Final game before the winter break, and we could go in to as joint leaders should things go our way in the Juve - Udine game on wednesday.

A complete must win

Mediaset's probable line-up: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Bonera, T. Silva, Antonini; Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino; Boateng; Ibrahimovic, Pato.

WTF?! Bonera over Mexes? Over my dead body. And of course Allegri could never play Taiwo for two games in a row so he could gain more initiative and confidence. Let's play hopeless Antonini instead. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Wasn't Mediaset's probable lineup wrong last time?I think it said Bonera was going to play in the place of Mexes.


Anyway,Allegri even said that he still has doubts for the starting lineup tomorrow,so it will be a last minute thingy.

They keep constantly changing it as they get updated.

Gazzetta and Sky have Mexes starting.

Let's hope so.

Both gazzetta and mediaset have this line-up

Milan (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Zambrotta, Bonera, T. Silva, Antonini; Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino; Boateng; Ibrahimovic, Pato

Cannot believe that he is actually considering dropping Mexes for Bonera. And if Antonini is the only option than Taiwo should be given another chance to get 2 consecutive starts. It's not like the other option is any better (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

btw, anyone know what the problem with Abate is?

So Galliani said Taiwo is going to stay, and also Allegri was positive about him last match. But if you are not going to give him two games in a row, he will never gain confidence nor form. Way to go, that's the way to go, Max.

Mexes probably can't start two times in just a few days. Remember he has just recovered from a long term injury? It are no robots, it are humans, sometimes people seem to forget this.

And if Antonini and Zambrotta were going to start as our fullbacks I would play Antonini rightback, because I think we will get more out of him there, including his crossing. Zambrotta may be at best at leftback anyway.

Agreed on Taiwo.

Mexes recovered from his knee injury a while ago, he just had a set-back because of a fracture or whatever it was in his hand. He's more than ok to start this game, he's been fit and training with the team for a while now. Choosing Bonera over him is just ridiculous. We need continuity in defence, all this shifting around is causing even Silva to make the odd mistakes here and there because he's covering the @ss of 2 extra players since Antonini is starting on the left for some mysterious reason that only Allegri can answer

As for Antonini on the right, it won't work, it was tried before, he's just clueless, shifting him to a position he's even less comfortable in will do even more harm

Han, there's a huge difference between training and playing two games in a row as a starter. Against Siena, he played longer than expected. We often here want people to be rested mid-weeks. I don't understand why we now want to risk Mexes to start him again. He probably is not ready for this. Thankfully Bonera has been preforming well usually so far this season. Let's hope he can help the team getting another three points.

Antonini has failed as leftback over and over again too, as if he's never been clueless there. I don't necessary believe he would be less confortable at rightback. Potentially wise you can get the best out of Antonini and Zambrotta if they would swap sides. We can take better advantage of Antonini's crossing on the right, and of Zambrotta's cutting on the left.

I know it's not the same, but it's not as if he's just been declared fit from an injury. And that was my point. He can handle this game. Allegri is just falling back on what is familiar to him. Bonera makes 1 to 2 mistake in each game, without fail. Sometimes they are minor, sometimes they are major ones. Against Siena he ruined the offside trap all on his own, and we're lucky not to have conceeded from that chance, which was arguably the most clear cut one in the match before Pato's shot was blocked off the line.

Zambrotta is good either side. He won't be bombing forward, which is the best option seeing as our defence is unstable. Antonini is not familiar on the right, why invite even more trouble upon yourself by switching him there. Sure he's naturally right footed, but there is a reason as to why he always plays on the left. It's not as trivial as which foot is his strongest

How can you be so sure?

I think you underrate the time is needed for a player to become fully fit, let alone after a long term injury. You may think he's fit enough, but I don't believe he's as fit as you think he is. It's very unlikely Allegri prefers Bonera over Mexes. Starting Mexes again in just a few days is really rushing him back.

I notice how you get upset with Allegri everytime, often unnecessary. You love to do so, and I guess that's why you now am so convinced Mexes is fully fit, and Allegri preferring Bonera, while that's far for sure, and probably BS.

The reason Antonini plays on the left, is because our best fullback is a rightback. Antonini has played rightback many times before, and actually long time ago the first time I saw him was at rightback, and he impressed me that day. Sure, also bad ones, but that's not the side, but that's Antonini. I just would give it 'another' shot.

This post has been edited by CHU-LIP: Dec 20 2011, 03:14 PM

Lol, so it's just me that has it out for Allegri, therefore I'm only projecting that hate onto everything he does, thus, I'm imagining Mexes to be fit? That's your whole theory correct? I think that is what is BS. Everyone here has been waiting for Mexes to play for a while, that says enough on how long he's been fit from the knee injury. Yes, he had a set-back with his hand, but usually important players are played immedately after they get back from Injury, Allegri would probably push Ibra out on crutches if that's what it took to get him to play after an injury. Allegri clearly favours players over others, and he's made this abbundantly clear, sometimes with baffling if not ridiculous choices.

As for Antonini, give me a list of the "many" (as you call it) times he's played at RB? I can probably count a handful of occasion where Antoniniplayed at RB, and that was a long time ago under Carlo, in unimportant Europa League games

Mexes is fully fit and can play as many games as he likes. He said it himself. The guy has recovered since a while. Playing him for two games in a row is considered normal at this stage.

Allegri is full of sh*t. Instead of consolidating our defense, he keeps switching players game in and game out. I'll never trust this man.

Oh, and Robinho will start ahead of Pato.