I didn't know we were playing tomorrow night...

Hoping to see Mexes starting in this one, maybe give Taiwo a chance

Van Bommel, Inzaghi, Abbiati and Zambrotta not called for tomorrow.

Probable line-up: Amelia; Abate, Yepes, T. Silva, Antonini; Aquilani, Ambrosini, Nocerino; Boateng; Pato, Ibrahimovic.

We need a new leftback ASAP!

I'd really wish he'd drop Ambro and push Boateng back for these types of games. Play Robinho behind Ibra and Pato

And then the funny thing is that when we come up against Barca he drops Nocerino I'll never understand the thinking behind Allegri's decisions

Keita and Maxwell would make that line-up look indeed better. Antonini and Ambrosini are out two weak spots. Leftback usual is, and anchor also with a poor preforming Van Bommel these days.

Not saying I am all for Keita and Maxwell, but just a new leftback and anchor would be very nice to add as soon as possible.


Not fully risk free idea though. Because then you move away Nocerino from a position he excels, and what to expect from him in front of the defense? Same goes for Aquilani if you think about him instead to play there. I would keep Nocerino as LCM and Aquilani as RCM, it makes us look good in my opinion. And I think Boateng does well as AM.

VB is looking better these last few games, he's still getting back to last season's form.

Boateng is imo terrible as AM, sure he sometimes smashes in a goal, but all the fundamental input that one expects from an AM are not provided by Boateng, simply because he is not an AM. Boateng can easily be moved to a CM position in these types of games. I don't want Nocerino to be moved, he's a Rino type of DM, he does better on the side of midfield, Aquilani has been doing great on that right side but he can easily be shifted to a more central position, it's where he used to play at Roma. Boateng can either play in the center or on the right side.

In these types of games against mid to bottom level Serie A teams we do not need the 2 DMs plus the box-to-box man playing as an AM, it's just total overkill. We're scoring a lot, but we could be scoring more and playing better football if the midfield was linking up properly with the attack. Our goals are usually scored because they're created by Ibra/Robs/Pato. And that is why we struggle so much in the CL

Boateng in front of the defense wouldn't work. He's not that type of a player. I best see him on the right side, but that would mean dropping Aquilani, so for the moment AM is the only suitable position for him. When we (hopefully) sign one quality anchor and one quality trequartista next summer, then we can re-discuss Boateng's role in this team.

Agreed, an Abate + Boateng right side would look pretty good

Aquilani has played the central role before. Also, we're tallking about the Serie A games (and not even the big ones at that) I think we can afford to do this in these games.

Boateng is being wasted in that position while we're not utilising our team the best way we can.

Also, it's not an anchor if Ambro is dropped, we'd revert to the flat midfield 3 with the runners on the sides. At least it wouldn't hurt to try in games against the Chievos, Cagliaris, etc, etc of the league. See what Boateng can do in a more retreated position for next season.

He takes long to get back to last season's form then, and I wonder if that will ever happen again because he's very old, so becoming so much worse so soon can easily happen. I don't feel like gambling on better times with him. Get someone new! Because if not now, then soon anyway he needs to be replaced. And since he keep being poor, why not now? I don't feel like he is getting really better anyway.



The more central position you meant with other teams like Roma is not quite the same as being Milan's anchor. Aquilani and especially Boateng are really not the kind midfielder you should play there. You really think Boateng will do better when playing in front of the defense than when playing as AM? His defending skills are way too poor. You make Van Basten look like a good coach this way.

And Boateng as AM, I can only disagree with him being terrible as AM. Has he been really terrible? No. Just because he isn't the typical AM you have in mind when thinking about an AM doesn't make him a bad AM for Milan. Boateng actually offers the necessary at AM, that what he lacks is offered by others like our forwards and other midfielders. Ibrahimovic, Cassano, Aquilani, Seedorf, are all creative playmaking forces we got.

