[Bluesummers]

We are in a crisis right now, and it is affecting us greatly. Post your thoughts or solutions on how to fix this nasty problems from firing carlo to buying ronaldinho.

Statistics

2Wins, 4 draws, 3 Losses.

CL statistics

2 wins 1 loss.

This post has been edited by Bluesummers: Oct 28 2007, 06:47 PM

[Jack Sparrow]

Good topic....keep things constructive.


I don't know to be honest. I can't isolate anything. Having seen nothing but highlights all this season also doesn't help.


Is it the fact that we don't have strikers??

Maybe. I don't know of too many teams that do well with just one striker in Serie A.

Roma might play with only Totti, but the fact is with two pure attacking wingers, a single forward is a whole different game theory.


If I must criticise Carlo, I suppose it must be that he doesn't play wingers at all. As such I don't believe that the standard 4-4-2- with your mid composed of one holding-one creative-and 2 wingers, is suited all the time for modern football, but it is still useful.

But then this one loophole in his armoury is not gonna have me jumping up and down saying he must be removed. I love this guy. And I believe if we fail to reach our objectives this season, he's either over-deliver next season or step down voluntarily. He's given too much to the club to be treated like Martin Jol. If we do fire him unceremoniously, I would be pissed.

But wandering back, I wonder why nobody else felt, we lacked support in defence. The forward deficiency in Milan is overhyped imo. Regardless of how you see Gila.

Imo it's the defence. I have isolated the problem area, I don't know where it needs fixing. But I know for a fact that dst has noticed, and I'm sure you'd have as well, our defence is messing up our creativity.

Carlo has realized for some time that our defence is not up to it, and so he's forced to play 2 DMs for added cover. It stifles you up especially when you need more impetus.

When your forward line is only one man deep, the logical conclusion is that the impetus has to come from mid-field.

You'd remember this...my fav formation from the Carlo era. In theory it would be a 4-3-1-2, but in practise, it was either a 3-4-1-2 or a 4-1-2-1-2

---Cafu----Nesta----Paolo---Sergio
------Rino-----Pirlo-------Clarence
-------------Ricky/Rui-------------
--------Sheva-------------Pippo---


Here Rino was not essentially deployed to protect the back 4. He was meant to back Andy P up. His sole job was to protect Andy P. Or get the ball and give it to Andy P. Andy P was a revelation during that period. Forget the miracle of Pippo's revival or Sheva's class. Andy P was the beating heart of that Milan side. But then he could afford to be.

The Maldini-Nesta combo should go down in history as one of the greatest CB pairings. They were really solid.

Then we had Cafu and Sergio. Both of them were playing well. Cafu was himself, having been given a lease of life as regards European football thanks to Milan, and Sergio was getting much better at defending.

But here was the point, at any given point in time, we could unleash those two like wolves at sheep, and they would totally rampage. They could afford to. Our defence then was together and fluid. Defending was second nature. And Dida was well, the top GK of the time. Buffon was maybe a better shot stopper, but he couldn't handle PKs for ****.



Now what do we have playing...

---Oddo----Nesta----Kaladze---Janku
------Rino--------Pirlo-------Ambro----
-------kaka----------------Clarence
-----------------Gila----------------


Our defence has simply lost it. Maybe it's a chemistry thing, maybe like dst says Kala is sh!t. Or maybe Nesta is getting old and complacent. But the fact is Milan's defence is no longer considered a challenge. It clings on to the reputation Nesta and Paolo held.


Our attack depends on Pirlo-Clarence-Kaka combining with our striker to finish things off.

If one of these guys are not jelling in our 3 man force, we are in for a rough nite. Unless of course these guys have those super human nights and take out the trash single-handedly, which is not to expected every week.

Of late I had some hope, when I saw the highlights and that Gila was doing much more than being just a finisher. But it doesn't work with a team for whom the match is not do-or-die.

In CL, that's not the case. A team is dead worried, that each match could be it's last. They're caught in a position where they are not sure whether to make sure they don't lose or they win the game, and Milan somehow seem to have the better clarity during these times.

In Serie A, it's us in the conundrum. Do we score or stop them from scoring? We are so confused, so without direction.

We have two options in Serie A, in CL I wouldn't change a thing

5-3-2

----Oddo/Cafu----Nesta---Paolo/Bonera----Kala/Simic----Sergio/Janku
-------------Rino/Ambro------Pirlo-------Clarence---
--------------------------Ricky-----------------
-------------------------------------Gila-----------------


Or 3-4-1-2

------Nesta----Paolo/Bonera-----Kaladze/Simic-------
----Cafu/Oddo-----Ambro/Rino---Pirlo----------Clarence
-----------------------------Kaka--------------------------
---------------------Gila------------R99/Willy----------------




They are a study in contrasts. Either beef up our defence so we can't be beaten. Or beef up our attack so we beat anybody, no matter how much they score.

Either way, I don't mess up with my three-man force of Clarence-Kaka and Piro.


What would I like to play...I like Ballack, I think he's the closest to Pirlo, without the same silkiness, but much better aerial presence, and athleticism.


------------Nesta-----Paolo/Bonera------Simic/Kala--------
---Cafu/Oddo/Brocchi/Rino-------Pirlo---Ballack--------Sergio/Janku
---------------------Kaka/Clarence/Yoann(Coppa Italia)--------------
--------------------------------Gila---------R99--------------------


Stock formation, can be played anywhere, any competition. Ambro can come on for either Ballack or Pirlo.

If R99 is not available, we play the 3-4-2-1 instead with Ricky and Clarence or Yoann.

I would like to ask those of you who watch the Portuguese League intently. Esp. Porty, can Quaresma play as second striker. Esp since he has most of the technique of Zlatan Ibrahimovic?