I love the way he knocks all the other players and then to cover himself says that he felt 'out of position' with three strikers. It's in games like these that you rely on your 'big' players to get you through. Last night Ibra wasn't a big player.

Agreed. I've definitely read better interviews from him. Having the read the full interview, he surely comes across as someone that is unwilling to take the blame for anything bad that happens. Nothing new really, I already knew that when we signed him. But I concur, he was invisible last night.

As I said in the match thread, he did as much in the full match than Pato did in the match against Juventus, before getting injured again. I don't know what team we'll face in the QF, but if we want to make it to the semis, Ibra will need to step up, take charge, and do what he does best. And no, I don't mean giving stupid interviews.

I think Ibra gave a lot last night, he just wasn't supported enough from the team. Though he could and should have done more.

Hold up play is severely underrated to a lot of fans. Zlatan didn't score or do some crazy 'Joga Bonito' skill but in the 2nd half he did ok, not saying he was excellent but I feel some are being way too critical of him. Held the ball up well and helped kill any momentum in the game a lot in Arsenal's favour.

Yes, the thing is that strikers and forwards can get isolated pretty bad sometimes. There wasn't much difference between Ibrahimović and Pato yesterday, with the exception that Ibra gets left alone up front against bigger sides, and Pato happens to gets abandoned against smaller ones too.

Now, a workaround for this is (and great players do use this solution) is to hit back in the midfield and try to stamp your authority on proceedings. Get the ball from the back and then try to create an attack. Because, you sure aren't going to get much support from the stifled midfield. This is what happened yesterday.

Ibra did get the ball a few times, and tried to do what he could. But needless to say, everyone expected better.

I can see where you are coming from, but had we lost this one, or even if the match had become a death-match (by going to extra time) then serious questions would have been asked of everybody. Including Zlatan. Yes, 2nd half was good, but then again, the team as a whole played well. But if it isn't, then that's where things get interesting.

Apparently, him being the face of the team, and earning 10m a year, fans and critics of Ibra expect more.

Yeah, like winning the Serie A... wait.

The whole squad was crap last night, at least in the first half. In the second half Ibra did more than well, along with the the rest of the team. It was more of a collective mess than anything else.

QFT

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ibra complained to Allegri about fielding 3 strikers because it made him feel out of position. Which Ibra also said in the post-match interviews after the match vs. Arsenal. Allegedly, Ibra also complained about the wrong approach to the game, the "paralyzed" defence and that Milan had 2 goalkeepers on the bench. Allegri then said that they would discuss it later when they would all be calm, and also analyse the game together with everybody. But Ibra insisted on discussing it there and then.

And now:

Galliani: "The situation with Ibra has been resolved. He's a fantastic guy. He wins a lot because he's very focused. If Ibra gets angry too much? I prefer Ibra to be angry, because when he's not angry, he loses his combativeness. Everything is completely fine between Ibra and Allegri."

What system we play is none of Ibra's business. he better stay quiet because failing to target an empty goal or messing up the simplest passes has little to do with playing out of position. he needs to face the fact that he choked for the most part, plain and simple.

Actually it is. That's the reason he left Barcelona. He's not a player who can run that much, knowing his body weight. So if you want him to perform at his best let him be free to make the runs and take the balls he wants. Otherwise you don't have the right to judge him. He failed to score on an empty goal but it was not that easy since the keeper was already going in his place and he shot in his first touch 'cos he had a player near him. In the first time, like entire team, he struggled too but in the second one he did great.

I know he thinks it is, but the team comes first. he plays for the team, the team doesn't play for him.

As for missing the open goal, he could have played Robinho, instead he made a rushed decision to take a shot. besides, I said that as an example that showed he was not his dominant self. that was not the kind of opportunity Ibra misses on his day.

Also, he has to understand we played 4-3-3 mainly because we had players missing especially KPB. I don't think otherwise there was any chance of El Sha starting this one.

I don't know. I don't think that interview was a big deal. I will admit that Allegri had his hands tied, since purely speaking we just had 3 mids to play. Maybe the 4-3-1-2 should have been set up differently...but that's that.

I like the versatility I'm seeing from Ibra. For the first time since Sheva left, we have a player on whom we can rely on consistently (fitness wise and gameplay wise). Now we need to keep building on this.

Sheva has a great CL record and you could count on him to show up there. Ibra, on the other hand, still needs to prove himself there as he choked in CL in the past.

Mr. Fantastic this season (thus far)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwnVG5gZ6dk&hd=1

Those who make these videos really like Nickelback, eh? Terrible band.

That's what you got from the video ? The background song ?

Oh yeah, the video was good.

Link

Asshole should be an example not a thug. Media will always push your buttons, and you'd think he is mature enough to understand that, especially at 30. Unacceptable behavior!

Never fails to disappoint with his shitty attitude.

Drop him for a game and fine him. That's awful behaviour.

i think this was the interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkPnCBKx8ys

This was the interview that made him mad.

The interviewer kept pushing him. Allegri and he said that there's nothing between them.

yeh i think the interviewer knew him well and was looking for drama rather than answers for her questions.

He just says it as it is,he's mah idol .

Anyone seen how he intentionally hit Blasi with the ball yesterday against Lecce? I hate his egoism. To him, the club means nothing, and it's only a matter of time before he scr@ws us up in a big final.

Yeah, he's a d*ck. A d*ck that wins us games, though.

