AC Milan general spiel 2.0

[San Paolo]

‘Allegri should drop Pirlo’ Monday 6 September, 2010

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri should drop Andrea Pirlo, according to his former mentor at Pescara Giovanni Galeone.

Allegri has a selection headache after the signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho, although some would call it an embarrassment of riches up front.

It’s widely believed that Allegri will be obliged to play his new arrivals together with Alexandre Pato and Ronaldinho in the same starting XI.

That would obviously render Milan very offensive, so in order to make the team more balanced, Galeone believes Pirlo has to be the fall guy.

However, the attack-minded tactician also believes Pirlo’s absence could present Allegri with another opportunity.

Speaking to Tuttosport, he said: “Taking out Pirlo from midfield would mean you’d be able to add a mastiff in front of the defence, or even better a trequartista in attack.

“You don’t need a deep-lying playmaker with those four. Pato should play behind Ibra. This team can win everything,” he concluded.

[The MAN]

As I said in a previous post, 4-2-3-1 would work if we have 2 pure DMs infront of the defence (Flamini and Ambro), which means no room for Pirlo. Dropping him from the lineup is criminal. If anything. we can move Pirlo as a trequartista, flanked by Pato and Dinho with Ibra being the target man. I would love this actually more than the 4-3-3 but it is unlikely to happen IMO.

I hope Allegri resists starting all 4, it looks so tempting on paper but would unbalance the side.

[vtec]

pirlo's too slow to be an effective trequartista and he wouldn't have enough time on the ball in that position to be as good as in his current, deeper regista role. i agree that not having him in the lineup is criminal as it would limit the side. without him, all teams need to do is man-mark ronaldinho and we are out of an attack as the other players aren't really playmakers. robinho should be a very effective sub, but that's all that he should be, and i can see problems in the team coming up if he isn't starting because he will start complaining and go partying hard.

[maro]

Honestly, I don't understand why anyone would find the prospect of starting all four of those front players tempting. Apart from anything else - and there's lots else - it would come at the expense of Seedonk and I would personally rather watch a team playing, let's say, a 4-3-3 with Seedonk and Pirlo as two of the midfield three than a team playing 4-2-3-1, let's say, with Robinho and the other three. Balance aside, the attacking play would be much more elegant in the 4-3-3 version. You know I think Robinho was a good pick-up for you guys, but I don't understand the idea that loading a team with forwards is going to make them more exciting to watch.

[romawi]

[The MAN]

[RomaShield27]

I think Robinho is a great signing for Milan and I have to say I'm quite surprised at the lack of enthusiasm in this Milan forum at his arrival. He may a bit of a mercenary cock-gobbler but he remains a fantastic little footballer and one who could really be a star for you lads – a lot more so than Ibrahimovic in my opinion – if he gets his head right and buckles down while at Milan. There is a good chance he will buckle down, too, because unlike at Man Shitty he will no doubt feel a lot more at home in Milano and be surrounded by a lot of fellow Brazilians etc.

Like most of said, however, I don't see how he can start alongside the other three (Pato, Dinho, Ibro), and it will likely have to be a rotating of these to find the right mix. Good options to rotate, for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Robinho makes his way on to the team-sheet ahead of the other three (well, except Patato) before long.

[p_maldini_3]

i know milan will be my team again in fifa 2011.

[San Paolo]

and mine on Pro Evo, i am mega excited to see us play once again and i've no felt like this for ages, i feel like for once Galliani and Berlu have relised we were slipping behind and have woken up, signing good strong players and with the players we are linked to we show no signs of slowing down.

[p_maldini_3]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -mate.html

very candid interview of ancelotti.

[San Paolo]

is Careltto's book in English or just Italian? if i can get an English version its a worthwhile buy.

[red]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Carlo-Ancelotti ... 0847835383

Seems to be in English.

[vtec]

[San Paolo]

Very good! i might be investing in a copy of this then! you should too Andrew

[red]

[p_maldini_3]

as enticing as the idea sounds of those 4 playing together, i don't want to see it happen at the expense of pirlo. a trident attack with any of those 4 should be potent enough to win games, playing all 4 is unnecessary.

also, pirlo is on the last year of his contract, and there are plenty of smoke signals coming about milan making a bid for poli in january, whom they see as pirlo's replacement. i for one think that pirlo can offer another 3-4 years, maybe more, but he needs the quality around him.

red, are you reading 'inverting the pyramid' by jonathan wilson?

[red]

[San Paolo]

my dad has loaned me the Brian Clough Autobiography, its a good read from the small bit i have got through so far.

[vtec]

[San Paolo]

har-har-har Tec!