Score will probably be 1-2 or 1-3
can't see us not conceding

I think it will be a high scoring match... we may let the other team score... but we have all the elements in attack...

Jefri, are you all right? You seem so......calm.

How many you think this could be like a 5-3 match with Milan winning but conceding one or two stupid goals?

Something funny for you guys: I hear Matteo Ferrari says he can stop Ronaldinho... lol....

Not much of a chance for that, but I'd probably lose lots of respect for Abbiati if he can't even protect his goalpost against a team like Genoa. It's about time he stepped up and got mentally prepared for the derby coming soon.


Best funking thing I've read in months. Let's see if he can live up to his words, despite the big mouth he has attached to his torso.


The winds have changed, Tennie. The winds have changed.

Depends on how well the defense holds up, and I hope we keep a clean sheet tomorrow, and score a few.



It's hilarious... the guy was awful for Roma... there is a reason why Roma didn't renew his contract.

It's an away game, so probably no San Siro curse. we may finish the game with a clean sheet.

My prediction: a draw... after the first game I'll be more careful about my predictions. everyone was saying Milan would hit 2 or 3 past Bologna and we all saw what happened. we may have gotten a lot of new players, but no changes in the results so far. no one can claim we have improved, unless we start winning our games, and that's it.

I think there is more pressure on the players to shape up... and we have Kaka coming back.. and he's inspirational... so I do predict a win.

I think we'll win 2-0. We were much better away from home last season too. Anything less than a win is unacceptable, and Carlo needs to go. I don't see any point in dragging this onto christmas, by then we'll be well out of the title race.

I don't think there will be any rash decisions regarding Carlo. They'll probably wait till winter break before making a decision, especially if there is no one lined up to take his position. And if it really is Donadoni then I would prefer sticking with Carlo until the end of the season then getting Prandelli/Spalletti or Rijkaard. Prandelli would be my first choice. I think he's a brilliant coach who knows how to get the best from all his players.

I agree with prandelli , but it looks like he's very close with fiorentina and isnt leaving anytime soon. Rijkaard is too soft imo.

Call ups:
PORTIERI: Abbiati, Dida, Kalac;
DIFENSORI: Antonini, Bonera, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Maldini, Senderos, Zambrotta;
CENTROCAMPISTI: Ambrosini, Cardacio, Emerson, Flamini, Pirlo;
ATTACCANTI: Borriello, Kakà, Pato, Seedorf, Shevchenko, Ronaldinho
---
Carletto gave his prematch press conference.

ON THE CONDITION OF THE TEAM AND ON THE GAME AGAINST GENOA
It's a new Milan. It's taken time to give the team a more precise identity compared to what was seen in the friendlies. Now we need to think about doing well. Tomorrow we have an important occasion to redeem ourselves. This team will do well and needs to do it immediately even if we've had little time to prepare. We need to start a cycle of games. In official games, we need to change our attitude. It could be that friendlies aren't our thing.

Milito is a dangerous player, an attacker of great quality. Genoa is a team with a good squad, precise ideas of what they want to do on the pitch, and Milito adds quality.

We'll be able to talk about the squad when all the players are available. We've had too many problems to be able to train well, especially with the absence of the NT players. The group of players that has been in training in this period could surely have done better.

I'm responsible for doing my work, that of coach, and should seek to create a team that's competitive and this is my thought at the moment. I'm sorry we weren't able to find a balance yet but on my part there's optimism because I know that this group will return to being very competitive.

ON INVIDIDUALS
Kaka is fit to play the whole game. Ronaldinho and Shevchenko, like all the NT players, could play 90 minutes but there's no certainty. Ronaldinho trained today and gave the impression of feeling well. Borriello is also well.

Abbiati will start in goal. Right now Dida is second keeper.

Pato needs to do more. Last season he was more active on the pitch, more decisive, more determined and he needs to return to doing that. The Brazilians in general have a work culture different than ours, they tend to approach work with more joy and less concentration, but when they arrive here they understand and adapt to the work philosophy in Italy. We have examples like Cafu, Dida and emerson. Pato should understand this and his work should be the instrument to do well on Sunday. (fishdoll note: this is a strange paragraph and I'm not sure I've got it quite right)

Shevchenko, on the other hand, has only trained with us 3 times. I've seen him very motivated, he really wanted this return and is showing that with a lot of motivation and conviction. He's a different Shevchenko than the one who left. I spoke with him early in August and he told me that he really wanted to return.

