AC Milan general spiel 2.0

[The MAN]

Pato shows Robinho how to finish

3-1

[The MAN]

I would've preferred to see Pirlo get a full rest but meh, only 13 mins left

[The MAN]

our misses are becoming quite comical actually...luckily this is a game where we can afford to do that

[p_maldini_3]

you know, for having some of the best 1v1 players in the game, we are probably the worst counterattacking team this season. our fucking forwards can't finish any chances when they are running at the goal. it hasn't just been this game, but this whole fucking season.

thank God for the win, with lazio and inter dropping points its great news for us.

[The MAN]

WOW, we really almost screwed this one up, our attack completely messed up with no finishing and our defence was caught napping

Like the way Allegri managed this game, gave a rest to Pirlo, started Flamini who did very well, and benched Pato and Dinho...I think he got a good reaction out of Pato, I'm not sure Pato would've been fired up if he continued to start, players need to feel their position is under threat if they underperform....our midfield, specially Flamini and Ambro were very very solid today.

Not a good game by our defence as we conceded 2 despite not being put under that much pressure but I have to say, Yepes had a very decent debut, certainly alot better than Sokratis and Bonera so he should be our 3rd CB...he did the porn industry proud with his performance

[San Paolo]

has to be said though with a half decent awake Gk in goal would there goals have gone in?

[vtec]

who here wouldn't kill to have this team back:
Dida
Kakha Kaladze
Paolo Maldini
Alessandro Nesta
Cafu
Andrea Pirlo
Clarence Seedorf
Gennaro Gattuso
Kaka
Andrei Shevchenko
Hernan Crespo

subs
Serginho
Jaap Stam
Jon Dahl Tomasson
Christian Abbiati
Massimo Ambrosini
Cristian Brocchi
Fabrizio Coloccini
Rui Costa
Alessandro Costacurta
Vikash Dhorasoo
Valerio Fiori
Filippo Inzaghi
Giuseppe Pancaro

[p_maldini_3]

this must've been after we won the CL in 03 and when we won the league in 04. brilliant squad. serginho was that super-sub who never had a bad game.

[San Paolo]

and a 3rd choice CB like Stam and 4th like Billy!

[The MAN]

[San Paolo]

this was the team we had when i started watching Milan, some pretty awesome memories attached to these guys.

[vtec]

[The MAN]

No I wouldnt put Pato over that Shevchenko... he was a complete striker, that year, and heck even the 05/06 Shevchenko, while slowly beginning to decline, was still miles ahead of Pato...only after the 2006 move to Chelski did really start fucking up badly, otherwise he was easily a top 3-5 striker in the world...hopefully Pato can reach that level some day but I don't see it happenning anytime soon

Crespo was very prolific in Serie A in his earlier days but by the time we had him that one year, he was only OK in Serie A, but lit it up CL, so I'd take Zlatan in Serie A and Crespo for CL...but that was a sickly deep team, I remember constantly complaining about Tomasson and how he would come and miss chances... but he would be so prolific compared to our current forwards, man we were fucking spoiled

[San Paolo]

and to think surely one wise buy(s) a season would have kept the level of that team sky high, it takes some real skill to screw a team up from that to what we have left now.

[vtec]

[The MAN]

It all works in cycles, no team can stay at the very top of the world for too long, maybe an era of 3-5 years on average, then you decline a bit for a couple of years and hopefully rise again and so forth...so that's how it would naturally works in football

That said, we definitely screwed it up as I think we would've realistically extended it for a couple more years if we gradually intoduced the right pieces to replace old ones, management became way too loyal and attached to these players which, coupled with their stinginess, makes for a deadly combo in killing the team....the decline is inevitable, just that it unfortunately got expedited thanks to failed policies of the management...also summer of 2006 was a key factor, with calciopoli and the departure of a key piece shevchenko to learn English certainly didn't help matters neither...that summer was a turning point as well as we were pretty fucking good till that point

[San Paolo]

"Adriano Galliani is providing portage and food for Milan's Scudetto apetite as he shows a common hunger for success at the club.

The Rossoneri moved closer to title territory following their 3-2 win at Bari and the only way is up for Galliani and company ahead of Sunday's Milanese derby as they continue to forage for points.

"Milan are capable of fighting for the Scudetto like the other big teams," Galliani told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We did well against Bari, scoring three goals, even though we missed plenty."

Flippo Inzaghi has enjoyed recent radiance, and his future is not in doubt.

"Will he leave Milan? I have already told him that we will not send him away. He will stay with us," concluded the chief."
=========================================================
Only title contenders if we get some january reinforcements in midfield and the FB positions, then in the summer we need a massive clear out of the deadwood and to start this shit for real.

[p_maldini_3]

utmost priority should be the fullback positions. i wouldn't be surprised if we send montelongo away on loan. and a goalkeeper, but i doubt we'll get a new gk if we still have amelia around.

[San Paolo]

how can we send Montelongo away on loan when he is on loan with us?

[San Paolo]

Milan are again likely to be without Thiago Silva and Daniele Bonera when they host Palermo on Wednesday evening.

The defensive duo, who missed the 3-2 win at Bari yesterday, are presently sidelined with injury problems.

Sources at Milanello claim that the pair will miss the midweek game in view of being ready for the weekend’s Milan derby.

In the absence of both internationals, boss Massimiliano Allegri is again likely to field Mario Yepes in the middle alongside Alessandro Nesta.

The Colombian, a Bosman signing from Chievo during the summer, comported himself well at the San Nicola on Sunday afternoon.

Allegri’s problems at the back don’t end with Silva and Bonera though given the uncertainty over Luca Antonini.

The left-back has been suffering with a fever which may see Ignazo Abate start at right-back, with Gianluca Zambrotta fielded on the left.

Milan will also be without the suspended Gennaro Gattuso in midfield, but Kevin-Prince Boateng is back after his own ban.