AC Milan general spiel 2.0

[vtec]

[vtec]

[maro]

You did once demolish ManUre with the Rhino playing on the right-hand-side of a midfield three, of course. And sure that was a few years ago now, a world away in terms of the age and form of some of your midfielders; still, it suggests to me that what's at stake is as much a question of teamplay and nuances of team pattern and rhythm than simply a question of individual selections.

[vtec]

rino playing on the right, in his prime, was never the problem, since carlo always had him in there to cover up for the surging rightbacks. the difference here is that allegri was using him as an attacking tool rather than a defensive destroyer.

[The MAN]

I don't think Allegri, or anybody else for that matter, is stupid enough to use Rino as attacking tool. Nobody does it. Rino's attacking game is non-existent.

What happens with Rino, and this happened many times in the last years, is that teams know he technically has no skills that they don't bother to close him. They close skilled players like Pirlo and Seedorf, which means Rino is always the guy with acres of spaces. This explains why it's always Rino with good positions out of the 3 on many occasions in the final third. The problem, he takes the bait and keeps on going forward, which means we're exposed at the back. That's why Ambro has been the favoured option over Rino for the last 2-3 years. He has enough skills to threaten opponents so he's much more useful to us.

[maro]

I didn't see the game, 'tec, but I was suggesting something along the lines theman has outlined here - that it seems to me less likely that Allegri was trying expressly to use the Rhino in that way than that it was working out that he was finding himself in those sorts of situations. In theory, the 4-3-1-2 ought to have asked more of the Rhino getting forward than the 4-3-3 does. If things aren't quite working with the fullback and with the right-sided forward, though, then the Rhino will find himself being asked to do the wrong kinds of things. This seems to me the very subtle stuff of equilibrium rather than the black-and-white stuff of selection. It has always been the case that if you can get Pirlo and Gattuso doing the things they're not so good at then you can make them look ordinary; if they spend their time doing what they are so good at, though, you have a midfield that it's almost impossible to better.

[vtec]

it is an interesting theory, and has some merit, but in that particular game, it was more than gattuso just pushing up into areas that were left free for him. he was pushing up systemically even into places where there was no room which is what irked me, because that is why he kept losing the ball and we were getting exposed.

[San Paolo]

Massimiliano Allegri will drop midfielder Clarence Seedorf when Milan welcome Genoa to San Siro.

Telelombardia reports that the Rossoneri coach will pick Andrea Pirlo over the Dutchman who, despite playing well against Lazio, will not feature from the start against the Grifoni.

Allegri said that Milan are able to fight for the Scudetto this season, and as part of his development programme he is ready to relaunch the team.

Allegri wants a sound and flexible team to take on Genoa, meaning that Gennaro Gattuso could feature. Kevin-Prince Boateng is also likely to start.

Defending Italian champions and current league leaders Inter are five points ahead of the Rossoneri and Allegri knows his side cannot afford to drop any more point.
=========================================
Will he ever learn? once was because of the players not been available but what would be wrong with putting KPB in Gattuso's place and Robinho out on the right wing? or if fit playing Flamini instead of Gattuso?

[San Paolo]

Speaking of Genoa, can KPB play tonight or is there a clause in his contract saying he can't?

Gazzetta probable line ups

32
Abbiati
19
Zambrotta
13
Nesta
33
Thiago Silva
77
Antonini
8
Gattuso
10
Seedorf
27
Boateng
70
Robinho
11
Ibrahimovic
80
Ronaldinho
Bench
1
Amelia
76
Yepes
15
Sokratis
20
Abate
16
Flamini
21
Pirlo
9
Inzaghi

[RomaShield27]

Is your game on TV anywhere this evening, SP? Its unusual that neither ESPN nor Setanta are showing it, no?

[The MAN]

[The MAN]

MILAN-GENOA: THE OFFICIAL LINE-UPS
9/25/2010
MILAN - Here are the Milan and Genoa official team line-ups for the match about to begin at the San Siro:
MILAN: Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Boateng; Robinho, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho.
GENOA: Eduardo; Chico, Dainelli, Ranocchia, Criscito; Rafinha, Kharja, Veloso; Palacio, Toni, Mesto.

Flamini on bench....I hope Zambro is saved for Tuesday, I dont like that scrub Abate starting. Linup looks decent overall

[The MAN]

Why are Pirlo & Dinho playing like fucking morons?

[The MAN]

Disgraceful first half, we're lucky a bit its still 0-0

The most effective Genoa player so far is Andrea Pirlo

[vtec]

interesting first half. i was actually entertained by the football played, though we weren't necessarily the better team. the play has been pretty even so far. i hate the fact that gattuso is pushing up like a maniac and is involved in every attack...but he's been flawless. this may have been the best half of football i have ever seen gattuso play. if he is to play like that every time, i don't mind him starting and pushing forward.

antonini sucks, though. his passing is pooptacular. if we concede a goal, which is a strong possibility, it will either be courtesy of a counter, or an antonini giveaway. pirlo, ronaldinho, robinho, and ibrohimovic, are really having below average games. they are making gattuso look like maradona, and he has been our most dangerous player. nesta and thiago have been solid, and abbiati has produced the odd moment of brilliance. let's see what the second half has in store.

[RomaShield27]

Pfff, very sluggish from Milan. Very, very sluggish. Ibra, Robinho and Dinho are all over the shop, continually taking the wrong options and just not trying hard enough, it seems. Pirlo and your full-backs are crap as well. Genoa are unlucky not to be ahead.

[vtec]

nah, i don't think luck has anything to do with it. it's simply been a very even game. two mediocre sides battling it out.

[vtec]

alright, three changes at half-time. if this backfires, you know who i am blaming.

[The MAN]

3 changes at halftime yeah right

[The MAN]

Ibra!!!!!!