Well here it is, it feels like we're stuck in this loop constantly playing these whining divers.

Balo is out most likely so personally I'd rather see us NOT using a striker. Matri will be a huge liability here. When he's on the pitch it feels like we're a man down and we can't have that here. Last season we did so well because Pazzo terrorised the sh!t out of Puyol and Pique. Matri won't do that, so I'd rather go for Kaka starting as a fake 9 sort of with Birsa and Robinho behind him to provide cover for the midfielders as well.

Or if Kaka isn't fit to start Robinho starts as the striker with Birsa and Poli in behind him and Monto, De Jong plus Nocerino or Muntari () in midfield. We need someone strong on that left side who'll help Constant double up, maybe even Urby as I don't trust Muntari to help out defensively

My line-up:



Christmass tree.

With De Jong back and Poli in great shape, Monto has to be moved to the left. His work rate and defensive abilities are far superior to those of both Muntari and Nocerino. Allegri uses him no problem in front of the defense, why can't he also play him alongside Poli and De Jong? It's by far the best possible midfield we can play.

As for the attack, I'd go with Kaká and Birsa behind Matri. We need someone who can hold the ball against Barça. If Matri could do just that it would free up spaces for Kaká and Birsa to use and for Poli's insertions. Plus we'd practically be playing with a 5-man midfield, which is necessary against Barça.

Sorry, but can't agree with Matri starting this one. He can't even do something as simple as hold up the ball and lay it off against a team like Udine. He messed up each pass, each touch and each shot he made yesterday. It was simply like playing with 10 men on the pitch. And to drop Robinho to keep this guy in there is just not right. Robinho is easily one of our most in form players so far this season. Plus he works hard and drops into midfield when necessary Matri just walks around complaining and looking at the sky 95% of the time. He never even bothers to track back and help out when we're not in possession.

I'd go



Also, I think I'd go weith Silvestre instead of Zapata. He's a huge aerial threat. He'd be useful for us should we get set-piece opportunities, plus, I don't trust Zapata atm.

Yeah, I knew you'd disagree about Matri. I just can't see Robinho as CF. But I guess we could also play an attack line where nobody holds a fixed position. It'd be more dynamic and all.

Yeah that's what I meant, obviously Robinho won't be a CF in that, we don't really need a CF anyway, I'd rather crowd that midfield and hit them on breaks, and those 3 upfront would be able to do that

Would be good against the sides in the top 10. Would also be good as an away formation. At home, I think we'd be stuck.

We don't have a spine yet. We are working on it, but it isn't there yet.

But we won't be playing like we're at home in this game, we'll be playing like we're the away side, and this is just a solution for just one game.

Balo could be back for the next Serie A game, Kaka also should be fit for that.

You know, with Honda we could also play a Christmas tree formation with him and Kaká behind Balo. Doesn't sound too shabby. But as long as Poli, Monto and De Jong are played in midfield.

It does sound good in theory. The problem is we have too many strikers.

With the amount of time Allegri takes to drill the team into a new formation! I'd be worried about doing anything new.

They can all go clean the toilets or something, except for Pazzini and maybe El Shaarawy.

True

I'd personally like to see us go for a 4-2-3-1

1st team:


2nd team:


The only real issues in terms of subs/2nd string are the DM position if De Jong is out and the RB position.

Guys who do not have any space in this side when everyone is fit are Matri, Niang, Zaccardo, either one of Nocerino or Muntari and Urby

I think all of these guys should go in January. Bring in a proper RB substitute and someone to cover for De Jong and we're set imo

^ That makes too much sense, so forget about it.

agreed, Robinho with the ball runs more towards our net then the opponant's...

Matri as a Supporting Target man holding up play may open things for Kaka and Valter. That being said, **** is he useless around the box...

To think Milan actually has all those players.

Balo is in the squad for this game.

Amelia, Coppola, Andrenacci (N.60), Abate, Constant, Mexes, Silvestre, Zaccardo, Zapata, Birsa, De Jong, Emanuelson, Kaka, Montolivo, Muntari, Nocerino, Poli, Balotelli, Matri and Robinho.

