I just wish we changed the entire we we set up and played altogether. I think of any big clubs, we're by far the easiest to play against. Of course our superior quality is usually enough to over-match some club, but the better clubs will generally be able to beat us.

There's a reason most top clubs play with wide players and are very attacking. It stretches the opposition and creates space in the middle, particularly for creative players. I don't see us ever really switching from 4-3-1-2 and it'll hurt us.

MILAN - “The team needs to feel the fans’ support. This can’t become a time for arguments and criticism.” Words from Barabara Berlusconi the day after Milan’s loss to Juventus in the first leg of the Italian Cup semi final. “We’re going through a crucial phase of the season. The next few weeks will be decisive without a doubt. We’re on course to achieve all the objectives that we fixed at the start of the season. Positive news is not lacking. El Shaaraway is showing what a great prospect he is for our football and some of our players have shown good form. In general however, we’re not going through an easy period. Many players are out and playing every three days it’s difficult to get them back. That’s why we need support and trust from everyone. “

Hah, nice try to bring it to a personal level (IMG:http://www.milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I can't understand it though; isn't it obvious that Allegri pressures the strategy with two DM's or box-to-box midfielders and a creative one + two support strikers alla Robinho or Tevez? Isn't it clear that Allegri does not prioritize signing a AM, but rather imagines a strong working DM and a bonus working striker? I mean, he failed with all creative players but Seedorf, isn't that enough to realize that maybe our management isn't just stupid but also guided by the ideas how Milan's setup looks?

Really???

That's your answer? Roma?

Naah, it's pointless to discuss it anymore. We're being labeled as haters or bashers, while Milan sinks downward because of injuries, the managements incompetence and the sudden quality of some teams.

You say we've lost to EVERY big team out there including Lazio (I mean.. LMAO), so yeah, that's my answer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) we beat Roma at the Olimpico after god knows how many years, if Lazio are big more so are Roma and it's a fact you should remember when you attempt to repeat what you've already said about a hundred times.

They made quite a big deal out of that.

Um... exactly what are you getting at? (if you're interested in continuing this discussion)

You say we've lost to EVERY big team out there including Lazio (I mean.. LMAO), so yeah, that's my answer wink.gif we beat Roma at the Olimpico after god knows how many years, if Lazio are big more so are Roma and it's a fact you should remember when you attempt to repeat what you've already said about a hundred times.

Milan sinks downward? gee, when did you become such a drama queen?

Conte exposes Milan deficiencies

It doesn’t seem to matter what Juventus players Antonio Conte selects or what formation he plays them in. He could close his eyes and play eeny meeny miny mo in the dressing room, or dress up in a shiny jacket and pull his players names out a bowl at random. Maybe that’s what he did in Milan last night.

Conte appeared to tempt fate with his selection for the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg, showing scant regard for his team’s unbeaten record this season, as if it was a distraction he’d rather be rid of. He dropped eight of the players that faced Siena on Sunday, gave new signings Martin Caceres and Simone Padoin their debuts, played Alessandro Del Piero and Marco Borriello – a strikeforce with a grand total of one goal between them this season – up front, and deployed this motley crew in a 3-5-2 formation that the Bianconeri had experimented with on only a handful of prior occasions this term. Even the strip they wore was third choice.

Yet when the final whistle rung out at San Siro, Juve had extended their unbeaten run to 24 matches in all competitions, taken a big step towards the Coppa Final and landed a sizeable psychological blow on Scudetto rivals Milan – just two weeks before their all-important rendezvous at the same venue on League business.

“Tonight Juventus proved once more that we are a team,” Conte remarked of the 2-1 victory. “I put on to the pitch players that wanted to prove they are part of this project, and their response was extraordinary. I liked their attitude a lot, their enthusiasm, their organisation.”

