AC Milan general spiel 2.0

[The MAN]

Allegri signed till 2014.

And for Pato, he has the "tools" but he's not developing, he's hardly the first player ever to have the potential but not fullfill it and surely won't be the last. He absolutely no "game", all he excels are is running into open space with blistering pace, it's just one-dimensional shit, he almost always can do nothing in other situations. His work ethic on the pitch is horrible...the only reason he's made it 5 seasons in Milan were 1)He's young and ppl thought he can develop and 2)Milan, till last season, were not a strong team in this time span so this gave the illusion that he was doing well when everybody else around him was just pure shit. Now that we have a winning side, his flaws are becoming more and more exposed

[San Paolo]

[p_maldini_3]

[RomaShield27]

[red]

I think the problem with Pato is that he is 'just' an excellent goalscorer.

However, because he's incredibly fast and Brazilian, people think he's more than that, so he ends up meandering around the pitch being ineffective instead of focusing on getting into goal scoring positions.

[Lupa]

In other news, Cassano will return to training Saturday.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... n-saturday

[RomaShield27]

http://www.thehardtackle.com/2012/rival ... ggerheads/

[San Paolo]

[San Paolo]

MOGGI: "Im convinced that in the end, Tevez will still join Milan"

[San Paolo]

decent article from Susie Campanale

http://www.football-italia.net/node/14577

[San Paolo]

there is a quote from Lecce floating around "Mesbah isnt called up because even thought its not official, he'll join Milan next week" make of that what you will, anybody know anything about this guy?

[RomaShield27]

Don't know much about that Mesbah fella, but i see from Wiki he's 27, and his list of previous clubs doesn't inspire you with confidence. Doesn't exactly seem like he's going to be the solution to your left-back problems. I presume he's another freebie or loan or some cheapo deal? Will Milan ever stop farting about with such silly transfer moves and spend proper money again?

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Some Derby della Madonnina promo videos:

[San Paolo]

but saying that Taiwo came from Marseille and can't cut it in Serie A it seems and does KPB's club history inspire? Portsmouth, Spurs, Dortmund and Hertha.

[The MAN]

I know Milan aren't exactly big spenders but specially for the fullback role we've bee taking to another level, even by our usual standards....I mean in recent years we have signed a few dudes from South America like Grimi, Montelongo, Mattiaoni then the likes of Didac and Tawio, and now this Mesbah guy who I dont think will be the answer either.... if we invested all the shit we spent on them there and maybe added a couple more millions we'd have ourselves a decent fullback at least by now, its just stupid.

[San Paolo]

The Derby is sold Out!

[RomaShield27]

Latest Milan-Inter team news
By Football Italia staff / Sunday January 15 2012 / http://www.football-italia.net/node/14656?

We bring you the latest team news for tonight’s Milan derby, including injury updates on Thiago Silva, Wesley Sneijder and Julio Cesar. The Derby della Madonnina is a crossroads for both sides this evening, as Inter can get back into the Scudetto race and Milan aim to keep up with joint Serie A leaders Juventus.

Massimiliano Allegri is without Alberto Aquilani, Gennaro Gattuso, Mario Yepes, Taye Taiwo, Mathieu Flamini and Antonio Cassano. Clarence Seedorf is suffering from flu symptoms, so could miss out entirely, while Thiago Silva left training early on Saturday with a thigh problem.

If the Brazilian doesn’t make it, then Philippe Mexes will probably partner Alessandro Nesta in central defence. Much revolves around Kevin-Prince Boateng. If Massimo Ambrosini plays, then the Ghanaian will be used as a trequartista, but if Boateng takes the midfield role then Urby Emanuelson starts behind the strikers instead.

Alexandre Pato is increasingly the favourite to start alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whereas earlier in the week Robinho had been expected to play.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri hinted at using all three in a trident, but that would be a huge risk in such a big game.

Inter have their own issues to contend with, as goalkeeper Julio Cesar is expected to play with the aid of a pain-killing injection for his back pain.

The real doubt revolves around Sneijder, who has not featured at all since November 2 due to a series of injury setbacks.

Claudio Ranieri is tempted to throw the Dutchman in from the start in a 4-4-1-1 system behind lone striker Diego Milito or possibly Diego Forlan.

This would pick apart the side that has notched up five consecutive Serie A victories, sending Giampaolo Pazzini to the bench.

Ricky Alvarez is set to retain his spot on the left side of midfield, while Andrea Ranocchia is heading for the bench in favour of Lucio and Walter Samuel.

The only Nerazzurri absentees are Dejan Stankovic and Sulley Muntari, the latter on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ghana.

Probable line-ups

Milan (4-3-1-2):Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta; Boateng, Van Bommel, Nocerino; Emanuelson; Pato, Ibrahimovic

Milan bench:Amelia, Bonera, Antonini, Mexes, Ambrosini, Robinho, El Shaarawy

Inter (4-4-1-1):Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Nagatomo; Zanetti, Motta, Cambiasso, Alvarez; Sneijder; Milito

Inter bench:Castellazzi, Ranocchia, Chivu, Poli, Coutinho, Forlan, Pazzini

[RomaShield27]

Milan, Pato con Ibrahimovic – Ranieri sceglie Milito-Pazzini
/ Milano, 15 gennaio 2012

Le formazioni ufficiali del derby. Allegri perdona il Papero e lo schiera titolare in avanti con lo svedese. Emanuelson dietro di loro. Ranieri tiene inizialmente fuori Sneijder e affianca il Pazzo al Principe. E' tempo di derby a San Siro. Milan e Inter stanno rifinendo gli ultimi dettagli in vista del posticipo domenicale della 18ª giornata e sono in campo per testare il campo ed effettuare il riscaldamento. A San Siro sarà il tutto esaurito, le squadre troveranno una temperatura piuttosto fredda. Ecco le ultime.

MILAN — Allegri non cambia il modulo ma gli interpreti. Pato ha vinto il ballottaggio con Robinho per affiancare in attacco Ibrahimovic, con Emanuelson trequartista e Boateng sulla linea dei centrocampisti. In difesa con Nesta c'è Thiago Silva, a sinistra Zambrotta. Questa la formazione ufficiale:

32 Abbiati; 20 Abate, 13 Nesta, 33 Thiago Silva, 19 Zambrotta; 27 Boateng, 4 Van Bommel, 22 Nocerino; 28 Emanuelson; 7 Pato, 11 Ibrahimovic.


INTER — Ranieri conferma il 4-4-2 e tiene inizialmente fuori Sneijder. In attacco con Milito c'è Pazzini, a centrocampo Alvarez parte da sinistra, Thiago Motta e Zanetti in mezzo. Lucio e Samuel coppia centrale. In panchina anche Forlan. Questa la formazione official:

1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 55 Nagatomo; 4 Zanetti, 8 Thiago Motta, 19 Cambiasso, 11 Alvarez; 22 Milito, 7 Pazzini.

[red]

Milan have a rather big problem that is exposed when they play against decent teams; they don't have enough (any?) good midfielders.

[red]

And Ibrahimovic is a one man attack in most of Milan's Serie A games.

Tonight was how Milan look without Ibrahimovic.

[Lupa]