Back to the serious business. Must win this one. Juve playing Inter would have meant a lot a season ago, but now Inter are worse than most teams in Serie A.

Juve will most likely take 3 points here, so maintaining the 4 point gap is hugely important

If Nesta is fit, I want Thiago to be given a rest

Maybe we can rest him some other time, after all we're only 4pts atop and Roma is no walkover.

It's not like we're replacing him with some chump. It's Nesta we're talking about. Besides, Thiago has been far from his flawless self lately. He's clearly beyond worn out at this point. If we're going to get something out of the Barca game then Thiago has to be at his absolute best

The fact that Allegri didn't play Ambro today makes me think that van Bommel cannot recover for Roma. Zambrotta, Thiago, Antonini and Nocerino must take a rest. Boateng should play a handful of minutes as warm-up for the Barça game. If all things go well, then this should be our line-up against the Spaniards:



Now, if Abate was to recover as well, we'd be fit.

To be honest, I forgot the Barca game was following in such quick succession. I now fully understand your reasoning behind what you said, but at the same time (despite his slight dip in consistency lately) I just always want the guy at the back now as I just tend to feel that much safer regardless.

Sure Nesta is no push over, but he hasn't played in a while and he is quite slow as well in comparison.

Oh well, either way Nesta or Thiago surely shouldn't be our biggest area of concern at the moment.

Either one should be fine to get the job done honestly.

Ah, big match week, probably the biggest of the season. In terms of prestige that is. And no, we'll need our best, best XI for this Roma match. Silva should be playing at all costs. At least the first half, Nesta can be substitute if he is fit, or better yet saved for the Barcelona match.

In fact, it would have been good if we could somehow find a way to play all three against Barcelona, Nesta, Silva and Mexes back in the defense, along with Abate. It may just work on paper, or work wonders in keeping the backline nice and tight. But first let's get over the dirty Romans now. Not as dirty as Lazio, but dirty still.

Silva Can't play this one after that tiring Juve match,can't.We have the match of the season coming up!

If we lose this match, that'll be the season. Roma have the capability to win, let's no go there if we can.

I wouldn't go that far, a draw or a loss would be far from the end of the world, as that would still place us a point in front of Juve with them still yet to have played Napoli, Lazio, Roma (given they beat Inter that is)

Still I agree that we cannot afford to lose points in this one, that being said resting Thiago when you still have a central pairing of Nesta and Mexes is nothing to scoff at.

Well not the 'season' season. But still it'll give those basturds at Juve extra motivation.


Yeah, I know. I just don't want to be making a slacking change, even though both Nesta and Mexes like you said are the absolute next best thing. Still, let's see who sets foot on the pitch.

Juve seem to lose their nerve the most when they're in tight situations, either leading by a very small margin or being on the brink of overtaking us. As we've seen in the pattern of lost points as the season wore on.

We've been playing with Bonera for nearly a month, I think it should be ok. Borini is a slippery little bugger, but Mexes should be able to keep up.

Probably true. But they've got a whole army of players, who never get injured much. Come the last 5 rounds, I'll be more confident of where we stand. As of right now, it's stick. Not stick in the sense that we are playing catchup, but still. Hopefully (borrowing a word from you, Han), our injured soldiers get back soon!


Let's just hope so. I want a sure win against Roma, somehow, whatever it takes!

You really think they'll maintain their injury free record through next season as well? The season Juve have had is the exception, not the rule. They've got a bucket load of mediocre players and a handful of really good ones. Will Pirlo be as reliable as he was this season? Will Barzagli maintain arguably the form of his life? let's not forget this guy was a reject from the German league.

A lot of questions in terms of Juve next season. But still what they've accomplished this season does not deserve a title, not in a million years. This is why I'm slightly confident (although our current schedule due to Barca worries me a lot)

We've got nothing to say they won't. Even this season I was expecting a lot of Juventus injuries, just like the last few seasons they had them. But who knows, maybe something changed there. New stadium, better training grounds or routines, more fitness, diet, or just plain luck.


Same. I'd hate for us to lose focus on the league because of the Barcelona clashes.

According to Gazzetta, Robinho most probably won't recover in time but MVB might. They have Maxi and Ambro starting as for now.

If Robinho can't make the Barca game than I don't know how we'll play.

Is Boateng in the line up or at least on the bench?

He's fully recovered and might play some minutes as a sub.

If you ask me, this match is more important the our CL fixture.

Every Serie A is more important than a CL fixture.

Really? I wouldn't get that far. Considering the present situation, it's much more important to catch another 3 points against Roma. But is a match against Cesena more important then the CL fixture? Wouldn't go that far. I love Serie A and the scudetto win, but there's no need to idolize a league win too much.

3 points are 3 points.

Obviously when going for a title, winning against a rival us worth more. But otherwise each game is just as important.

As someone who hasn't followed the injury news, what will our lineup be?
?

Certainly not 3 forwards.

