Well, Bonera has never been injury-prone except the last year and a half or so. Let's hope he's back for good now, I quite like him.

Aye. And along with Sokratis and Yepes, Nesta and Thiago shall finally have some decent backups.

Have you heard what Allegri said about how Milan need to play in the absence of Pirlo? This is what really impressed me, more than anything else he’s said or done so far.

“Tutto somma­to con Pirlo sarà pos­sibile giocare il 4-3-1­ 2, ma senza di lui è preferibile cambiare sistema”

To those who can’t read Italian, he said that without Pirlo, it’s extremely difficult for Milan to play 4-3-1-2. What he then moved on to suggest, an alternative Pirlo-less system, in the form of 4-2-3-1. Where we would see something like this:

Abbiati/Amelia; Sokratis, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Ambrosini, Flamini; Pato, Seedorf, Ronaldinho; Borriello.

The names in that formation are from me, not him, but I imagine it could only be this, or perhaps something only slightly different. This tactical versatility is something that an imperfect team like ours desperately needs, and if he can deduce this from one simple game against a Serie C side like Varese, then the man certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The what-do-we-do-without-Pirlo dilemma is one that we’ve had since the Ancelotti days, and neither Carlo or Leo manage to solve it – best they did was put Seedorf in Pirlo’s place -. I’m not saying Allegri did, but he’s displaying a willingness to adapt (something Ancelotti never had), and the ability to do so (something the fresh Leonardo hadn’t quite learned how to do yet).

I’ll wait and see how this Pirlo-less formation actually works out, but it definitely sounds promising.

Another terrible start to what appears to be a terrible campaign this season. Reading we are praising Verdi and others yet they couldn't break down a second league team's defense to score goals. We started with pretty much the same team that will start each game in the Serie A minus Ronaldinho, Borriello, and Pirlo.

The whole Allegri we need Pirlo ploy is a bunch of excuses. Pirlo was second rate last year and now hes another year older and more injury prone than ever. Allegri has no chance against Inter. Did you read that with the sale of Balotelli and possibly Maicon they will have 100 million plus to spend on players if Benitiez wishes. Milan have sold Kaka, Schevchenko, and Gourcuff and have yet to invest any of that money except pay off the debts from Galliani's terrible business flops.

I guess you have to have some optimism because it is Milan and your team but the reality of their situation is like an ominous cloud over the horizon. They are completely depleted except for Pato and Silva. They could get rid of everybody else and I would be fine with it, another year of watch a ship sink into the abyss. And watching this team its like if I was a coach of an opposite team its so simple= take out Ronaldinho and Pirlo and this team will fall to pieces and thats what the best teams will do to us.

Another terrible start to what appears to be a terrible campaign this season. Reading we are praising Verdi and others yet they couldn't break down a second league team's defense to score goals. We started with pretty much the same team that will start each game in the Serie A minus Ronaldinho, Borriello, and Pirlo.

The whole Allegri we need Pirlo ploy is a bunch of excuses. Pirlo was second rate last year and now hes another year older and more injury prone than ever. Allegri has no chance against Inter. Did you read that with the sale of Balotelli and possibly Maicon they will have 100 million plus to spend on players if Benitiez wishes. Milan have sold Kaka, Schevchenko, and Gourcuff and have yet to invest any of that money except pay off the debts from Galliani's terrible business flops.

I guess you have to have some optimism because it is Milan and your team but the reality of their situation is like an ominous cloud over the horizon. They are completely depleted except for Pato and Silva. They could get rid of everybody else and I would be fine with it, another year of watch a ship sink into the abyss. And watching this team its like if I was a coach of an opposite team its so simple= take out Ronaldinho and Pirlo and this team will fall to pieces and thats what the best teams will do to us.

You did take a look at that defence we lined up? You actually believe that's our first team? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Really..with 4 days of training after like 3 months of vacation, you can hardly expect the team to be sharp..even the level 2/3 players.