The match after 3 consecutive defeats. The match for Milan get back to the victories and leave the crisis?

0-1. Enough.

Forza Milan!

Forza ragazzi !!

FORZA MILANO MIO....
TU SEI TUTTA LA MIA VITA

Even when we were in form, Empoli transfer was always difficult (last year we won 3-1 after loosing 1-0 and in the 2004 when we won scudetto we won 1-0 with a late but straordinary gol from long range by Kaka). Imagine now. But still I would go for a win, because it's a must!

I know we can win this! But do the players have it in them anymore? In yesterday's game they seemed like they had given up after scoring the goal, I hope this is not the case but if we are not going to win this one then we really should start worrying about relegation, not if we get 4th spot!!!

I think (and hope) we'll win this one, hopefully by a margin of 2 goals

it would be embarassing to loose....
FORZA MILAN

Ay ay ay ...

We have to win .. !!! We must get back on track !!! It aint a joke anymore

FORZA MILAN

It never was a joke...

Anyways, I predict a draw at best...

A draw ? No .. I think we will take the 3 points this time .. ! It's just a hunch .. I didnt expect us to win against Roma .. But I think we'll win this tie

I hope your huch is right, I mean if we can't win against Empoli then I seriously don't know what will become of our season, will it be a fight for a UEFA cup place? Or a fight to get in a decent position in the table?

Hopefully we'll be able to keep a clean sheet, and score a couple of goals to boost morale.

A clean sheet is what we need .. I know Dida is up for it .. But what we need most is some consistency off of our strikers .. Gila needs a pair !! As does Inzaghi to inject some confidence

The big difference between us and Roma was the fact that they had a striker(Totti) and we hadn't. Empoli lack a good striker either therefore we have a very good chance to win.

Anyway 2:0 to Milan

FORZA MILAN

FORZA MISHALE

I don't think so. The difference IMO was on the defensive midfielder. We simply DON'T HAVE the defensive midfield. That's why they got so much space down there. How many times they had Totti vs. Nesta, 1 on 1. Or Simic vs. Mancini 1 on 1 too? Many times.

And our fowards? If they pass trough Mexes, then De Rossi or Pizarro were always there to tackle it.

Our lazy team and lazy mid-line (Pirlo and Seedorf) are the main responsibles for that. Not our fowards IMO.

I hope at least they run vs. Empoli.

After they scored an early goal they played mostly on counterattacks therefore they got space and Roma is the best team in Italy in moving the ball around quickly. We created chances but there wasn't anyone to finish the job IMO

No doubt.

Totally right, even though we had a lot of ettempts on goal, most of the time it was kaka running into a brick wall, because of Roma's defensive mids, they where playing with Perrotta, De Rossi and Pizzarro, all are good defensively, and Spelletti did his homework, if we had tried to play with pippo and Gila it would have been much worse, since both would be there waiting for Kaka to give them some kind of through ball they can get a hold of, at least Oli was making a lot of movements and even nearly scored.

And I think it's futile to expect Seedorf and Pirlo to do the work that players like De rossi do. If the board had fulfilled Carlo's wishes and brought in a GOOD defensive mid then we wouldn't be having these peoblems now.

As mishale said Roma where mostly playing on the counter, and I think it's a bit of a miracle that we didn't conceed more.

for me also could be the best result , i mean, i was not able to see the game against roma , but somehow i was sure that the best thing they could be able to do was to tie... nevertheless they lost, an showed that the team in fact is having a ver bad time against all kind of teams, specially little teams, like empoli in this case, and eventhough milan beat 5-0 to empoli that wont fix anything..

seria A is lost for now and for the rest of the season, coppa italia... well if they can win it is ok and if they don't, no big deal

the day that we will really feel the team is not good enough is when that get boot off from the UCL... all hopes are gone, or at least most of them , and it makes me feel really sad as a matter of fact...

regards,

Source : Football Italia

Empoli and Milan seem to have swapped roles in recent weeks and the Rossoneri will be eager to return to the norm with a win at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. With the pressure mounting Empoli could deliver a knockout blow to Carlo Ancelotti and Co.

