So, the last match of the first round. I don't know what to put up here, seeing our last performance in Rome, other than maybe, just maybe, Milan may give me an early birthday present (on January 19). This match, however is two days back, this Saturday. We have a fruitcake to take care of, named Gilardino, who's on second place as the league top scorer with 12 goals. And sorry to say this, but how many goals does Borriello have up till now? One, maybe, two. Pity he's injured so much, I had high hopes for him.

Anyway, we'll see what happens in this week. Unless something really strange happens and both inter and Juve lose their games, I'll officially call it quits this season. Finish 4th, or 14th, no big deal for me, because we certainly don't look like a team to win the Scudetto now, almost half-way through the season. Even if we do, we won't deserve it. Even if we win each match from now on. I'll still cheer for the team before the start of every match, forgetting everything, but this isn't the stuff Champions are made of. The contenders give you a chance to climb back, and we do what? Blow it away. Maybe we'll win the UEFA Cup, and hopefully divert our attentions to that tournament from now on. Oh, and I'm hoping for a win, but also hoping for Gila to score the first goal of the match; it'll be worth seeing his reaction. The good days, the all-or-nothing days:



You guessed it, time for some stats between the two clubs, current rankings, head to head, top scorers, etc. Only this time there aren't any available at the time of going to press. I'll update the thread once they come in. Ha! Okay they're in, right from the oven:









Date: Saturday, 17 January, 2009
Time: 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm GMT
Place: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)

Forza Milan!

(big edit to add in the stats images)

I can see us winign here I'm feeling :
Abbiati
Zambrotta-Maldini-Kaladze-Janku
Beckham-Pirlo-Ambro
Kaka- seedorf
PATO
Pato has been in good form and the Viola have a loss last week. They will want to win badly to keep them in the race for Champions. I think a 1-1 tie with Gila and Kaka scoring. I agree with everything you said acid but i dont want to give up hope yet. I dont mind Juve winning it but Inter would be a serious smack in the face as me and my father bet on the scudetto winner and he is an Inter fan.(Dont ask how it happened as my grandfather is a Juve fan)

Mutu is out

So is Osvaldo (2 game ban). Frey is questionable.

Good squad, but I think Seedorf has lost the right to start years ago. He makes himself look like a clown two out of three times he gets the ball, so maybe the last 30 minutes as a sub would be good. Not that Ronaldinho too much of an improvement, but I'll take a guy that can't run than a guy that doesn't want to run, 365.25 days a year. My choice:

Abbomination
Zamborghini * Mr. Football * Kalmagaddon * Janks
Flamini * Steel Factory Owner * Ambro
Golden Boy * English Lad
The Duck


Wow, some really interesting family you go there, Gio. Don't tell me your mother is a Roma fan. Anyhoo, if anyone wants to give up hope now's the time. I, however, am with you in thinking that still some good can come out of this season. And if you read my previous post (hypothetically speaking, don't start reading all 4,663 of my posts here), you'll find out that I'm always hopeful, more so at least one day before a match. Going into the right frame into each encounter is the least that should be expected.

Oh, and about winning the league, I'd much rather have Napoli win it than any of inter or Juve, thank you. Napoli is my least favorite club, but still when it comes to the Scudetto, I want neither the snakes nor the zebras winning this year. Of course, I also want world peace, but hey, let's leave it at that!


I'd have preferred him being in, but oh well. The feeling is infinitely better once you defeat a full strength opposition. That's if you defeat them first, of course. Anyway, this is one match I don't want Milan to win. If we can spare Roma two free points, than Gila deserves all three. Besides, Fiorentina for the 4th once again (sorry zd, you being a Napoli fan and all).

Kalmagaddon. That's a new one.

(Fishdoll and I offer apologies to our boardmember from the Republic of Georgia for all the Kaladze jokes).

Actually, i don't think he's going to play. He's having an MRI today and there's talk of him going to see Doctor Martens in Belgium - that usually = surgery. Gazzetta is projecting a (surprise surprise) 4-3-2-1 with Favster playing next to Il Capitano in the center of defense.

i just genuinely hate him... nothing personal.

It's also a keeper. For me, at least.


No worries, Ten. The people of Georgia probably share our enthusiasm in bashing that guy. He can be that bad sometimes. Of course there are times when he's good too, but I still don't think we deserve him and his antics.


