Hopefully we get our Scudetto challenge back on track and the Real and Juve games won't be a huge mental block for us. Although this team under Allegri doesn't seem to have a spine

If we wanna play our best:Of course you could rest someone, and give playing time to someone like Ambrosini.

Abbiati's hasn't been flawless enough, so let's see if Amelia can do better - he already showed being very good.

*Oops, Boateng seems to be suspended.

Sportmediaset's early prediction: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Nesta, T. Silva, Antonini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Robinho; Inzaghi, Ibrahimovic.

Don't forget, Boateng is suspended. I'd substitute Gattuso and Seedorf with Flamini and Ambrosini. Ronaldinho benched, obviously.

"If e wanna play our best" ?

Oops. I don't understand why Antonini should start, he has been awful and Abate played a good game. Abate is really earning his place over Antonini. Abate can't be needing a rest at the moment.

+1. Abate's learning the defensive phase slowly but surely. His performance against C-Ron was not bad.

All I want is a Flamini--Pirlo--Boateng mid and I'm happy.

As for the Antonini Abate debate, I don't really believe Abate has earned anything. Cristiano and Di Maria practically ran through him and Rino on more then one occasion. Antonini had a bad game yes, but it didn't deserve the exhile.

I see Allegri is thinking of starting Pippo, and imo it would be a big mistake. Pippo is not a player you want in there from minute 1, I say put him in to do some damage in the first half but not from the start. Allegri seems to have the habit of ignoring what a player does for a complete month and just benching him for making a misstep. Yet some players who are mediocre week in week out still play regularly.

Again, Boateng is suspended for this game.

Opps I meant Ambro....

Anyway this is what we'll see from Allegri



He'll give Pippo a game in the league, Pippo will most likely misfire and get caught offside too many times to count and we'll go back to Pato slugging it out on the right

You really fail to see anything improvement in Abate? Di Maria ran through Zambro, and it was Zambro's positional flub that saw pedro leon sneak in behind him. Im not demanding that Abate be our starter, but failing to see that he's getting better is a bit unfair.

C-Ron was on Abate's side, and C-Ron was a frustrated figure all game.

Meanwhile, whatever di Maria and C-Ron did to Abate, Momo Sissoko did to Antonini.

Di Maria and C.Ron switched sides during the game on more then one occasion.

C.Ron acted like a major @ss hole from minute one, it had nothing to do with Abate frustrating him. Yes Zambro made mistakes, not saying he's faultless but he's still the best option at this point in time and imo far better at RB

Abate struggled whenever C.Ron ran at him. It doesn't really matter to me who plays against Bari, it doesn't really matter, bot are adequate enough for such a game, but Abate in the big games imo is asking for trouble. Antonini was terrible against Juve no denying that, but aside from that he's been mostly good this season

yeah but there are also some games where Ronaldo rips his opposing full back to shreds and scores 4 times. it's obvious that no matter who guards him, he's going to give that defender A LOT of difficulty. The fact that he didn't score when cutting in from the left, tested abbiati once from nearly 30 meters out (doesn't matter who defends him, he'll still hit that shot), and didn't put in too many deadly crosses from the left is testament enough to whatever cover Abate was able to provide for our CBs from C-Ron. Considering he didn't rip our backline up entirely, i'd say it was an OK job by our guy. you make it sound like C-Ron completely trampled all over our defense. he didn't have that rampant a time...

so essentially, the logic for both is similar. Abate can play against smaller teams. Antonini has 'been mostly good this season' against smaller teams. So, Antonini and Abate can play all they want against bad teams, but against good sides they're both trouble. I have always maintained I find Antonini an average player, from the day he hit our lineup on a consistent basis (similar to how I said Huntelaar is an average player the day we signed him).

Meanwhile Abate is 23 while Antonini is 28. In the long run, I prefer to see Abate play in big games while he's young, and see if he can learn from it. Antonini is already as good as hes going to be, and is little more than an average player.

Man, you really misstrust Pippo. I mean, how can you be right when just the last Serie A match when Pippo started (and scored) shows the exact opposite. What can possibly go that bad? I mean, Pato's zero-zero stat isn't a alternative that makes me think twice. Just give Pippo a shot.


Maybe this is the occasion to try him out. But you won't convince me he'll ever make it to be a good defender/fullback.

Hey fair enough. I'm not trying to convince you of it. He hasn't convinced me of it either. I was just pointing out he wasn't BAD. Bad was Antonini against Juve or Abate v. Inter last year. Abate against Madrid a few days ago was not BAAADDD.

+1

Playing such game against Cristiano Ronaldo is actually pretty good, and gives me confidence for playing Abate as full back in future. Confidence I have been lacking when it comes to Antonini nowadays.

None of our full backs will ever become a good one, so until we sign newbies, Abate FTW (at least for now).

Agreed. Pippo deserves his spot against Bari, and Pato deserves some bench-time to get his act together.

