[han2503]

Who: Empoli FC vs. AC Milan



(IMG:https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/374x191q90/911/28TvU0.png)



Where: Stadio Carlo Castellani



(IMG:http://smimgs.com/images/stadium/121_1358052145.jpg)



When:
23rd September 2014 @ 8:45pm CET


Head-to-Head Record



(IMG:https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/637x193q90/540/2upieI.png)

[han2503]

Zapata looked very solid V Lazio. Every time he's been paired with Bonera THAT'S when he's been a nightmare.

Nah he's not any better than he was, it's just people are finally appreciating him. You know I ALWAYS rated him.

He's a top, top class RB and while he was linked with a move away, I am glad we kept him. I only endorsed the move away because it seemed DS was going to take RB by default and Abate would be benched.

Zapata was okay against Lazio, did the bare minimum while also including one of his priceless passes to the opposition right in front of our area (something he always seems to manage to do). I still think our best CB pairing has to include Mexes no matter who the other pick is, Zapata is a mess next to Bonera because he's just as incapable of actually taking initiative and being the one to lead the line and cover the spaces left by the guy next to him. You blame Mexes for a lot that happened last season, but when Allegri was playing him next to Zapata and Constant, Mexes was doing all he could to cover both their @sses plus doing his own job, I think he's a very underrated player, and most people only have a bone to pick against him because he earns what he does, which isn't his fault as the management are the ones who offered him that contract

Yeah, I know you've always backed him as a player, I was talking in general, and not just on this forum. Everyone underrates Abate and calls him a headless chicken that just runs forward. Which is ridiculous. He's a very defensively sound RB, something that other attacking RBs don't offer, plus he offers a lot going forward, and not just when he's making assists. And yet still people are reluctant to even complement him now.

Horrible match.

I have to now place Muntari on the poor list. I also think Poli played much better on the left of midfield than on the right (his usual position). Leads me to believe that perhaps that will make the difference.

Bonera at CB was a poor pick. I like Bonera but even I was aghast at that pick. Unless Rami was injured I don't know what the reason was.

I already voted in the other thread, but for me Flop: Muntari (He was hauled off at half time) and Top: Menez.

It's a huge shame, but when I see the team play, only Menez and Torres remotely look like they have any confidence on the ball. The others treat it like it's made of molten lava and get it away from them as soon as possible without any thought.

---

My final thoughts, this formation is all wrong. The 4-3-3 I feel is a formation for dynamic team with technique and poise on the ball and defensive solidity without it. We don't have it. And after 3 years, I don't see us drilling it into the players.

For me, we have to go with the old-fashioned flat/diamond moving 4-4-2 .

This 4-3-3 simply leaves too much space in midfield, either for attacking or defending, and our players are appearing too static for any sort of progress. So until Montolivo comes back, this is my chosen formation:

Abate---Rami---Alex---DeScig/Armero [Disappointed by MDS's performances as fullback)
----------------NdJ----------------------
-----MVG/Jack-------Poli/Jack----------
---------------Honda--------------------
-------------Menez[FREE ROLE]--------
-------Torres---------------------------


- We need to cover more space, and our midfield especially needs to be more compact.
- I know I've benched SeS, but for me it's a choice of form. Menez is now 5 times the player SeS is anyway.
- Another thing would be for the fullback to hustle up and crowd out the midfield in the defensive possesion phase, while the back three compacts up to be a 3 man backline.
-Rami and Alex are for me the most trustable CB pairing. Rami is quick, while Alex is calm, gives us good aerial strength and Rami will cover for his occasional brainfarts.

Other points:

Not including Mexes, since he seems to be exiled.

Benched Muntari. Can come on when we want to hold on to a lead. Also Bonera is a fullback for me. Can give Abate some rest. We'll just play Armero on the wing for the attack when playing Bonera who is a more solid type.

I love it that you've basically fallen into what me and some others here have been saying for a while now, about Muntari, about Bonera, about how completely inept our midfield is on the ball, which in turn creates issues for us both in attack and defence

I personally think Pippo needs to find away to include all of Honda, SES, Menez and Torres in the line-up

[Danny]

Zapata was okay against Lazio, did the bare minimum while also including one of his priceless passes to the opposition right in front of our area (something he always seems to manage to do). I still think our best CB pairing has to include Mexes no matter who the other pick is, Zapata is a mess next to Bonera because he's just as incapable of actually taking initiative and being the one to lead the line and cover the spaces left by the guy next to him. You blame Mexes for a lot that happened last season, but when Allegri was playing him next to Zapata and Constant, Mexes was doing all he could to cover both their @sses plus doing his own job, I think he's a very underrated player, and most people only have a bone to pick against him because he earns what he does, which isn't his fault as the management are the ones who offered him that contract

No, I don't have any bone to pick with Mexes, I just don't think he's any good now. His form disintegrated last season. It started out as average then became downright poor. He did used to be pretty good, particularly alongside Zaps the season prior in the CL.

But f*ck sake is every conversation we have going to be an argument over Mexes?

EDIT: seems the swear filter is back on...

This post has been edited by Danny: Sep 24 2014, 11:48 AM