Finally week 2 has arrived. We play Cesena who held Roma to a draw on week 1, so it will be a tricky one

Gazzetta's probable line-ups

Milan 4-3-3



Cesena 4-3-3

Time to prove that week 1 spectacle wasn't a fluke.

Gazzetta's line up is quite good, I'd make only one change. Flamini (if is fit) instead of Seedorf.

Flamini is still injured so he won't travel to Cesena, unless he recovers in extremis (source: Studio Sport).

I'd go with that line-up as well.

Is Zambrotta injured?

Probably

I have read on milannews.it few days ago that he's o.k now and hoping to play against Cesena.

In that case I'd put him over Bonera, we don't really need a defensive FB against Cesena

I'm so glad this is on Saturday, I have so much to do on Sunday its not even funny. I can't wait for this game, so excited.

robinho's on the bench?

I think so.

great.. than there's chance he'll be playing.. nice!

So Zambrotta is an attacking FB?

Bonera has been playing good as RB, so it makes sense to play him again as RB. I don't see why he should be benched for someone who just came back from an injury (if he can play).

+1

Seedorf might miss the game against Cesena as he's been training apart these last few days due to some minor injury. Allegri should be playing instead of him one between Gattuso and Boateng.

Link

Not really liking the pace of injuries so far. The season has barely started and we've already got Zambro, Flamini and Seedorf out.

At least its all minor knocks and nothing too serious yet. We'll see how long that lasts.

Well, Seedorf should recover for Auxerre, but Zambro and Flamini have been out for quite a while now.

For viewers in the UK with any provider who carry ESPN, ESPN will be on air free of charge this weekend including HD meaning this match will be live for all Sky, Virgin Media etc customers whether subscribed to ESPN or not.

Zambrotta is clearly not the player he used to be, but he's still a natural FB, which means he knows how to make over lapping runs and cross, while Bonera usually gets stuck when he passes the half way line.

And if Zambro's fit to play, I'd pick him over Bonera any day of the week, because he's a lot better then Bonera.

Bonera gives us defensive stability (Zambro is just as good on the defensive front) but he offers nothing going forward. Pato has no outlet with him there, while Zambrotta would provide more support.

when will the training with full squad begin after the international break, and where is ronaldinho did he only trained in gym or what?

Zambrotta used to be a much better fullback than Bonera, but the difference between the two isn't really that big nowadays. Both don't add much going forward, but it's not true Bonera adds nothing in that, just like Zambrotta not much. We already play with a leftback that adds a lot in attacking, but defensively Antonini isn't the best fullback. And since we don't got another fullback that can defend and attack well, most important is that the rightback can defend. We also play with three forwards, they can support eachother also. The formation is attacking.

Bonera played good last match and in pre-season as rightback, also his passing was good. I don't buy it he adds completely nothing attacking and that he gets usually stuck when he passes the half way line. I can't say Zambrotta has impressed me obvious more as rightback than Bonera nowadays. Bonera is doing a good job as rightback at the moment. I think he deserves a fair chance, surely since Zambrotta is still recovering or has just recovered from his injury. Let's bring Zambrotta slowly with subs, as long both Antonini and Bonera can play and play well.

Looks like Robinho will stay on the bench in this match. Logical choice, I say.

Zambrotta has barely played any matches since preseason started. So obviously Bonera has had a lot of time to play there. Yes Zambrotta's attacking game has gone downhill, but the fact that it's his natural position gives him the advantage as he's more comfortable playing there. He knows how to make the overlapping runs, something Bonera doesn't do, is a better crosser of the ball, and defensively, both are on par. That's why I'd choose Zambro.

Look at Bonera's Lecce game, yes he didn't put a foot wrong, but do I think we could have pushed a lot more on that right side had we had a FB playing there instead of a CB? YES!

The attacking LB/ defensive RB argument isn't really all that strong. Yes it makes sense, but most top clubs have attacking FBs on both sides of the pitch ex. Barca (Abidal/Adriano & Alves), Chelsea (Cole & Bosingwa), etc. Antonini isn't as defensively weak as you make him out to be. Last season he wasn't just one of our best players simply because of the runs he makes.

I agree that easing him in might be a better idea because of his injury and because there is Bonera there is no rush to put him in the starting 11. But I personally want him to be our starting RB this season, not Bonera.

Put Zambrotta on RB and we still don't got two attacking FBs on two sides. That natural position thing is not important and not even true. Zambrotta isn't a natural FB, he used to be a wide midfielder or so. How many players are awesome at a position that isn't their natural's? It matters how good you play on a position, not for how long or so. I'm not sure Zambrotta is still a better crosser than Bonera, I can't remember too many good crosses from Zambrotta last season.