I would give Pirlo a rest very shortly, maybe not this game coz boateng is out... but maybe the next game before we face Inter. Pirlo has been doing a lot of work and has played every game (including internationals) and his passing ability is deteriorating fast.
I don't really care which full back plays because they are all the same... can do a job but are inconsistent and we are in desperate need of some reinforcement (which we probly won't get)

Anyway I think we will win this game 3-1, Pippo to come off the bench and score one.

I think Pirlo has been one of our best players so far, if not the best. Too bad his talent is being wasted by doing more defending than creating.

He has been our best player.. and more importantly, our most consistent player. It's just that he isn't young anymore and I'm sure a rest would do him the world of good, especially just before the Inter game.

That is the Pirlo I liked so much, strong in both defending and creating. I think that's a good thing. We play with Ronaldinho in front of him and the other midfielders, so he should create in a more attacking position than Pirlo, unfortunality, Ronaldinho fails in that every now and then, especially against tough sides.

Agreed there. In the long run it would obviously be smarter to invest more time and effort on Abate no question about it. But imo Abate scares ma a lot more then Antonini. Again his Juve performance was just awful, but Antonini has played in a lot of big games in these past few months and I never really had anything bad to say about him, so I'm choosing to believe that he just had an off day at the office.

Abate or Antonini? Neither of them is really Milan material. It's another case of both players working their @sses off for my team so I find it hard to criticise, but if they're not really delivering defenisve stability to the team then they can run all they want they're still going to be a massive problem for us.


When was it that Pippo started a league game? He always came off the bench this season and scored might I add. Again, I'm not against Pippo, but imo he's best when coming off the bench, defenders are tired, he's quick and hard to handle, he can easily slip a defender or make them commit a foul in a dangerous area.


Agreed!


Pirlo was never really great in the defensive area, Rino just shielded him completely so he gave that impression. Now that he's practically being left to dog it out on his own due to the way the midfield is being played and the quality of the DM, his defensive frailties are becoming glaringly obvious. He still qorks his @ss off trying to defend and create but the man can't do it all, he's not 25 anymore, he plays every 3 days and has to work like a dog in every game

When you ask? 4th round, Milan-Catania. Started, scored. How could you forget?

Oops! I easily forget things that happen over a month ago

Hahaha. Now I reminded you

I really hope Allegri rests Pirlo and Gattuso. They are one card away from a suspension.

Thiago and Antonini are out for tomorrow. Allegri said he'll play Yepes alongside Nesta.

Milan (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Yepes, Zambrotta; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf; Inzaghi, Ibrahimovic.

Link

Are they injured severely,or is Allegri just resting them?

I don't really like that midfeild :S.

Well Thiago had that bit of a niggle in the 2nd half of the Real Madrid game, so he was over cautious then. It is only safe that he is rested for the derby match. Antonini I reckon is still hurting after that hideous collision. So basically Allegri is playing safe with both.

So Simply Flamini has to play,I expected Allegri to call Strasser or Merkel...but he called up five midfeild players and five strikers/attackers.In the midfeild,I'd play Flamini,Ambrosini and Pirlo.Pato and Robinho in attack or Pato Ibra or Ibra Robinho.Dinho as a Trequistra ofcourse

The only good thing about this line-up is Yepes. He really deserves this debut, especially after Sokratis ****** up.

The midfield? Hah, it's a gamble. It sounds slow, but maybe against Bari it will work. Why not try out Flamini and Strasser, that and why not rest Pirlo I don't understand?

No, Thiago's injury happened in the first half, around the 40' if I remember correctly. And Antonini has the flu.

Guys, if you give a closer look to that line-up, only two players (Abate and Ibra) are under 30. That is seriously worrying. I really hope Allegri finally decides to give a chance to Flamini, the guy is being ignored to a ridiculous extent. If I was in his place, I'd be seriously p!ssed off.

Allegri may rest Pirlo,good indicator.

http://www.football-italia.net/nov06o.html

Hopefully that line-up is dead wrong!!!

We'll barely get out of the gate!! Seedorf?? I'd rather try Robs in hole again before Seedorf starts from the beginning!!!

Rino, Pirlo, Ambro in midfield. We talk all week about how our problems are in midfield and Allegri is trying to make it even worse!! FFS I really can't stand the man any longer!! Also Pippo needs to be a sub not a starter!

Pirlo will have a rest, apparently. So we can expect Seedorf to be the playmaker, most probably with Rino and Ambro at his sides. Super fast and young midfield!

I know. It was just a slip of keys, LOL. Silva was monstrous in the opening minutes, but he was being cautious before and after the halfway mark. Playing with the pain, most probably.


This. Needs to be posted twice. Rotate him with Boatang if need be, but this is just not on. Almost every squad player requires some playing time every now and then, just to keep off the rust. And to think he's not even playing the young players, this is plain stupid.

