Final game before the winter break, and we could go in to as joint leaders should things go our way in the Juve - Udine game on wednesday.

A complete must win

Mediaset's probable line-up: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Bonera, T. Silva, Antonini; Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino; Boateng; Ibrahimovic, Pato.

WTF?! Bonera over Mexes? Over my dead body. And of course Allegri could never play Taiwo for two games in a row so he could gain more initiative and confidence. Let's play hopeless Antonini instead.

Wasn't Mediaset's probable lineup wrong last time?I think it said Bonera was going to play in the place of Mexes.


Anyway,Allegri even said that he still has doubts for the starting lineup tomorrow,so it will be a last minute thingy.

They keep constantly changing it as they get updated.

Gazzetta and Sky have Mexes starting.

Let's hope so.

Both gazzetta and mediaset have this line-up

Milan (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Zambrotta, Bonera, T. Silva, Antonini; Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino; Boateng; Ibrahimovic, Pato

Cannot believe that he is actually considering dropping Mexes for Bonera. And if Antonini is the only option than Taiwo should be given another chance to get 2 consecutive starts. It's not like the other option is any better

btw, anyone know what the problem with Abate is?

So Galliani said Taiwo is going to stay, and also Allegri was positive about him last match. But if you are not going to give him two games in a row, he will never gain confidence nor form. Way to go, that's the way to go, Max.

Mexes probably can't start two times in just a few days. Remember he has just recovered from a long term injury? It are no robots, it are humans, sometimes people seem to forget this.

And if Antonini and Zambrotta were going to start as our fullbacks I would play Antonini rightback, because I think we will get more out of him there, including his crossing. Zambrotta may be at best at leftback anyway.

Agreed on Taiwo.

Mexes recovered from his knee injury a while ago, he just had a set-back because of a fracture or whatever it was in his hand. He's more than ok to start this game, he's been fit and training with the team for a while now. Choosing Bonera over him is just ridiculous. We need continuity in defence, all this shifting around is causing even Silva to make the odd mistakes here and there because he's covering the @ss of 2 extra players since Antonini is starting on the left for some mysterious reason that only Allegri can answer

As for Antonini on the right, it won't work, it was tried before, he's just clueless, shifting him to a position he's even less comfortable in will do even more harm

Han, there's a huge difference between training and playing two games in a row as a starter. Against Siena, he played longer than expected. We often here want people to be rested mid-weeks. I don't understand why we now want to risk Mexes to start him again. He probably is not ready for this. Thankfully Bonera has been preforming well usually so far this season. Let's hope he can help the team getting another three points.

Antonini has failed as leftback over and over again too, as if he's never been clueless there. I don't necessary believe he would be less confortable at rightback. Potentially wise you can get the best out of Antonini and Zambrotta if they would swap sides. We can take better advantage of Antonini's crossing on the right, and of Zambrotta's cutting on the left.

I know it's not the same, but it's not as if he's just been declared fit from an injury. And that was my point. He can handle this game. Allegri is just falling back on what is familiar to him. Bonera makes 1 to 2 mistake in each game, without fail. Sometimes they are minor, sometimes they are major ones. Against Siena he ruined the offside trap all on his own, and we're lucky not to have conceeded from that chance, which was arguably the most clear cut one in the match before Pato's shot was blocked off the line.

Zambrotta is good either side. He won't be bombing forward, which is the best option seeing as our defence is unstable. Antonini is not familiar on the right, why invite even more trouble upon yourself by switching him there. Sure he's naturally right footed, but there is a reason as to why he always plays on the left. It's not as trivial as which foot is his strongest

How can you be so sure?

I think you underrate the time is needed for a player to become fully fit, let alone after a long term injury. You may think he's fit enough, but I don't believe he's as fit as you think he is. It's very unlikely Allegri prefers Bonera over Mexes. Starting Mexes again in just a few days is really rushing him back.

I notice how you get upset with Allegri everytime, often unnecessary. You love to do so, and I guess that's why you now am so convinced Mexes is fully fit, and Allegri preferring Bonera, while that's far for sure, and probably BS.

The reason Antonini plays on the left, is because our best fullback is a rightback. Antonini has played rightback many times before, and actually long time ago the first time I saw him was at rightback, and he impressed me that day. Sure, also bad ones, but that's not the side, but that's Antonini. I just would give it 'another' shot.

