[Fillipo Simone]

Hard to say who was our MoM. Surely Kaká worked massively up front, Taarabt scored the important first and Honda the decisive second. Bonera had a very good match, Rami was more then solid. Mexès was the commander of defense, made a important clearance, but also almost scored a stupid own goal and had one or two very stupid passes. My pick therefore goes to Abbiati for the two-three very good saves and a spotless performance.

Flop? Constant is the obvious choice, along with Montolivo (nothing but 2 good long passes; but he's been out for few weeks, so I'll be soft on him) and Pazzini. I have to say, Pazzo is in a dry spell, and I don't think he's able to adapt to this system quickly. He's scored zero goals in how many league matches? And worst of all, he's completely useless in a classical attacking sense.

[han2503]

Hard to say who was our MoM. Surely Kaká worked massively up front, Taarabt scored the important first and Honda the decisive second. Bonera had a very good match, Rami was more then solid. Mexès was the commander of defense, made a important clearance, but also almost scored a stupid own goal and had one or two very stupid passes. My pick therefore goes to Abbiati for the two-three very good saves and a spotless performance.

Flop? Constant is the obvious choice, along with Montolivo (nothing but 2 good long passes; but he's been out for few weeks, so I'll be soft on him) and Pazzini. I have to say, Pazzo is in a dry spell, and I don't think he's able to adapt to this system quickly. He's scored zero goals in how many league matches? And worst of all, he's completely useless in a classical attacking sense.

I thought Abbiati was pretty bad on that goal, slow reaction and surely his involvement has to classify that as an own goal. It was FIFA type stuff

I thought Monto and De Jong played well and tried to calm things down as much as possible when they could get on the ball.

Mexes and Kaka were both great but Mexes was superb imo, the almost own goal wasn't really his fault the ball was basically hit at him, he didn't know much about that one.

And agreed about Pazzo, atm when he plays instead of Balo it feels like we're on one leg. I think he's mostly finding it difficult to adapt to the system rather than being out of form as he's not even getting into goal scoring positions to even be able to screw up chances. I think Balo understands what's needed a lot better, plus the fact that he can drift wide or deep and exchange positions with one of the 3 behind him

[han2503]

Oh and I'm seriously getting fed up with our situation at LB, when DS is back Seedorf seriously needs to give him a chance to play there. Even now, when Abate is back he should consider moving Bonera over there.

Constant and Urby are both train wrecks

[Jack Sparrow]

I voted Kaka MotM. Simply because I'm kind of enjoying seeing him 'reinvent' himself as a player. He's now doing some vital grunt work.

I still feel that Montolivo in the double pivot hurts our chances. As I understand the 4-2-3-1 in the pivot one player holds and distributes while the other presses. Or you have both players do a bit of both.

In this case, Montolivo is oddly the one who seems to do the pressing. So it's weird. Put yourself in his shoes. You have to press, make the tackle, win the ball AND THEN make the distributing pass. This is difficult for any player. This is in fact on hindsight why I feel Pirlo struggled in Allegri's Milan.

Unfortunately De Jong is no presser/terrier type a la Gattuso either. He too holds and makes the short pass or the long ball into open space.

I suspect this is why Muntari is looking good in that double pivot.

I will write a longer tactical piece as a different topic I think. Please bear with me, it's some time since I stepped on the football field, and I might get a few things horribly wrong because they don't work as I imagine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Back to topic.

MoTM : Kaka (out of sheer affection), but otherwise on gameplay Honda. Grabbed the important second and worked well with Bonera on the right to maintain our defensive shape. Massive improvements in his play now.

Flop: Constant. Look, with Taraabt and Kaka drifting to the left, you need solidity in that left flank. Constant is always out of position and a better team would have screwed us over.

[X-Offender]

I thought Abbiati was pretty bad on that goal, slow reaction and surely his involvement has to classify that as an own goal. It was FIFA type stuff

Yeah, his reaction on the goal was meh, but he saved our asses in more than one occasion last night. After Mexes he'd be my pick for MoM.

I voted Kaka MotM. Simply because I'm kind of enjoying seeing him 'reinvent' himself as a player. He's now doing some vital grunt work.

I still feel that Montolivo in the double pivot hurts our chances. As I understand the 4-2-3-1 in the pivot one player holds and distributes while the other presses. Or you have both players do a bit of both.

In this case, Montolivo is oddly the one who seems to do the pressing. So it's weird. Put yourself in his shoes. You have to press, make the tackle, win the ball AND THEN make the distributing pass. This is difficult for any player. This is in fact on hindsight why I feel Pirlo struggled in Allegri's Milan.

Unfortunately De Jong is no presser/terrier type a la Gattuso either. He too holds and makes the short pass or the long ball into open space.

I suspect this is why Muntari is looking good in that double pivot.

I will write a longer tactical piece as a different topic I think. Please bear with me, it's some time since I stepped on the football field, and I might get a few things horribly wrong because they don't work as I imagine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Back to topic.

MoTM : Kaka (out of sheer affection), but otherwise on gameplay Honda. Grabbed the important second and worked well with Bonera on the right to maintain our defensive shape. Massive improvements in his play now.

Flop: Constant. Look, with Taraabt and Kaka drifting to the left, you need solidity in that left flank. Constant is always out of position and a better team would have screwed us over.

Poli is by far the best-suited player we have for the double pivot. He reminds me a lot of Khedira in that sense. Too bad Seedorf doesn't see it.

[Jack Sparrow]

Poli is by far the best-suited player we have for the double pivot. He reminds me a lot of Khedira in that sense. Too bad Seedorf doesn't see it.

I thought of that too. As I see it, Seedorf has only Poli who he feels he can use in the front three when he wants some defensive pressing and to stop play down the centre. At the same time he feels with Poli he doesn't need to compromise on pace.

I can't say how Poli would play in the double pivot. I know he's played deep for Sampdoria so I guess it's worth a shot.

I would even be in favour of an experiment swapping Poli and Montolivo. But we lose pace in the middle.

[han2503]

I thought of that too. As I see it, Seedorf has only Poli who he feels he can use in the front three when he wants some defensive pressing and to stop play down the centre. At the same time he feels with Poli he doesn't need to compromise on pace.

I can't say how Poli would play in the double pivot. I know he's played deep for Sampdoria so I guess it's worth a shot.

I would even be in favour of an experiment swapping Poli and Montolivo. But we lose pace in the middle.

I think for games against certain Serie A sides we can afford to play both Poli and Monto in the double pivot. Poli is mostly a quick passer of the ball, he likes to get rid of it quickly, plus he's really good playing a pressing game, while Monto likes to put his foot on the ball and spread it longer and wider. I think they'd make a good duo there.

De Jong has been good, I just don't think the double pivot suits him much, but he's still been crucial for us. Still I think him and Monto are the best duo we can play. But Poli should be a direct replacement for either one of them, not the players in attack

[X-Offender]

I think Poli and Monto is the best combination for the double pivot. De Jong is good, but as Jack said, he's more of a holder. He doesn't press much and offers nothing offensively. Poli does that and pretty well I might add. With De Jong and Monto we're too static in midfield.