The match after Ascoli and before CL vs. Lille.

Last mach for them: Cagliari 2-2 Livorno, but 1 week ago, they beat Fiorentina at home, so we better watch out.

Anyway, Forza Milan! Let's go ragazzi!

Livorno is a good team ... I hope Gila is back and we win there too!!!

It actually ended 2-2. I don't think Gila will play, I'm sure I read or heard somewhere he isn't available for Livorno. Pippo and Ricardo should make it.

It will be a tough game. My prediction: 1:2 (Pirlo, Pippo)

Oh. Stupid mistake. I know it ended 2-2. Suazo scored a great goal.

*Edited

Yeah, typical from him.

let's keep the streak rolling!

Well this game is really close to the one against Ascoli, since it is played on saturday, so I expect Carlo to rotate the team again.

I put in a 0-4 scoreline in the prediction league, which is kinda stupid, because I'm sure we are going to conceed at least 1 goal, and with the luck we've been having with scoring, their goalkeeper will probably have the game of his life.

And let's hope that Pippo was just having an off night last night because he usually doesn't miss the chances he had, although everyone seemed unlikely to score in this match with all the times we hit the post and the miraculous saves their keeper made.

0 - 2 for me, Oli and Kaka on target.

I also hope Gila will be back and will score along with Oliveira.

Come on Gila, you can do it ... I hope you'll see how much easier he makes it for Milan to score when he's there (it was obvious that we missed him last night)

Exactly ...

I think we suffer from the x-tree, maybe the team need to get more familiar with it or it could be that our defence is put under a lot of pressure when we play it .. But what I don't understand is, is he using the x-tree to get the team familiar with it for special occasions ? or is it because we have a shortage of strikers ?

That is yet to be seen

I would strongly suggest that we rest Kaka for this game. Because as he said it himself, he was very tired at the end of Ascoli game and he is a bit exausted.

are we in place for such "luxury"!!??

I think yes. If we will be in trouble we can put him in as a sub.

well I'd use him as this is a crucial match away from home ... he may rest in France IMO ...

We can win against Livorno without Kaka. He clearly needs the rest now.

I want to be sure ... and to avoid a heart-attack ... in the end of the day it's Carlo's decision!!!

Seedorf can play in the middle with Gourcuff on the left along with Pirlo and Gattuso. We should be fine. Especially with Oliveira back in the squad!

No, it's ours.

is it!!??

It should be

... but we rarely agree ...

We will make a poll

*ours= people here

Yup. If he rest Kaka' and Milan doesn't win we can always say: "It was Carletto's mistake..."

that would be usual us!!!

Channel4 - Preview

Already above zero points, Milan will look to extend their impressive winning streak as they travel to the never easy Armando Picchi. The Amaranto will be ready however, with Cristiano Lucarelli likely to be back in the starting line-up.

The home side have only picked up a point so far this term, but this game is far from a foregone conclusion. Livorno showed their fighting spirit against Cagliari in midweek and it looks like a completely different 11 may face the northern giants.

David Balleri and Alessandro Grandoni could seemingly start at right and left-back respectively. Coach Daniele Arrigoni will want to put a stop to those defensive leaks his side have been having trouble with so far this season.

The Livorno boss has not been afraid to change the line-up from week to week, depending on the situation and the team he is faced with and Sunday’s game should be no exception. In an attempt to stifle Milan’s midfield and particularly their two creative outlets, Andrea Pirlo and Kaka, the home side will possibly look to a five-man midfield which could see Antonio Filippini start in place of Stefano Argilli and Luca Vigiani play off Lucarelli.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side just cannot stop winning at the moment, his controversial squad rotation – or turnover, as it is known in Italy – has been successful but by all accounts he does not want to push his luck on this away trip.

Milan took a long time to break down Ascoli in the last game and the Coach will know they were fortunate not to drop their first points of the season. The outfit likely to take the field on Saturday may be a much more conventional starting XI than the one’s seen in recent weeks.

