Early kick off on Sturday.

I just hope we snap out of it, but no Ibra or VB, plus all the other starters being injured. Sadly, I can't see us winning this. And at this point we should be watching our backs as Lazio are breathing down our necks.

With the available players, I'm thinking we'll have to go for something like this (based on what Allegri prefers)



I think Robinho and El Shaa roam too much to start up front together. We'll need Maxi as a focus point for the attack

I don't think Abate will be able to play.

Expected line-up vs. Udinese (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Bonera-Mexes-Silva-Antonini; Emanuelson-Ambrosini-Nocerino; Seedorf; El Shaarawy-Lopez.

Eww.. what a hideous lineup.

Can't wait for us to lose this game to see everyone doing their routine bashing of Max because he couldn't win with that very amazing squad

So injuries will likely force us to play Emaneulson, Ambro and Seedorf together along with no Pato or Ibra. Away at a team who has the best home record in European football.

Anything less than a 3-0 win is unacceptable.

EDIT: if we somehow win though, it'll be just another fluke like "Roma" and certainly no counterpoint against the favorite argument among the Max haters.

There are better options than that line-up. But Allegri will no doubt choose to go with it. At this point Ambro cannot start, even as a last resort. He's just too much of a liability for us atm. He basically assisted Juve's winner FFS!

If Allegri wanted to show some balls, he'll go for something like this



In reality that is the best possible 11 we can put out.

Seedorf is just not working out as an AM, he needs to be on that left side to perform well. I think Nocerino is more than capable of playing in the center. Obviously he wouldn't be doing the same job as VB as he's not a holding DM, but he'll certainly do better than calamity Ambro

At least with this line-up we'll know that we've tried. The important thing is to keep possession and not lose the ball in dangerous areas. And playing an Ambro, Nocerino, Urby midfield would do just that. Having Seedorf there would help with controling possession better

btw, since when is Abate injured?? At this point we won't have a team left for the CL game

btw, I love how you guys are already thinking up excuses for Allegri should we lose. And you say we Allegri haters are desperate

I think it's pretty common to talk about about how we feel things will go in a pre-game match. To expect anything from this game would be a little off the mark I think.

More pain on the way I think.

I think a 1-0 defeat. If Ambro and the back 5 put in a great game, we might pull out a 0-0, but I just don't see it.

Called up players for the game against Udinese: Amelia, Roma, Piscitelli (51), Abate, Antonini, Bonera, Mesbah, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Ambrosini, Emanuelson, Nocerino, Seedorf, Cristante (34), Innocenti (35), El Shaarawy, Inzaghi, Maxi Lopez, Robinho.

I don't want to see Seedorf play as AM again, he simply disappoints there. Yet we need his creativity (especially now without Ibrahimovic), and because of the lack of AM then, we should play three forwards including Robinho, and thus the midfielders need to be defensively strong, so Emanuelson must play too since he has a huge defensive contribution (more than Nocerino - who preforms better in a 4 man midfield (because then he can be the 3rd attacker, but with 3 forwards not) and against weaker sides). So I guess I want this midfield+attack to start:



If only we signed someone like Honda last month. Instead of Seedorf at AM these days, Honda can play there. Or instead of what I just posted Honda at AM and Nocerino at LCM. Why didn't we sign a much needed creative CM/AM?

You simply cannot drop a player like Nocerino for either Urby or Ambro, one of them would have to be dropped for him.

I'd personally vote for Ambro, If you want defensive stability than Ambro simply should not play as he's a major liability for us.

I don't understand the Nocerino Ambro part. Ambrosini will play as anchor since Van Bommel cannot. That has nothing to do with Nocerino who plays at a whole different position. And I explained why I prefer Emanuelson over Nocerino for this match / for my line-up based on other decisions and missings.

Ambrosini and Emanuelson are our best midfielders available for this match defensive wise.

Than Nocerino can play in the center. As I said, he's not a classic holding mid, I agree with that, but he can still do what he does every week from a slightly more central position than his LCM position. This will free up that space for Seedorf, which you agreed to as well.

Ambro one of our best mids available?? Really?? He was our biggest enemy against Juve. Even Filippo finally admitted what a problem he was for us on Wednesday. I don't know if you saw the game, but if you did, you wouldn't want Ambro anywhere near that starting team sheet.

