Sinisa Mihajlovic didn’t spare any criticism as Milan’s B team (plus youngsters) won 3-2 against a Serie C side in a rather unconvincing fashion.
Ten Milan players are on international duty so Sinisa Mihajlovic let those who usually spend their time on the bench to show what they can do and was left thoroughly unimpressed with what the B team of his side can produce, even against Mantova F.C, who scored twice.
“If we think that we can win just because we are called Milan, then we’re going nowhere,” Miha said. “It was a game we needed to get minutes in our legs, but when someone doesn’t play, they can’t complain – this performance is why they don’t play.
“I have doubts in every area of the team. Perhaps the attack is the department with fewest problems. At the back we played two Primavera players but we have no excuses because they are also players of Milan. Today those who haven’t played much were given a chance and they showed why they are reserves.
“I’m not talking about anyone in particular but about everyone. Balotelli? We played against a Serie C side. He is not in good shape and has to improve, just like all the others, otherwise he won’t play.”
Balotelli scored first after three minutes with a great shot from outside the box. Mantova scored twice and got the lead but Balo provided an assist to Poli off a corner and Andrea equalized. In the second half Balotelli earned a penalty for Luiz Adriano to score the winning goal from the spot.
“The match today was an important chance for us to improve on our match fitness and to see those who’ve played less. It was not a positive match though and I was expecting something more from the players,” The coach said in the post-match conference at the end of the game at Stadio Martelli.
“However, even in the negative moments I saw a positive, which is that I know who I can rely on and who I can’t rely on. The derby is a big match that we need to prepare well for. I didn’t get the positive responses that I wanted today. The performances out on the pitch are what matter, those that don’t deserve to won’t play. Balotelli? It’s been a long time since he last played and needs to work on his match fitness.
“I expected more from those that have been playing with us since the start. I am referring to everyone, we should have done better. Montolivo? He was so-so; from the others I expected more. We’ll have to see who we can count on for the derby, I have to select players who will run and who will have the desire to play.
“Bonaventura? He can play in the 3/4tista role but let’s see who will play that role in the derby. On Saturday and today he was one of the better players. We hope that none of the international players come back with injuries. We need to have the courage to play the derby just like we are preparing for it.
“Luiz Adriano? He is a penalty taker, just like Balotelli, but Mario gave him the chance to take it. Mario needs to regain his match fitness, when he is ready he will play. The market? It’s the past now.”
Announcement: Meytar Zeevi, who writes most of the posts on Rossoneriblog, will not be available for most of the time starting from Monday (07.09.2015) to mid-October for personal reasons. This will result in a drop in the amount of posts but you can feel free to engage in the Forums.
Haha
haha real talk…
Oh my God, I like this coach! He’s not scared to speak his mind….when he’s disappointed in the teams performance he expresses himself clearly. I hope those players who didn’t play well truly realize why they’re reserve and not hold any grudge against the coach. Well I didn’t get to watch the match but from Miha’s comment (On Saturday and today he was one of the better players.”) I think Bonaventura is someone we can count on, I mentioned it a while back (even when he was considered awful) that he needs to be in our midfield, he’s d sort… Read more »
Watched a bit just to watch him. He was okay. Had a shot or two. He is not playing well at the moment.
Hopefully he finds the form that he had last year because he can really help our midfield when he’s on.
On another note. If we happen to qualify for champions league next year, I think Milan should go all out for Veratti.
He’s a superstar.
I don’t think milan can afford him right now. Time to buy was when he moved to psg for 12 mil euro. Now his price is like pogba’s. maybe a little less. Don’t hold your breath.
Tbh veratti looked bad for the national and Bertolacci looked very poor as well. Ok against Malta is a mediocre result.
There is no pleasing for this this guy … I like him XD
No Milan DNA BS. Inzaghi, Seedorf and Leonardo were sold on that mantra. It is good to have an honest coach letting the fans know that the players are out of shape. My feeling has been for the last few years that the practices we saw were just for the cameras.
He plays no favorites.
The name of the game is “Improvement” for Milan.
It’s what we desperately need after the last few seasons.
Finally, we have a coach that will squeeze every drop of effort out of these players.
Love it. His attitude is top notch. Lets hope he transforms it onto top notch coaching as well and makes the players deliver. We are all Behind you Miha!