I'd rather go with this the have Seedorf as our sole playmaker






Well even Fester agrees with me

I wouldn't mind starting Pippo in this one, the guy's earned it. What worries me is our midfield, or rather, Allegri's incapability of fielding a decent 3-man back-line. We'll continue of seeing "good" ol' Gattuso playing every three games as an AM, Pirlo being relegated to a defender, Flamini being wasted on the bench and Seedorf doing his "thing". Without a proper midfield, we could sign Messi or Ronaldo, but it wouldn't change a single goddamn thing.

Exactly my point!!

But Pippo from the start to me a is a no no. The guy is brilliant coming off the bench and I really want to see Pato getting another chance playing as a striker. As I said yesterday, all our problems are tactical, not personnel related. Rino aside that is)

Given the right combination in midfield, and attack we're more then good to go. What worries me is Allegri. He's just so stubborn and seems resolute on playing the rigid 4-3-3 even though all the players are struggling in it

Han, we agree on 99% of the things you say, but as for the Pippo thing...

I really don't understand you - what can we loose? Okay, don't play Pippo as a starter against Inter, or when you have a Pato of last season. But we play against Brescia and the alternative is Pato who looks tired and out of form. Last time Inzaghi played he scored 2 goals against a Real Madrid/Mourniho defense and last time he started in Serie A as well he scored. I don't get the distrust. It really has no foundation; I really want to see Pato getting another chance playing as a striker does not count, it's no explanation why he shouldn't get that one chance. Pato got plenty of them.

^ We're playing Bari, and I agree with you.

Pato didn't get many chances to play as a striker,Pipo won't start matches that's what galliani said at least.

I think the mistrust comes from the chances Pippo loses when he's given the chance to start. Against Real he cam on and scored yes, but we were gifted those goals, and for some strange reason Pippo got 2 out of 2 when usually to score that many he needs something like 15 clear cut chances.

Pato hasn't even seen the right side of goal in the last few games. A player that has great instinct to score and rarely fluffs his chances, yet he's playing as a right winger.

Watching the Inter-match so I made a lapsus calami. Sorry

Again, you're being just rediculous! I mean, do you belive Pippo would have been that immortal, that kind of a record-breaker if he'd score 2 goals in 15 chances? You totally exaggerated this so-called missing of chances. And btw. Ibrahimovic also nets every 5th or 6th chance he gets. Why not start Pippo-Pato then.
----
But really. Let's say it once more plainly: Ibra scored in the last 4 matches 2 goals, Pato scored zero and Pippo 2. Let's give Inzaghi the chance.

Why does it matter,if we let him play a full match then he will run out of fuel fast.We just have to use him efficiently,let him play in the last thirty minutes.If you don't want Pato to start,then Robinho is more then good for this game.

I think you're thinking about a different Pippo Pippo didn't break that record in the last 3 seasons. Most of those goals came when he was absolutely lethal. The chance of Pippo missing a sitter back then was zero to null. The Pippo of these past few seasons has been missing 9 chances out of the 10 he gets. And it's not something I'm making up in my head, it's actual facts.

Also I didn't say I was happy with Ibra either but it seems like he's untouchable to Allegri (I think he's afraid of him more then anything else ) so what's the point of saying I want a Pippo Pato partnership upfront when that's not going to happen?

Again you're giving me Pato's record of his last 2 games, but point out to me one scenario where Pato actually got a decent chance in either one of those games, while Ibra has been mishitting most of them

han, I believe you're thinking too much about this. We're only playing Bari, and it's not a tragedy if Pippo starts in at least one game. It's not like he will be a sure starer from now on. Cause even if bonehead Allegri wanted that, Inzaghi simply can't play every three days. He said it, Galliani said it, the guy's 37 after all.

Yes, he's had not many chances, but for god sake, he's a striker! And not 2 last matches, but 4. I just think the bench will do good to the boy. This has been an awfull year so far for him - divorce, Ronaldinho parties, not called up by a moron coach to the world cup, playing dispositioned by another stupid coach, still recovering from a good but seasons marked by injuries...I understand it perfectly. I don't attack the kid, nor do I say he deserves to be crossed off! I just think that a player like Fillipo Inzaghi deserves to start from time to time against the Bari's of Serie A. He deserves it, it will benefit Pippo as well as Pato.

I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about the game in general and the one coming after it. We need these 3 points, anything less will put us into further problems. I'm worried about the team that's going to go out there



I can't see us creating more then 6 chances with that line-up, and with Ibra shooting blanks and Pippo's huge potential to shoot blanks, I'm worried big time about it.


We'll see... I'm not going to try and argue this anymore, I've stated what my concerns are with this above.

If we're really struggling Dinho/Pato/Pirlo can all step in. Problem is Allegri takes so long to react that he'd probably put them in at the 80th

If we played Flamini over Rino, and let both him and Ambro do the defensive work, I can see Seedorf, Robinho and Ibra managing just fine against the crap Bari defense, which is the worse of Serie A so far. I just don't want three over 30 in midfield, thus Rino must go out.