retired_rblake

21/01/07 - Serie A
Ternana (H)
Team: Abbiati; Janulovski, Gonzalo, Nesta, King; Seedorf, Kaka, Aimar, Gattuso, Vanden Borre; Gilardino.

Aimar came into the deep-lying midfield role for the suspended Pirlo, whilst Kaladze was on the bench for the first time since returning from injury.

Ternana's attacking 343 was almost undone inside 30 seconds when Vanden Borre's cross was headed just over by Seedorf. It only took 4 minutes for the first goal to arrive, Alberto Gilardino heading in his 10th of the season from Seedorf's cross. One minute later and it was Kaka's turn to head home, this time from Jankulovski's cross. Three minutes after number 10, number 11 arrived for Gilardino, Seedorf releasing the Italian to lob Andrea Ricciarelli in the Ternana goal. Seven minutes in and the score was 3-0. Ternana were given a lifeline on the half hour mark when Jankulovski pulled Elrio van Heerden's shirt and a penalty was awarded. Christian Abbiati saved Marco Rigoni's poor penalty.

Kaka and Gilardino were withdrawn at half-time after picking up knocks in the first-half.

Half-time substitute Egidio Andrea Peluso was sent off for two bookings just after the hour mark and an Inzaghi header from a Jankulovski free-kick compounded a miserable day for Ternana. The day wasn't complete as Inzaghu helped himself to a brace again diverting a left wing cross past the helpless Ricciarelli from substitute Maldini's assist. In stoppage time Jankulovski completed a hat-trick of assists crossing for MOM Aimar to slide under Ricciarelli.
AC Milan 6-0 Ternana

retired_rblake

22/01/07
A £21m deal for Arsenal's Aliaksandr Hleb fell through as AC Milan can only sign 1 non-EU player from abroad per season, Filipe from Real Madrid being the one.

retired_rblake

27/01/06 - Coppa Italia Quarter Final, 1st Leg
Sampdoria (A)
Team: Dida; Jankulovski, Maldini, Simic, Cafu; Kaladze, Kaka, Bloudek, Vogel, Abate; Gilardino.

An assortment of fringe players, youth team and the odd starter travels for the away leg.

Withstood some Sampdoria pressure in the first half, without creating anything meaningful ourselves.

Just after the restart Fabio Bazzani chased a long ball over the top of th defence and his angled drive into the far hand corner was enough to beat Dida. On the hour mark, AC Milan got very lucky when Gilardino chased a ball in behind but was beaten to it by Luca Castellazzi in the Sampdoria goal but his clearance hit Gilardino and found its way into the net. A minute later and Sampdoria led again when slack play by Jankulovski let Bazzani in on the right and he crossed for Flachi to convert. Both teams had chances to add but didn't.
Sampdoria 2-1 AC Milan

retired_rblake

27/01/07 - Serie A
Fiorentina (H)
Team: Abbiati; Jankulovski, Gonzalo, Nesta, King; Seedorf, Kaka, Pirlo, Gattuso, Vanden Borre; Gilardino.

The Sampdoria match was a misprint, it was in fact 24/01/07.

A hugely uneventful first half.

An awful defensive error by Ledley King with twenty minutes left gifted Filipe Gomes with an opportunity he had no problem taking. A nice AC Milan late on with Inzaghi unselfishly squaring for Shevchenko to tap in for his 20th of the season and AC's equaliser.
AC Milan 1-1 Fiorentina

retired_rblake

28/01/07
Good news from Messina that Inter were held to a 1-1 also, which means the 7 point lead is maintained after 24 games played, 14 to play, including a home match to Inter.

retired_rblake

29/01/07
Chairman Silvio Berlusconi was spoken of his disappointed in failing to bring any of the World's finest players to the club. Bids were made and refused for Giorgio Chellini and Fabio Aurelio for the left-back spot. Bids for wingers Vicente, Joaquin and Ronaldinho were also turned down. With a transfer fund of only £20m, bringing attacking players to the club that Signor Berlusconi approves of proved difficult. In the coming days, we will see who is brought in and then subsequently will sit on the bench, at best.

retired_rblake

30/01/07
A £16.5m bid for Ashley Cole has been accepted and Signor Berlusconi has offered him a contract.

And later that day Mr.Cole politely rebuffed the offer stating that he would be very reluctant to leave Arsenal. And goes to state that being a regular in the Arsenal team is more important than looking at options elsewhere. Is that a bug in the game?

retired_rblake

31/01/07 - Coppa Italia Quarter Finals, 2nd Leg
Sampdoria (H)
Team: Dida; Kaladze, Gonzalo, Nesta, King; Jankulovski, Kaka, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf; Shevchenko.

A strong line-up, which includes Kaladze back at left-back, as he is a stronger defender than Jankulovski, who moves to his familiar left-wing midfielder and Seedorf to the right.

Jankulovski goes down lame early in the first half to be replaced by Vanden Borre. Gattuso was adjudged to have fouled Castellini and co-owned AC Milan player Kutuzov converts the penalty. The lead lasts ten minutes when Shevchenko hits back from a Seedorf cross. On the stroke of half-time Palombo crosses for Flachi to nod back for Vincenzo Ranieri to curl a delightful shot past the helpless Dida. However the replays suggest that Flachi was offside from the original cross.

Gilardino set up Seedorf with twenty minutes left to make the game interesting, with the scores standing at 4-3 to Sampdoria on aggregate, who also have 2 away goals to AC's 1. And five minutes later Seedorf repeated the trick converting a Vanden Borre cross to level the scores at 4-4, but Sampdoria holding the away goals advantage, which take effect after 90 minutes. Dramatic scenes at the San Siro as MOM Shevchenko is tripped in the area by the once hero Ranieri. Pirlo calmed stepped up to make it 4-2 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate.
AC Milan 4-2 Sampdoria (5-4 on aggregate)

retired_rblake

01/02/07
The transfer deadline passed without further transfer bids by made by myself, the manager or the interferring Chairman.

retired_rblake

04/02/07 - Serie A
Lecce (A)
Team: Abbiati; Kaladze, Gonzalo, Nesta, King; Seedorf, Kaka, Pirlo, Gattuso, Vanden Borre; Shevchenko.

Dida and Abbiati have been taking it in turns to keep goal due to niggling injuries and Jankulovski's faces three weeks on the sidelines with fractured ribs joined by Pablo Aimar with a twisted knee for ten days. Robinho is expected back from International Duty any day soon after winning the North American Gold Cup with Brazil.

AC Milan put a lot of pressure on Lecce and on the half hour Raffaele Schiavi pushed Kaka in the area in an aerial challenge and Pirlo stepped up but his penalty was well saved by Vincenzo Sicignano. Kaka was struggling with a niggling injury and was replaced just before half time by Paolo Maldini. Maldini went to left-back, Kaladze to left midfield and Seedorf to the attacking central midfield slot.

Despite creating many chances and attacking Lecce throughout the second half, they were unable to make a breakthrough as illustrated by goalkeeper Vincenzo Sicignano picking up MOM
Lecce 0-0 AC Milan