So what's missing?

Milan have played four preseason games, two wins and two losses. Hardly convincing for the Champions of Europe, what is missing that was there at the end of last year?

Preseason games aren't important but it can help set the pace for the season ahead. For Milan, they didn't start off well last season injuries, lack of confidence, fatigue and calciopoli all played a role in Milan's poor display in the first half of the season. This season there is no calciopoli and the players are reasonably rested, but the injuries are still there.

The attack:
Milan went to the Moscow tournament with no first team striker, Willy Aubameyang had big shoes to fill. While in last nights game Gilardino, had only just returned from his knee surgery so too much couldn't have been expected from him. Yet there were some great chances he had and he did look reasonably sharp considering his situation.

The Inzaghi situation is unknown and it is thought it could be the same problem which saw him out for most of last season. While Ronaldo will only make his return for the start of the season against Genoa.

The defense:

Even with Maldini out until October the defense has been strong, it was only against Lokomotiv Moscow that saw uncertainty as it was the second team defense that was playing. But without a doubt the Oddo-Nesta-Kaladze-Jankulovski partnership has been the most effective in defending and in attack on the flanks.

The defense has nothing to worry about for now.

The midfield:
It is as strong as ever, with the same players as last year and they have been able to adapt to two different formations which they seem to work well with.

The 4-3-1-2 formation with Kaka tucked behind the two forwards alwyas him to track back and gather the ball and bring it upfront to the forwards while Pirlo is in a deep-lying free position.

The other is the "emergency" formation that saw Milan win the Champions League with this formation, it is the 4-3-2-1/ Christmas tree formation, this is where Kaka and Seedorf lie behind the one forward and Ambrosini comes into Seedorf's position picking up loose balls and distributing them to Kaka and seedorf as well as falling back to defend.

This year we will also see the coming out of Yoann Gourcuff who has had some numerous appearances already in this preseason.

It only seems to be in attack where the rossoneri create a lot of chances but never seem to capitalise, rustiness could be the answer as well as the lack of options up-front. But with a few more games Milan should be on their way to glory.