[Danny]

I'm not posting this as a knee jerk reaction, but as a result of something that's been building.

Barbara Berlusconi said last night:

"A disappointing evening, like others, which confirms that a change is both necessary and urgent with the contribution of everyone concerned. It’s no longer tolerable that our fans participate in performances like these."

Speaking like someone who cares as much as the rest of us, Barbara Berlusconi basically said 'Dad, fire Allegri and it's time to make changes'.

That happened an hour later.

I sympathise with certain aspects of Allegri - hamstrung from summer 2012 onwards, but he also made heinous errors.

Now Tassotti takes over till the end of the season, possibly in conjunction with Seedorf...dare I feel a little optimistic about the rest of the season?

Our squad is actually not bad when you really look at it.

Abate, Zapata, Bonera, Mexes, Rami, DS, and Urby to choose from in defence.

De Jong, Poli, Cristante, Montolivo, and possibly Essien in midfield.

Honda and Kaka AM.

Attacking line of Balo, Pazzo, and Robinho.

That is probably a top 5 squad if it can nail some form.

On top of this we have a fresh approach with a fan, with a business mind, effectively now running the club. One of us, Barbara Berlusconi, is essentially in control.

Dare I suggest a storming second half of the season?

[Danny]

Agree that Monto cannot play as part of a double pivot. Dru and X-Off have compiled this idea and I'm not sure where it stems from.

For me Monto is exactly the same as Steven Gerrard. On his game he's a big, dominant, hard-working, visionary driver in midfield who can score goals. Not QUITE as attacking as Lampard in his heyday but still can offer something up front.

Therefore I wouldn't shackle him by pulling him back into the deep-lying playmaker role where I believe he'd be too isolated.

I'm seriously hoping the departure of Allegri sees him regain form though, because no matter what position he plays he needs said form first.

As for the 2-3-1 Jack, well, it doesn't NEED wingers. Milan have always played through the middle with only our fullbacks providing width.

Maybe a new coach will introduce wingplay but that's not the style we normally go for.

My personal formation, right now, including linked new signings, would be:

------Abate----Rami------Mexes---------DS

---------------De Jong---Essien/Poli

---------------------Montolivo/Poli

---------------Kaka-------------Honda

--------------------Balo

4 2-1-2-1

Incredible bench; Poli, Robinho, Bonera, Saponara, El-Sha, Pazzo, Zapata, Urby, Cristante.

[X-Offender]

^ You've been mentioning Essien in every post lately, but I don't think we'll be signing him.

Anyway, about Monto, I don't see how him being part of a double pivot cannot work. Having seen him play for more than a year now with this team, I've kind of understood the type of player he is. Having not seen him play regularly in the past, I thought he was a player in the mold of Aquilani, who mostly relied on his vision than anything else.

But Monto is different. He's more physical, more 'rough' so to speak and his passing really isn't Xavi-level. I think De Jong actually is a better passer. But what the guy shines at is dictating the tempo. Not quite like Pirlo, but he makes his presence known in midfield by being an excellent ball distributor. And unlike Pirlo, he's much better at defending.

I remember those few games last season where we played 4-2-3-1, Monto felt really at ease alongside De Jong. And even when Allegri played him as a solitary DM, he did more than good. However, if played in a 3-men midfield on the sides, doing the role of a box-to-box mid, I think he doesn't have what it takes to accomplish the required tasks.

The truth is, for the majority of last season Monto played as DM (because of De Jong's injury) and we all praised him for his performances, whereas this season he's always played as RCM, and everyone can agree that he's been mediocre to poor most of the time.

[Danny]

^ You've been mentioning Essien in every post lately, but I don't think we'll be signing him.

Slight exaggeration Mr Offender!

Anyway, about Monto, I don't see how him being part of a double pivot cannot work. Having seen him play for more than a year now with this team, I've kind of understood the type of player he is.
Having not seen him play regularly in the past, I thought he was a player in the mold of Aquilani, who mostly relied on his vision than anything else.

But Monto is different. He's more physical, more 'rough' so to speak and his passing really isn't Xavi-level. I think De Jong actually is a better passer. But what the guy shines at is dictating the tempo. Not quite like Pirlo, but he makes his presence known in midfield by being an excellent ball distributor. And unlike Pirlo, he's much better at defending.

I remember those few games last season where we played 4-2-3-1, Monto felt really at ease alongside De Jong. And even when Allegri played him as a solitary DM, he did more than good. However, if played in a 3-men midfield on the sides, doing the role of a box-to-box mid, I think he doesn't have what it takes to accomplish the required tasks.

Gerrard isn't a box to box mid. Those are very rare. Lampard is, Scholes was. Possibly Hamsik? Gerrard is much more attack oriented and supportive. I never said Monto was box to box either. But box to box works far better in a 4-4-2. Which we don't play. Poli is the closest we have to a B2B mid.

Point is, I agree almost entirely with your summary of him but it doesn't convince me any better that he'd work long-term in a DP. In fact your summary makes me see him the way I've lined him up in my team.

The truth is, for the majority of last season Monto played as DM (because of De Jong's injury) and we all praised him for his performances, whereas this season he's always played as RCM, and everyone can agree that he's been mediocre to poor most of the time.

Well that ain't true, Allegri played him as a treq lots of the time.

[X-Offender]

Well that ain't true, Allegri played him as a treq lots of the time.

When?

[Danny]

When?

You're trolling.