MILAN FUTURO: AMPLE MARGIN FOR IMPROVEMENT

After two straight wins against Lecco and Novara in the Coppa Italia, Milan Futuro have had a tough run to start life in Serie C, but no less than predicted. A young team, in its infancy in professional football, is predictably paying for a lack of experience against sides with a bit more nouse. Yet, through adversity, more in terms of results than performances, this team is growing and the margin for improvement is big, clearly.

The defeat to Pianese last time out was inevitable, given the red card shown to Coubis after just four minutes played. Bonera's boys then, for the best part of an hour, held their own and hit the back of the net (disallowed for offside) through Chaka Traorè. They also came close to scoring through a headed effort from Cuenca. The signs of courage and personality have not yet been repaid with results.

Results and the standings, therefore, tell a distorted tale. It is clear that the team is beginning to discover its identity, shown by the victory over SPAL and the draw away at Lucchese. They are improving as individually too: let's look at, for example, Hugo Cuenca, who is a constant threat down the right. There is also Lapo Nava, who has made a host of decisive saves, the latest in that series was to deny Odjer from the penalty spot.

Away from the early red card against Pianese, we must also applaud Andrei Coubis' return to competitive football after a knee injury kept him out for the whole of last season. He's in good shape, focused and a solid centre-back. To sum up, the road is long, but the positive signs are there.

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