Though match. But we must keep on winning and scoring points.

Abbiati
Abate-mexes-zapata-constant

-montolivo-ambro-boateng-

-MOHAWK-

Is Ambro recovered?

I don't think so...

Yup, he's not. Here's Mediaset's line-up: Abbiati; Abate, Bonera, Zapata, Constant; Flamini, Montolivo, Boateng; Niang, Pazzini, El Shaarawy.

Great, Bonera is back.

This Niang thing is really getting on my nerves!!!!! Why does it ALWAYS have to be something with Allegri!! Either it's Urby behind the strikers or on the right wing, or Prince as a #9 or as a winger. Why not just play your best XI and be done with it FFS!!

Is Mexes suspended?

I don't think Bonera will start

Surely Balo will start?

If Bonera hops straight back in ahead of our best 2 CB's when it's clear he's not as good as them, I'll be shocked and appalled with Allegri.

You'll be 'shocked' and 'appalled' when he has been pulling stuff like this this season ALL along?

I don't think he'll be pushed in immediately


Oh come on! Allegri has been pulling this sh!t all season long! Why is Niang starting games now? Because he runs and is more physical than Bojan or Robinho, both of which are HIGHLY more adapt to playing as wingers is HIS system.

I don't think he'll drop Mexes to play Bonera though. But everything else he does is enough appaling for me to be more than done with him! Can't wait for this season to be over so we can finally be rid of him. The day the door hits him on the @ss on the way out will be a great day to remember for Milan

What, replacing our best players who have had runs in the team of 5+ matches with inferior squad members?

When?

He's made questionable decisions I agree but I don't recall him ditching established quality players for cr@p too many times?

Well, in that case, your point is only relevant because we are this far into the season and players have had the chance to be established. Both Zapata and Bojan are living proof of what Allegri has done to players who have been 'performers'. Bojan not being a first team regular this season has left most people scratching their heads.

Zapata I definitely agree with. Bojan is a weird one. I don't think the club have any intention of making the deal permanent which means as a top club it seems stupid to continue playing him.

If he can help us when we're struggling what does the logistics of his future matter to us in the present? At the end of the day both his and Zapata's future are in question as both are on loan

The fact is that Allegri has played virtually everyone he could in that right position instead of just putting Bojan there and letting him do what he does best. Everytime he's come off the bench he's made a difference, whether being a part of a move that led to a goal, made a direct assist or even scored. Yet, he's played Urby, Boateng and now even worse, Niang! Just beyond comprehension how this guy's mind works.

Didn't know Zapata was on loan, but surely that even backs that theory up even more.

With an option to buy for around 7 mil. Surely Milan can't find a better defender for that price... Doesn't make sense.

Zapata was not being played either at the beginning of the season. Now he has to be played, because the other CBs have made it very clear that they cannot be trusted and Allegri pretty much has no choice considering the way Zapata has played in the last few games. Dropping him would just create an even bigger uproar against him.

Bojan has also contributed a lot when he's played. If the management have no intention of buying him outright come the end of the season it still shouldn't matter if he's helping us NOW.

And anyway, you don't know what the intentions of the management are. For all we know they have no intention of buying Zapata either.

And in this case there are no appearance clauses tied to either player which was the excuse last season when we had Aquilani on the bench and Allegri kept playing Muntari or Gattuso over him

Yeah, a few folk forget Zapata is not even our player.

Especially nowadays. Samba just went to QPR for £12m and 100k a week. Zapata is a far superior player, we surely have to sign him? I don't think Zaccardo is bad by any means, but I'm hoping that signing has nothing to do with our decision on Zapata.

If Zapata keeps performing at this level till the end of the season then we'll definitely buy him. As for Bojan, I really don't know. It will depend a lot on whether Allegri will be our coach next season or not.

+1

Ambrosini returned to training, DS and Mexes trained individually so they might not start.

problem with bojan is that his buyout clause is pretty high. 15m is too much for him, so maybe the management has already decided they won't sign him so maybe thats why he isn't playing.


Do we need him at 15m? No not really we could get someone alot better for that price.

Yeah, I agree. Still, playing him won't obligate us to purchase him as with Aquilani, so there are no justifications there for Allegri.

The logic is this though. Would he rather player someone who he is going to lose next year, or give someone like Niang experience.


I would do the same thing as him if Galliani came and said bojan is definitevly leaving. Its a gamble playing Niang as he's not as good but he will gain experience and grow as a player. He is only 18.

The problem blue is that you're playing Niang out wide where he's just plain bad 99% of the time. Niang is a CF, at most a decent supporting forward.

So what's the point of just lumping him in there every game?

Niang will have plenty of time in the future to play in the following seasons.

Right now we're struggling especially because of our complete lack of creative minds in midfield. Bojan offers that creativity that none of our forwards can aside from Robinho but he looks done right now. If we're not planning on keeping him then fine, but right now he's with us on loan, and the objective of said loan is for Bojan to help us achieve our goals for the season. I don't care what happens in the future, right now we need someone in that attack who can create space, provide that final ball and inject pace into our attacks. And continuing to play with this 1 dimensional 4-3-3 system where you basically have 3 CFs up front is just not helping in any way

Theres no other way to play.