---
Here's the original of that odd paragraph about Pato, if someone else wants to have a go at translating it:

Agree with most of what you say(as per usual ), although I would prefer Spalletti as I feel he is slightly better and has some CL experience. Frank would be a close second as well.

And as for the game tomorrow we have almost every player to choose from so there can be no excuses. We were slightly unlucky against Bologna, but I also feel that in football you make your own luck

i think u got it rite this is from english version of acmilan.com
“Pato knows that he must do more. Last season he was more active on the pitch, more decisive, more determined and must return to be so. The Brazilians in general have a culture of work different than ours. The face work with more fun and less concentration, but then when they arrive here they understand the work philosophy there is in Italy and they get used to it. We have examples like Cafu, Dida, Emerson. The same Pato will have to understand it and his work must be the instrument to do well on Sunday

Is he indicating Pato will play on Sunday?... I hope if he's going to play, he plays as a starter. not another 70th minute substituion please it's the start of the season and the players [midfielders especially] become tired towards the end of match i.e. they don't create much. that's the worst time to substitute somepne like him (against Bologna our best chances came when he wasn't on the pitch...)

I'm eagerly waiting to see what Carlo's gonna do. Borriello hasn't played for a long time and I think has the least chance of starting. it's between Pato and Sheva... knowing Carlo, it's clear who will start.

I'm not sure that bit's entirely up to Carlo, zd. Maybe I'm a little too paranoid, but I think Berlusconi will want Shevchenko starting a lot of games.

The bit about picking it up in training was interesting, I thought (thanks for confirming my translation, cmf!). If Pato is blowing off training, that may be a reason why he's not getting starts.

Well, we have only played 1 game so far. a lot of things have been said by the press, etc. mainly because we lost... if we had won, we would have had two peaceful weeks ahead of us. things they said about Pato, about Carlo's job being at risk, etc.

As for Silvio wanting Sheva to play I agree, only I think it's not that important in away matches. I mean, at San Siro, when Silvio is present, Sheva and Ronaldinho should start/play. but in away games Carlo has more freedom! I doubt Silvio even watches these away matches as he's too busy.

I'm just feeling a bit blue
Don't worry I'll be spamming again in no time

Is that good or bad?

Good, I think! the Sheva that left was not that motivated anymore and had his mind was set at some other team... now there's nothing else for him. it's only Milan and he wants to prove himself again.

Sheva's scored in the last 2 games for Ukraine, right?

Might be wise to stick him in. Would love to see him and Pato play up front for a match though even at the expense of Ronaldinho.

how about that?

Can you honestly see Carlo fielding that formation? There's not even one proper DM in there!

Well Prandelli will get to experiance CL football thanks to us, I think it was our master plan all along. Getting 5th spot to let Prandelli gain some CL experiance. Atleast that ould be Galliani's excuse for last season if we were to really get Prandelli

As for Rijkaard, I'm not a huge fan, but if were between him and Donadoni I would chose him wthout a second thought.


If it's not injured players it will be the referees or the bad luck, or the posts being too close together. Galliani will always find an excuse

As for the formation I'm sticking to the one I put out a couple of days ago



If we go there playing our usual defensive tactic with the 4-3-2-1 and 2 defensive mids we'll either draw or lose in another humiliating fashion. Just like what we been doing these past 2 seasons. When Carlo decides to get it through his thick skull that the 4-3-2-1 with 2 defensive mids doesn't work in the league especially against these kinds of teams then we'll start winning games like a team of Milan's caliber should. But I think he'll already be out the door before he finally figures it out

As kurt said, Carlo would never go for that, he'd probably have a heart attack if he saw that midfield...

If we were to go for the diamond like the one we played about 4 years ago it would look more like this imo

^^ Wouldn't mind seeing that one. Not sure it'll happen but hey...

The diamond or the 4-2-3-1? Both are better then the 4-3-2-1 imo...