You can't say Urby and Ambro are our best mids available, not when you want to drop Nocerino for one of them.

I said defensive wise, and they are. Ambrosini played good until later in the match when he got tired. He should have been subbed off, because a tired Ambrosini you don't wanna have on the pitch. I don't understand why Allegri didn't sub off Ambrosini, but Van Bommel instead while the latter is suspended tomorrow and Ambrosini will start.

I prefer all of Ambrosini, Seedorf and Emanuelson to play as our anchor over Nocerino, I trust them all over him on the ball and when trying to make a sliding or tackle. Ambrosini played a full match last Wednesday, and tomorrow is our next. So maybe we can play Nocerino LCM, Seedorf anchor and Emanuelson RCM. So then Nocerino can still do his runs, unlike as anchor. Stats show not only his nice amount of goals, but also him making very few tackles.

He wasn't good before he got tired.

And I don't know why you don't count Nocerino as someone who contributes defensively. Sure under Allegri's system he makes a lot of runs into the box, but he's primarily a midfielder who breaks up plays for us, and it's what he did at Palermo as well.

You don't trust him on the ball? I don't see the sense in this statement as Nocerino has shown some great skill on the ball, he's very refined, while Ambro just stumbles over it.

Sure we can play Seedorf in the VB position and leave Nocerino and Urby in their usual positions, I said we should switch Nocerino and Seedorf around so we could get the best out of Seedorf for this match, as keeping possession and a good final pass will be crucial in this game

Even in the middle of this ridiculous injury crisis we have to take stock of the most basic thought process clearly behind the hiring of the clueless one - i.e. his supposed resourcefulness. If he was so fantastic at getting results against superior teams with Cagliari why do we have to lower our expectations with an injury ravaged Milan? The players at our disposal atm bar one or two are much better than what they or even Udine can field.

Your mistaken.

I agree with the bold part. Ideally Seedorf wouldn't be our anchor.

Nocerino when having the ball under pressure deep in midfield I meant to say. Unsure about that. Maybe he can play anchor, but he has to put in more tackles then, be more alert defensive wise. Idunno. It's difficult to resemble a good midfield these days, that's for sure.

Like usual, you're looking for a reason to insult Allegri. At Cagliari a draw against a top side was great at Milan that's not the case. Keep in mind that three of our four starting midfielders will be unavailable. If our old backups have an amazing half we might win but there is nearly zero chance that the oldies put together a solid 90 minutes.

Anyway, we'll see, I'm sure Allegri will once again use Ambro and play Seedorf at AM, while one of Maxi, Rob or El Shaa sits out

I don't have anything against Robi sitting out for a while, he's been dreadful.

Ambrosini should come off the bench at this point. Udine are a fast switch team and after he's played the Coppa game, we need a fresher and more agile midfielder to start.

As a neutral squarely in the middle, I'm quite enjoying this, to be honest. For me, Allegri is 50/50.

Dreadful or not, I think we need him if we have any hope of trying to score (not through him but just in the buildup), especially now without Ibra.

Robinho is mostly bad when you push him close to goal, then he's bound to let you down, but as an AM behind El Shaa and Maxi I think he should be more than ok, certainly better than Seedorf who's been struggling terribly in that position.

Imo, if we want to get the best out of all of our players, we'll have to sacrifice some of Nocerino's performance and move him to the center. That way it will open up the left side for Seedorf and the AM slot for Robinho


For me Allegri is 20/80. Imo this season he's just not asserted himself and made decisions that have affected this team positively. He's been hesistant, negative in his approach and just plain stubborn on certain issues.

I give him the 20% due to last season and the injuries that have restrained his decision making this season

Ha, I give him 50 marks still for last season's success, and him integrating a few younger players (whether by his own will or circumstances), willing to bench seniors every now and then (though don't quite agree how he handled Inzaghi), and well he learns from his mistakes, however slow that learning process is.

But truth be told, this Month From Hell should make or break Allegri's fate. I'm not sold on the man when it comes to his CL performances, and it seems to me the higher management isn't too. If he goes down then, I'll be in the 80/20 camp too. Like I said a few days back, QF exit in Europe and 2nd place finish is what I expect.

