequarista.
Never while Allegri is in charge and he keeps playing Boateng, Muntari and Nocerino, absolutely no chance.
Greetings to all d milan fan in d house, please does galliani or d milan boared see dis our arguments here?
Nice article. Definately our stability is an advantage. Winning scudeto is a big question as Juve are the favourites. However, we can be champions esp if we stay injury- free, all the potentials are there. Favourites dont always win. Can Milan win the scudeto? YES, WE CAN.
Milan will be very successful this season. Watch out for this 3 signs. 1 milan will sign good. 2 we will overcome psv 3. Start seria a with victory. When you see this signs you will believe. & 4 allegri just like fergi. They stay on top no matter condition. Even when the best left he brought out good from nothing. Remember his first season unexpected victory. To cyborg dassa & some guys here berlusconi, fester, allegri knows & love milan more than you. From december till now no italian team performed more than us yet we add legs. But… Read more »
I am excited by the possibility of Honda’s capture. He can give us the much needed tactical flexibilty .. We can go 4-3-1-2 with Honda filling the “hole” or 4-3-3 and use him on the right flank as we have seen him many times playing in such position with CSKA and Japan. A good article, yet, overly optimistic. FORZA MILAN.
You saying Milan’s form peaked with the signing of super Mario is not true… El Sharawy’s goals lifted the team’s moral a lot and also up the ladder… Allegri’s good but he plays players out of position a lot, Milan obviously needs a better coach
everytinz we b ok soon 4za milan.
One reason why Milan wont win the title…….Juventus are simply much better
Milan can bridge the gap between us and juventus if we can capture Honda and Sakho this summer. You can imagine match winning performance that Honda will bring and considering the fact that we will be competing in three major competition. The unfortunate thing is that Galiani is nothing bothered about our chances that these players will bring. He is only concerned about the €2m his going to save.
Definately Milan will be the team to beat if and only if Allegri thought and acted like a top coach for a top team. Otherwise our squad is better than almost all Serie A teams bt only that diehard mentality transfered by the coach is missing.
Milan Expected Squad for 2013-2014 Season:
Abbiati (35)/Gabriel (20)/ Amelia (31), Abate (26)/De Sciglio (20), Mexes (31)/Silvestre (28)/ Vergara (19), Sakho (23)/Zapata (26)/Bonera (32), Constant (26)/ Emanuelson(27); De Jong (28)/Muntari (28), Montolivo (28)/Cristante (18), Poli (23)/Boateng (26), Honda (27)/Saponara (21); El-Shaarawy (20)/Robinho (29)/Niang (18), Balotelli (23)/Pazzini (27)/Petagna (18)
Out: Nocerino, Antonini, Traore
No need Eriksen, Ljajic and Kujca
Ljajic honda sakho erikson milan mgt did not get any of their target that speaks volume of milan management.what a joke