Lol, so it's just me that has it out for Allegri, therefore I'm only projecting that hate onto everything he does, thus, I'm imagining Mexes to be fit? That's your whole theory correct? I think that is what is BS. Everyone here has been waiting for Mexes to play for a while, that says enough on how long he's been fit from the knee injury. Yes, he had a set-back with his hand, but usually important players are played immedately after they get back from Injury, Allegri would probably push Ibra out on crutches if that's what it took to get him to play after an injury. Allegri clearly favours players over others, and he's made this abbundantly clear, sometimes with baffling if not ridiculous choices.

As for Antonini, give me a list of the "many" (as you call it) times he's played at RB? I can probably count a handful of occasion where Antoniniplayed at RB, and that was a long time ago under Carlo, in unimportant Europa League games

Mexes is fully fit and can play as many games as he likes. He said it himself. The guy has recovered since a while. Playing him for two games in a row is considered normal at this stage.

Allegri is full of sh*t. Instead of consolidating our defense, he keeps switching players game in and game out. I'll never trust this man.

Oh, and Robinho will start ahead of Pato.

Mexes: "My knee is fine now, and I'm probably around 80% fit.

It's not just two games in a row , it's 2 games in 4 days which he hasn't done since Roma days more than 6 month ago. So it's understandable why they want to bring him back gradually and It's not like we have that tough of a game today. I guess he will play more after January training camp.

Nah, all this precaution is excessive. He would have played just fine tonight if Allegri wasn't full of poop. After all, a player needs continuity in order to progress and reach full fitness, thing which isn't being done with Mexes and Taiwo.

More bad news. Ambrosini to play instead of Van Bommel.

Bonera, Antonini, Ambrosini. It looks like Allegri doesn't want to win this at all cost.

Source

Abbiati; Bonera, Mexes, T. Silva, Taiwo; Aquilani, Ambrosini, Nocerino; Boateng; Ibrahimovic, Robinho

Agazzi; Pisano, Canini, Ariaudo, Agostini; Thiago Ribeiro, Nainggolan, Ekdal; Cossu; Larrivey, Ibarbo

Would have preferred Zambrotta on the right, but it's still better than the initial hypothesized line-up.

Just shows you not to bash milanfan's public enemy number one ahead of time

It's my fault for trusting all those sources ahead of time.

Still, Allegri is full of poop.

He still f'd up in other areas so the bashing is still justified

For some it's always justified.

I'm o.k with Ambro playing against such opponents. It's important not to exhaust MVB and keep him relatively fresh for more crucial games later on.

3 points

thank you

I think you forget that this is the last game before 8th January. He could have afforded to play this one.

And I think previous performances show that it is not ok to have Ambro starting these games

Cagliari's formation is pretty weird to me,only know 3-4 names :/
We must be able to kick their ***

So what? It's still 2 games in 4 days and MVB is not getting any younger.

He was o.k in the last games he played, so I see nothing wrong with that.

NOCERINO!!!!

Nocerino Nocerino 1-0

Great movement from Ibra and Robs

Great start! Nice assist from Robinho.

Ambro and Bonera both showing why they shouldn't be starting

Giving them a lot of space in midfield. Already 3 really good chances for them

Oh my. I can feel a Bonera mishap coming from a mile away tonight! Why didn't he just start Zambro there??

we cant seem to keep ball for more than a few seconds

Ambro yellow, Aqui yellow

Better watch it

Aqui really risking it there, could have been a second yellow.

He wasn't going anywhere! Don't foul him!

what a boring half quite poor display.... robinho and ibra had the arguement in the end??

Bring Pato on for someone in the second half

I think it's because Ibra stayed in the offside position instead of running back, they couldn't pass to him so they had to move the ball back. Robs had a point

Taiwo is just...stupid.He's worse than Antonini imo

Awful first half. Bonera is faceplam material.

Why, I think he was decent. It's not like his teammates are doing any better.

He started well,had a nice interception.Then,started to punt the ball everytime he got it hopelessly.Then he started losing it in his half.

Taiwo, I didn't see him do anything that bad, nothing special but he managed. Bonera made a couple of howlers there. Ambro lost the ball a couple of times which lead to dangerous situations while Aquilani seems to have a red card wish for christmas...

The attacking trio haven't really done anything aside for the move which lead to the goal

Maybe our other horrenduous fullback overshadowed Taiwo's mistakes

Aqui Why to the middle?