His fans don't care about our reputation either. They simply sweep his acting the fool with his "winning mentality" and then mop it up with "heyyy he scored a bajillion goals in Serie A"

And Christiano Doni was voted one of Serie A's most loved players...

Surely you can't discount talent in your argument of reputation...

Certainly with the state of club football, and the problems that italian clubs face, we can no longer even think about Neymars, Gotzes, Lucas or any wonder-signing... The only superstars we can then buy are either "second hand" or Brazilians. if you told me, when we signed him, that he would be this good BUT throw a few shitfits, i don't think any fan/coach/player/pundit would disagree with his value and contributions for us...

No matter what your opinion on Ibra is, I'd suggest everyone to read his book. You'll find that this is one guy who is so full of himself the pages leak. Massively fun read nevertheless, but you can't help but notice his ego splattered across every paragraph. But that's just how it is, can't complain now.

We already sold our soul when we signed him, almost everyone knew what we'd be getting when Ibra came!

Every match we see something out of his vast repertoire of dirty tricks and fouls. This time Musacci got a slap in the eye. It's disgusting.

But hey, we're winning and Conte is even worse. Let's celebrate!

Against Arsenal and Lecce he didn't play well, today he was pretty bad. Hopefully not a decline in form, otherwise we're screwed.

Well, it usually comes in the second part of the season.

I'm not worried about his form [yet]. it was only a few weeks ago he scored a hattrick. 2-3 games of mediocrity (two of them against teams like Lecce and Parma who, with all respect, are hard to get motivated for) shouldn't mean anything. he needs to step up in our next important game, though.

That being Roma.

Ibra had a slight dip in form during the first half of the season as well when all he was scoring were penalties. It's only normal to not be 100% at all times

Ok time to kill the 1,000lb elephant in the room. iBra is overrated crap. Relatively of course and he's still our best attacker atm. But EVERYTHING most think about him is true. He's violent, ill tempered, selfish and CANNOT BE DEPENDED UPON IN THE BIG GAMES. Most are seduced by the breathtaking displays against the minnows and the impressive goal haul (partially inflated with penalties earned by others)

But if we're TRUTHFUL we'd have to agree with his detractors. I'm in no way blaming him entirely for our loss but his dismal records in the crunchtime of European Competition speaks for itself. It can't always be someone or something else to blame.

Even worse is that we have structured our team to play to his strengths which serves as a turbine that drives the vicious cycle of mediocrity that screams last decade's Inter Milan.
We got defeated not by Messi's exploits alone but by an actual team (which is another issue).
iBra is NOTHING compared to Van Basten, Kaka $heva or ANY of our past legends

UEFA?

Listen I think we got robbed just as much as the next guy but the FACTS are that he's done precious little in the grans scheme of things when we needed inspiration. Yeah he got an assist but really the TRUE greats come up with the goods when the chips are down. Had he scored but one genuine goal or had his build up play been the danger that it is vs the minnows then you wouldn't be reading the cliches contained above.

Now that's interesting

Ibrahimovic voices conspiracy claim and empathises with Mourinho after Camp Nou controversy

The infuriated Swede felt he should have been awarded a spot-kick during the clash versus Barcelona and claimed the game offered proof that Uefa wants the Blaugrana in the final

Zlatan Ibrahimovic claimed that AC Milan had been the victims of a Uefa conspiracy after Tuesday night's Champions League defeat by Barcelona and revealed he now understands why Jose Mourinho is always left so "upset" after his visits to Camp Nou.

The Swede was incensed by referee Bjorn Kuipers' decision to award the Blaugrana their second penalty of the evening after Rossoneri defender Alessandro Nesta had tangled in the area with Carles Puyol and Sergio Busquets, arguing that he should have had a spot-kick himself when he tumbled to the floor early in the second half after collliding with Dani Alves.

"How can he give a penalty like that?" Ibrahimovic told Mediaset. "If he gave that penalty, he should have given my penalty.

"The game is not about the man in green. It's a shame. I couldn't believe he called a penalty when the ball wasn't in play.

"It seems like Uefa wants a certain two teams in the Champions League final. Now I understand how Mourinho feels every time he comes to Camp Nou."

Meanwhile, Mourinho's spokesman, Eladio Parames, tweeted at the interval: "After those 45 minutes, we already know who is going to win the Champions League!!!"

Source: Goal.com

WIN!

couldn't help but notice that none of the pics are of your "champion" hoisting a CL trophy.

You are definitely one of those Trini's who goes crazy when he sees a "beats" on the field even though we're down 7-0

...

Dru, take my advice, don't ever leave this forum! Your posts bring out the best in other members, that's for sure. And while I feel where you're coming from, and agree when it comes to Ibra and big matches (European nights, in particular), the fact remains we'd be third or even fourth in the league, were he not here.

And most of that has got to do with the insane and inhumane amount of injuries we had to live through this year!

I dislike Ibrahimović, always did and always will. But I see it differently. I think Ibrahimović could make it with Milan and could break his CL dry spell; but in big matches Milan's midfield-creativity problem becomes more evident, while Ibra cannot do what he does to teams like Chievo, Parma or Lecce - do it completely out of nothing and totally alone. I really think he needs the proper support to make it happen, and that's all. No curse, no blockade if you ask me.

+1

Good eye...

You are definitely not one of those Trinis that wear glasses!


If you say so...

I know for certain I have never backed a side who goes 7-0 down, and I'm definitely not one to go 'crazy' over 'beats' (tricks for those that don't know), especially if my team is not putting in a good performance overall and are loosing.

But feel free to keep making assumptions based on nothing.