[weeeow]

Mon 19th Feb

Beware The Fighting Dog - Nakamura

'Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura has labelled AC Milan star Rino Gattuso a "fighting dog" ahead of their midfield battle in Tuesday's Champions League clash at Parkhead.

Gattuso, a former Rangers player, flies into Glasgow on Monday afternoon ahead of the first leg of their last-16 clash with the Bank of Scotland Premier League champions.

In an interview for Japanese television, Nakamura, who played in Italy with Reggina, said: "They are a big club with international players in every position and they've won the league many times.

"I played against them many times when I was at Reggina and they seemed almost impossible to beat. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

"They are very strong and have many intelligent players who know their football.

"Gattuso is like a fighting dog. Kaka is fast and tough. Dida, I think, is the best goalkeeper in the world." (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/king.gif)

But the Japan international, who scored a trademark free-kick in Saturday's 2-1 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, believes Milan's main threat will come from midfielder Andrea Pirlo.

He said: "I think the key to Milan is Pirlo."

"He positions himself in front of the back four and makes accurate passes - he can turn the tide with one play.

"They are very good at that kind of counter-attacking. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devilsmiley.gif)

"Milan will go on if we can't stop Pirlo."' (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

"http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/19022007/4/beware-fighting-dog-nakamura.html"

I agree with him. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

FORZA MILAN!!!!

This post has been edited by weeeow: Feb 19 2007, 06:08 PM

[han2503]

I saw a longer version of this interview somewhere but I can't find it. If I do I'll post it.

It's a very interesting read.

But this only means they figured us out (like every side in Europe has unfortunately) I was hopeing that they would pay more attention to Kaka and forget about Pirlo and to some extent Seedorf, but it looks like they've done their homework

[m1ke]

They can't lock us down all over the pitch. If they're going to be tight on us through the middle of the pitch (Kaka & Pirlo), we'll have to make sure Janku and Oddo make lots of forward runs down the wings.

[Warchant]

They can't lock us down all over the pitch. If they're going to be tight on us through the middle of the pitch (Kaka & Pirlo), we'll have to make sure Janku and Oddo make lots of forward runs down the wings.

agreed...let them focus on one player

[mishie]

agreed...let them focus on one player

they don't even have the players with the quality to lock out 1 player! plus they won't be able to handle kaka's pace they are so slow at the back!

[Rossoneri7]

they don't even have the players with the quality to lock out 1 player! plus they won't be able to handle kaka's pace they are so slow at the back!

Kaka will be gliding ... (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devil.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

[agenth]

Nakamura has wow-freekicks... I´won't sleep well until it's over xD

[han2503]

Nakamura has wow-freekicks... I´won't sleep well until it's over xD

This is just like the game we had against Lyon, and Nakamura might have great free-kicks but no one hits them like Juninho.

We'll just have to be careful not to give away any stupid fouls

[Rossoneri7]

Come on people .. Nakamura isn't gonna do sh!t !!! I agree w/ han, that Juninho would be a threat, but Nakamura ?? Why ? Cuz he scored against Man U ?! A team that didnt make it past the last 16 two seasons in a row (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) Plus barely past this season.

I think our threat would be from the Scotish crowd .. They will be the edge that Celtic would need to up their game. But even if they did that .. They wont be too sharp, as we have kept our guard up against BIGGER clubs and edging either a win or a defeat; still we are feared no matter where we go.

[jagar]

1.) ManU is actually really good this season its not even funny
2.) Nakamura tends to disappear from games and only appear during free kicks lets hope it happens this game too
3.) Nakamura is AZN and I'm proud of him

[han2503]

1.) ManU is actually really good this season its not even funny
2.) Nakamura tends to disappear from games and only appear during free kicks lets hope it happens this game too
3.) Nakamura is AZN and I'm proud of him

Man U are good in the league but are nothing special in Europe. They lost to copenhagen for god's sake in a match they need to win.

I can't say much of Nakamura since I barely remember him from his Reggina days. But he does have a good free-kick, at least better then Pirlo at this point in time, since our free-kick specialist think the wall of players has suddenly become the net you score in (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[dst]

3.) Nakamura is AZN and I'm proud of him

what's an AZN!??