You never quite addressed those strange observations you made about Anderlecht's form/results? And you've changed your mind to agree with me over the inevitable outcome.

No. They're good. We're sh1t. Simple mathematics. We're going to lose.

We are also going to come bottom of this group.

Whoa, sorry, completely missed your post there. Anyway, I could swear to god I read an article (I think it was on TMW) that Anderlecht had drawn the first three games in the league, but now that I look at the Belgian league standings, it probably said the last three games or something and I must have misread it.

Anyway, about the outcome, it's a 50/50 for me. But if we play with the line-up I posted earlier, then I can easily see us lose.

This is about the time Allegri starts to do sh1t right.

This post has been edited by William405: Sep 18 2012, 07:35 AM

What's awful about it?

Switch Constant for Monto and it's basically the starting midfield all of us would prefer (considering Allegri's shortcomings)

I could have posted a far more attractive 4-5-1 set up but we all know it won't happen. The current probable line-ups have the same midfield but with Urby. However, I prefer Constant because Urby gets bullied out to easily when he's playing in the center of the pitch while Constant is more adapt to playing a more central midfield position.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Oops, must be because I was on my laptop and the keyboard is smaller. Kept hitting the 'H' instead of the 'J'

Forgive me oh wise yoda of all things grammar (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


That midfield is all we have right now, so I don't understand why Chu made a big deal about it. I know he absolutely does not rate Nocerino which is ridiculous imo. Also would you guys prefer the strocity that was both Ambro and NDJ in a flat 3-man midfield?

Constant is a dynamic player who impressed me a lot in pre-season, if it's between him and Urby than he would be my choice. I'd play Urby at LB becuase Antonini is not doing himself any favours at this rate. So I'd really love to see how Urby would do there given a consistant run of games.


Basically what I posted but with Urby, as I've already said, I think Constant would do a better job in our narrow midfield, but at least it's not 2 DMs lumped in there


Now that would be Allegri shooting himself in the foot right there. Is he trying to get fired?

MUST.WIN.

I know Allegri's a weak starter, but the league and the CL are no longer weak competitions where eventually we can catch up and overhaul any competition.

Yeah, that was my earlier suspicion. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) The name sounds evil too!


Small keyboards. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Heh, speaking of grammar, I didn't know the Maltese people use a calender with 19 or more months (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

MY GOD PEOPLE!!!

LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dramaqueensmil.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dramaqueensmil.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dramaqueensmil.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dramaqueensmil.gif)

















I'll fix it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hugsmile2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hugsmile2.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphugg.gif)

You guys are as gay as rainbow. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

They're definitely no mugs. In previous years with a team more akin to what Milan expect we'd roll them over. And indeed did the last time we faced them - 4-0 at the San Siro including a pearler from Kaka I recall. But this is not a team akin to what we expect - it's a feeble squad, with a reasonable first 11 (which could, on a very good day, muster a win against a team of Anderlecht's quality) if chosen but Allegri refuses to do so.



For me they're the favourites. We've lost 2 and won 1 - all matches against relatively meagre opposition. Us against anyone half decent sees the potential for a bad defeat.

Anyway, I'd pick, and I don't know the exact injury status (hard to keep track), the following team for us to have some chance tonight:

----------------Abbiati

Abate---- Zapata---- Mexes---- De Sciglio

-------De Jong -------Urby
--------------Montolivo

-----------Boateng

-------------------Bojan

-----------Pazzini

A sorta 4 2-1-1-1-1 but with a dynamic midfield and freedom for Boateng to support the attack when appropriate.

Bar Pato I'd argue this is probably our strongest 11, give or take formation.

I really do not think Allegri will get fired or close to it until maybe the winter. I don't think the management can afford it at this point.

As for tonight's game I just want to see hunger from the team i want to see like they want to wear the shirt and score goals not only goals on the pitch but look like they want to win something this year.

Forza Milan.

P.S my prediction is

2-0 Milan

Pazzini and El get the goals.

This post has been edited by Ry4n: Sep 18 2012, 12:44 PM

Chu never agrees, as you know.

Switching Constant with Montolivo doesn't create the midfield I prefer, but let's focus on what we can make without using the injured Italian. My preferred midfield then would be Ambrosini as anchor, which he has done very well so far this season, De Jong playing right-centrally as ball-winner annex box-to-box midfielder, and Emanuelson left-centrally as advanced playmaker annex box-to-box midfielder. I know your current thought will be that it's two defensive midfielders, which is one too many, but that's too simplistic, while it's not just that.