Four defeats in their last five Serie A matches has left the Milan fans reeling, and many have started calling for Ancelotti’s head to roll. The lack of goals from strikers Alberto Gilardino, Ricardo Oliveira and Pippo Inzaghi has been given as the main reason for their dreadful start and they could find their futures in as much threat as their Coach’s if they once again fail to find the target.

The last three weeks have been particularly downhearted for the Rossoneri. As if losing to Inter in the Derby della Madonnina wasn’t bad enough, following it with further losses to Atalanta and Roma must have put a real dent in their confidence. It is that resulting low morale that Carletto must combat if he is to stay in employment much longer.

Ancelotti’s task isn’t made any easier by some important absentees including World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso. The battling midfielder is unlikely to feature for Milan again until early 2007 and to make matters worse his usual replacement Massimo Ambrosini is also injured. Add to that the similar problems for Serginho, Kakha Kaladze and Giuseppe Favalli and the Rossoneri medical staff are being kept busy.

In Francesco Pratali and Sergio Almiron, Empoli Coach Luigi Cagni has his own injury worries, even if they are less numerous than his opposite number. But that isn’t to say they won’t be just as costly with Pratali in particular being a rock in defence for the Azzurri so far and both players will be badly missed.

The Tuscans have hardly set Serie A alight so far, but they have been picking up plenty of points. They are now just one point away from the final Champions League place and have gone five matches without a defeat. Most of those results have been draws, but you can’t argue with their League position and they have only conceded two goals in their last four matches. The Azzurri have already beaten Palermo at the Castellani this term and will be confident they can add Milan to their collection of big-name scalps.

Man on fire: Cristian Brocchi (Milan) – The Rossoneri may be underperforming this season, but Brocchi’s excellent showings when covering for Gattuso have justifiably earned him his first call-up to Roberto Donadoni’s Italy squad.

Last season: Empoli 1-3 Milan

Form guide: Empoli (D D D D W) Milan (L W L L L)


Empoli (probable): Balli; Raggi, Marzoratti, Vanigli, Lucchini; Marianini, Moro; Busce, Vannucchi, Matteini; Saudati

Milan (probable): Dida; Simic, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski; Brocchi, Pirlo, Seedorf; Kaka; Gilardino, Oliveira

Whatever happened to our youngest player, Cafu...

Might be a 1-1 or a 1-0 I think. We are playing too much tired football. I would put in Bonera instead of Nesta, I wanna see that bloke play at CB, right now he's been very disappointing;that he's a genuine CB is his excuse. so I'm gonna call his bluff.

UnF@cking believable, dst had me convinced that we didn't need Sergi, but now I feel like an Advocaat for letting him convince me.

I think we miss Serghino and Stam on the flanks. Those guys had a wonderful season last year. Stam was a rock and also a good winger, while Sergio's crosses lead us to many victories. But now with Jankulovski and Cafu/Bonera things have gotten worse. Jankulovksi might provide good crosses, but I think he's not that good defensively. While the right flank is our weakest point this season. Except the defensive midfielders which Portugal was talking about, another cause of our bad performances so far are the wings, I think.

And our strikers....either two poachers or a poacher and a dribbler(oli). You need a target man when ur opposing team is playing catenaccio. Some guy who can outmuscle and hold the ball, long enough for ur other striker and midfielders to close in for the kill. Now would have been a gr8 season for the true Vieri.

Tomorrow night's probable line up:

Dida
Bonera Simic Maldini Jankulovski
Brocchi Pirlo
Oliveira Kakà Seedorf
Inzaghi

I like that, but if this is going to work we need our fullbakc to push up as much as possible, I'm not expecting this from Bonera so Janku really needs to take control of his flank and provide our punta with as much crosses as he can, because if our lone striker is going to be someone like Pippo and Gila they need as much crosses as they can get, that's why things wheren't working with the Xmas tree, because there was no one constantly crossing in.

I miss Serginho

Me too

Squad for the game:

KEEPERS: Dida, Fiori, Kalac

DEFENDERS: Cafu, Maldini, Costacurta, Simic, Jankulovski, Bonera, Antonelli

MIDFIELDERS: Seedorf, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Kakà, Brocchi, Guerci

STRIKERS: Borriello, Gilardino, Inzaghi, Ricardo Oliveira.

