[X-Offender]

I remember, last year, how everyone gave us for dead against them in Madrid. We won 3-2. This year we're much stronger. True, same thing can be said about Real, but you can never be positive of the result in these games, especially when we're talking of probably the two greatest football clubs in history.

And please, don't act like a douche in your reply. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[vnata001]

And even if we lose (we won't), it's not like we're knocked out of the competition.

+ infinity. it's not the end of the world losing to madrid at the bernabeu - with the exception of Marcelo and Pepe, they are a completely world class team.

Di maria's pace against zambrotta, c ronaldo marshaled by Antonini, Higuain up top without Thiago Silva, and Ozil in a free role have me thinking skeptically. Our backline is going to need our midfield to cover a LOT of ground in front of them, and i don't think Seedorf and Pirlo together are going to get it done. I like the idea of approaching this game defensively, and trying to play on the counter:

I'd play Boateng on the right in front of Zambro, Rino matching up with C-Ron "in front" of Antonini. Pirlo and Dinho given roaming central midfield roles, looking for Ibra posting up or Pato over the top.

Knowing how Marcelo and Ramos LOVE to go forward, I think Antonini and Boateng could provide the "shot out of a cannon"-like spark that any team needs to be a good counter attacking team. Seedorf provides neither the tracking back, or sprinting forward I think we'll need.

HOWEVER, if we grab a lead, i'd consider removing Ibra for either Robinho or Seedorf late on. Seedorf to sure up the midfield and add another pass master so that when Real pour forward there would be three pass masters capable of fully utilizing Pato's pace, or Robinho for his ability to assist in keeping possession/prevent us from sitting TOO far back and his HUGE APPETITE to find the net and celebrate in front of the Madrid crowd. The latter I'd love to see.

At the end of the day, I feel a draw against Mourinho's Madrid, with all their attacking jewels, at the Bernabeu, would be a huge statement of our abilities. A loss would focus our team further, and a win would likely prompt the European media to crown us Champions League favorites. Either way, this match up going to be good for us.

Btw, Blue: at this point, for all I know your cheering for Madrid to beat us, just for the sake of your argument!

This post has been edited by vnata001: Oct 18 2010, 12:54 AM

[X-Offender]

Agreed. Allegri MUST play Boateng instead of Seedorf. Real's offensive capabilities are enormous. Oezil, Ronaldo, Di Maria, Higuain, they could hurt us bad any moment if let free. We simply can't afford to play with just one (32 years old) DM.

[Zed.D]

^^ If Allegri does that, then he proves he actually treats each game differently from a tactical pov and he's indeed a true tactician. if he doesn't however, and plays the usual Pirlo-Seedorf-Gattuso midfield, then.. well let's say I'll be very disappointed in him!

EDIT: great post vnata. completely agreed.

This post has been edited by Zed.D: Oct 18 2010, 07:21 AM

[han2503]

+ 1 at vnata.

And agreed with x-off and zeddie. If Seedorf is the one that starts then we're going to have big problems. Having said that, I'm 99.99% sure that Seedorf will be starting, Allegri took him off against Chievo, imo that was as much in preperation for the Real game as it was to give us more stability.

All in all we're thinking a lot about Real's attackers, but we need to look at their defence, they have Marcelo on the left, Pepe who can be a real problem for them and Carvalho, he's slow, slower then Nesta, so if Pato can catch him out he's going to be through.

Imo we need to play this on the counter, C.Ron imo can easily be marked out, I've seen ODDO of all people do it more then once, and prettyeasily I might add. If you man mark him, frustrate him a couple of times he'll start acting like a douche and have problems getting into it, so Antonini just needs to stick to him like glue, ruffle his feathers a bit by getting physical with him. Higuain can be handled easily by either Nesta and Thiago (if he plays) and Zambrotta imo even though he's not fast is pretty much always in the right position so I'm a little less worried about him coming up against Di Maria, that's why we need to stay tight at the back, and hit them on the counter.