Emanuelson, Ambrosini and De Jong are our best midfielders when it comes to (winning/holding) possession, when you ignore the injured players. Ambrosini is comfy with the ball; ideally to play in front of the defense; De Jong tends to make mistakes there. De Jong used to be very all-round at Ajax. Later he started to focus on one position, which is defensive midfield, making people now think he's just a defensive midfielder, but that is not accurate. He'd make a decent box-to-box midfielder, while he can defend very well, has got the energy and actually can be dangerous or at least helpful in attack as well, obviously to some extent. Emanuelson is also pretty all-round, but different obviously. He'd be the one who should get forward the most of the three, and with Ambrosini and De Jong he can focus a lot on getting involved in attacks, while that's what we need: players from midfield and fullbacks that link up with our forwards. Emanuelson and De Jong have the energy and quality to do that.

Unlike Ambrosini, who better stays back, offering security. I am not totally sure but last match De Jong and Ambrosini kinda played at each other positions (as in the opposite from what I want to happen). Later in the match Ambrosini and Emanuelson got subbed off, with Nocerino and Constant replacing them. I'd say it's no coincidence we conceded when we had that new midfield, and also quite some dangerous 'counter attacks' we had to face. We've lost two players who are important for both holding and winning the ball (back), and then it gets tough. If you got trouble with holding possession a player like Nocerino becomes useless. With Ibrahimovic we had some amazing forward that also is excellent with the ball, making it possible for Nocerino to get forward and score.

This is why I don't want to field Nocerino. He has been very bad so far this season, and that was something you could expect after Ibrahimovic left which makes him worth a whole lot less in the attacking part. Yet that isn't my main concern with him, while when it comes to possession he's the worst. In midfield position he's the opposite of being comfy with the ball, and loses the ball quite easily whether it's because of an awful first touch or an awful pass, and I'm talking about receiving/giving easy passes. Especially now Thiago Silva and Nesta left us, it's quite asking for trouble having someone like that in your midfield trio. Our defense need more security.

Back to my preferred midfield: you'd have three players that all can defend, two very well, and Emanuelson will help a bit which is enough because of the other two, and also Boateng tends to track back. Of them one is composed enough to play in front of the defense without losing possession in an amateur way, which is Ambrosini. De Jong has to improve in that aspect, but he'd make a great ball-winner to support Ambrosini (and our defense) who obviously has not much energy to give. With De Jong and Ambrosini you have two players that you can trust with conquering and holding the ball, so that others can focus more easily on the attack including De Jong himself.

Emanuelson would be the main playmaker, even though you can barely call him one, but he's the best we got now. And because of the lack of a real playmaker, I would applaud the decision to field a midfield trio that consists of players that are all comfy with the ball, which all three are. We'd have a more secured midfield both in defending and holding possession, yet no true playmaker which is why it's important to focus on these aspects while we need the ball longer now to do something good with it (like giving a key pass, which Emanuelson does at times).

Boateng is half midfielder and half forward, so it's understandable we usually talk about a midfield trio. When we attack he is one of the forwards, but when we don't have the ball he tracks back and acts like a midfielder. Boateng is good to have to link midfield with attack, which is important, especially without Robinho who's excellent at that. Kinda similar to Nocerino, also Boateng is not good with the ball in midfield position, but in forward position he is. This is okay when you have three midfielders who can win possession and can hold possession.

We've lost many quality players, and mostly we've lost players who are good with the ball. Instead of having a forward called Ibrahimovic, and a defender called Thiago Silva, who all are very good with the ball, we now have to play with forwards and defenders who are not. This makes it so important that the entire midfield trio are comfy with the ball, especially because we have no outspoken playmaker (which Ibrahimovic has been for us). There is a complete different team now, and we have to play a different game. We can't act clueless and waiting for Ibrahimovic to do something anymore. Nocerino and Boateng were two players that were a great fit with Ibrahimovic. The creative Ibrahimovic with hard-working runners to play with made them getting the best out of their games. Now fielding both in midfield is possession wise an awful idea. Without Ibrahimovic and so, we need other players who can hold possession: in midfield. Creating successful attacks requires better tactics now.

People complain about Allegri and want a midfield of De Jong, Constant and Urby? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.