Cesena, here to stay?

Massimiliano Allegri tasted defeat for the first time as AC Milan manager, as his side were beaten by newly promoted Cesena, who only reaffirmed their ambition to remain a Serie A club for more than one season.

Milan started the game in typical fashion; Andrea Pirlo working the ball from back to front. Ronaldinho had the first real attempt on goal (10); cutting in from the left and curling the ball towards the top corner, only to be denied by Cesena goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.

The home-side broke where a dangerous cross from wide-right forced Abbiati into action, Cesena determined not about to roll over for one of the Serie A big boys.

Despite Cesena’s endeavour, Milan were creating the better chances in front of goal. Thiago Silva should have done better when he headed over from a corner (15). 10 minutes later, Alexander Pato was unfortunate to have a goal disallowed for being offside. The latter also shooting wide when fed by new strike-partner Ibrahimovic.

It was however, Cesena who opened the scoring. New signing Stephen Appiah, brought in to replace the departing Guly Do Prado, started the move, fed the ball to the right, which was crossed in for Erion Bogdani to head home (31). Bogdani’s task of scoring was made easier when Milan defender Sokratis inexplicably attempted to volley the ball instead of using his head.

Milan almost responded immediately when Ronaldinho crossed for fellow Brazilian Pato, who was denied by Antonioli’s feet.

It went from bad to worse for Milan as Cesena doubled their lead on the stroke of half time on the counter-attack.

With Milan trying to force an early equaliser before the break; the ball was cleared to Bogdani who carried the ball into the Milan half and spotted an unmarked run from danger man Emanuele Giaccherini who remained cool under pressure to slip the ball past Abbiati (44).


HALF TIME: 2-0

Allegri will no doubt have hoped his half-time team-talk would give Milan some impetus to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. No such luck.

Ten minutes after the interval, Ronaldinho was dragged off to make way for Robinho to make his debut in a black and red shirt. Donning the number 70 shirt, Robinho tried to make an impact, but to no avail. Robinho at least moved away from the touchline, in-field to try and conjure up something, more than his departing team-mate achieved.

To Allegri’s frustration there was no immediate impact, so on came Pippo Inzaghi for the anonymous Gennaro Gattuso, demonstrating exactly why he featured so rarely last season.

In truth Cesena played for a clean sheet in the second half; creating a solid defensive wall on the 18 yard line, forcing Milan to resort to long-range efforts; Swede Ibrahimovic coming closest.

There appeared to be hope for Milan with four minutes remaining when Inzaghi won his side a penalty. Ibrahimovic was presented with the opportunity to make himself an instant hero and set-up a blockbuster finish. His penalty struck the right-post, this was Cesena’s day.

It finished 2-0 on a memorable day for Cesena. After two Serie A games they have yet to concede and have made more than an ideal start. Already for Milan old and new concerns will be highlighted, there is still much work to be done if a title challenge is to become reality this season.

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Cesena: 2 (Bogdani, 31),(Giaccherini, 44)
AC Milan: 0

Cesena: Antonioli (GK); Ceccarelli, Pellegrino, Von Bergen, Nagatomo; Appiah, Colucci, Parolo; Schelotto, Bogdani (Malonga 80), Giaccherini

Milan: Abbiati (GK); Bonera, Sokratis, Thiago Silva (Abate 46), Antonini; Gattuso (Inzaghi 65), Pirlo, Ambrosini; Pato, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho (Robinho 56)

Can Derby still acheive without Rob Hulse?

Many Derby County fans would have been disappointed with the exit of striker Rob Hulse. The well-travelled striker has won promotion twice in his career and has been purchased by teams who were promoted without his services. Now at Championship table-toppers Queens Park Rangers, he will hope to make it a third career promotion and have a second crack at the Premier League.

Indeed, the first game of the season showed some promise for Derby, who so far under Nigel Clough’s reign have had to endure a transitional period with a massive squad overhaul in the past 20 months in order to create a more manageable wage bill.

Clough, who left Burton Albion after 10 years of service, now faces a new challenge: to revive the fortunes of Derby and once again turn them into Premier League contenders.

An opening-weekend win at Leeds would have given fans early hope. The combination of Paul Green, Kris Commons and Hulse was particularly impressive. The latter of course was a key focal point to this attack and, as many Football League defenders will be aware, is more than a mere battering ram.

However, since the opening weekend of the Championship Hulse has been injured and Derby have had to endure two defeats and a draw at home to QPR. Such has been the extent of the injury list at Pride Park that former Exeter defender Dean Moxey has been used as a makeshift striker in variations of 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations.

Before discussing the importance of Rob Hulse’s departure to QPR, there are a number of factors that need to be considered. Hulse is now 30; although still more than capable at that age, he missed 16 games last season and has only played one so far in the current campaign. More crucial to the decision to sell Hulse was that the money on offer was too good to turn down for a striker with only nine months left on his contract, points highlighted by Derby executive chairman Tom Glick.

Hulse has been the top scorer for the Rams for the two previous seasons, chipping in with 28 league goals in his last three campaigns, and his departure will no doubt harm the Derby’s chances of promotion. In addition, Clough may have to re-think tactics; Dean Moxey cannot be relied upon for an entire season, and naturally as a defender he will not match Hulse’s prolific goal-scoring rate.

The departure of the 6ft 2in striker will not aid Derby’s aspirations this season, but the Midlands club are in no hurry,

While Derby are in the middle of a five-year plan to reach the Premier League, 30- year-old Hulse’s aspirations for top-flight football are more immediate; and under new manager Neil Warnock who would bet against it happening this year.