[mishie]

A trip to Palermo this weekend and with them having no wins in the last 3 games a ideal opportunity to take all 3 points

[Tennie]

Okay, my responses in order.

zd, why do you insist on the pessimism in thinking we're going to fall down the table? Pirlo's back, Ronaldinho is hitting form, and traditionally Milan start playing their best football after the winter ritiro.

If Kaka were benched for poor play - and I think he should be - I can only imagine the howls of outrage that would come. It may be a fault of Ancelotti for starting the names even if they play poorly, but if some people point fingers at his insistence on playing 2 DMs, then I'm going to point fingers at him playing a Kaka in sucktastic form. And the thing is, even if he did whatever it is we'd like to see him do, there's no proof at all that it would have any change in the results of games.

As for han's blaming the coach, I'm going to agree to disagree. I think it's as much on the players for laziness and complacency - especially when they've got the lead and switch off - as it is on the coach. I don't think Ancelotti is blameless. I don't think the players are blameless either.

And I'm definitely going to agree to disagree that Kaka is above criticism. Nobody is. Not him, not Maldini, not Ancelotti.

As for making it work without important players, Milan is in second place without having had Pirlo for the majority of the games. That to me is a remarkable achievement and credit for that should go both to the players who've played in unfamiliar roles as well as the coach who's gotten good performances out of (most of) the players.

Now let's suspend the debate, shall we? This is a match thread, it's a game day, and let's look and see how we actually do against Palermo.

[Zed.D]

Okay, my responses in order.

zd, why do you insist on the pessimism in thinking we're going to fall down the table? Pirlo's back, Ronaldinho is hitting form, and traditionally Milan start playing their best football after the winter ritiro.

If Kaka were benched for poor play - and I think he should be - I can only imagine the howls of outrage that would come. It may be a fault of Ancelotti for starting the names even if they play poorly, but if some people point fingers at his insistence on playing 2 DMs, then I'm going to point fingers at him playing a Kaka in sucktastic form. And the thing is, even if he did whatever it is we'd like to see him do, there's no proof at all that it would have any change in the results of games.

OK, I'll just answer this and we'll continue it maybe some other day.

One thing I don't get is this 'Milan will start playing better from January'. I don't feel Milan is the only team that benefits from the winter break. if Milan will start playing better, so will likes of Juve, Inter, etc. I don't see it as an specific advantage for Milan.

As for Milan falling down the table, I could be wrong. time will tell. I think we will not be in the 2nd place come January. we have one tough game tonight and four in a row before the break. the way we're playing right now I can't see us grabbing all 15 points from these 5 fixtures.

if some people point fingers at his insistence on playing 2 DMs, then I'm going to point fingers at him playing a Kaka in sucktastic form.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I like Kaka but if his benching means a better Milan I don't have any problem with that!

I don't get this quote, Tennie (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

And the thing is, even if he did whatever it is we'd like to see him do, there's no proof at all that it would have any change in the results of games.

Of course there isn't any guarantee. but one thing is certain, we're playing poorly and something needs to be done. if changes don't work and we still continue playing like this, then the coach should be shown the exit door!

Anywhere in the world, the coach is the 1st person responsible for a team's poor results/performances because he is the one who decides which players play. I just don't understand this 'the coach is as much at fault as the players'. I respectfully think this is a very wrong statement, Tennie.

i would like to comment on kaka thing.... pirlo was terrible last year but still very important to milan play and we strugled even more without him and same is with kaka we struggle without him and even if he is not playing at his best he can win games IMO just like pirlo add something extra kaka does it too even if they are not playing to their full potential this has been the case over the last couple of seasons

A very good point.