If Balo can play from the start, I'd go with:

It's a fairly deep squad which has a lot of talent. For anyone to say otherwise, or that we're inferior to any team aside from Juve and maybe Napoli in the league is just ridiculous.


Great news, hopefully it's not another case of rushing a player back


I'd rather go



I think that would give us a bit more stability in midfield.

Allegri: "Poli has been very good so far but if Muntari is fit he will play alongside Montolivo and De Jong".

Of course Muntari will play you disgraceful c*nt...

Balo and Kaká will start from the bench. (More than) probable line-up:



So, any predictions on the result? I say 3-0 for Barça.

Last time we played them I told every b*gger on here if we set out with the right tactics, we would win. We won. Away leg different story but hey.

This time no matter what tactics we try, we're getting absolutely killed. We do not have the defensive shape, nor the midfield to cope with Barca.

The best we can do is 11 men behind the ball, pray for a counter or two and that we can keep the score down.

I'll be the first to admit it if I got this wrong, and equally the first to be a complete @ss and point out I told you so if I get it right.

I want to be wrong so so badly.

I think this is the cheapest shot to "prove you're right" you've EVER made. Biggest easy prediction ever.

I say at least 6!

Muntari is the new Seedorf. no offense to Seedorf, I'm not actually compaing the two. but watching Zee in his last seasons had become unbearable, save for a few games every once in a while where he stepped up. he played when he didn't deserve to, now it's the same story with Muntari. why the hell would you want to play a freakin' snail against Barca anyway?

Nah, Poli will start. Max can't be that stupid, can he?

Rhetorical question.

This comment here embodies all that is wrong with Allegri. Why would anyone who wants what's best for the team want this idiot to start? He nearly cost us the game against a terrible Udinese who aside from a free-kick had not created anything before that. The guy is a huge liability yet he's "favourite" to start. Just goes to show how much merit is not something that Allegri basis his decisions on

Against Barca, I think Muntari to start might not be such a stupid option. Poli is no Seedorf in terms of tactical intelligence and the only other option besides Muntari is Urby. I'm guessing Poli will only come on later in the game.

Let's not be under any misunderstanding. We are not setting out to win. Already our great and courageous captain made it clear in his press interview. " A group stage or a knock-out game is the same thing but we are not playing for our qualification tomorrow."

I hate this attitude.

People have a common misconception of thinking Muntari is a "defensive" player, but that could not be more far from the truth. He spends more time level with the strikers than anyone else in that midfield, he's an idiot tactically and in everything else he does. I can only assume zed compared him to Seedorf because of their identical lazy jogging around.

He makes terrible passing decisions, doesn't help out his FB, shoots constantly, takes too much time on the ball and loses it countless times in a match, makes idiotic tackles and does not work hard for the team

Poli is more of a creative, passer type player but he also works his @ss off.

You're robably right. So let us both pray we're wrong eh?

Meh, I think this is beyond praying

It looks like my preferred line-up (minus Mintari) is going to be used.

Thankfully the ghost of Matri won't start. Robinho and Birsa will need to work their @sses of ala what SES and Prince did last season at home. They need to help the midfield out and form a 4-5-1 setup to help double up with the FBs or cover the spaces Muntari and Monto leave behind when they get dragged wide to help the FBs out

Say what? Nothing is beyond praying. And besides, we'll win this one easy, dude, if Barcelona plays its scardy game again. They almost always do when they come to San Siro, they are just intimidated by the occasion, the stadium and our history. If they do not take pressure, though, we will be lucky to get a draw.

I'm more confident in us getting a 2-0 win than UEFArcelona slotting 6 into our net. What do we have to lose, anyway?

If we get a good attendance for this one and chant Meeeelaaaan a lot along with the other songs in our repertoire, it's possible we could intimidate them. Still can't see anything other than a loss though.

It's why they struggle at Parkhead.

Pity my Twitter TL is filled with Rangers fans talking about Celtic

Poli works his @ss off, but he's also defensively better than Muntari. This is what bugs me the most. It's not the same as when we had Boateng and Allegri couldn't play him in midfield cos he was tactically undisciplined. Poli is a beast. He's the new Marchisio. He can do everything and anything, and playing him alongside Monto and De Jong is simply ideal.

