(FISHDOLL REQUEST : Could we all please take a deep breath, drink a bottle of grappa, and take the tone down a couple of notches? Healthy debate is fine but the fishdoll thinks tempers may be fraying just a touch, so let's please relax. And REMEMBER TO RESPECT THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS.)

It's not just double standard though, like I said, you can' really compare an 18 year old with a 34 year old whose played in every big match he could play in. It is a bit unethical.

As for the stats, like I said, that is the prime time when Pippo usually hits his purple patch, during that time you have no choice but to play Pippo because you know he will score you goals. Secondly, you also have to consider that the team started playing well as a whole during that time, especially Kaka and Seedorf, the main guys that are depended on by the lone striker. So of course Pippo was going to benefit a lot from this.

I know I'm coming off as a Pippo basher or something like that, but believe me when I tell you I'm a huge fan, I've got practically every Mialn Inzaghy shirt and even one from his Juve days, that's how much of a fan I am. BUT, with this I know what his limitations are, and you can't really say that he's in any way a better player or finisher then Sheva, not now and not ever. It's just ridiculous.

I never claimed he was a better finisher than Shevchenko.

All I commented on was that I thought the Pippo bashing was a little harsh. I also will note that if it's okay to bash Pippo for misses, then it should also be okay to bash other strikers for misses.

I know that was just referring to Giancarlo who said that he was

And I did not intend to bash Pippo but right now he's out of for that's why I don't want him to play because I know he'll miss easy chances. And I know it's not ok to bash one striker for his missed and turn the blind eyes towards another, but you can also see this from another perspective to when Gila was still here and if he missed a chance everyone would be screaming for his head to roll but if it were Pippo or anyone else for that matter it's ok.

My only point is I want Milan to win the game... and with Sheva up front alone... I don't think that will happen. Unless Ronaldinho (and whatever other attacking midfielder) nets a few...

Oh ok, I see you're not basing your oppinions just on the football but what the players in question did in the past It's pointless arguing with you on this since you're going to take that route.

OMG, a few days ago you were praising Sheva's every move in his 45 minutes and his 20 minutes for Ukraine, now it's turning that he doesn't know how to play anymore. Are you bipolar or something??

Yes pippo has done a lot of stuff for us, but you told me not to live in the past, because if we look at it that way Sheva has done twice as much as Pippo's done for us in the past. But this is the 07/08 season, we're starting a new season and from what I saw on Sunday Pippo is off form, so another striker should start. And Pippo is a finisher but not an effective one, again he'll miss 3/4 of his chances in most games. That's the Pippo of today, I'm not the one living in the past. Because I admit that Sheva is not the player he was before he left but you still think this is 2003

I'm basing my opinions on the now. The facts that are presented to me.



Sure as a utility player. I'm doing the exact same tihng as you. I think Pippo is simply the more useful player than Sheva. Sheva did fine in that Ukraine match... though he clearly needs to work on several things including his lack of confidence. He made a few good moves, including one good free kick... BUT... I'm not sure he has "gelled" yet with Milan once again.

Anyways I'm fine with Sheva back. He was never my first choice. I welcome him back, but he will have to gain my trust back. Maybe as a substitute for several matches.

So you need to resort to personal insults. That's great to show you have no argument.



respectfully disagreed. I think he finishes most of his chances...

I'm not thinking this is 2003. Don't put words in my mouth anymore.

STOP THE BICKERING!

1. with kaka back in the line up shevchenko will be resurrected.
2. Inzaghi was seeing his FIRST action of the year in our first match. It was Palo playing all of the preseason for us..Pippo is allowed some slack.
3. Marco/Sheva/Pippo are all not match fit..
4. ....which is why pato should be the one starting for us right now.

Han's line up a few pages ago was perfect.

Zambro - Bonera - Maldini/Kala - Janku
Flamini - Pirlo - Clarence
Ka-Pa-Ro

we've got a lot of players to accommodate..so after we build up a 2-3 goal lead, seedorf/dinho/kaka (while he's still recovering) off, Ambro on.

Nicely reasoned, Vnata. A biscotti to go with your latte.

oh now the piranha is giving out biscotti ? What happened, you ran out of cookies ?

Nah, the fish doll is trying to be regionally sensitive. He's given to undestand that people in Silicon Valley are big fans of Starbucks so hence the biscotti.

!!! biscotti AND coffee! that's a BAY-destrian's dream! hahaha

btw..not that it matters much anymore anyways since they merged..but I'm much more an appreciator of Peets.

A metropolitan piranha

Sry Tennie

the western seaboard really, ever been to vancouver or seatle? some blocks have 3-4

I hear starbucks is in some trouble... the economic slowdown is causing people to rethink shelling out $5 bucks for coffee...

@ han

I forgot something, Kaka will be back for Genoa and I think Pippo will play and will score (some tap ins, of course, most priobably on Kaka assists). their partnership is ridiculously good.



Stalin shall eat the fish doll alive






















Let's please leave the Duck out of this, OK?



Oh not again. did the Gazzetta also mention Pato scored regularly (the biggest gap between two games he scored on was 2 games) but Pippo even went 6 games without scoring a single goal? PLEASE Tennie, this is unfair... what has Pato got to do with Inzaghi anyway? the argument was about Sheva and Pippo...


By the way, Pato played 1333 minutes? well, 1333/90=14.81
9/14.81=0.6 goal per game (not 0.5)

And Pippo's scoring ratio is 0.7 actually... than means there's 0.1 difference between their goal ratio not 0.2

Anyway...

why bring STALIN into this..? lol

Tennie knows


(Stalin is the name of our cat!)