Comment:yesooooooo
I do see a potentiel midfield i would like him to try . Djong in the center with poli and bonaventura with Honda as trequartista . I think that it could be our best at the moment , Poli is on scoresheat , maybe luck , but he is still there . Dejong well he is a sure thing , Bona is a bit of a headache but he really seems he can pull off a seedorf version .( I see you comming , give him a shot at least ) Finally Honda , he had 30 min since that… Read more »
IMO, De Jong, Monte & Bona is a better option… Poli only runs around and has absolutely 0 creativity in his game. Monte Has creativity and can actually put on the required pressure and get the ball more often.
Get read off them in January because they’re don’t have red&black blood in their veins
January….. Witsel… Moutinho in……. Nocerino. Cerci. These guys just gotta go seriously. Honda. Poli benched. Montolivo I really want u to rediscover ur old self caus I always rated this guy back in fiorintina days. We need a new midfield set up this is just crazy. Next season galliani put I’m done with this guy he has to Mich power to much controlling of players coming in. That’s y we r in this mess. Barbara girly u should be in charge of everything n bring back maldini please it still is a mystery y our beloved legend is not back… Read more »
Barabra and maldini has doen absolutely nothing to prove that they can be good sporting directors. If we bring maldini in it should be for more of an advisory role rather than as a sproting director. If we are getting rid of gallinai who imo we should not we should atleast try and get someone who has experience doing tbe job rather than get a new face. Milan cant afford to take anymore chances right now.
Barbara is actually one hell of a c.e.o. But she wouldn’t work as sporting director.
Forget Maldini he’s to busy at Miami he won’t leave to come to milan
Be careful Miha, last guy to say the squad is inadequate got the boot. Cough….Seedorf…..cough….
Looks like the midfield will be a major sticking point this season as well as the defense on counters. I just hope the management listens to this guy cause we don’t want to lose him.
I think Milan should keep him even if we fail to qualify for CL. I really like his ideals and he can make Milan great again.
The fact that he is not sucking up to the management is refreshing. He is actually saying that the squad is inadequate. Love him.
This is the right coach for milan
How was Bertolacci’s performance against Malta? Anyone???
” Montolivo? He was so-so” That was perfect. Miha is the man
Alright, I lol’d
😀
This is bad we need pirlo back on lon just 4 this year
We need pirlo back on lon when the go off in the usa and seedorf was gud eoungh 4 ac milan I liked the way he was pushing the boys
As well as reminding everyone that got excited over Balo that we were playing a serie C team. I also love.
We haven’t seen this much combatism in a manager since Capello.
After the transfer window closed, I was surprised to see many guys on here thinking this team has upgraded and saying stuffs like our Mercato was quite okay? Many believe this team will finish top three? Good to see many optimistic Milan fans. I am a realist and enough of getting my hopes up after all I’ve seen these past seasons which Mihaj’s beginning to see too. We’ll see at the end of the season though. As for me, myself and I, this team is never an UPGRADE and I actually thought we were upgrading. All Milan did was replacements… Read more »
Luiz adriano, miha, bacca, maybe balotelli, Bertolacci, Romagnoli in for pazzini, inzaghi, destro, zaccardo, bonera, muntari, essien. Please don’t act like the wise man with your comments all the time because its bullshit to not call this team an upgrade. Most people were optimistic at the start, then we lost against fiorentina which is absolutely no shame, they are a strong side and it was our first real match with a team that hasn’t been together for even 2 months!! Okee a weak performance against empoli but we won, this is also a strength, unlike last year we can win… Read more »
well, I kinda agree with you, but we were optimists cause we got rid of many cancers in our team… from Bonera to Muntari, Essien, Matri, to Zaccardo (and many more)… ok, we migjt not get enough new players, but it is a step up… after long few years of bad players.. this is a step up… and I still believe we could be in at least top 5, but it depends on Miha and if he could fix our midfielders…
you are a great comedian, i’ll give you that. may b i should list some “upgrades”. miha, bacca, adriano, bertolacci (top 3 midfielder last year), mauri (best young midfielder last yr), romagnoli (best young defender, compared to nesta), ely,calabria, donnaruma (absolute huge potential). of course, almost all of the fringe players are gone. only nocerino,alex and cerci left. all of them has just a yr left in their contract. i mean what more do you want???? if you thought, in one summer milan will be worldclass, then you are an absolute fool now that its really clear that milan needs… Read more »
@Hasowayne, you just said it all
Miha really needs time to make a great team, I hope c.b.c and galliani dont do some bad thing with him.