Agreed but I would just put Cafu in, instead of Bonera. He rested enough lately.

You took my words

I would personally still go for the 4-3-1-2 formation with this line-up:

Bonera--Maldini--Simic--Janku/Antonelli
--Brocchi--Seedorf--Gourcuff--
--------------Kaka----------------
---------Pippo---Oli--------------

how about this for an idea
dida
cafu--nesta--maldini--jankulovski
-----brocchi-----
seedorf--kaka--gourcoff
oli---gila

with those 3 in midfield with brocchi holding theres enough creativity in there and with the full-back pushing on we should attack this game with confidence
hopefully this weekend we could rest pirlo
opinions please!!

humm i rather this one, i would like to see how bonera plays as a cb in milan , eventhough empoli is not quite a difficult team.

--------------dida/fiori

----simic--Maldini--bonera--Janku

------Brocchi--Seedorf--Gourcuff

-----------------Kaka

---------gilardino---Oliveira

For me its ok, i mean brocchi has a more footbal in his feet that gatusso , so he could do as pirlo in that position, and make a diamond with kaka, seedorf, and gourcuff, but i know that brocchi does not have pirlo's vision, but he can play more football than gatusso...

like this:


--------------brocchi

-----seedorf---------gourcuff

---------------kaka


...but i still miss rinho

brocchi isn't meant as a like for like replacement for pirlo he is meant to be a proper DM yes kaka can get behind the front 2 when we're attacking and drop back when we lose the ball to make the midfield 3. i was trying to give us a little more width so do without the diamond. just a new formation to try and take away are predictability

for me it could be a good idea, because even with pirlo in that role he cannot show all he can do , that's why pirlo is exahusted, he rans all over the field, passes the ball, dribbles, tackles, and did the sam thing in all the wc games, the guy is too tired, in this case the one that should get nearer to the defenders is seedorf, he is slow, but can pass the ball with great skills , and he can give passes to playes like kaka , and gourcuff show their speed.

This has to be a turning point !!

Carlo will rest a lot of key players ; namely Kaka, Seedorf .. This is not confirmed (as the match hasnt started yet ..) .... But, from Carlo's ptrss conferance, it seems as though he is gonna field Cafu in MDfield along with Gourcuff, Pirlo and Broochi .. We'll see how it turns out


FORZA MILAN

yep...

Source : Goal.com

Serie A Preview: Empoli-Milan

This match presents two sides who are polar opposites. Milan are one of the biggest clubs in the world, yet can’t seem to get a win. Empoli are hardly-known outside of Italy, and yet they have very good standing in their domestic table.

Milan are hurting right now. Three losses in a row have just above the relegation zone, and things do not look to be getting better. Major injuries to key players have hit the side for the second year running. Midfield-workhorse Gennaro Gattuso is out for the rest of the year with a knee problem, and the defense has also been hit hard. Stalwarts such as Kakhaber Kaladze and Serginho have been missing in action for some time, while Alessandro Nesta is still feeling the effects of a shoulder injury. Reliable-reserves Massimo Ambrosini and Giuseppe Favalli are also unavailable for Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti, who spoke about the troubles his side is experiencing at the moment.

Ancelotti said, “We hope to play a good game tomorrow. We must pay more attention in defence. We must try to concede less to our opponents and we must try to stay more covered and be more prudent. Empoli are a young team and are amongst the most dynamic in the league. The system used against Roma could give good results but it won’t be the same as Empoli’s because with Roma we must occupy the field in a different manner.”

He then spoke about his side’s injuries, saying, “The difficulties that we have had are tied to preparation. At the beginning we were able to rotate the players, then the injuries prevented us from continuing. Playing some of the players so often has lowered their condition. (Alessandro) Nesta has the same problem with his shoulder. For now he must stop and focus on rest and recovery. He can’t play and I hope that he is able to recover for Athens. Nesta definitely isn’t in top shape but his performance has always been good. (Kakhaber) Kaladze and (Massimo) Ambrosini are closer to recovering, perhaps they will even be back in time for Athens (in reference to the Champions League game coming up against AEK Athens).”

