I actually missed all the fun, above. But do we have a Carlo thread, because I'm not sure. It'd be a good idea creating one, if not. So anyway, getting back to the match, stats should be up soon.

We have one - Ancelotti thread

Appreciate the heads up!

Carleto is the best man for milan! He is like alex ferguson! He is the master! And Kaka is a new captain! He deserves that, after everything he deserves that!

Ahh...I hope more wise men like you join up.

So, training has taken place today.

After warmups, the team worked on rapidity exercises.

There were two practice games, with Dida and Abbiati in either goal.

Kaladze and Gattuso trained in the gym. Borriello and Nesta ran laps around the perimeter of the pitch.

Tomorrow there will be a morning training session followed by the prematch press conference and call up list.

I agree with you that Carlo is not really treated well by the management. I've always said that the reason I think Carlo is being kept is because Galliani knows that he can stick his head into the coach's decisions and Carlo won't say anything. Something that won't be tolerated by other coaches. Also, like you mentioned the fact that he's never given the players he wants for his team.

On who would replace Carlo, I'm not going to name coaches because you've already mentioned some that I think would be good to take Carlo's place. I just want to say that I understand your apprehension towards changing coach, I am just as afraid as you are of what the change might bring. I'm as afraid of change as you are, but at some point there has to come a time when you say enough is enough. I don't want Carlo to be released in the middle of the season, but come next season I think a change in the coaching department is desperately needed. We'll see how this season goes, if by some miracle we win the Scudtto, I would still think it would be better if Carlo went. Like I said, it's better to leave the club known as one of the great coaches in the club's history rather then as someone who over stayed his welcome.

And again, I have nothing against Carlo, like acid said if you read some of my earlier posts, somewhere in the region of 2005 going into 2006 I was very pro Carlo, mainly because I was thinking like you Jack, "What happens once he leaves? We might be in a rough spot now but it could get worse if we changed coaches". But as things continued to get worse for us season by season ultimately leading to the UEFA Cup, I think change now is better then staying as we are

Oh and btw acid, I don't remeber you putting a copy right on you strikers vs midfielders defenders argument and if memory serves me right I also said it in the Pato thread

FACT. Besides, everyone liked Carlo then. All the way up till our 2007 CL win, things were pretty rosy. I mean, yes there were problems here and there, but that win covered it all under the rug. Then last year it got really ugly, and this year not that much sunshine either (we're losing petty points here and there).


As a matter of fact, I do. You better start remeburring from now on!

(Can we please stop all the carlo bashing in threads for matches that haven't even happened? Perhaps future anti-carlo discussions should go in his thread instead?)

Shut up!!!!

And most were already calling for Carlo's head after the Istanbul ordeal. And apart from the CL the 07 season was a horrible one when talking about the domestic front, humiliated twice by Inter and Roma, home and away, barely made the CL, etc...

So nothing was really sweapt under the rug, sure there was a couple of months of uphoria after the CL win but most still couldn't ignore the shables of a season we had and it got even worse after we repeated the act last season only worse because we got knocked out in the last 16 by Arsenal of all teams and didn't even make top 4


Every thread goes off topic sometimes Tennie, and it's not really Carlo bashing we're all having a healthy discussion on the matter. Match threads always tend to go off topic because of the waiting and lack of news going around.

Sure there is a Carlo thread but by the time a discussion is moved over there the meaning behind it goes too, so it doesn't feel right. It's in the heat of the moment kind of thing, it always blows over. We'll get back to discussing the match more as time for kick off approaches.

A couple of pages back there was a discussion about the future captain that had nothing to do with the match, sometimes threads go off topic...

Don't think it's all that healthy a discussion. What little I've seen is all one sided and negative. That to me qualifies as bashing. We are all welcome to our opinions, but after several pages of OTness about stuff that's already been discussed ad nauseum (including in other threads today) in a thread for a yet-to-be played match...just seems a bit much. The captain discussion was less than a page, if memory serves.

EDIT: my issue isn't so much with the generally negative opinion of Carletto - some like him and some don't. i'm neutral on the matter, truth be told. Just it seemed to be getting a bit longish in a match thread, especially since it's ground that's already been covered rather a lot. this is just a plea to please move continuing ancelotti stuff to his thread.

There have been all in all 4 appeals to guide this discussion to another thread.
I hope the 5th won't be needed.

Fair enough.

But don't deny that when the topic of discussion doesn't bother you (ie not Carlo related) you don't complain about threads going off topic.

That being said, I'll try very hard in the future not to discuss Carlo is threads not related to him, unless I get pulled into it that is

@ Tennie, me and acid both praised Carlo for the good he has done at Milan and for what I personally think where his personal triumphs in terms of player development and team management, I also mentioned the negative aspect, I personally don't classify my or anyone else's posts in this discussion as bashing

Here are the call ups:

Abbiati, Dida, Kalac
Antonini, Darmian, Favalli, Maldini, Senderos, Zambrotta
Ambrosini, Beckham, Cardacio, Flamini, Pirlo
Inzaghi, Kakà, Pato, Seedorf, Shevchenko, Ronaldinho

Emerson not called up. Janku suspended. Gattuso, Nesta, Borriello, Bonera and Kaladze injured.

EDIT: Gazzetta's probable lineup:

Abbiati
Zambrotta Maldini Senderos Favalli
Beckham Pirlo Ambrosini
Kaka Seedorf
Pato

The only question they have on the lineup is the Senderos question. They think he may start in the middle; if he doesn't, then Favalli will and Antonini will play on the left.

What? Stupid Carlo! Fire him!!

any idea if mattioni is in milansquad yet or not?

Do you have any idea when Bonera is going to be back? I thought he's been back to full training for a while now...

