[han2503]

Hopefully we get our Scudetto challenge back on track and the Real and Juve games won't be a huge mental block for us. Although this team under Allegri doesn't seem to have a spine (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[CHU-LIP]

If we wanna play our best:

Pato,Zlatan
Robinho
Boateng*,Pirlo,Gattuso
Zambro,Silva,Nesta,Abate
Amelia

Of course you could rest someone, and give playing time to someone like Ambrosini.

Abbiati's hasn't been flawless enough, so let's see if Amelia can do better - he already showed being very good.

*Oops, Boateng seems to be suspended.

This post has been edited by CHU-LIP: Nov 4 2010, 06:48 PM

[X-Offender]

Sportmediaset's early prediction: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Nesta, T. Silva, Antonini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Robinho; Inzaghi, Ibrahimovic.

Don't forget, Boateng is suspended. I'd substitute Gattuso and Seedorf with Flamini and Ambrosini. Ronaldinho benched, obviously.

[samira]

"If e wanna play our best" ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[CHU-LIP]

Sportmediaset's early prediction: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Nesta, T. Silva, Antonini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Robinho; Inzaghi, Ibrahimovic.

Don't forget, Boateng is suspended. I'd substitute Gattuso and Seedorf with Flamini and Ambrosini. Ronaldinho benched, obviously.

Oops. I don't understand why Antonini should start, he has been awful and Abate played a good game. Abate is really earning his place over Antonini. Abate can't be needing a rest at the moment.

[vnata001]

Oops. I don't understand why Antonini should start, he has been awful and Abate played a good game. Abate is really earning his place over Antonini. Abate can't be needing a rest at the moment.

+1. Abate's learning the defensive phase slowly but surely. His performance against C-Ron was not bad.

[han2503]

All I want is a Flamini--Pirlo--Boateng mid and I'm happy.

As for the Antonini Abate debate, I don't really believe Abate has earned anything. Cristiano and Di Maria practically ran through him and Rino on more then one occasion. Antonini had a bad game yes, but it didn't deserve the exhile.

I see Allegri is thinking of starting Pippo, and imo it would be a big mistake. Pippo is not a player you want in there from minute 1, I say put him in to do some damage in the first half but not from the start. Allegri seems to have the habit of ignoring what a player does for a complete month and just benching him for making a misstep. Yet some players who are mediocre week in week out still play regularly.

[X-Offender]

All I want is a Flamini--Pirlo--Boateng mid and I'm happy.

Again, Boateng is suspended for this game. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[han2503]

Again, Boateng is suspended for this game. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Opps (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) I meant Ambro....

Anyway this is what we'll see from Allegri

Abate--Nesta--Thiago--Zambro
Rino--Pirlo--Seedorf
Ibra--Pippo--Dinho/Robs

He'll give Pippo a game in the league, Pippo will most likely misfire and get caught offside too many times to count and we'll go back to Pato slugging it out on the right

[vnata001]

All I want is a Flamini--Pirlo--Boateng mid and I'm happy.

As for the Antonini Abate debate, I don't really believe Abate has earned anything. Cristiano and Di Maria practically ran through him and Rino on more then one occasion. Antonini had a bad game yes, but it didn't deserve the exhile.

You really fail to see anything improvement in Abate? Di Maria ran through Zambro, and it was Zambro's positional flub that saw pedro leon sneak in behind him. Im not demanding that Abate be our starter, but failing to see that he's getting better is a bit unfair.

C-Ron was on Abate's side, and C-Ron was a frustrated figure all game.

Meanwhile, whatever di Maria and C-Ron did to Abate, Momo Sissoko did to Antonini. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/puke.gif)

This post has been edited by vnata001: Nov 4 2010, 10:47 PM

[han2503]

You really fail to see anything improvement in Abate? Di Maria ran through Zambro, and it was Zambro's positional flub that saw pedro leon sneak in behind him. Im not demanding that Abate be our starter, but failing to see that he's getting better is a bit unfair.

C-Ron was on Abate's side, and C-Ron was a frustrated figure all game.

