[Tennie]

So, Milan take on Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup this Wednesday.

Bremen are traditionally one of the stronger sides in Germany but they're struggling this season and are currently in midtable (at the weekend they drew with bottom team Borussia Monchengladbach). Their defense is leakier than ours but they've got a pretty strong attack. Folks may have seen Claudio Pizarro or Diego before, but to me the guy to look out for is Mesut Ozil - he's an AM and he's really very good indeed. Just got his first call up to the German NT. Both Vranjes and Jensen are out with injury. A really big blow for them is that Torsten Frings is suspended for the game (yellow card accumulation from the CL).

English referee Mike Dean will be in charge of the match. I think he's one of the better English refs.

Here are Milan's call ups for the game.
Abbiati, Dida, Perucchini (50)
Antonini, Bonera, Darmian, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Maldini, Senderos, Zambrotta
Ambrosini, Beckham, Flamini, Pirlo, Seedorf
Inzaghi, Pato, Shevchenko, Ronaldinho.

No Kaka. Shevchenko is carrying an injury, not sure why he's been called up.

[whoarethepatriot...]

I completely forgot about this match. Bremen are not to be underestimated

[dst]

We have to get a good result in Germany. The UEFA Cup is the top priority now.

[elcordobez]

Are we at home for the 1st leg?


This is the type of opponent we usually walk all over,i reckon we'll play a very good game to bounce back from the loss.

This post has been edited by elcordobez: Feb 16 2009, 03:32 PM

[Tennie]

We're away for the first leg. The team fly to Bremen tomorrow.

[whoarethepatriot...]

A draw would be a decent result, then we can go for the win at the San Siro

[MizNelson]

I see we're calling up all the big guns now. Gotta love Carlo. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Fillipo Simone]

Both Vranjes and Jensen are out with injury. A really big blow for them is that Torsten Frings is suspended for the game (yellow card accumulation from the CL).

Hmh, Fring's been so bad recently, I think it's a blessing for them he's out...
But you never know..

[Rivaldo]

I want to see this lineup

-------------------------------------------------Dida-----------------------------------------------
---Zambro------------------Bonera------------------------Senderos\Maldini------Janku-------
----------------Becks---------------------Pirlo\Flamini------------Ambro------------------------
------------------------------------------------Dinho-----------------------------------------------
--------------------------------Pippo--------------------------Pato---------------------------------

But sure Carlo will play 'tree' and Seedorf in, Pippo - out(((

[han2503]

The team I hope to see against Bremen

Antonini--Bonera--Senderos--Kala
Flamini--Beckham--Seedorf
Dinho
Pato--Sheva

Dida in goal, give the fullbacks a rest, I put Kala on the left because I think that it's a 'lesser of two evils' kind of choice. After the shambles agaisnt Inter it's obvious that's he's totally out of touch atm and having him on the left would be killing 2 birds with one stone: Playing him and helping him regain match fitness while not risking having him in the center. Bonera has o play because other then Paolo he's our best defender atm, and Paolo cannot play another game this week after the game against Inter.

Flamini imo has earned the right to be a starter, atleast until Gattuso returns, Ambro is just terrible atm, and apart from that last ditch tackle against Inter he's coming to be more of a burden to the team. He's supposed to cover the fullback while he's attacking, that's why Carlo plays our DMs to the sides of the midfield 3, yet most of the time he's in the opposition's box putting in bad crosses, Maicon did whatever he wanted on Sunday, and imo this falls on Ambro not being able to do his job. Until Rino is back Flamini should be the one starting in that position. Becks to play the Pirlo role and Seedorf moved back to his best position where he is twice more effective then he is as an AM.

Dinho and Pato pick themselves out and I'm going with a half each for Sheva and Pippo, Pippo to come on in the second half an ruffle a few feathers.

@ Tennie, I think Sheva is included becuase they'll know he'll be ready to play

As for what I think Carlo will put out. It will be the usual xmas tree

Antonini--Bonera--Kala--Janku
Beckham--Pirlo--Ambro
Dinho--Seedorf
Pato

Maybe he'll throw in Pippo instead of Pato if he's feeling adventerous (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I don't think we've managed to win a single game with this set-up.

The Dinho--Seedorf combo just does not work because they are slow and Seedorf's tendency to pass back constantly.

[Tennie]

So...no Shevchenko after all.

A.C. MILAN OFFICIAL NOTE
2/16/2009
MILAN - A.C. Milan communicate that, after the results of today's medical exams, the footballer Andriy Shevchenko will not be called up for the Uefa Cup match against Werder Bremen. The exams in fact evidenced that the healing process of the inflammation to the scar on his left quadriceps is not entirely complete.

[Zed.D]

There is something wrong with MilanLab.

[Fillipo Simone]

Who's called up instead?

[Rivaldo]

Nobody...

Han, are you joking?? Kaladze?? Arrrrr....

[MizNelson]

There is something wrong with MilanLab.

I'm starting to believe that. Is there anyone (besides Abs) who hasn't missed a game due to injury so far this season? Anyway, if Kaladze is called up in place of Shev, we're doomed.

Hmh, Fring's been so bad recently, I think it's a blessing for them he's out...

That's a name I haven't heard in a long time, since after the '06 World Cup.