I think Allegri will give Aqui the start, get him ready for Barca so I'm thinking



That being said, I don't know if Nesta will be fit to get the start or even be called up

I think you play El Sharaawy to add pace and trickery that Maxi perhaps would not provide. As well as Maxi has played i think he can offer alot off the bench.

El Shaarawy is our most mediocre striker, after Inzaghi. He adds absolutely nothing to our game. Maxi all the way!

Way too harsh!

El Shaa had a great few games now he's finding a bit more difficuilt, not to mention the fact that he's played in some of our hardest fixtures and it's understandable that the occasions got to him a bit.

Him and and Maxi were doing a lot better in the second half than him and Ibra, they were linking up well.

You have to be patient, I really don't get this attitude.

Still Maxi imo deserves a start, he works hard, holds the ball up well and can score goals. We need that seeing as Ibra is our only scoring outlet atm.

Don't know if this is correct regarding the injury front, but I read that Ambro, VB, Boateng, Nesta and Merkel are all fit and training with the rest of the team.

Robinho, Pato, Cassano, Strasser and Abate are the ones still out (don't know if I left anyone out)

EDIT

Here's the line-up from mediaset, really don't understand Allegri's infatuation with Muntari, he's a complete idiot and is going to cost us one of these days. He has to give Aqui the minutes to get ready for Barca

Milan (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Bonera, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Mesbah; Nocerino, Van Bommel, Muntari; Emanuelson; El Shaarawy, Ibrahimovic

Agree. As I wrote in a recent magazine article of mine: "Then again, a man who is a master of patience is the master of everything else". Both Pato and El Shaarawy are young guns, they'll align themselves when the time comes. We just have to wait. Particularly, El Shaarawy, he'll show signs of good things soon, I am sure.

Indeed, you're jumping the conclusions. How many bad matches did he actually have? He's too young, one can only expect such inconsistencies happen in his first Serie A season.

Gazzetta's line-up: Abbiati; Bonera, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Mesbah; Nocerino, Van Bommel, Aquilani; Emanuelson; El Shaarawy, Ibrahimovic

Definately better than mediaset's line-up, but they're usually better at guessing it than Gazzetta, fingers crossed that Muntari does not start.

If we win this I can watch the Juve-Inter game with a cold beer and some good pizza without a care in the World. The players should keep this in mind

Milan squad: Abbiati, Amelia, Bonera, Mesbah, Mexes, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Yepes, Ambrosini, Aquilani, Boateng, Carmona, Emanuelson, Gattuso, Muntari, Nocerino, Seedorf, Van Bommel, El Shaarawy, Ibrahimovic

Maxi is not fit and Pippo got injured again so we have just two strikers available. At least Boateng, MVB and Nesta are back.

I guess El sharaawy will have another shot to show his true value.

Certainly, we won't see his "true value" till he's 24-25...

He has a LOT to offer between now and then....but we can only reasonably EXPECT IT CONSISTENTLY after 24......It's the same with Pato...only that a healthy Pato delivers the goods when healthy. I find it hillarious how Milan fans are impatient with young players....as soon as they do well they're "our own Messi" a few bad games later and they're "not Milan material"

I once said on the other forum that I'm banned from - because people love to embrace fanciful nonsense rather than the truth- that we have to EXPECT and BE prepared for a LOT of utter and complete $#!t games from Pato and whomever else young talent we hope to deliver in. It's the only way. Not because they don't progress along the same meteoric gradient Messi and CR7 did or not because they don't have Arjen Robben's prodigious talent means they're worthless.

^^ Agreed.

-

Last night I dreamed we lost this game badly. but it wasn't Roma, and my dream was in black & white. I don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean. probably a big win for us.

Probable line-up: Abbiati; Bonera, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta; Nocerino, Ambrosini, Muntari; Emanuelson; El Shaarawy, Ibrahimovic.

Muntari as AM?Allegri obviously has Barca in mind as much he tries to deny it.

Err, no, Emanuelson will play as AM.

Woot,didn't see Emanuelson there...We should be good if Bonera doesn't **** up big.

Stekelenburg, Rosi, Kjaer, Heinze, Taddei, Gago, De Rossi, Marquinho, Totti, Borini, Osvaldo.

Abbiati, Bonera, Mexes, Silva, Mesbah, Nocerino, Ambrosini, Muntari, Urby, Ibra, El Shaarawy.
bench: Amelia, Nesta, Zambrotta, Gattuso, Aquilani, Seedorf, Boateng

Ugly midfield. But MVB still has back problems and Allegri must be afraid of Aqui injury ahead of Barca. At least we have options on the bench to turn the game around if it goes bad.

I don't get why he didn't start Aqui. Muntari has been a major problem in our midfield these last few weeks. Plu Aqui needs some match fitness before that Barca game

Ibra looks like he doesn't give a dam! .. go Ibra..

Thiago injured.

That's us out of the CL....

OH no Thiago out. Injured

WTF???

He brings Zambro on when Nesta is on the bench???

Does Allegri want to lose these 3 points FFS!!

We are screwed as silva out..

Off the post from Ibra!!

Good fk from ibra