[Fillipo Simone]

(IMG:http://www.mcalcio.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/milan-arsenal_cl.jpg)

Decisive CL match. A win here and we could turn our luck. Also, if we manage to surpass Arsenal and enter the 1/4 finals Allegri would prove he has it in him for more.

[han2503]

Maybe a little bit objectivity doesn't hurt. You see, you're talking about Ambro declining big time already in 2008, while in fact a year from then he played a few of his alltime best performances. I simply think you have a fixation on that guy and make him look even worse then he is.

Don't get me wrong, I know he declined nowadays, just as I know how good he once was. I know he isn't up to being a starter or do things he used to do for us. Still, he's a Milan captain and that earns him respect in my eyes. I don't find it hard to admit he isn't good any more, but I'm not gonna bash him over and over again just because I can.

Sure objectivity would be nice if there wasn't such a game at stake.

Listen, I'm more than ok with Ambro coming on late in games to close it down for us. But starting him here is the dumbest sh!t one can come up with

Nah, han is 100% correct. Playing Ambrosini against Arsenal should be the last thing crossing Allegri's mind. The guy has made a mess of small-time opponents, no idea how he could fare against a powerhouse like Arsenal. And besides, what's the idea of playing an Ambro-MvB-Nocerino midfield? All muscle and zero brain. Definitely not the way to go in such important games. I'd rather have Seedorf there dictate the tempo, even though Clarence is no better than Ambro in terms of shape. Those 35 years starting to bulge methinks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)

Yep

Looks like I'm in a minority. I want Ambro to play.

The only person who's more of a big-game player than Ambro is probably only Seedorf (in our current team). I have no delusions about his quality. He is not the kind of player we need when we need a lot of impetus from the mid-field...but he can hold things together really well. Knows every trick in the book, been there and done that. For me he is 10x the captain Gary Neville was.

Playing Ambro along with MvB would enable MvB to focus more on distribution while our third mid-fielder could focus almost completely on creativity. Plus he will guard our flanks letting the fullbacks push on.

And offensively, since it's Arsenal, how can you not have our set-piece heading specialist!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

But needless to say he is 'old' and he has played a lot. If he is not fit he cannot start. He will be terrible.

Sorry Jack, I'd never agree with starting 3 DMs in any type of game. We already overload that midfield with muscles and runners, without even adding that extra DM. But to add him in this game would be ridiculous. Not only that, but you guys are saying that having an extra DM will win us the ball quicker etc, etc. But Ambro has been known to lose the ball much more than recover it. Having him in that midfield just becuase he's a DM will not automatically mean more defensive stability. I fact it would mean more instability due to the fact that we'll be losing the ball as soon as we get it.

Also, I don't get how you can say that Ambro and VB will work together, because they're as incompatible as the famous Gila-Pippo duo upfront if you remember. We've seen them together this season a couple of times, and they're usually one big mess when they're on the pitch together, simply because they like to occupy the same position. Also VB will never give us any sort of quality distribution, neither will Nocerino or "Mr. Chip it to the opposition - Ambrosini"

We absolutely need someone in there who will help us in keeping that possession. Thus Seedorf is an absolute must.

I don't think there's much problem in going with a hardworking midfield against Arsenal. Off the ball Arsenal really aren't very good, they don't close down particularly well, so luxury players aren't a necessity. Guys that can win the ball back are though.

I know Sagna is back for them, but not sure if Andre Santos is. If not, it'll likely be Mertersacker and Koscielny at CB together - Ibra will have them for breakfast.

We already have 3 hardworkers, that's 2 more than most teams employ in their midfield. And as a lot have pointed out. Just because Ambro is a DM he won't automatically give you defensive stability, as these days, he's more of a jogger, foul instigater and yellow card collecter than a defensive mid.

You could be right. Goal has a Sanga-Vermaelen-Koscielny-Gibbs back line.

Varmaelen imo is 10 times the CB Mertersacker is. Imo it's more of a loss to us that he got injured, because if he'd stayed fit he would have started and Varmaelen would have most likely played at LB

[kurtsimonw]

Varmaelen imo is 10 times the CB Mertersacker is. Imo it's more of a loss to us that he got injured, because if he'd stayed fit he would have started and Varmaelen would have most likely played at LB

Yeah, Mertersacker is awful. Which is why I was hoping Gibbs was still out. Koscielny is decent when he plays with Vermaelen, it's a good partnership. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)