Jefri I think if we had that formation we'd have such a gap between midfield and defence that any team could exploit, it would simply be a case of we reckon we'll score more goals than you do formation. Can't see that happening under Carlo!

Good one!! only we need 2 Maldini's and 2 Nesta's in defense to survive...



Absolute perfection!! well done boy.

ya i guess so, 4-2-3-1 works much better but I can't see seedorf out of it

it'll be:

zambro-bonera-maldini-janku

-flamini---pirlo----ambro---

---seedorf---------r80

----------pato--------------


starting. Sheva might start infront of pato but i really doubt kaka will get the call for starting. If he does then it'll be something like han said.

Well, they were against powerhouses Belarus (PK) and Kazakhstan, so take it with a grain of salt.

@ han, do you really think Carletto will bench Ambro.... oh... The naivety...

Carletto's probable line up:



My line up:




With Pato playing as a SS. Playing Pirlo when he is coming off national games is like a cruel joke...

Here's Mediaset's projected lineup:
Milan (4-3-2-1): Abbiati; Bonera, Maldini, Senderos, Zambrotta; Flamini, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kakà; Shevchenko
They note that there's a chance that Kaladze may replace Senderos and that Ronaldinho may replace Seedorf.

Here's Gazzetta's:
Milan (4-3-2-1): Abbiati; Bonera Maldini Senderos Zambrotta; Flamini Pirlo Ambrosini; Kakà Ronaldinho; Shevchenko

God I hate these may(s). For all it's worth we may see a very different lineup later today. I don't see guys like Kaladze and Seedorf being left on the bench while they are fit (and breathe). Plus, Pirlo may or may not play after his stint in the NT earlier this week.

Time will tell. As it always does.

Wow. Less than five years ago, a lineup like that easily would've kept opposing coaches up nights.

Nowadays? Hardly, sad to say.

You can only beat what's in front of you

It's not about who he's scoring against, it's about him gaining his confidence back by finding the net. I saw the Ukraine match and apart from some great moves he was always involved in the build up, particularly in the first goal.


That was my personal choice, of course I know Carlo will go for the xmas tree and the 2 defemsive mids

I agree about Pirlo not being fit enough, so the 4-2-3-1 imo would be the better option since we can play that without Pirlo. But we all know that Carlo won't leave him on the bench.


Hopefully Gazzetta get it right, no Seedorf pls, unless he's playing next to Pirlo in the 3 man midfield

20 pages and the game hasn't even kicked off yet!

That's what happens when there's a 2 week gap between games and the one before was a loss

btw you're continuing to increase the thread size by that post

I think Milan maybe suffer from the same thing that England do. Capello was saying our players were going to feel more at home in Zagreb than they would at Wembley due to the massive amount of pressure and expectation they have at home, as soon as it isn't going perfectly the fans will get on the players backs and it just makes it even more difficult. I think Milan suffer from the same thing.

So with this being away from home I'm going to go.. 1-3. Kaka' with 2 and Sheva.

fix'd

This whole thing about not being able to win at home only started last season for some reason, before that we had an excellent record at home 05/06 we won all the games in San Siro and only drew one. So I don't see where the sudden enxiety about playing at home comes from.

Hopefully Dinho, Sheva and pato get on the score sheet. They all need to get some pressure off their backs and a goal would be great fro them.

Random Pola factoid: Genoa was founded six years before Milan in 1893. Oh, boy oh boy oh boy!

Yeah, they're the oldest Italian team if I'm not mistaken. they're 15 years older than Inter!

And they can have a star on their shirts if they win the scudetto just 1 time.

Yes, zd, as a matter of fact they are. Plus as Vahid said they've won 9 league titles, so another one will see them in the company of stars (along with Milan, Juve and merda). That's the good part. The bad part is that the last time Genoa won the league was in 1924. Here are the wins, for old timer's sake:

1898, 1899, 1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1914–15, 1922–23, 1923–24.

1924... it's a pity they will never win another title to join the big three. unless a Russian or Arab billionaire takes over and then you never can tell.

For their sake I do hope they win one sometimes down the road. It's a pity yes, so close to double figures (and a star), unlike some club as Roma who's only got three Scudettos to their name.

Dont worry , i will subtract 10 from inter and give them to Genoa and 20 from Juve and deliver to others
2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2