Of course, he and the team is more than welcome to prove me wrong. At least win the Scudetto, Pete's sake.

Th Scudetto is still our's to lose, I simply cannot accept that we'll be letting this title slip to this Juve team!! They're not Capello's Juve FFS! They're an average team, they've lost a lot of points against the smaller sides, yet we cannot capitilise on that.

If we do not win the title than Allegri will be out 100% imo. And not just with fans, but I think Silvio will be rid of him as well

It's something a lot of fans have been calling for, for a while. Thankfully Max fazed the older players out a little.

I know, but you're still shortchanging this Juventus. Sure it's not Capello's Juve, nowhere near it. But after spending years in the wilderness, going to Serie B and coming back, building a new stadium, signing a whole army of players, getting humiliated domestically and in Europe last season or two, these guys are back.

Not in "back" back, but this is a good Juventus team, one that knows what they are doing and fight throughout.


Can't argue there. A QF exit to Arsenal may hurt, may not hurt, but ending up 2nd or 3rd in the league will.


Yup, procedural phasing out, but it's on. I don't mind an odd game here and there, an appearance when we are winning comfortably, the last 10-20 minutes, good training and passing on their experience to youngsters, and more importantly, the seniors being ready in case of an injury crisis and playing their part when duty calls.

If you have a contract, might as well play. But only when needed. Not starting day in and day out. Good job, Max.

No matter how good Juve have become now, we still have a far better overall team than they do.

Anyways, we'll see, it's February and while we are losing points against the top sides, Juve are doing the same against the bottom sides, with all the top sides still yet to be faced. But that head to head game will be a huge factor. If we can recover some of our injured starters we should be able to do it. No excuses!

I would trade going to the semis in cl this season for winning the scudetto

Far better overall, and far better injured. Just give me Boateng, Aquilani and Pato back. Pretty please!


Agreed. I'd say, this month everyone should be on their toes - the team, management, fans, media, every single person with an interest in AC Milan. The next 4-6 weeks, this month in particular, and up till the return Arsenal leg, anything and everything can go wrong.

I only hope the team is motivated, the injured guys get back in form and fitness, and Ibra can pull some wonders.


Ah, but I wouldn't. Italian Champions sounds a million times better than CL Semi Finalists. A Semifinal appearance and winning it to go to the final is another thing. But if we are not to win the Champions League this season, I'd happily bow out in the Quarter Finals and focus (as well as win the league).

Not winning the Scudetto would mean inter will still have a chance to overtake us for the star (20 league titles). And worse still, Juventus may very well win it this season. Which is something I do not - again, do not - want.

Why not try a different approach considering our reduced roster?



Surely that would work better than everything desperate Allegri has been trying in the last few weeks.

Looks good to me.

Official line ups :

MILAN:

Amelia, Abate, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Mesbah, Emanuelson, Ambrosini, Nocerino, Seedorf, El Shaarawy, Robinho

MILAN BENCH: Roma, Antonini, Bonera, Zambrotta, Cristante (#34), Inzaghi, Maxi Lopez

UDINESE:

Handanovic, Benatia, Danilo, Domizzi, Basta, Isla, Pazienza, Fernandes, Armero, Abdi, Di Natale.

Allegri, you're so predictable!

Decent lineup,if Ambrosini,and Seedorf pulls their **** together.

Seedorf needs to step up in this game.

We'll see what happens hopefully he changes things quickly should it not work

What else could he do? That is an awful bench.

Change system, for instance, and play a neat 4-3-3.

+1

Rotation. Pretty much what X-Off said.

1-0 Udinese qualitiy goal

A win today would be a good first step to being taken seriously regarding the Scudetto. But given ... Di Natale scored just as I was typing this, it looks unlikely.

goal, ambrosini fcking around with backpasses, going no where with possesion was a matter of time

What the hell is wrong with us against the bigger teams this season. This is tedious.

I think he should have started Maxi as that forward line looks extremely lightweight. He could have always bought Binho on for Seedorf later on as Seedorf tires.

Wonder why we signed Lopez given he never plays except 5 minute cameos.

He also looks a lot like Barry Manilow.

Seedorf needs to retire and go be a scout

Seedorf and Ambro have simply been appaling.

When I see us struggle to even retain possession in our half, I don't know what else to say.