[han2503]

Enjoy it while you can kids (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/231x446q90/537/bp84zk.png)


I think last time we were top was when we played Roma in the 11/12 season

[Jack Sparrow]

Good game. Not perfect but good game. Liked what I saw of Muntari, and our new transfers. Menez is not quite a false 9 yet. Yet we hardly had time to prepare since Pazzo got injured all of a sudden.

Poli was disappointing. I had hopes for him. But let's give him time. Even Niang looks promising. I hope he gets an extended run in the Coppa along with Cristante.

Enjoy it while you can kids (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/231x446q90/537/bp84zk.png)


I think last time we were top was when we played Roma in the 11/12 season

Mate, it's the first time in 3 years we've won the first game of the season. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

[han2503]

Good game. Not perfect but good game. Liked what I saw of Muntari, and our new transfers. Menez is not quite a false 9 yet. Yet we hardly had time to prepare since Pazzo got injured all of a sudden.

Poli was disappointing. I had hopes for him. But let's give him time. Even Niang looks promising. I hope he gets an extended run in the Coppa along with Cristante.



Mate, it's the first time in 3 years we've won the first game of the season. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Lol, like how you pointed out Muntari when there were so many others who did much better. And I really do think Pippo had this in mind before Pazzo was injured, Pazzini just seems completely out of form and fitness at this point, really can't see how he can get back into scoring form, and if a player like Pazzo isn't scoring, he's pretty useless to the side, Pippo probably understands this better more than anyone else.

And as I mentioned during the game, I think Poli just needs a good passer to play off of, he's just not the type of player who will control the tempo or spray passes around.

Was it the Chievo game in the season we won the Scudetto? Was that the last time we won the opening match?

[TriniKing_CE]

The thing that struck me most is the vibrancy in the stadium, even if it's far from full, I liked the fact that the people were really involved and into it, the San Siro has been feeling too lifeless for quite a while now

Yuppp. Hopefully this will bring more confidence to the team and consequently more fans to the stadium.

Don't jinx it man, don't jinx it!

Man believe me I was really hoping that I didn't, but I just couldn't help but share my enthusiasm. Its been a while! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

That's the only plus side of his that I've always admitted to, but still he should be nothing more than a sub

+1

Unable to have watched it. We always win when I don't. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

You don't miss many games do you Kurt? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

El Shaarawy looks fantastic.

+1 He had a great game!

LMAO, Niang is so clumsy it's unbelievable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

He sure is. At least he made up for it with the shot afterwards though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

El Sharaawy, Menez and Honda. Not your typical front-three but played well today.

+1

I think he's just too lightweight and slow to be out on that wing, he'd be a lot better in midfield or retreated into a central role in attack.

Other than that, he was good and did what he could from the position

Agreed.

[Ry4n]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMj3_evnmFI

Nice piece of skill.

yeah was sick !

[Fillipo Simone]

And the new poll right here

[KillerMax]

Alright some good stuff out there, right guys? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/innocent.gif)

One thing that I was looking out for was the fact that we were prone to run out of juice by the 65th minute onwards last season. And this did end causing us problems in this game too. But it does look like something Inzaghi can work on. It wasn't as bad as last year's fitness problems.

Moving on. As xoff mentioned, and something we have all been worried about throughout the transfer market, is the lack of quality in the midfield 3. We have de Jong and Muntari there who can't quite do the job of dictating tempo and holding position and we have Poli who is very inconsistent throughout the 90 minutes. There were big responsibilities on Poli's shoulder and I'm not quite sure what he was exactly doing in the game. We need someone to take the ball in that middle part and control the area.

Here are my ratings:

Lopez (7): Did quite well overall and saved that damn penalty! But he still needs to concentrate more and make fewer avoidable mistakes. (7 for the save of course, that was AWESOME!)

Abate (6.5): Would have been 7.5 had it not been for that avoidable penalty. He worked really hard and well, and that assist was good stuff! So it's a shame that penalty incident marred his otherwise good performance.

Alex (6): Thought he was quite solid overall, but he did leave some spaces open and at times didn't challenge the right player IMO. Not too bad though.

Zapata (7): I though except for a few niggling mistakes, he had a strong and positive game. Looks like he has some confidence about him coming off a good WC showing.

Bonera (5.5): He was pretty awkward on that left side and did leave his side exposed a few times. I don't think he can be blamed too much though as that's obviously not a comfortable position for him.

Poli (5.5): See above where I discuss the midfield issues.

De Jong (6.5): Not sure whether he is fully fit yet or not, but he wasn't at this best, did the usual stuff right though despite some mistakes.

Muntari (6.5): He gets this score because he scored. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) Otherwise he was out of position a lot and he did waste a couple great attacking opportunities.