I'm all for it. Thanks God for God! In fact, Paolo hasn't been anywhere near injured this season, and I hope it stays this way. We'd have been very lost indeed without him, now that Nesta has had more than his fair share of knocks. Of course, I get to like Favster more every match.


That's fine. We all like or dislike certain players. In fact, I wasn't talking about Mutu in particular. Generally, a good victory for me is when you take on a fully fit opponent. An even sweeter one is when half your team is our injured and you defeat an opposition that's full strength. Nothing tops that!

Kaladstrophe.

@ ari

Good to see you around more




While I expect the players and the fans to show Gila some respect, I hope we make him look miserable on the pitch! Gila has a point to prove, so do we.

I predict a 3-1 win

+1. Second that.


Can we, now? We made someone like Vučinić look class a couple of days back, Gila is another story.


A case of too little, too late. We'll see. If the midfield functions like it did in the last match, I don't think we'd be able to score anywhere near 3 goals, even if we're playing at home. Roma was an 11th position team, without Totti and others. Last I checked, Fiorentina is 5th. Still, all I want is a good match. Been a couple of weeks, since I watched one.

ok so another match and another xmas tree

Yeah, well in my formation above I wanted to include two strikers, but hey who are we kidding?! I really wanted to, but as long as Carlo's in charge it's Christmas all around, all the time, 12 months a year. He seems to have a passion for 4-3-2-1.

There will be two training sessions today. The first training session has taken place, and it was a lot of individual work (some in the gym, some running springs, some in the sand pit, etc).

I Think it refers to me, Yes?

Appology isn't necessary as people who really understand football in Georgia share the same enthusiasm about kala's recent atrocious plays. Kala appears not to be good anymore, but he was quite good in past seasons, espacially in 05-06.

So he needs to step up, and if he works well, he might not be flop anymore.

His marriage might also be the factor of not playing well.

He isn't playing well recently, but please everyone agree to fact that she has beautiful wife.

rumours are spreading here that she is pregnant

The same rumors about her being pregnant are in the Italian gossip pages too, kizo.

Anyway...one player who won't be appearing for the Viola this weekend is Giampaolo Pazzini. He's been sold to Sampdoria. Going from Samp to Fiorentina is Emiliano Bonazzoli, coming on a loan-with-option deal.

Afternoon training has taken place.

Rino came out onto the practice pitch without crutches to say hi to everyone before going to the gym for therapy.

Bonera participated in the full training session, including the practice game.

Ronaldinho has the flu.

Kaka participated in the full training session.

Oh, you mean she as in Kaladze? Very beautiful!

Just small mistake

His Company KALA Capital is having some problems with Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia

He might lose lots of money if they don't figure it out .

No, I'm fairly certain everyone here appreciates you bringing out the truth. No mistakes here, I always thought Kaladze was a bit feminist. Anyway, I think he sometimes gives a solid performance particularly in big games. But the fact that he's arrogant despite not being in the league of top defenders, and also gets away with any and all mistakes is my big gripe with him.


Oooo, some underhand deals, huh, Kal? Hope he sorts everything out.

God knows we need him!! will he be ready for Fiorentina game?

I hope you accept my apologies too kizo cause there's a big possibility that Georgia has been a collateral victim in one of my rants...

And wow... that woman surely is a reason to get lost in your thoughts... but we're paying the price!


Here's a self-centered though: I don't want my nickname included in his! We can make that Kalastrophe...

OK. Accepted





BTW, Kakha's car in Georgia, Mercedes G Class has only '4' on number plate.

interesting!...

Hopefully we'll see a much more well balanced side to the one we saw against Roma.

I personally would like to see this



As mentioned in Tennie's training report, Bonera is back in full training, so I'm endlessly hoping that he will be fit to start.

Janku needs to be taken off a bit and re-find his form, I know he's never been a solid defender but the mistakes he's been making lately are really shoking. Even though Antonini is not a natural defender either, I think he's really solid at the back, he's put in more sold defensive displays as a fulback then solid offensive ones. The only reason he sometimes makes mistakes is because he's played on the right and I can only assume that he's not as comfortable on that wing as he would be on the left.

