The problem is not any player individually, we do not defend as a unit and we fail to do that against Inter, we're going to pay for it!

All I know is that I wouldn't bet my money on our defense saving our @sses. we need to think about attacking... A LOT. plain & simple.

it is tough to defend as a unit when the two centerbacks can be easily beaten by quick forwards. I think Maldini could be in for trouble against Ibra

remember our last derby? in fact, paolo was the key reason why ibra couldnt perform.. but, that was months ago..

I agree. The thing with Paolo's age is that even though he tries he can't give out 100% every time, more so when we take into things he's done over his career. And in his case, even 99% can be fatal, with people and media jumping on him. I'm not saying he's the same Maldini that was before - everybody knows this including him and his opponents.

The thing is that slow and all, he's still better than almost all of our defenders with his technique and game reading skills. I just hope he has a great day in the office on Sunday. If he does, we're in for some fireworks!

If he does, we're in for some fireworks!

If the defense is not working, attack so much that the opponents won't have many opportunities to score.

remember our last derby? in fact, paolo was the key reason why ibra couldnt perform.. but, that was months ago..

It was about time Mourinho put a stop to his 100 or so unbeaten league games streak, and no better team to do that then us.

remember our last derby? in fact, paolo was the key reason why ibra couldnt perform.. but, that was months ago..

Um, speaking of fireworks, I do hope we send some of them inter's way this Sunday. It was about time Mourinho put a stop to his 100 or so unbeaten league games streak, and no better team to do that then us. Having said that, we (or in this case Carlo Ancelotti) will have to be at his/our absolute tactical best.

Think of it as a Champions League game, Carlo. Do you homework well, 1-0, 2-1, whatever it takes to put a smile on the face of Milan fans! Just do it.

Now I still dont recognize merda's scudetti

Um, speaking of fireworks, I do hope we send some of them inter's way this Sunday. It was about time Mourinho put a stop to his 100 or so unbeaten league games streak, and no better team to do that then us. Having said that, we (or in this case Carlo Ancelotti) will have to be at his/our absolute tactical best.

Think of it as a Champions League game, Carlo. Do you homework well, 1-0, 2-1, whatever it takes to put a smile on the face of Milan fans! Just do it.

@ Nova, everyone knows Inter were as much involved in the whole thing as anyone else, if not more. It's no secret that the call tapes were recorded by Troncetti Provera's Telecom Italia, a company Moraatti has shares in and a very well known friend of Moratti's that is spotted a lot in Inter games. So ofcourse they weren't going to tape any calls the Inter higherarchy made and still makes.

Inter fans love playing the victom and innocents but they got just as much favourable calls towards them as any of the top teams, just because they are born losers they like to blame that on anything they can so they call cheating the reason why they continuosly failed in the league. And now suddenly it's only them in the league, but yet they still manage to emberass themselves in Europe every year.

jose record is of home games while this one i think is away game for him so even if we win the record will still be there

It's home-games. And Sunday, we play at home. Not Inter.

Is Julio Cruz injured or something, I haven't seen him yet this season! Hopefully he doesn't play, he's too smart for our defenders.

He was injured but he made his comeback against Lecce.

Paying for it, now there's an idea.. tell Galliani to get on the phone to some refs!

MOTIVATIONS AND QUALITY
9/27/2008 3:25:00 PM

On the eve of Milan-Inter, the Rossoneri’s coach Carlo Ancelotti faced all the topics tied to the game against the Nerazzurri of José Mourinho - ANCELOTTI DECLARATIONS -

MILANELLO – These are the declarations of Carlo Ancelotti during the press conference ahead of Milan-Inter, for the fifth matchday of Serie A, in program tomorrow evening at San Siro at 8.30pm:

The ‘magnificent eight’? They will be Abbiati, Zambrotta, Maldini, Kaladze, Jankulovski, Gattuso and Kakà. For the rest, my ideas are very clear but I will not tell them. It’s right to speak about the game because it’s an important game. We have the possibility to come out of this difficult moment in the most difficult game, because it will be against the strongest team. However, this can only be a great motivation. We must manage to oppose their physical attributes to our quality, our game way to prepare the game, our courage.

The squad is improving from the physical level because it is working a lot and we re-watch the games. From the morale level things have improved a lot and we are happy to play this game.

Inter’s strength is tied to Ibrahimovic’s power and his ability to take advantage of the counter attack, which only few teams are capable to do. An Inter defect? I don’t know, they have a lot of qualities. Against Inter you must take the game in your hand, impose your game, so as to avoid that their qualities emerge.

The ideal thing would be to score many goals and not concede any. Right now some problems in the defensive phase have emerged, which in part they are still there because we have conceded other goals, but we have improved overall. The objective is to avoid conceding goals.

I don’t know if it’s a coincidence that we have won the evening games, and if it wasn’t the case I wouldn’t be able to explain the reasons.

Mourinho? I don’t feel like telling him anything on the eve of this game, there is no need of any message. He’s a capable coach, where in a short time at Inter he has obtained excellent results. From the communication level, he is intelligent and capable. I don’t find him annoying. Many things he said and did I agree with them. For example there shouldn’t be the confrontation from a distance between coaches on TV. One should talk about his game not make a confrontation.

