Strasser? He's played pretty well lately, including a goal. Seedorf, Ambrosini, and Gattuso can not say the same. They have all had a dip in form lately. Flamini gets the benefit of the doubt since he's been injured but I'm not sold he should've even started. He's trained with the team for what? 2 days?

Come on dude, you really think playing Strasser would have changed the fate of our game last night? Strasser is just a holding midfielder, his presence cannot affect the way we play. That said, I'd choose him over Gattuso any day.

That is true X-off.We we're obliged to play with "your system".

That's not true: Strasser and Merkel.


Strasser is a better passer/header/etc. than Gattuso is. It could have affected the game. Playing Merkel instead of a DM was an option too. He adds attacking atributes.

I already said I'd have preferred Strasser over Gattuso, but I don't think that would have solved our game last night. And playing Merkel would have meant Seedorf as deep-lying play-maker, which is a big no-no from my part. Maybe Allegri should have played Cassano instead of Pato from the start, but then again he doesn't have the full 90 minutes in his feet. That's why I say there wasn't much Allegri could have done last night. His hands were pretty much tied.

In midfield we can play sokratis(played some dm for genoa) abate, merkel, strasser.

There is no way in hell he would have benched a scoring pato for an out of weigh, unready cassano. Common man!

That's true, but you have to recognize that Cassano did more in 20 minutes than Pato did in 70, which was NOTHING.

C'mmon guys, X-O is right. I mean, really. Yes, Sokratis...do you honestly think Sokratis in midfield could have made a difference?

I really don't think the line-up is that kind of a problem. Milan in normal terms should win against Lecce in the formation fielded. I understand the 3-DM issue, but against Lecce even that kind of system should assure us 3 points.

Why Bonera played LB, god only knows. This is starting to get annoying.
And yes, Abate had a good match, not that it changed the outcome, but I still don't think he has it in him. That's like one performance out of the last 10 he was good.

Pato? He makes me worry. Constantly with up's and down's, no consistent form...

To be honest, Bonera played better as leftback than Antonini has done this season. Abate is our best fullback at the moment, so I don't understand why you are doubting him. Only Zambrotta might be better, but shame he's out.

Yes, he's the best of the pathetic three (Bonera, Abate, Antonini). Other then that, he's useless. Still not a good performer, no constant form, no skills...naah, I've said it a thousand times. Oddo has 1 game and 2 assist, how much has Abate? I guess zero.

Different circumstances, different scenarios, different game play of the team. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/innocent.gif) You already know that, I am sure. The Milan team was much more attacking towards the end of the match (particularly after Lecce scored). Just like Pirlo did more in Italy's last World Cup group match last year after he came on in the second half. Sure he added something (just like Cassano did yesterday), but part of that was because the mindset of the team was different, they were looking to attack, much more willing to put men forward.

Hypothetically speaking, if Cassano started and did nothing (partly because of how the team was playing at the start, without any game plan and urgency), and Pato came off the bench and did good (because the squad had their tails up seeing as they were drawing the match), then that does not in any way tell the whole story. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) That's my point.

Late post to the thread...

Stale first half that we fairly controlled but had no bite up front, mainly because there was next to no creativity from midfield. Second half was a lot better with players forced to push up more than the defensive setup from the first half.

Few notes:

Seedorf is proving to be completely garbage in almost everything he does now. I was once his biggest fan, but now I have to say he's a waste of a shirt.

Pato is clearly still getting back match fitness and was inneffectual last night.

Cassano is class in a glass, and while he may be the most hated player in Italy, he's a superb footballer. Can already see just what he can do.

Ibra is a f00kin' monster - proving to be one of the best signings we've made in the last decade. Always thought he was overated, now I see how good he is. Possibly the best striker in the world on current form.

He has had a few quality crosses here and there, but none of them resulted in goals. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) That's not Abate's fault really - and no, I am not his fan in any way. In my opinion, we have our worst bunch of fullbacks since the time I started watching Milan. Sever lack of quality.

But until the management sorts this out, I'll take Abate out of the other two calibros (Bonera and Antonini).

Why not try out playing Thiago as RB?

Anyway, I don't think Pato would have done the same Cassano did in his last 20 minutes. Yes, we changed our playing style, but Pato didn't look well the whole match yesterday. He's drifting, his movement is erratic and he's not a constant manace like Ibra for example, or Cassano. With Cassano you got that feeling you have to stick with him every moment or he's gonna do it. Pato - not really. He gives the defenders time to rest. He did it against Udinese also, but switched a few time in the right moment - and managed to score. But it's a problem IMO.