Before Mihajlovic has got this team to play like he want I hope we can get as many 3 points as possible even if we play ugly
Mihajlovic, Carlos Bacca, Luiz Adriano and Romonglio are my reason for hope.
Who knew spending money on player will give you result
Whole AC Milan bunch is a reservation team except for Bacca, Adriano, De Jong, Antonelli. He’s making differences although he said everybody gets the same treatment
Comment:i like this coach he tell the truth, not like our former coach who no that the team play bad, he wil come out and say the players give it all that he is happy with what the boys did, mihajlovic u have my suport anytime well done coach
i believe nd know that milan will do well this season, thank God for my coach#forzamilano
He is calling “a spade a spade” am loving his guts!
BALLS AT ITS BEST….this is what i want sam1 realistic and sam1 who will spit the truth…..Midfield still the problem….hope monto and berto find their form and Mauri giveb some minutes and do u guys think Inter is better than us? I hope not all the pundits claim that their in. To challenge for scudetto
Bertolacci and Bonaventure will be very useful everything is time I hope winning inter will give us much boasts we will be on fair
Anyone saw Baselli’s goal last Torino game? It was on top 5 goals of Serie A last matchweek. That kid would be awesome mezz’ala next to De Jong and Bertolacci with Bonaventura as trequartista, but Galliani loves to launder money with Preziosi and got us Kucka and overpayed Bertolacci for few bucks!
All the wrong moves!
I kind of agree with you, but Bertolacci was bought from Roma, not Genoa, so that purchase probably didnt have anything to do with Genoa other than that he played there last season, thats the only connection I personally see.
Certain group of players can not cope bcos they will no longer get the preferential treatment they used to get by allergri and inzaghi,and there conspiracy will not work this time. ”I can’t ask for more from my players they tried there best, but the season is long,there is room for improvement”words of allegri and inzaghi even on match day 25 thier season is still long,rubbish. I have said it several times our players are highly indiscipline,but with miha all there wings will be cut off,that for sure.
Hes saying balotelli isnt in form.. WAIT bonnaventura, poli, ad bertolacci are right?
Your the only one not in form. You are literally the most negative person I have ever encountered online
Bertolacci to miss the derby!
Milans problem at the moment is the formation; we can’t play a 4-3-3 with a midfield who doesn’t create game, it’s slow as hell, not fast to react when defending or when is needed to counter react on attacking. The midfielders who we thought would be good this year according to what happened last season (with the exception of De Jong) no one is doing well so far. So to my opinion Milan should play: 4-1-3-1-1 or 3-5-1-1 De Sciglio-Ely-Romagnoli-Antonelli De Jong Kucka-Bertolacci-Bonaventura Bacca Adriano De Sciglio-Ely-Romagnoli Bonaventura-Kucka-Bertolacci-De Jong-Antonelli Bacca Adriano We need more bodies in the middle and I… Read more »
Kucka???
milan at the moment are not playing 433 but 4312 and that’s your formation if you’r really looking for more bodies in the middle. I’d rather few bodies out wide like 4231/433
On paper we have better squad than inter, but our squad really lack of experience and grit especially in midfield and central defender. The derby will be painful to watch but we hope the best. Forza Milam
Maybe some players could’ve given more but you can’t always blame poor displays on the players thou with a good tactic these players should be able to beat mantova convincingly. Miha has the perfect character the milan but I’ll have to watch his teams performances closely as a still don’t know his system of play that much. Hopefully the team will soon start playing.
Sinisa Mihajlovic was called in by Milan chiefs after players reportedly complained at his harsh management style. The Rossoneri started the campaign with defeat to Fiorentina and a victory over Empoli, but the Coach blasted his squad in the Press. After a midweek friendly, he even said “the reserves played today and you can tell why they are reserves.” According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, some stars are irritated at his constant criticism and complained to the club. Mihajlovic had dinner with President Silvio Berlusconi and CEO Adriano Galliani last night, where he was questioned about the current situation. Many… Read more »
I hope this is not going to be another Seedorf saga, we really need Miha especially if we want play in the CL next year
Forza rossoneri
Great Coach!
I have a feeling miha is going to end up like seedorf which is a shame. We will probably bring in a coach like pippo (very soft and not upfront) and Milan will just continue in this vicious cycle. It’s time to get these geezers, fester and to some degree, berlusconi, out or at least lower their position of power. Not so much for berlu but for galliani its a must. MIHA NEEDS TIME AND GOOD PLAYERS
i would be sad if miha goes. milan need to be more patient with coaches. i believe under performin players must see the bench.