AC Milan general spiel 2.0

[red]

Milan let Pirlo go, so had no say on where he went.

Quagliarella is under contract with Juve.

There's every chance Juve will be willing to let him leave in January if a good offer comes in, but I'd be amazed if he was allowed to join Milan.

[p_maldini_3]

the smoke around maxi lopez is getting thicker, i haven't seen too much of him but he doesn't sound too bad for a 4th striker. i'd rather we give the pharoah some more time, but then again, if he's not good enough (as i suspect) then we'll need to bring somebody in.

[San Paolo]

was hoping it was going to be Quagliarella but i guess Maxi is better than a slap in the face.

[San Paolo]

Jovetic might miss the game on saturday due to a hip injury and Roma might offer us a swap deal Borri for Bonera.

[RomaShield27]

[San Paolo]

haha that is the sweetest thing i've seen today

[Brigate Rossonere]

Allegri said that Pato is fit, but will start on the bench. Emanuelson is doubtful and doesn't know if he will start van Bommel or Ambrosini.

Vargas, Jovetic and Natali are all out for Fiorentina

Allegri said he wants to win the next six games and I believe this is both achievable and our goals should be high. The league is there for us to take a hold on, just like we did this time last season.

What better way to start than a strong win over the Viola? Hopefully the international break won't affect our momentum too much.

[The MAN]

I don't have a good feeling about today's game...stupid international break, away game at a tough ground, new coach for the opponents that will undoubteldy rejuvenate them, also winning 5 straight is probably gonna weigh against us....I just hope we at least get a point in this one, which I won't mind one bit as long as we win on Wednesday, I'm absolutely fixated on that game

Btw, welcome on board Brigate Rossonere

[San Paolo]

yeah, welcome to the forum BR, top GIFS you posted as well!

[RomaShield27]

FIORENTINA: Boruc, De Silvestri, Gamberini, Nastasic, Pasqual, Behrami, Montolivo, Munari, Lazzari, Gilardino, Cerci.

MILAN: Abbiati, Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini, Aquilani, Ambrosini, Nocerino, Seedorf, Ibrahimovic, Robinho.

http://www.gazzetta.it/tr_xml_sics/2011 ... d_p=261511

[Brigate Rossonere]

When Mexes does recover from injury should he start?

It is clear that Nesta is too old to play in open games. Often he has been exposed by even average players. He simply cannot keep up. The way we use Nesta, with him as a roaming sweeper and Silva as a marking CB, works only in tight games, with Milan taking EITHER the majority of possession, or conceding both possession and territory as the battle then between the defender and forward is more tactical than physical. In this scenario, he is still among the best defenders in the world, epitomized by his performances against Barca, when even the best player in the world, possibly at the peak of his form, was brought to total frustration. The concerning flip side is the amount of times this season we have conceded due to his lack of pace, when forward lines consisting of players like Klose and Cisse or Lavezzi and Cavani have shown our bandiera to be nothing more than a player who is in decline and needs to be replaced.

One solution is to play him only when the game is expected to be tight and Mexes in more physical scenario's. This is not viable. We cannot have a new player to the side who still needs to integrate and create an understanding with Silva to be only a rotation player. This scenario would be unfavourable for all of Nesta, Mexes and even the immense Thiago Silva. We need to be integrating Mexes into our squad as soon as possible.

The argument can be made that our current defence was the tightest in Europe last season but that time has passed. One year does make a huge differences and no longer can it be hidden that Nesta has declined. Why has this been brought out only this season? The simultaneous decline of Mark van Bommel. The anchor to our side who's signing secured our defence and Scudetto. So do we sign a new defensive midfielder? A Diarra or perhaps a Bender or M'Vila or do we promote what we already have? The cheaper and more viable solution.

Mexes must play.

[RomaShield27]

Mexes will play regularly after you sell Thiago Silva to Man Citeh. He's their new number one target and likely signing, and there's no way poor old Silvio is gonna let Uncle Fester turn down a nice chunky offer for him.

[The MAN]

[Brigate Rossonere]

This forum isn't all too active is it? Considering it is a UCL night and only approx 30 hours away from Milan - Barca...

