So, big match ahead for Milan. Just a few reminders:

- last match we lost against Napoli was an away match in the 07/08 campaign; afterwards we managed 3 ties and 3 wins.

- Milan could finally (if something during the week does not happen) have a well covered squad (Antonini? - I'd prefer we use Janku or even Emanuelson before sending Bonera or Oddo play the LB, like Allegri usually does).

- Napoli await Villareal on Thursday for the Europa League, so they will be a bit more tired.

- Napolis true strenght is their home soil. They lost both to Lazio and Inter on away front.

and i think levazzi will be suspended as well.

Hoping the Filippo luck train rolls on in the league with a win.

Drawing would be bad, losing would put the title back in Inter's grasp imo. Agreed on the bit about Napoli's strngth being at home.

Is Antonini defeinately out? If that is the case then Urby should definately get the nod. Oddo is horrible on that side, looked completely lost yesterday.

My 11 for the game



Rino or Flamini? Doesn't really matter, Flamini will give us more in terms of speed and work while rino was very good against Chievo. VB is an obvious choice for me in the midfield at this point in time, same goes for Boateng, hopefully Allegri doesn;t decide to be adventurous and play Merkel in this one.

Pato imo has to play, Ibra could be dieing but I'd still play him in this one. Cassano or Robinho? Depends on what we need, Robinho provides better movement while Cassano provides better vision and support for the 2 strikers.

Win or die! Or at least, prepare to die. The league will be wide open if we come out with anything other than 3 points.

I'd pick Cassano-Pato-Ibra and put Robinho at rest for a while, even though he is in form.

Allegri will start either Ambro or Gattuso, because they are team captains and he follows that premise. So I suppose no Flamini for sure. Merkel? I don't think Allegri trust him, so I'm sure he'll play Boateng.

The leftback is a big question. Why not Jankulovski? I'd take him over Urby anyday.

Btw. it seems our coach has no confidence in Emanuelson. If it was me, I'd pick him over Merkel anyday.

And when will Strasser return?

This here is the real tes for Allegri, so far he's failed in all of them when he's come up against good opposition and experienced coaches: Real, Juve, Roma, Spurs, Ajax

Well, don't be that harsh and unfair. He won us the Maddonina, he drew with Mourinho and won against Napoli in Neaples. That counts too!

Robinho would be a great wild card to throw on, he really turned it up against Parma when he came off the bench, that's a lot of energy to put in when the match has played out 60 or more minutes and legs are tiring. Pato offers something different coming off the bench but doesn't offer the movement Robs does so is slightly easier to handle imo. that's why I'd go with Pato, Ibra, Cassano as well.

Is Ambro fit? Wasn't he out for atleast 6 weeks? Team captain or not, if netiher Rino or Ambro are playing well we shouldn't jeopardise games because of a title they have within the team. Flamini atm is on par with Rino but imo will help us counteract Napoli's speed and movement. Ambro was playing horridly before he got injured, doubt he's turned that around...

Hmm, Janku is so out of ractice these days, I really don't want him coming up against Maggio. Allegri clearly has a lot of issues to work through sure Urby missed a sitter against Lazio but Merkel has done it as well, dismissing players for ridiculous reasons while giving others chance after chance has become a hallmark of Allegri. Sokratis <-> Bonera anyone

Inter were barely even a team when we played them. He drew with Mourinho why? Because of his small team tactics, Pippo could have won us that game, but the corner flag wasting time tactic is another big test failure. Napoli we were playing against 10 men for a lot of time IIRC.

All of these factors come into play, when it was 11 vs 11 and he came up against a wiley old coach like Mou, Del Neri and Ranieri he failed big time

Play Merkel.

Fine I'll play along.

Play merkel.

Thought I'd just get it out the way should have really wrote.

Play Merkel.

Don't play Merkel.

We have this discussion every time, he's not ready.

But he's young.

He's not ready.

He's talented.

This match is too important.

He's our future.

He's not as good as you make out.

Fine...




play Merkel.

Love it, but seriously he's not ready

Play Merkel.

Play Merkel.


Abate-----Nesta----Thiago----Urby
--------Van Bommel----Rino---------
-------Boateng---------Merkel/Zee---
-----------------------Cassano--------
--------------Pato------------------------

This is what I'd like to see. A 4-4-1-1 on defence, an X-Mas on offence....and I think this could take on their 3-5-2 pretty easily....