It's not about the attacking fullback, it't about having options on the right, if Pirlo wants to put a ball through that side, Zambro knows how to make that run, if Pato needs more support Zambro can make overlapping runs to help him. And Bonera's crossing is just non-existant, he crossed like 2 balls against Lecce, both were flat and didn't go anywhere. Zambrotta is obviously the better one at it.

Zambrotta started out on the wing, but most players don't start out in the position they make their name playing in. Lippi move him to LB/RB and that's History, he became on of the best FB during his time. Bonera is a decent RB against so and so opposition always has been, his best position, given some continuaty in it, is at CB, no compeition. His 06/07 season with Milan was great and that was while playing at CB. Not at RB. He only played there on occasion, then he got sent off vs Juve and he never played there again, until this season because Zambro's been injured and Oddo's barely a player anymore.

i think they meant binho and not dinho.
why the hell would they play ronnie ahead of robinho

Because Ronnie has been in great form and is our only playmaker in the attack, while Robinho and Pato offer similar outcomes...

Robinho will be rotated with all 3. We have a monster schedule coming up. Don't worry he'll get a lot of minutes

I'd play this:


------Abbiati---

Bonera-Nesta-Silva-Antonini

--Gattuso-Pirlo-Ambrosini

-Pato----Ibra---Dinho



I'd swap gattuso with seedorf if he's fit. IMO we need to keep the line up as constitent as possible because we have a champions league match mid week. No use throwing someone like Zamb/flamini in there when they haven't played in a few weeks and will take 1 or 2 matches to get adjusted.

yeah i hope so

On Sportmediaset you can check the probable line-ups of every game, constantly being updated. Regarding our game, it looks like Nesta had a minor injury and should probably skip the trip altogether for precaution. Seedorf isn't feeling well either, so he should start from the bench.

We should probably play like this: Abbiati, Sokratis, T. Silva, Bonera, Antonini; Pirlo, Boateng, Ambrosini; Ronaldinho, Pato, Ibrahimovic.

I really don't think Allegri will field all of the "Fantastic 4" at once, that would be too much risky.

Especially without Nesta...

Seems we're having a lot of trouble with niggling injuries. As long as non of them are long term then we shouldn't have that much of a problem

I hope you mean Antonini LB, T.Silva LCB, Sokratis RCB, Bonera RB.

+1

It seems to be predicted we will play with that line-up with Sokratis and Silva in the middle. I like the line-up. Nice to see Boateng starting, and I hope Ambrosini won't play the whole match. Both Gattuso and Strasser are there to sub in for him, since Flamini is still out if I'm correct.

Yup.

Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf & Mathieu Flamini Out Of Milan's Trip To Cesena. goal.com official.

Various websites report that Gattuso should be playing instead of Seedorf. Not fair, we want Boateng!

Yep...

Maybe Boateng isn't ready to start yet... Rino wasn't as bad as he's been these past few seasons against Lecce. And I think he'll be fine against Cesena. Obviously Boateng would give us a lot more options...

Allegri: 'All four could play'

Milan boss Max Allegri says he could play all four of his high profile attackers against Cesena this weekend.

There is a great desire to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldinho play at the same time.

“Hopefully during the game there will be the chance to play all four, but we need time,” Allegri said.

“They have only just arrived and the team has worked for two months finding its balance, so we now need time to find it again.

“Ibrahimovic is fine and he'll play from the first minute. Cesena run a lot, concede little and can spread fear on the counterattack.

“Games are never won before you play them. I said that last year with Cagliari when we played against the big teams and I say it now that I coach Milan and we play the small teams.”

football-italia.net

sounds good if we're 2 goals up by 70th minute, otherwise he'd be getting carried away. in any case, i think this game will be tighter than first game and it seems he knows it so FORZA ALLEGRI. FORZA MILAN!

I dunno about Gattuso,Cesena's pacey counters might give him some issues.

Boateng is perfect for this game,i hope he starts.

I reckon Zambro could start ahead of Bonera so he can get some match practice for the midweek CL clash,he'll probably only get 60mins more or less.

Argggg :@

Nesta is injured again...

That's why I want Mexes so badly.

He's not injured, it's just a precaution for the CL game. And besides, we have Papa.

Have trust in Papastathopoulos...

I have a big trust in him. I think he's a formidable back up. Much more so than Mexes.

+1

Cesena 0-5 Milan is my prediction.

^ I hope. My prediction is 2-0 for us.

1-3. I'm not entirely sold on us defensively, so can't see us keeping straight clean sheets.

+1