F*ck Allegri and his idiotic decisions. When the f*ck will we finally see the back of this guy for good? Argh...



Nice troll.

I had no idea Messi, Neymar, Iniesta and Xavi were all fit and would start.

We have less than zero chance of even drawing this.

While I honestly don't see us winning, I'm hoping for a very dignified display. And maybe if we're lucky...

Yeah, I would actually have preferred Balo having a bigger say on proceedings. But I am fairly confident Allegri will be in his trademark mood today, and we will have the team play the same game they played against Barcelona home leg last time around, and against Juventus.

Winning or drawing this isn't in our hands, but it will come down to just how well Barcelona players settling into the match. If they are mentally intimated, we have a chance. And you have to consider, this isn't exactly a do or die, knockout match for either team. So even if the divers are briefly unsettled, it will be an even playing field.

And that brings me to the field thing, remember how they complained about the pitch last time around. And not to mention these other big clubs are (wrongly, at that) intimated by our glorious history. No one wants to be humiliated 0-4 at San Siro so they play at gear three or four max. Unless it's a high intensity knockout fixture.

Our team sheet is less than ideal, but my mood for the match is more than ideal. This isn't the same Barcelona of old, it's a dieing team. And besides, like I said, what do we have to lose? We have no chemistry, no tactics, no set game plan, no identity, no Balotelli, no DeScig, no ambition, no nothing!

I expect a slobber knocker, either way. The Barcelona players probably know they are in for a hard time from top to bottom - fans to pitch, that is. That's not to say they do not have the ability to rip us a new one, but the match is far from a foregone conclusion, my point being.


Why, thank you! It's all facts, figures and falsehood rolled into one sweet post.

Finally! That's the spirit! Forza Milan!

Facts in order to get pumped up:

- We have yet to lose in this edition of the UCL.
- Barcelona just dropped points last weekend, while we had a blistering victory.
- We have Kaká back!
- Victor Valdés is a liability!
- Messi is reported to be a giant douche in the dressing room and there's a chance Neymar might injure him on purpose.
- Xavi is already 33 years old. He just can't compete physically with the likes of Muntari.

What's the state of play with Mario anyway? How serious is his injury?



Barca have previous for bitching about pitches, stadiums, tactics - when they lose or draw, of course. When they win there's not a word...



It's not the Barca of old, but they have got the magic trio tonight plus the increasingly mercurial Neymar. Truth is they're not really any worse, it's just they get figured out more. Still stuck 4 easily enough past Ajax, and top of their league with only 2 dropped points. It's not so much they're worse than they used to be, it's more than the rest of Europe, Bayern especially, caught up, went past, you name it.



Your optimism refreshes and cleanses me like a babbling mountain stream, brother.

Cheers, pal. Die trying, if not, then die laughing, that's my motto!

Cheers, my man! Hope for a quality hour and half later today, it not a good time. The only thing that would disappoint me would be a lack of effort from our players. If I see that, if I see the desire, then all is forgiven. I'm keeping an eye out for a 0-3 drubbing, as much as I am looking forward to a 3-1 win.

Because, really, if you're not enjoying it, then what's the point? Same goes for everything in life!

It's going to be a special night hopefully we can grab a draw a win would be a dream though unlikely but its football its why we watch it.

Playing without a striker against Barca? It's like we want them to win.

And what would playing Matri say about us then? Balo isn't fit to start, so it's either this or Matri...

Someone to play on the shoulder. The 3 we have will drop deep because that's their natural game, we have no out ball or nothing for their defenders to think about. Hope I'm wrong.

Matri will just stand around trying to look pretty for the cameras. He's not going to pull off the type of work Pazzo did last season, neither would Balo in all honesty.

I think Kaka is disciplined enough to play something similar to a striker role, of course he'll drift deeper, because as you said it is his natural game, but I think we'll be able to catch them out on counters with those 3

Wow Robinho. great skill there

Started well...