As for the formation, I'm really hoping Seedorf does not start in the trequartista role, either Dinho or a striker should take his place, he really holds us back playing in that position.

And this is Bologna, Carlo could always do what he did against Roma, with Beckham, Pirlo and Seedorf in the midfield 3. It was shocking to try it against Roma but against Bologna it would probably help us with scoring since we stuggle so much against these teams.

Hoping for another Pato double, if he keeps this up he'll be top scorer come may

Seedorf will be good against Bologna, in that I'm sure...

Here are highlights from the prematch press conference that answer some of the questions above.

* This is Ancelotti's 400th game as coach
* Ronaldinho doesn't have any physical problems and is working well with the team. There are no problems with him and Ancelotti. If he doesn't start tomorrow (and Seedorf does), it's a tactical choice.
* #32 has adapted well to the style of play at Milan.
* Nesta has recovered from his back injury, according to Carletto. Next week he'll work on strength and speed conditioning. In 2 or 3 weeks he'll be able to train with the squad.
* Emerson wasn't called up because he has a problem with one of his feet.
* Bonera still has a bit of pain from his operation and was given a few days of rest.
* Abbiati is doing well.
* Borriello will be available to play within a week or ten days. He should start training with the squad on Thursday.
* If Senderos is feeling well, he'll start tomorrow.
* Flamini has had some difficulty adapting because at Arsenal he played more in the center of midfield whereas here he plays more on the flank. He's doing well though and with his motivation and seirousness he can do even better.
* Mattioni had his first training session with the team yesterday. He's chosen Cafu's number (#2) and we hope he can become like Cafu. he's fast, dynamic and an optimal wingback.

I would sooner play Seedorf in the trequartista rather than R80. R80 doesn't add anything at all to our general gameplay and is only really at his best if/when we get freekicks near to goal. Credit to carlo for being brave and leaving him on the bench

There isn't a problem with emersons foot the probem is just emerson and his big mouth. The sooner we get rid of deadwood like him the sooner we can move forwards and upwards.

Hope he doesn't make a mess of everything!

I'm waiting for him to be brave enough to abandon the 4-3-2-1 formation. I'm tired of seeing us squeak by on 1-goal wins.

Here we go again with that 1-goal story..

Let's all hope so, I personally think Seedorf is a big part of how our team plays, I just think he holds us back when he's playing in the AM role, he's better playing further back, and lately he's been a bit noncalant. I would prefer starting with R80 and Seedorf/Beckham, then Carlo assesses during the game which one of the 3 need to either be taken off/be put on.

Seedorf unless playing out of his skin like he did against Man U in the CL is a hindrance playing the AM role, because he slows down the play too much and when he feels like he doesn't want to play he misplaces a lot of passes


He's too slow and misplaces 75% of his passes when he's having one of 'his' days. Those 'attributes' imo, are more of a hindrance when he plays in the attacking mis position rather then in the midfield 3


I think the problem with his foot is that it's stuck in his mouth atm

LOL @ Han

I can see no reason why Seedorf should play this kind of games. Ronaldinho has been just as bad as the Dutch and at least with him there's hope that with time he will get better and better.

At 28 he should be in his prime! As for Seedorf when he wants it he is still one of our best players - unfortunately he doesn't seem to want it that much nowadays

Ronaldinho IMO has been a flop.

Yes, he is in his prime. What I meant is that I'm expecting him to get close to his former self. I would not say he's been a flop as he's proved decisive but even in those games when he scored he was not helping our play at all. I still have hope for him though while I have given up on Seedorf. I truly cannot understand what Ancelotti is doing with him, no other coach would tolerate this behavior for more than a handful of games but he has allowed it to happen for 3 years now! Seedorf is a spent force for me.

I would rather play two forwards than play R80. Agree that Seedorf is totally frustrating though, like I said on his day he is capable of changing games on his own - unfortunately he doesn't do it anywhere near enough now!

Me too. I'm just saying, if one of the two has to play, Ronaldinho would definitely be my choice.


That's the saddest thing, we all know Seedorf can do amazing things but if he does not feel like playing he must not play, it's as simple as that!

Hopefully next season the CL will give everybody, especially Dinho, the right motivation... I still believe Dinho's problem is nothing but a lack of motivation [it annot be that he's physically finished at the age of 28!!]. Pirlo's problem may be the same too. same for Kaka and anyone who's under-performing/not playing up to his real potential.

What really p!sses me off about Seedorf is not him picking and choosing games as he wishes, other players on our team do the same thing sometimes, but it's his attitude when things don't go his way, ie gets subbed off or dropped. He brings out the attitude, which Carlo tolerates.

A player like him should be an example to the other younger players on the team not act like a pre-madonna when things don't go his way. No other coach would tolerate this kind of behaviour and Carlo shouldn't either

I have no problem with that, a win is a win. It's just when we throw games away after taking the lead because we only have a 1 goal lead that it's annoying.

ok..the answer to that is a new coach with different tactics..New coach, new environment..New discipline!!

I agree.

I wish Senderos good luck in his first Serie A start, and hope Antonini starts on the left (not the right).

i agree too ... look at barcelona ... with the new coach pep guardiola ... all things changed ... ancelotti should have been changed from the bad start of the season ... but after he won on inter milan ... he stayed and all bad things about were forgot.....

Fingers crossed for more Pato goals and a win for Milan.

looks unstable

The title race is right back on and we come out with such a cautious formation.

MILAN: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Senderos , Maldini, Favalli ; Beckham, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf , Kakà ; Pato .

Ancelotti - no way to change his mind))))

Forza Milan!

like always so predictable

http://www.atdhe.net/live-tv-2633.html

ultra fast game good move just now

Nice bit of passing there. Haven't seen that in a while.

frantic start

there counters are very dangerous

our defence