Alessandro Nesta could return alongside Kakha Kaladze in central defence, while Ricardo Oliveira should partner Filippo Inzaghi upfront as Alberto Gilardino is still having trouble with his head injury. Marcos Cafu could also be left out and Daniele Bonera come in at right-back, with Wednesday’s match winner Marek Jankulovski moving out to the left.

Man on fire: Kaka (Milan) – Absolutely scintillating and back to his awesome best. He’s doing it all – dribbling, shooting and beating defenders, giving a footballing master class at the moment.


Livorno (probable): Amelia; Grandoni, Rezaei, Galante; Balleri, Morrone, Passoni, Filippini, Pfertzel; Vigiani, Lucarelli

Milan (probable): Dida; Bonera, Nesta, Kalaze, Jankulovski; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Kakà; Oliveira, Inzaghi

I don't think it's wise to rest him against Lille.

Who do we play on Sunday (after the Lille match)

Preview: Livorno v Milan - season starts here

Milan travel to Tuscany to face Livorno on Saturday knowing that finally they can start their season after having hauled themselves back into the black following their pre-season points deduction.

The Rossoneri's 1-0 win over Ascoli on Wednesday, courtesy of Marek Jankulovski's strike, dragged Carlo Ancelotti's side out of negative numbers and onto plus one.

And now, after they had started the season on minus eight for their part in the Calciopoli scandal, Milan have the chance to move to within five of the top of the fledgling Serie A table.

Three wins out of three for the red half of Milan have sounded their title ambitions loud and clear, and now their campaign to take the scudetto can begin in earnest.

They find themselves eight points behind early leaders Palermo, with Inter - probably their closest title rivals - just six in advance. Such a deficit is by no means too daunting a disadvantage for Milan to hold and with just three games gone, few will be surprised to see them there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

"EVERYTHING GOING WELL"

Wednesday's scorer Jankulovski summed up the mood around the San Siro after the club's perfect start to the campaign.

"Everything is going very well for the moment and I hope this will continue," he said.

And it could continue with the trip to the Stadio Armando Picchi in Saturday's early kick off.

FOUR FROM NINE

Standing in the way of their 100% record is a Livorno side who are yet to show the form that pushed them into European contention last season.

Despite a 1-0 win in the Tuscan derby against Fiorentina on match day two, Daniele Arrigoni's side have only garnered four points from their first three games, but with strike pairing Ibrahima Bakayoko and Tomas Danilevicius both finding the net in Wednesday's 2-2 draw in Cagliari, the Granata seem to have found the right balance up front.

Eurosport.com

why not??? Gourcuff will be fired up for the game in France and will do his job just perfectly!!!!

We play Siena at San Siro!!!

I'd rather see Milan win this match and lose the one against Lille cause sooner or later we're going to pay for our crappy defence; even AEK could have scored against us. We've been a bit lucky so far ... only Simic has played very good so far ... even Marek was late to return three times against Ascoli and they created one of their best chances because of that (Skola's shot blocked by Dida) ... terrible mistakes ... I hope our defence finally comes up to it before we pay for it - especially when the ball is in the air, I sh1t my pants every time !!!

We'll hopefully score more than we will (if) concede though!!!!

Squad for the game:

Dida, Kalac ,Fiori, Maldini, Cafu, Kaladze, Nesta, Jankulovski, Favalli, Bonera, Gattuso, Seedorf, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Kakà, Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gilardino, Inzaghi, Ricardo Oliveira.

Good to see Nesta back

This would be my line-up

Bonera--Nesta--Kaladze--Janku
-----Rino---Ambro---Brocchi----
---------------Seedorf------------
--------Gilardino--Oliveira-------

Bonera for a more solid defence, Nesta and Kaladze or Nesta and Maldini, doesn't matter, but it depends on which one we are going to start using oftenly, both combinations work very well I think, I would go with Kaladze because he needs to regain match fitness and if we are going to make it this year ALL of our defenders will need to be in TOP shape and form

Rino rested in the Ascoli match so he should get the nod, Pirlo needs a rest, Brocchi or Gourcuff to play on the laft, it doesn't really matter but the more solid the midfield, the less pressure put upon our weak defence, so I would go for that VERY solid one.