The philosophy of a coach does not change, just the disposition of the players on the pitch does: Porto was in a way, Chelsea in another and Inter is different. Mourinho is an intelligent coach because he is capable of changing the dispositions in a way to take advantage of the men he has. Inter has changed from the Mancini period: this Inter is a team who care more about the speed in the counter attack, who tries to take advantage of it at every opportunity. It's the main characteristic of this team. Mancini's Inter played a more engulfing game and did not rely on the counter at’acks.

Dinho is improving, we shall take advantage that for him it will be important to train with us during the break.

Sheva could be a psychological danger for the opponents? He cares a lot about this game, but it is more than motivation for him, as he can give an important contribution.

To prepare these type of games in the best possible way we don’t need to know the characteristics of our opponents, but what matters is your own qualities: we must impose ourselves from the character and technical point of view.

Tomorrow’s game is not decisive for the Scudetto race: for us it’s important to end the negative period and open a new one. Just like we managed to come out of a difficult period, even Roma and Fiorentina can do so: difficult for Roma due to the injuries, and for Fiorentina due to a transfer market which brought many players who must learn to play together.

Pato started to play well in the moment that he noticed that he was playing badly. He's fine, he's serene and calm and is not tense. Maybe it's recklessness or just youth. The characteristic which he must express is the speed which annoys everyone and not only Inter.

It’s true that there was a meeting with the Chelsea directors. But the 'super salary’ was an enormous lie. We spoke about football, not money.

Borriello's absence? In the last games he did well, he gave an important contribution and with him we could have played differently, with more ball forwards. Without him, there will be less long ball forward and more short low passes.

THE EVOLUTION OF THINGS

9/27/2008 7:58:00 PM

Janku has recovered, Nesta and Pirlo's situations are evolving well, Borriello's muscular problem is not bad: here is the weekly account of Massimo Manara who also talked about Inzaghi and Senderos.



MILANELLO - Fixed appointment with Massimo Manara: also this week Milan's Social Doctor talked about the individual players' situations. Here's how the recovery of the injured player is going, case by case.

MAREK JANKULOVSKI
'Yesterday the player resumed training with the group. He has recovered and is available again.'

SANDRO NESTA
'Sandro is finishing the last work in the physiotherapy department. From Monday he will get back to the preparations and will presumably come back after the October international break. He is constantly improving. We'll see in the next few days when he will start working at a higher level.'

PIPPO INZAGHI
'Filippo will undergo a check on Monday morning. We will see how it turns out and if it will comfort us. He should be able to return on Tuesday.'

MARCO BORRIELLO
'Marco had a muscular problem to his left thigh. He was subjected to an ecographic test this morning. It's a slight problem which will keep him out for about ten days. Probably we can talk about it again after the break.'

ANDREA PIRLO
'Also Andrea had an ecography this morning which evidenced his progress. We will do another on 9 or 10 October. But he has improved notably.'

PHILIPPE SENDEROS
'The defender, who suffered an injury on Saturday before the match against Genoa, unfortunately is still feeling pain and is still unable to work with the group. We will evaluate him again in the first days of next week.'

I think that Paolo will have a good game tomorrow: Inter lacks forwards with blinding pace.

Plus, Paolo has aged very gracefully like a fine wine. Pace was never the name of his game, so his smarts should be enough. I am glad he is in the center and not on the wing, an experiment that failed (uggghhh Arsenal last year).

I think that Paolo will have a good game tomorrow: Inter lacks forwards with blinding pace.

Plus, Paolo has aged very gracefully like a fine wine. Pace was never the name of his game, so his smarts should be enough. I am glad he is in the center and not on the wing, an experiment that failed (uggghhh Arsenal last year).

btw he's been schooled by zlatan on a few occasions. now they have quaresma, mancini..

Hopefully one of Sheva/R10 will get on the scoresheet

I'd rather we play Ambro at CB than Maldini for this one.

Prediction
If Maldini plays: Inter 3-1 win.
If Maldini doesn't: 1-1 draw.

Gazzeta: Probabile Formazione
Milan

12 Abbiati
15 Zambrotta
3 Maldini
4 Kaladze
18 Jankulovski
8 Gattuso
10 Seedorf
23 Ambrosini
22 Kakà
80 Ronaldinho
7 Pato

Is Julio Cruz injured or something, I haven't seen him yet this season! Hopefully he doesn't play, he's too smart for our defenders.

i've been waiting for this game all week. we really need a big win out of this game.

can't wait!

I think that Paolo will have a good game tomorrow: Inter lacks forwards with blinding pace.

Plus, Paolo has aged very gracefully like a fine wine. Pace was never the name of his game, so his smarts should be enough. I am glad he is in the center and not on the wing, an experiment that failed (uggghhh Arsenal last year).

Gazzeta: Probabile Formazione
Milan

12 Abbiati
15 Zambrotta
3 Maldini
4 Kaladze
18 Jankulovski
8 Gattuso
10 Seedorf
23 Ambrosini
22 Kakà
80 Ronaldinho
7 Pato