But we shall play the usual with Boateng or Zee in the hole. And Ibra and Cassano.

Why on friggin' earth are you leaving Zlatan out?

Guys, I can 99% assure you, this is how we're going to play against Napoli:

Yep, I agree. Allegri is both stubborn, inflexible and lacks of vision for those important (big) matches. So I expect him to take out his usual formation and usual squad, minus Merkel and Cassano or plus Boateng and Pato.

Antonini is the only question.

And what's with Pirlo? When do we have to expect him back?

In about a month.

Just coz he looks like a camel, doesn't mean he works like one. He needs a rest. He's slogged his *** off...and you can see as the season progresses he's becoming more and more invisible. Whatever form he's got, we're rubbing it off.

But your formation is pretty much exactly what will be played. Allegri will say one week is more than enough for Ibra.

How do you think we will fare out in this fixture?

^^

If we can score early, we will win. The longer we drag this match, the longer we will suffer. Napoli are young. And they fear nothing! The longer we take to dominate, the easier it becomes for them.

@ home. no Lavezzi => No excuses, must win.

Yeah right.

We have no mid-week games, and 8 days (we play on Monday) are more than enough to rest a player.

They will also have a tough second leg match to play on thursday night so there is no reason why we can't run them over with the right players on the pitch.

I kid you not!

I don't remember where I read it today, but apparently Antonini might stay out for a couple of weeks due to injury. I swear, if Allegri plays Oddo over Emanuelson and Dídac Vilà, I'm going to kill him!!!

I'll help you!!!!!!!!!

Bonera will recover

I would give first Didac a chance, (and then maybe Furby). Anyway, Oddo I would not play as left-back, ever. Bonera I understand, but Oddo, nah. I still am waiting for Zambrotta to return, our best left-back (which says enough).

I'd play Urby. He has experience and more suited for this game. I'm all for giving Didac a chance and see what he's worth, but in a game against weaker team.

Jankulovski is still a Milan player.

That played like 10 minutes this season and even then it was in midfield. He's a finished player that will leave to some Czech team at the end of the season.

Really?? You don't say.

Sadly.

Zambrotta is still a great FB to have.

Understanding Bonera being played at LB is a mystery to me, he's an utter disaster. I wouldn't even look Vila's way for this one, too crucial to give a kid his debut in. It's between Urby and Janku imo.

I'm sure Allegri doesn't think that way though Will probably play Oddo or Bonera there if he's back

I'd be a bit disappointed if Urby wasn' played. But maybe he just sucks and has no positioning at all. De Vito?




Yeah right!!!

It isn't that bad. He's a great third choice. I mean, what's Reals or Barcelonas third choice LB?

If the choice is between Furby and Janku I'd go easily for Jankulovski. We've seen Janku rarely this season, so I cannot really judge how he is nowadays, but it's not impossible he's our current best left-back when Zambrotta is out. And THAT says a lot. Didac, I don't know him at all. And Antonini has been very poor this season. And Furby as left-back is very weak anyway. These sad assumptions makes considering Bonera as left-back not that bad idea. Just saying that. Not saying Bonera is a good left-back.

I don't know, but definitely someone better than Jankulovski.

Yeah right. Remarkable how subjective you can be.

Hey, lay off Bonera, he's our new Favalli

Can Merkel play as LB?

Jankulovski has been really terrible vs Inter last season, but then later in that season Jankulovski did pretty well IMO. Though he's older now, and plays rarely, so not sure what to expect nowadays, but I did like his last prefomance, and I noticed him defensively doing pretty well that match.

Given the fact how awful we are in left-backs at the moment I would not mind giving Janku a shot. Zambrotta is still a good left-back, but with him out, I dunno if we got another good option left...

And Justin Bieber is the new Michael Jackson. Bro..please!

Sadly, we need Merkel too much in midfield as long as Pirlo is out IMO. Don't get me wrong, I like the kid, but it's sad he is our only alternative to Pirlo. (Seedorf I don't count anymore, he's too awful IMO.)

You mean, you actually considered him at LB for a moment??!! I like you Chu-Lip. We should get a drink together.

Eh... sure...

I would consider everyone as left-back at the moment.

What about Flamini? It's an emercency, play that guy as left-back as long as Zambro is out, and sell him coming Summer. Is also an option...

Yeah. That sounds possible. Mattie's played LB before.