His counterpart Massimiliano Allegri insisted “this defeat won’t influence the rest of the season,” but that remains to be seen. Nothing is decided yet, neither the Coppa semi-final or the Scudetto race, but three conclusions were immediately apparent last night.

One, Juventus made the wiser moves in the January window. Caceres scored twice on an extraordinary second debut and fellow January arrivals Padoin and Borriello both produced earnest, diligent displays. Of Milan’s buys, youngsters Alexander Merkel and Rodney Strasser are injured, Sulley Muntari is yet to return from the African Nations Cup, Djamel Mesbah was left out and for the second match running Allegri waited until the 86th minute to summon Maxi Lopez from the bench, suggesting he has just as little faith in the Argentine striker as Catania boss Vincenzo Montella did.

Two, Juventus have greater strength in depth. True, Milan are in the midst of another horrendous injury crisis, but Conte’s selection levelled the playing field and La Vecchia Signora still won out. Caceres is essentially their second choice right-back, can you imagine the Diavolo’s second choice right-back Daniele Bonera scoring that spectacular winner?

Three, Juventus are more tactically flexible. Their standard 4-3-3 shelved, the Bianconeri looked just as dangerous going forward and just as solid at the back in the 3-5-2. Serie A top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic had less chance of finding a way past Giorgio Chiellini than Iain Dowie did of pronouncing either players’ name correctly. In contrast Allegri seems stuck in his 4-3-1-2 tactical straightjacket, unable or unwilling to change regardless of the opposition or circumstances.

Writing off the Rossoneri at this stage would be madness. The title-holders suffered similar difficulties with injuries, suspensions and faltering form this time last year and at the beginning of this season, and recovered on both occasions. However, they need their injured players, Kevin Prince Boateng and Alberto Aquilani in particular, back in action and they need some sort of tactical alternative. Because as long as Conte can afford to treat his team selections like a game of bingo, there’s only going to be one winner.

Let's look at it this way, we have not beaten any of the top 4 clubs in the league this season.

I don't blame the management this time. I think Allegri and Galliani are much closer then Leo or Ancelotti in terms of picking up players Milan tries to sign. I also never read or saw Allegri showing any deeper interest in a offensive midfielder who could be a classical creator. Allegri clearly IMO prefers an system with 3 working midfielders, one working AM (rather then a classic creator like Pirlo or Ronaldinho) and a support striker like Robinho. That's why we wanted Tevez.

What? Seriously...if Lazio are big more so are Roma? This season, just like last season, Lazio is actually doing better. But anyway, yes, you're completely right we beat 1 big time, while loosing to Napoli, Inter, Juventus twice, Lazio and Barcelona. But hey, we beat Roma, that's a heck of an achievement. A total of 10%.

I don't know, when did you become so personal?

Everyone was p!ssed off after the Lazio game and brought that point up, that does not mean everyone thinks that Lazio are a top club!

I don't include Lazio as a top club that we haven't beaten this season. But I do consider them a very strong team that we haven't been able to beat. They're stronger than Roma this season and that is what matters. If we're talking about just club stature, than Roma imo are the bigger club for me. But that is not what anyone really is using to measure how poor we've been.

Let's look at it this way, we have not beaten any of the top 4 clubs in the league this season. So don't bring Roma into this as that win really did not show anything imo.

And last season we beat every top club and apparently it's because they were "weak", The same would be said this season. Had we beat Inter, you'd have said "So we should, they aren't even in the CL places" (they weren't at the time). Had we beaten Napoli (although at the time it was too early to tell), looking back at their position now you'd be saying "so we should, they suck". Had we beaten Juve, you'd have said "So we should, they're mediocre" (like you've been saying ALL season.)

Because there's a few on here that're massively underrating most teams, yourself included. It's done in a way so that Max can not get any credit. If we win, you say you expect it. If we don't, you say it's because he's a bad coach.

No doubt if we win a title with Ancelotti/Capello/Sacchi/*insert former Milan player it will because of their uncomprable coaching ability.