Meanwhile, whatever di Maria and C-Ron did to Abate, Momo Sissoko did to Antonini. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/puke.gif)

Di Maria and C.Ron switched sides during the game on more then one occasion. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

C.Ron acted like a major @ss hole from minute one, it had nothing to do with Abate frustrating him. Yes Zambro made mistakes, not saying he's faultless but he's still the best option at this point in time and imo far better at RB

Abate struggled whenever C.Ron ran at him. It doesn't really matter to me who plays against Bari, it doesn't really matter, bot are adequate enough for such a game, but Abate in the big games imo is asking for trouble. Antonini was terrible against Juve no denying that, but aside from that he's been mostly good this season

[vnata001]

Di Maria and C.Ron switched sides during the game on more then one occasion. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

C.Ron acted like a major @ss hole from minute one, it had nothing to do with Abate frustrating him. Yes Zambro made mistakes, not saying he's faultless but he's still the best option at this point in time and imo far better at RB

Abate struggled whenever C.Ron ran at him. It doesn't really matter to me who plays against Bari, it doesn't really matter, bot are adequate enough for such a game, but Abate in the big games imo is asking for trouble. Antonini was terrible against Juve no denying that, but aside from that he's been mostly good this season

yeah but there are also some games where Ronaldo rips his opposing full back to shreds and scores 4 times. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) it's obvious that no matter who guards him, he's going to give that defender A LOT of difficulty. The fact that he didn't score when cutting in from the left, tested abbiati once from nearly 30 meters out (doesn't matter who defends him, he'll still hit that shot), and didn't put in too many deadly crosses from the left is testament enough to whatever cover Abate was able to provide for our CBs from C-Ron. Considering he didn't rip our backline up entirely, i'd say it was an OK job by our guy. you make it sound like C-Ron completely trampled all over our defense. he didn't have that rampant a time...

so essentially, the logic for both is similar. Abate can play against smaller teams. Antonini has 'been mostly good this season' against smaller teams. So, Antonini and Abate can play all they want against bad teams, but against good sides they're both trouble. I have always maintained I find Antonini an average player, from the day he hit our lineup on a consistent basis (similar to how I said Huntelaar is an average player the day we signed him).

Meanwhile Abate is 23 while Antonini is 28. In the long run, I prefer to see Abate play in big games while he's young, and see if he can learn from it. Antonini is already as good as hes going to be, and is little more than an average player.

This post has been edited by vnata001: Nov 4 2010, 11:37 PM

[Fillipo Simone]

He'll give Pippo a game in the league, Pippo will most likely misfire and get caught offside too many times to count and we'll go back to Pato slugging it out on the right

I see Allegri is thinking of starting Pippo, and imo it would be a big mistake. Pippo is not a player you want in there from minute 1, I say put him in to do some damage in the first half but not from the start.

Man, you really misstrust Pippo. I mean, how can you be right when just the last Serie A match when Pippo started (and scored) shows the exact opposite. What can possibly go that bad? I mean, Pato's zero-zero stat isn't a alternative that makes me think twice. Just give Pippo a shot.

+1. Abate's learning the defensive phase slowly but surely. His performance against C-Ron was not bad.

Maybe this is the occasion to try him out. But you won't convince me he'll ever make it to be a good defender/fullback.

[vnata001]

Maybe this is the occasion to try him out. But you won't convince me he'll ever make it to be a good defender/fullback.

Hey fair enough. I'm not trying to convince you of it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) He hasn't convinced me of it either. I was just pointing out he wasn't BAD. Bad was Antonini against Juve or Abate v. Inter last year. Abate against Madrid a few days ago was not BAAADDD.

[CHU-LIP]

Hey fair enough. I'm not trying to convince you of it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) He hasn't convinced me of it either. I was just pointing out he wasn't BAD. Bad was Antonini against Juve or Abate v. Inter last year. Abate against Madrid a few days ago was not BAAADDD.

+1

Playing such game against Cristiano Ronaldo is actually pretty good, and gives me confidence for playing Abate as full back in future. Confidence I have been lacking when it comes to Antonini nowadays.

Maybe this is the occasion to try him out. But you won't convince me he'll ever make it to be a good defender/fullback.

None of our full backs will ever become a good one, so until we sign newbies, Abate FTW (at least for now).