Honda (7): The thing is, I can see that he is really trying! And he did well to show up for that goal. But that right wing just seems like such a waste for the way he likes to play. And a lot of times he just kills our pace on that right side. But I give him 7 for the goal and some good play overall. He held the ball well too.

Menez (8): So lively, ever present and very smart in his movement. This false 9 thing is working out for him and us both. Another good showing.

El Shaarawy (8): He is back! That pace, those little nutmegs and quick direction changes. Really spearheads our attack and makes us that much more dangerous. Really happy to see him back. Definitely a performance to build on! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

Inzaghi (7.5): The hunger of the players looks great. He said this recently: “My objective is to get 100 per cent out of the players Milan give me to train. I set myself ambitious objectives in the table. We must be ambitious, but not presumptuous. As a Coach my philosophy is that before building a tactical system, you need to understand the jersey on your back. The Milan shirt is something unique. If someone beats us, it has to be because they were stronger, not because they wanted it more.”
But he must work on the defensive phase, and also that mid 3 situation. Otherwise, he started the season well and this is something to build on!

[KillerMax]

I think he's just too lightweight and slow to be out on that wing, he'd be a lot better in midfield or retreated into a central role in attack.

Other than that, he was good and did what he could from the position

Get out of my head!

[KillerMax]

Good game. Not perfect but good game. Liked what I saw of Muntari, and our new transfers. Menez is not quite a false 9 yet. Yet we hardly had time to prepare since Pazzo got injured all of a sudden.

Poli was disappointing. I had hopes for him. But let's give him time. Even Niang looks promising. I hope he gets an extended run in the Coppa along with Cristante.

Only agree with the Poli part, everything else it seems you are coming from completely different universe.

[KillerMax]

And the new poll right here

Nice! Can't remember the last time I went to vote and I didn't feel like vomiting.

[milanbuf88]

Nice! Can't remember the last time I went to vote and I didn't feel like vomiting.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[KillerMax]

You don't miss many games do you Kurt? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Danny]

From the US disaster, to the improvement in the Trofeo, to tonight.

Us Milanistas are on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, and nights like tonight, while not imperious, are why football is a beautiful sport and give us unbridled joy. To see our team out there fighting like we want them to while actually producing quality play as well is exactly what our supporters want to see. It wasn't flawless, Lazio's goal saw a period of more attritional play from us but we dug in and got the 3 points we richly deserved overall. I don't need to say much more about the display, but will do my ratings now:

Lopez: 7 I've seen worse debuts. Made a very good close range stop as well as that excellent penalty save, but was also caught in no man's land a couple of times and clearly communication with the defence isn't quite there yet. Gets the 7 for the pen save.

Abate: 8 Careless foul aside for the penalty, he was bloody outstanding. MDS CANNOT go back there, Abate on that form is absolutely wonderful.

Alex: 9 I can't fault him - unlucky at the goal (it was him, right?) but otherwise he was quite simply superb. Dominated in the air, excellent positional sense and his challenges were immaculate. He owned that defence.

Zapata: 8 Looked extremely good after a slightly slow start - the partnership with Alex clicked in brilliantly and on the rare occasions Alex wasn't there, Zaps was.

Bonera: 6 Struggled early on getting exposed, but then why was a CB starting at LB? Bizarre selection from Pippo.

Poli: 7 Work work work. He brings so much unnoticed grit to the midfield. Never stops running, and reminds me every inch of Gattuso. Used the ball well enough too.

De Jong: 8 Titan in midfield. Once again he dominated the middle and showed why Utd want him. He absolutely must stay.

Muntari: 6 Frustrating. Decent going forward but getting even lazier now and his loose defensive positioning was blood boiling. But took his goal so, so well.

SES: 8 Faded dramatically in the second but the first half was electric. If he can get match-fitness back and keep that form up, I happily hold my hands up and accept I was wrong about him.

Honda: 7 Clever and intelligent while also tracking back - still isn't QUITE smoothly oiled to this Milan team but he IS getting there and his goal will only help.

Menez: 5 Our weak link. Spent more time diving and coming deep to do nothing with the ball than behaving like the false 9 he was selected as. A really disappointing debut from someone I had high hopes for.

Pippo: 9 Tactics spot on, we controlled this match and even though no one agreed with Bonera at LB at the end of the day his team worked for him, the tactics were right and the formation clicked in quickly. His Milan stewardship may just have got going.

One thing which stood out was the enthusiasm with which everyone worked. Under Seedorf they worked hard but they didn't look like they were enjoying it. Pippo seems to have injected a pride in the team and we can only hope it continues.

[X-Offender]

Wow, couldn't disagree more about Menez, but whatever...

[Danny]

Wow, couldn't disagree more about Menez, but whatever...

Whatever indeed.