We tried 4312, we couldn't win a game. Only when we switched to 433 did we have some success. Sure playing 3 CF in an attacking 3 is foolish but right now there is no other choice. Its better to play a more direct style to 3 strikers than to play a creative game through a non existent midfield. At least the first way our defence isn't getting constantly exposed.


4312 imo is an outdated system and only works if we have the right players while 433 can be virtually used with anyone. Its not hard to find somone fast and play counter or find someone creative and put him out wide to dribble. Its hard though to find someone who is able to create in the center of the field, where the pressure is the highest.

Dribbling, vision and a good passing ability is rare these days and goes for quite the price.

I don't think the reason we lost those games was because we were playing 4-3-1-2, and I don't think it's an outdated system. We were simply in a crap moment back then. We were lost, we didn't have confidence in ourselves and in our coach. Now things have changed, we have high morale and play a much better football. But playing SES and Niang on the wings is clearly not the way to go. If we played instead Bojan behind the strikers and also act as a sort of 'fake 9' a la Messi, things would work so much better. We lack creativity up-front, and Bojan is about the only forward we have with a little vision (forget Robinho, he's a lost cause). Or at the very least play him on the right wing, not friggin' Niang!

I don't think the reason we lost those games was because we were playing 4-3-1-2, and I don't think it's an outdated system. We were simply in a crap moment back then. We were lost, we didn't have confidence in ourselves and in our coach. Now things have changed, we have high morale and play a much better football. But playing SES and Niang on the wings is clearly not the way to go. If we played instead Bojan behind the strikers and also act as a sort of 'fake 9' a la Messi, things would work so much better. We lack creativity up-front, and Bojan is about the only forward we have with a little vision (forget Robinho, he's a lost cause). Or at the very least play him on the right wing, not friggin' Niang!

We tried 4-3-1-2 and every other formation in the book - including the 4-3-3 - and none worked, because the formation wasn't the problem during that time. I was everything from the players to even just some cohesive passing that even a sunday league team would have been better at. We were a huge mess at the beginning of the season. It wasn't the formation that was the problem.

Outdated? Italy play a 4-3-1-2 and they went on to the Euro finals playing some great stuff. Imo, no formation is outdated as long as the coach knows how to apply it and make it work. For example, the 3-man defense system is becoming stylish in Italy, but imo, onlu Napoli and Juve know how to make it work well. The 4-2-3-1, Mourinho makes it look like an innovative formation while other teams who tried it it does not work so well even if they had the right players for it. Mourinho also made it work with Eto'o on the wing. The 4-3-3, who plays a 4-3-3 better than Barca? Imo the formation is irrelevant as long as the man applying the tactics knows how to make it work well. We tried a 3-man backline and it failed spactacularly, because our composition on the pitch was one huge mess, simply because Allegri could not apply it properly.

Our problem with the 4-3-3 is because the wide players are always too wide. They basically run along the touchline. And this wouldn't be too much of a problem had the wide players been ACTUAL wingers, but when you have 2 CFs playing so wide then it creates the problems we currently have


Exactly

Milan win 3-1

Balo to score on his debut.

What Allegri said in his press conference


Ansolutely LOL'd big time when I read this. He does the exact OPPOSITE of what he's saying and one other thing that's worried me from what he said is that Balo can play next to Pazzini. I seriously hope he has no intention of wasting a 20m+ CF out on the wing!

Yeah , read it. Was pretty much cringe worthy.

No, Balo said to Milan Channel that Allegri told him he will play as CF.

So Mexes have some knee problems, Bonera or Zaccardo will start next to Zapata. DS is slso not fit and Abbiati is doubtful due to flu.

I hope it's Bonera. I don't really trust Zaccardo.

Guess who's back? Back again, Muntairi's back .. Tell a friend (han)

has allegri said anything regarding starting line up? would it a complete surprise if balo starts?

FI says he will.

I don't trust Bonera. I'd rather we give Zaccardo a shot. Last time Daniele played, Milan were terrible.

But all in all their lineup seems not up to date

Yeah as Mr. Bauer already mentioned, Mexes is unavailable and Abbiati a doubt.

He said yesterday that he's gonna decide today whether to start Balo, so it's possible, but since he only had few days to train with the squad, not that likely.

I'd be gutted if Balo doesn't start.

As much as I'd love for him to start, it's honestly not that serious just yet, remember he's only had (less than) a week to train with the team, so it's natural for a coach to give a player time to adjust and ease their way in.

I'd be gutted if we don't win today. You just can't miss such chances to get so close to your objective, our players should be extra moivated tonight.

+ infinity

Aye. This is a MUST win in the full sense of the word.

http://youtu.be/-fCWy_gpHas