So you say Aquilani does excellent as right-centre mid. Yeah, then makes sense to move him to a different position. As if his defending skills are that well that he would be a great anchor for us. If anything, I would be shocked if he can have such a nice influence to the team like he has as right-centre mid where he has the room to make those many key passes he has made for us.

Both Nocerino and Aquilani have find their positions where they excel and thus make Milan much better. No need to change that. So moving Boateng to side-centre mid should only happen when Nocerino doesn't play (Seedorf obviously makes more sense as Aquilani's backup, though Clarence should play left-sided of course). And since we have no better options at AM than Boateng, Prince makes sense as our starting AM.


We struggled against Barça because of Van Bommel being a donkey, and the referee giving a penalty kick to Barça way too easily. Two very fortunate goals for Barça which has little to do with how Milan's line-up is. But yeah, we got forwards like Zlatan who create a lot for us, and thus a hard-working runner like Prince is a good add to it. Else we have all the creativity, but a lack of moving pacey players.

Oh..we moved from the mid-creative strategy under Allegri. This has been our biggest innovation.

Now our mid-field is meant to be compact and pressure the opponents, while releasing the ball to our heavy duty forwards ASAP.

Keeps us defensively strong, while attacking-wise besides having 4 top-of-the-line forwards, we have runners from mid-field who are added goalscoring threats.

And then there is Plan Z aka Give-it-to-Ibra!

easyy buddy, thats plan A allrrrrright

Give it to the gaffer and if it doesnt work, then we'll come up with some other ideas

Yes, we're so very strong that we're willing to lose to teams like Ajax and Tottenham at home out of mercy. Please! And even if I agreed to your comment, for instance, then why did Allegri change strategy and play a super-offensive (but slow + old) line-up against Barcelona? It merely resulted in another defeat. I swear, the guy is so clueless I don't know where to begin. Bring Carlo back!

Ah yes, Carlo Ancelotti. The NK Maribor of football coaches.

Yes, the guy of three CL finals in five years. Let me know when Allegri passes the first knock-out round.

Please. Ancelotti can't even make the CL when he doesn't have one of the best squads in Europe.

You're basing a lot on the Barca game where we went total gung ho and got beaten as a result (even if we did not deserve it)

Look at our recent CL outings and you'll see what I'm talking about, we couldn't even outplay teams like BATE and Victoria Pilzn for crying out laud!!

...and one Serie A title in 7 years despite having the best squad in the league.

GENOA: Frey, Granqvist, Dainelli, Kaladze, Mesto, Veloso, Constant, Rossi, Moretti, Pratto, Jankovic
.
MILAN: Amelia, Abate, Yepes, Thiago Silva, Antonini, Aquilani, Ambrosini, Nocerino, Boateng, Ibrahimovic, Robinho

I'd take that anytime if it means three CL finals and one semi-final in five years.



Pato has the fever.

Why are we playing tonight?! I nearly missed this game.

To test careless Milan fans.

I hope we win this one. Ahh, Pato, Pato...

My god, what's with the stupid camera angle???

Yeah why is it so low and wide??

Nocerino with 2 great chances, both replicas of each other

WTF was Ambro doing there? Yellow

Nocerino should have scored there

something weird happend

wow players going back

what the hell is going on?

WTF was the ref doing there giving Ambro yellow for doing nothing. Jankovic fell like a plum.

What's going on? Looks like tear gas has been thrown! That's just great..I hope both sets of players haven't been affected.

Tear gas. Oh dear...

Will the match be stopped?

Yes until the vapours have disappeared, can't expect players to play in that!

Those poor kids...

Tear gas used by Italian policeman outside the stadium, but the wind blew it inside. Match will be continued now.

Good.

and now a player is down

did pato make the bench or out completely?

He has a fever so he's not on the bench

We are totally dominating but wasting good chances.

Nooooo Ambro, the ball! Not the grass!!

ambro kicks the ground rather than the ball..

Ambro... Words fail me.

Big chance to score there for Ambro

what a poor FK

Why make the foul Antonini?? No brains at all I swear! Yellow

antonini should only play coppa

Antonini

That was a complete comedy moment