Seedorf, as bad as he sometimes is, is still an essential part of how Carlo's Milan work, without him we struggle a lot. I think it was someone in the Milan - Udinese thread that said something along the lines of, 'Whether Seedorf is playing like a world class footballer or an ametour we still play better with him on the pitch' And sadly I think truer words have never been said. Now let's wait for the Cap'n to come on and give us a detailed assey on why Milan depend on Seedorf so much I'm personally one of those who sometimes wants to throw things at the screen when I see Seedorf playing the way he does, but sadly we do need him in the game in order for our system to work

Dinho has been below par these last couple of games, I think Carlo needs to do to him what he did at the start of the season, which is to give him a breather for a couple of games, and then introduce him back in. I think Sheva and Pato play well next to eachother, plus I always love to see Kaka playing in his old position, going through the middle and cutting to the wings or releasing the forwards, I think the xmas tree restricts him way too much to the wings, which is a waste for a player like Kaka.

+1

Crybaby.

No point in living a hopeless dream, Hanny boy. You and I both know this formation won't happen, let alone the players. As usual it'll be one striker in the center. And Sheva, well let's just say it'll be a while since you'll see him start in Serie A regularly. Don't get me wrong, I personally would like to see this too, but I won't bet my farmhouse on this happening. Not against, Fiorentina, at least.

@ Ari, great to have you officially back. Darn, I missed the Gazzetta images. Cheers!

Anyone wanna bet on Beckham and Ronaldinho starting?

Oh, I don't we're on a making-$$$ course. we have to show off with all our Galacticos these days.

If Ronaldinho doesn't recover, Becks will play in the deep three with Zee and Kaka up front behind Pato. Let him play, I'm more bothered about our defence.

LMAO "Milan stalwart 'giancarlo'"...

thanks acid


i dont know wat the big fuss is about.. Beckham played better than most of the players last game and he'll probably play better than them if he starts this game... we could use his presence considering our wonderful situation.

+1 to ari.

*moons goal.com*

At least he is motivated... Him and Pato were the only ones really against Roma...

i still think it is a bit silly to play becks in the holding midfield. We lost Rino and replace him with Becks? they aren't close to being similar players..

it's also a dangerous game we play doing that. there were NO defensive mids in our lineup against roma, and our CB pairing was favalli and maldini. Good counter attacking sides will exploit the fact that we have no midfield terrier and blow by maldini and fav with pace.

BUT..if we play well doing this, then whose to say we shouldn't..i just don't think i have ever once seen beckham used in a holding midfield roll.

But, vnata, we're selling lots of jerseys! [/sarcasm]

Actually, the goals conceded v roma weren't the fault of the two cbs; they were the fault of the lb/rb.

Can't wait till the day Giancarlo gets his own reality show!


Hit the nail right on the stinking head there, Ari.


Um, Paolo? His double save was half decent, and he had a solid game. Any idea of how much we'd stink if he had retired last season. If Nesta was there, then it'd be a different story, but I think Maldini's been one of the most consistent players we had this season - in his capacity, of course.


True. But we'll need to work a lot of things out, in my opinion Beckham is here to add something, and it'll be up the management to find out how he adds up to our game. At the very least, we'll know we have someone to fall back upon in case of injuries from now till March. A free, utility player that also puts money in the bank, and gives his constant best isn't half as bad as it looks. Even if he is a media hog.


Exacto! Oh, how I wish we played wingers instead of LB/RB shtick. A defensive lineup of 3 base defenders staying back, with a front line of holding midfielders, and the rest of the attack flowing through two wingers, AMs, and two forwards. But who am I kidding?!

1-2 for Viola and Kaka will move to city

Actually, I'm really worried about the effect this saga is having on the players. I wouldn't be surprised if we lost coz of this.

i think we will win but only 1 - 0

Your mouth to god's ears my friend. Coz I don't see it happening. Me being pessimistic...it would seem apocalypse is going to happen soon.

Blech.

I love jefri's posts!!

We're going to be so distracted from the events of this week that I'll be surprised if our heads are in this match from the opening whistle. A loss is not out of the question.

Gila is sooo lucky

Why?

One bit of news that might (hopefully) cheer zeddie at least a little bit.

Roberto Rosetti will be referee for this game.

Because he will probably take advantage of the team's probable lack of concentration after all this Kaka to City rumors.



it's a must see then. thanks!