Seedorf rested in the match against Ascoli so I expect him to start, and I think that he will take over Kaka's position since Ricky is the only one that hasn't had a decent rest in any of the matches.

Ww absolutely NEED Oliveira if we are to play with 2 strikers, Gila should get the nod since he is in the squad so that seems like he is fine now, plus he and Oli worked really well together in the Parma match so I think he should start, Pippo should be rested for the CL match

I agree with that line-up except I would put Yoann instead of Brocchi. Pirlo and Kakà should rest.

----------------Dida------------------
Cafu - Nesta - Maldini - Jankulovski
--Gattuso - Ambrosini - Gourcuff--
---------------Seedorf---------------
--------Gilardino - R. Oliveira------

That's my line up for this game. It wouldn't kill me if we played Bonera in place of Cafu, but I think Cafu is doing very well at the moment and he didn't seem tired after the Acoli game, so that's why I included him. Gilardino should play. He seems to be fine and we need Inzaghi for the CL game. Gourcuff looked a bit tired after the Ascoli game but he is very young and should be able to recover. Ambrosini and Gattuso will make sure we won't concede any goals. Looks good to me and we will have Kaka,Pirlo and Inzaghi fresh for the CL game.

I agree ... it's too defensive and "discreational" that way ... only I would put Kaka in too!!

What !!! Kaka aint playing ?!

Gazzetta dello Sport's probable line-up: Dida; Bonera, Nesta, Maldini, Favalli; Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gourcuff, Seedorf; R. Oliveira, Inzaghi.

Here

I dont agree with Rino, Pirlo and Kaka on the bench. So far everything ended good, Im not so sure about that one. I dont like the defensive rotation. I dont like to see every time a new one..Sooner or later it will hit us...and the midfield..hmm, I never would play Ambro, Brocchi and Gourcuff all at once. No, I fear this will end badly 8if this is the actuall ilne up.. ) ..

Don't worry, that won't be the line up! I have never seen Milan put up a line up such as that one. Whatever it is, it will be a solid one for sure!

well i guess this will my the line-up:

-------------------Dida-------------------
---Cafu---Nesta---Maldini--Jankulovski
----Gattuso-------Pirlo-------Seedorf---
--------------------Kaka-----------------
--------------Gila--------Oliveira-----------

subs:
Gila - Pippo
Gattuso - Brocchi
Seedorf - Gourcuff

I think Kaka should rest for this one, Seedorf has always done a good job when playing in Kaka's position. But I agree with the midfield thing, maybe I got a bit too defence-happy. But I sometimes (ok not sometimes, ALWAYS) worry about our defence and how much pressure it can take. Rino, Ambro and Brocchi will take a lot of pressure off our defence that's why I said I wanted those 3, but I wouldn't mind Gourcuff to take Brocchi's place, AT ALL.

Their is no rotation in that line up, I know you don't like the rotation thing, but don't worry, by October you'll have you're solid first 11 back

I think the line ups me and pKillerMax wrote are the most probable. But I think Pippo will play, next to who, I have no idea, but I hope it's next to Oli not Gila

Arrigoni in awe of Rossoneri

Milan are the best side in world football, claims their next opponent, Livorno Coach Daniele Arrigoni.

“The Rossoneri are the strongest team in the world right now and have champions at the top level all the way through their squad,” warned the former Cagliari tactician.

“If we are to get a result, then we must play the game of our lives and maintain concentration for the whole 90 minutes.”

Milan started the campaign with an eight-point handicap from the Calciopoli scandal, but have already wiped that out with three consecutive victories.

Now they travel to Livorno’s Stadio Armando Picchi, where they won 3-0 last season, in a bid to maintain their 100 per cent record.

The Amaranto beat Fiorentina on home turf last weekend and were held to a 2-2 draw at Cagliari on Wednesday, but Cristiano Lucarelli returns to the starting line-up.

“I won’t give any precise clues on what my formation will be, but I can say that there will be many changes from Wednesday’s game,” noted Arrigoni.

Livorno will be able to count on Croatian summer signing Dario Knezevic, whose international transfer has finally come through.


Channel4

We know we are