CURRENT FORM

Empoli (D D W, 15 points, 8th place in Serie A)

The Azzurri have played well above expectations this term. After losing their leading-scorer from last season (Francesco Tavano, who transferred to Valencia of Spain during the summer), they were clearly going to find goals hard to come by. This has not really been the case, however. The goals have been spread around among the squad, with Luca Saudati leading all scorers on three tallies so far.

Empoli have also not lost in five matches, with most of those being draws. Nevertheless, the hard-earned points have put them in the top-half of the table, and they are even within a single point of the final Champions League spot—certainly something they would not have thought would be possible this season.

Milan (L L L, 7 points, 16th place in Serie A)

The Rossoneri are definitely in a ditch of despair right now, and they don’t seem to be on the way toward climbing out. With three-straight losses, and four in the last five matches, it appears as though everyone is in agreement that changes must occur.

The first of these would be the manager, Carlo Ancelotti. Many people believe he has erred in not bringing enough youth into his squad, and there could be some truth to this. The defense is led by thirty-eight year old Paolo Maldini, with a few other key members of the defense also over thirty.

The second problem may be the tactics used, especially regarding what Ancelotti has at his disposal. Up front, Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino are too similar to be fielded together, as they usually end up getting in each others way. Not only that, but a sufficient replacement for the departed Andriy Shevchenko was not found. They thought Ricardo Oliveira would be that player they needed, but he has not settled in the Milan squad._ Whatever the true reason/s, Milan needs to get back to winning if they have any hopes of cutting the deficit at the top.

TEAM NEWS

Empoli have two major injury concerns, with Sergio Almiron and Francesco Pratali both unavailable to play.

Milan, as mentioned above, will be without many key members of the squad, and will rely heavily on their reserves for this encounter.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lino Marzoratti (Empoli) – This young defender is on-loan from Milan, and will look to shut-down the Milan attack in order to impress those who make the decisions at Milan.

Kakà (Milan) – He has been the only consistent performer for Milan this season. After captaining the Brazil squad in their midweek victory over Switzerland, he will again lead by example in this fixture.

POSSIBLE STARTING XI’s

Empoli (4-2-3-1): Balli; Raggi, Marzoratti, Vanigli, Lucchini; Marianni, Moro; Busce, Vannucchi Matteini; Saudati

Milan (4-3-1-2): Dida; Simic, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski; Brocchi, Pirlo, Gourcuff; Kakà; Oliveira, Gilardino

PREDICTION

Following the win they picked up last weekend, Empoli will attempt to continue their good form. Milan are a side in crisis, despite their statements to the contrary, and they will fall even further into the deep end with a bad performance in this match.

Expect to see renewed vigor from Milan, with Empoli sustaining large portions of defense.

Empoli 0-1 Milan

that's what i'm worried about..

1-0 is enough for us .. If our defence holds, we can get the 3 points

That one's good too, I like it



Yeah like that was really hard to 'predict'. Well done goal.com!

Goal.com needs to check the squad before they make a starting 11 prediction. Nesta isn't in the squad.

I also read Carlo's press conference; apparently neither is Kaka, cuz he wants to rest him

Kaka is in the squad. Carlo said that he will give him and Seedorf a rest because they played 90 min for their NT but it's possible he will use them as a subs. While Nesta isn't in a squad at all.

Yes I understood that .. I ment to point out another miscalculation by Goal.com

Ah... O.k

Oh my, I can't imagine us playing without BOTH seedorf and Kaka, well at least Pirlo didn't play for Italy so that's why he will play.

I guess the formation will be a basic 4-4-2 with Cafu as a winger Gourcuff probably on the left flank with Brocchi and Pirlo in the middle.

I read in football italia i think that carlo will use the 4-4-1-1 line up, i think it will go like this( with the line up i proposed before )


------------------dida

--simic---maldini---bonera---marek

--cafu---seedorf---gourcuff---brocchi

-----------------kaka

---------------gilardino

i believe this could work too...

Sure, against Empoli, just everything should work !