Anyways, predicted line-ups:

Abbiati, Abate, Nesta, Silva, Zambrotta, MVB, Nocerino, Aqua, KPB, Pato, Zlatan

vs.

Valdes; Puyol-Pique-Mascherano-Abidal; Xavi-Busquets-Fabregas; Cuenca-Messi-Villa.

[San Paolo]

[San Paolo]

anyway Thiago Silva has stated step 1 in how to stop Messi.

Thiago Silva has revealed step one in trying to stop Barcelona ace Lionel Messi. “You pray,” said the Milan man.

The two teams meet at San Siro on Wednesday in the Champions League and the Brazilian will be asked to keep the Argentine quiet.

“He’s a very quick and technically gifted player,” the centre-back told Globo Esporte. “When you face him you have to make decisions in an instant.

“When he approaches you, you have to make the sign of the cross and pray that everything will be alright.”

Barcelona will arrive in Italy as the best club side in the world, but Thiago Silva believes that Milan can collect the three points tomorrow night.

“We are from two different schools of football, but we know that we can beat them,” added the stopper.

“It will be hard, but we are working as hard as possible because if we do win then we could finish top of the group.

“That would allow us to have an easier last 16 match and also give us the chance to play the return leg at home – something which we haven’t had for the last two seasons.”

Inevitably, the South American was asked for his thoughts on the transfer speculation linking Barca with his signature.

“There has been talk for over a year, but there is nothing in it. The most important thing is that I am happy at Milan and happy to be living in Milan.

“Barca will always be tempting, they are the best team in the world, but Milan are not that far behind. And I want to win the Champions League as a Rossonero.”

[The MAN]

The lineup is probably the best we can manage considering everything.

I'll put Robinho as a starter and put Pato as an option off the bench. It's true Pato gave them all sort of trouble last time, but I feel we'll be better off starting Robinho and putting Pato in at the 60-70 minute mark than vice versa

Also, van Bommel really to get his act together, he has not played consistently this year, I think it will also be right not to start Seedorf for this one

[San Paolo]

some slightly good news is Iniesta will probably be missing for this game, is he more key for Barca in the midfield than Xavi?

[San Paolo]

Milan will have to play intelligently if they are to beat Barcelona on Wednesday, says forward Robinho.

The two teams have already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, but the Italian outfit want top spot in the group.

They are currently two points adrift of Barca with two games left.

“Barcelona are a great side and they are bursting with champions,” the Brazilian told Milan Time on Tuesday.

“We’ll have to play an intelligent game, by defending and attacking equally well. We want to play well and win.”

Robinho, formerly of Real Madrid, added that he is just as desperate to beat them as a Milan player as he was while in Spain.

“The rivalry is always there,” he concluded.

[San Paolo]

Massimiliano Allegri has outlined his hopes, expectations and plan of attack in facing European champions Barcelona on Wednesday night.

Speaking ahead of the Champions League Group H match between the two at San Siro that will in effect determine who takes top spot, Allegri admitted he is primarily humbled by the chance to face the Blaugrana.

“Experiencing these evenings is the dream for everyone,” cites the Rossoneri Coach, who admits Barcelona go into the match as “the strongest team in the world.

“We must try to win by playing well and making the most of the opportunities that we create, also because in Barcelona in the first 20 minutes we had several.”

Allegri detailed how he anticipates facing and trying to beat Barcelona, a team renowned for high possession statistics in games.

“They are hard to play against because they are technical and can vary the pace of the game, they are good at speeding it up and slowing it down.

“It will take a lot of balance, we cannot be impatient and will need to play a little higher on the pitch to make sure that Barcelona has less possession.”

The Coach has seen his squad’s injury crisis lessen in recent weeks, with Alexandre Pato’s return against Fiorentina at the weekend presenting a selection decision in attack. Pato netted a first-minute opening goal at the Camp Nou in the reverse fixture in mid-September.

“There are no major doubts. I have to decide who will play between Pato and Robinho and in midfield I will assess in the afternoon the condition of [Clarence] Seedorf and in defence [Gianluca] Zambrotta will return.”

Allegri also reflected on seeing Antonio Cassano return to the club’s training base yesterday, just 17 days after undergoing heart surgery.

“It was a pleasure to see him at Milanello, we hope to have him back in the best condition as soon as possible.”