They're on their home turf, they'll try to win, so we sit back, frustrate them and hit them on the counter with Pato's speed

[Bluesummers]

man.... I love how one single sentence can stir this forum up so much (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)



@xoff:
(IMG:http://www.notasdefutbol.com/images/mourinho3.jpg)

This post has been edited by Bluesummers: Oct 18 2010, 10:25 AM

[Bluesummers]

Words cannot describe how unintentionally ironic that was.

(IMG:http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00484/Jose_Mourinho_484350a.jpg)



(IMG:http://www.notasdefutbol.com/images/mourinho3.jpg)

[Bluesummers]

Btw, Blue: at this point, for all I know your cheering for Madrid to beat us, just for the sake of your argument!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)


If you truly believe that then I have no comment to make (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

This post has been edited by Bluesummers: Oct 18 2010, 10:28 AM

[Jack Sparrow]

Imo we need to play this on the counter, C.Ron imo can easily be marked out, I've seen ODDO of all people do it more then once, and prettyeasily I might add.

Different Oddo. Different Milan. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) That night we were seeing the second best RB in Italy at work.

[Locke Lamora]

(IMG:http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00484/Jose_Mourinho_484350a.jpg)



(IMG:http://www.notasdefutbol.com/images/mourinho3.jpg)

Not really what I meant, but go on, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually...

[Protagonist]

It will be a high scoring game. I am hopeful of us winning, considering Allegri has played Mourinho several times and is further aware of the later's tactical prowess.

However, I do not see why Mourinho is being praised so much. Sure he has succeeded with well equiped teams; Porto was a very well equiped team with most of its starting XI making it to the creme de la creme of world football.
Mourinho, always had a team of superior ability.

While Allegri, although unproven with a top team and squad, and although he lacks top tier silverware. He still has proved his credentials with Cagliari, where he was named coach of the season.

Now they face-off, and many predict a Madrid win, which is rather likely for the following:

1- Mourinho excells with a squad of world class players.
2- Madrid are playing at home.
3- Tactical awarness of Mourinho.
4- Cristiano Ronaldo.

Except, we can match all of that blow for blow, this time around Mourinho is facing a Milan side with 10x more firepower, a very organized team of 11 players with a very high work rate in midfield. Furthermore, we have experience in abundance, as opposed to Mourinho's team. And we have one Andrea Pirlo who can open up defenses no matter where he is on the pitch.


I see this as a very evenly matched contest, and I hold firm that I am hopeful for a Milan win.

This post has been edited by Protagonist: Oct 18 2010, 12:01 PM

[Locke Lamora]

I am not so sure why everyone here is so fearful of Ronaldo. Look at how easily you contained him back in 2007, and how Lyon shut him away last season. Or how utterly inept he proved to be during the World Cup.
It's not a question of players, it's a question of what measures the manager takes to handle him, and if the right ones are taken he will cause minimum trouble.

[Jack Sparrow]

Except, we can match all of that blow for blow, this time around Mourinho is facing a Milan side with 10x more firepower, a very organized team of 11 players with a very high work rate in midfield. Furthermore, we have experience in abundance, as opposed to Mourinho's team. And we have one Andrea Pirlo who can open up defenses no matter where he is on the pitch.


I see this as a very evenly matched contest, and I hold firm that I am hopeful for a Milan win.

Really? That's the two areas where I think we're weak actually.

[samira]

Probably the first time he's heard that in his entire life (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

HAHAH, it was kinda wierd to write that but it's true (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

This post has been edited by samira: Oct 18 2010, 03:45 PM

[han2503]

Different Oddo. Different Milan. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) That night we were seeing the second best RB in Italy at work.

Oddo was always an everage player at best Jack. And I wasn't really talking about the Man U matches only, but also that friendly Italy played against Portugal that year, where Oddo marked him out as well.

Like locke said, if you take the appropriate measures Cristiano can be easily taken out of the game. That's why the FB on him needs to stick to him like glue