Kaka will be trying to regain hi match fitness, he needs to be on form in order to continuously provide for Pippo the way he does

Yeah. hope he regains his form sooner rather than later because it seems Ronaldinho's assists are not good enough for Pippo Kaka really provides chances on silver platter for him, they're impossible to miss. but take Ronaldinho's great lob in the 1st half against Bologna for example, Pippo simply twisted everything. he tried to score an Athens-like goal but only made sure the scoreline would remain 0-1.

Yep. We'll see what happens, but I'm not expecting Kaka to hit the ground running, he needs to ease into thing.

For once, we agree.

I think Kaka needs some time... but right now we do have cover for him so all the defenders of the other team aren't going after him... you know in shape of a Brazilian with some funky hair...

Don't think we can expect too much from Ronaldinho for this one, guys. Not because he's not in form or anything but because he will only have returned from NT duty on late Thursday or Friday. There's hardly time to get over jetlag. I'm not positive he'll play.

--

Fishdoll offers Stalin some catnip. Hah.

Well Ronaldinho did only play 45 minutes in the game against Chile, because of that red card to Kleber.

There may be a jetlag issue though...

It would not be a bad idea if he started on the bench and we played 4-3-1-2 with Kaka behind Pato and Sheva, he can come on at some point during the game.

Probable lineup (Gazzetta):

Abbiati
Zambrotta Maldini Senderos Jankulovski
Flamini Pirlo Ambrosini
Kaka Ronaldinho
Shevchenko

I don't know if Kaka is fit to go from the beginning, otherwise I see Carlo using Seedorf. Pato could be swapped with Sheva too, and Kaladze for Senderos.

I don't think that Ronaldinho will be playing...

Sheva is starting to prove himself on the international stage... scoring twice in two goals (tho one was a penalty) in qualifiers... I'll be more willing to support him starting...

Today's training has taken place.

Players who played for their national teams have returned to Milanello except for Ronaldinho who will return tomorrow.

Training was a defatigue-sort of training. After Carletto's speech, there were exercises on back muscles and abs. Players then went into the gym for individual work. Only Marco Borriello remained on the pitch, working on technical drills with Mauro Tassotti.

Nesta continued specialized training in the gym.

Abbiati and Kalac trained with the goalkeeping staff (which now includes Valerio Fiori) while Dida trained in the gym.

The match is on Sunday 14/09 at 3pm CET , maybe fix the title? , "dozers!" (sorry couldn't let the opportunity slide)

+1 cookie to milanista1899 for pointing out the incorrect date.
-1 cookie to milanista1899 for using THAT term.

(Thanks for pointing it out!)

Aww man! Finally get my real 1st cookie after a biscuit & it gets taken away, ouch!

You're welcome

Edit: Possibly my 1st typo too... "Your" instead of "You're" - go ahead leave me on -1, I deserve it.

It's on Sunday?? GOOD NEWS!

^Yea, thought it was weird cos i knew it's "9/11" today so the game would be tomorrow if it was on the 12th. I checked the website to confirm.

At least you're not on negative cookies!

The fish doll was in a good mood. You didn't, for example, get the two-fin salute.

Here's Mediaset's probable lineup:

Milan (4-2-3-1): Abbiati; Zambrotta, Maldini, Senderos, Jankulovski; Flamini, Ambrosini; Ronaldinho, Kakà, Seedorf; Shevchenko.

In panchina: Dida; Kaladze, Bonera, Pirlo, Emerson, Cardacio, Pato.

They think Ronaldinho wlil start? Hmm...

Why would Pirlo be on the bench?

Maybe because he hasn't been playing very well recently?

(please don't hit me, Jack!)

That last game he was a bit tired... he was fine in the Cyprus game... I think he just needed some rest...

He'll be better to start rather than Ambrosini.

Here are Pirlo's player ratings from datasport for the last 3 games in which he played (v. Bologna for Milan, v. Cyprus and v. Georgia for the Azzurri):

v. Georgia 5
v. Cyprus 5
v. Bologna 5.5

Those are extremely low ratings for someone of his calibre. There have been fleeting mentions of a knee problem (meniscus) for a couple of months but nothing concrete and no official diagnosis. This may be part of it. I love Pirlo to death but even I will admit he's been cack compared to how well he's capable of playing.

The other thing to keep in mind is that a Pirlo type player doesn't necessarily fit into the standard 4-2-3-1. It may purely be a tactical experiment.

Those are subjective ratings and I personally don't agree with them. If we don't play him we will lack a lot of depth in our midfield.

Well then we can agree to disagree on the matter.

Having been at the San Siro for the Bologna game, I can say with some certainty that I agree with that rating. My thought at halftime was 'good lord, they need to bench him, he's awful'.

I find datasport to be the most reliable player ratings available online. I personally prefer Gazzetta's but those are only available in the print editions.

That's your opinion. I was looking for at the game against Cyprus. Either way, if we don't play him, we will have many depth issues and our midfield will not work effectively.

Why do you think there will be depth issues? Why do you think the midfield won't work effectively?

Stop encouraging him.

Because when we don't play with Pirlo, something clearly is lacking. Even with the new signings... there will be something lacking.

He incouraged me.

Great smiley.

Pirlo only played 45 minutes against Georgia, so I don't think he'll be benched. Ronaldinho may start from the bench.

My probable lineup:

Abbiati
Zambrotta Senderos Maldini Jankulovski
Flamini Pirlo Ambrosini
Kaka Seedorf
Shevchenko