Savor this people... This is the only kind of silverware we will win this season..

Thought we were excellent tonight. Attack, attack and attack - SES looks like a player with a new lease of life and the whole team looked hungry.

The Balo drag factor is gone and maybe, just maybe we have a chance this season of an EL spot.

Delighted with that.

All of the Trofeo Tim Games.

yeah as much as i like Balo he was a drag.

Yeah, we actually played some good football for a change, especially considering the previous friendlies. Honda was easily the MVP, hope he can keep it up.

I just hope that it won't affect our transfers, with Galliani you never know. Seeing Pazzini still out of form after all this preseason just another reason why we must add quality to attack (and midfield, of course but I'm starting to lose hope that it will happen there), and not another dead weight like Torres or Eto'o.

If a team plays it back to the keeper a lot, it is generally due to a lack of movement from the midfield/forwards.

Lack of movement wasn't a problem tonight.

I'm still p!ssed off that we sold him for so little cash and now we have to find a replacement with said meagre amount of cash that won't really get you anyone decent in the market these days.

But I do think that SES will benefit a lot without Balo, they just didn't seem to click together on the pitch, I think it's mostly because Balo was constantly going deep so SES couldn't really play off of him and he tended to hog the ball when he did have it instead of moving it on quickly

I really liked our no striker system in that second half, even on the wing Honda looked pretty awesome out there.


If that's the case then they should just hoof it up, some of the pass backs and passing between each other in defence that Zapata was involved in today and against Valancia was just asking for it, and we were punished for it once against Valencia.


Agreed, we were very fluid, especially in the second half

The video for the games got pulled, did anyone know another medium for watching the games.

I think the 'drag' factor is why his value has plummeted. He's a panic-buy by Liverpool because they can't get anyone else, and the fact is he causes disruption at every team he goes to.

He's a nice boy, genuinely, but he's stupid and easily led by the wrong people, and ends up being trouble for everyone.

He also, as we know, shows up for one game in 10. His attitude is deplorable and I'd rather have 10 Boneras and Muntaris than one Balotelli.

I'm absolutely delighted to be shot of him.

Obviously. But the thing is, with 10 Boneras and Muntaris you can't win matches and would probably end up in Serie B. But Balotelli still makes the difference we need: nevermind his bad season, he was still our next best thing to world class, and the best thing about him is his age.

Sure, but who do you suggest to fill in the gaping hole that's been left? I really cannot see us pulling off the deals we must make before the season starts, and with all the focus now shifted on that striker position I'm afraid that the midfield will once again get neglected

In disbelief I'm typing this but given SES' resurgence yesterday and his overall performance he might just prove me totally wrong. And could be the answer, in the absence of any high-profile captures.

HA!!

Real Madrid and AC Milan will clash at the end of the year in a special match in Dubai

Get ready for some 6-1 thrashing.

I dunno, I doubt we'll score 6, maybe 4 if we have a good day.

Apparently I missed what will most likely be our greatest achievement of the season

We won against Real 4-2 apparently, anyone managed to get his hands on the highlights?

Was this fucking prophetic or WHAT

i laughed out hard when i saw this after the game!

So, SES's not that bad afterall

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9itBhMizhus

Full Match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDvwnTmaeQA

Thanks

His first was thanks to every defender backing off, and his second was through awful defending as well, but the goals themselves were clinical.

It remains to be seen if he can do this again in competitive football.

Did you at least watch the highlights ? Not asking if you watched the game 'cos you're only talking about his goals, which by the way were not as easy to score as you're saying.

Well, all the goals we scored came off some awful defending from Real, in fairness, out of all the goals, SES's were probably to hardest to score.

Agreed. I thought both goals were great.

Speaking of the game, two things I wanted to mention: 1) Mexes being awesome in the second goal, and 2) Pazzini going apeshit and telling SES to go f*ck himself for not passing the ball at 6:10 in the highlights d'Arc posted.

I watched the whole match? I rated his display an 8. And I'm being factual about his goals. The defending was useless. But he did play extremely well and finished clinically.

I thought Menez' goal was the best. Completely fooling the keeper before slotting it away. Cool as a cucumber. In terms of actual finishes, SES' first was naturally the best.

But yes, all the goals were from ghastly defending, agreed.

Oh man just rechecked the video. What the hell got into Pazzini there?!

Well, he's dealing with the pressure in his own way. Look at what his wife is doing for him as well. He knows his time will be up soon.

Sassuolo thread?

Working on it

So, let's revive this thread. Dortmund and Bayern games ahead.

They're on the 18th and 22nd respectively, both at around mid-day, so I'll definitely miss the Dortmund game

Then we're back in Italy because we have to prep for the EL qualifier on the 29th (I think)

I subbed to Premier Sports in UK for Rangers and this. I'll be watching with interest. What's the called up squad for this?

Damn, I'll miss both cos I'll be at work.

Except for Biglia, Bonucci, Suso and Romagnoli, is everyone else called up?

No, I'm pretty sure Bona didn't travel either (not completely though), the U-21 participants as well will travel late and Silva due to them returning for NT duty later than the rest

So, we'll have a decimated squad. Hopefully we don't suck.

Suso, Biglia and Silva aren't there? Little surprised at Silva - he didn't play THAT much at CC and should be fresh enough.

Actually he is: here's the full squad.



I'm not sure if the dates correspond to their arrivals in China or departures FROM China but that's our squad.

So:
Donna

Conti---Paletta----Musacchio...Rodriguez
Jack----Cal---Kessie----
--------Silva
Niang-----Bacca---

I'm just guessing the formation and selection but we will get to see a lot of our new players in action.

I think Silva and Conti are joining the team tomorrow from what I can tell. Probably won't plat against Dortmund.

Here's my probable line-up:

Montella will go for the 4-3-3 tomorrow according to most sources. I really hope he doesn't stick with this once the new signings get integrated into the side

Anyway this is the probable according to sky



And this is the one according to MN



Thought Bona hadn't made the trip but he's there according to this and the call-ups Danny posted

It's nice we'll get to see four, maybe five new signings tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it.

Monto out with an injury I hear. Hopeless case...

Already?

Storari, Abate, Zapata, Paletta, Rodriguez, Kessie, Mauri, Bonaventura, Borini, Niang, Bacca.

Surprised Musacchio and Calhanoglu are not starting.

Truly awful first half. Call me biased if you want but only Bacca did himself any favours out there.

Storari hopeless, entire defence absolute mince - Rodriguez was quiet but OK. Midfield...to call Kessie's debut diabolical is an understatement. Sincerely hope he improves because that was terrible. Mauri not bad, not great, Jack has barely touched the ball, Niang usual Niang, Borini meh and also bit naughty with the stamp, while Bacca is the only one who looks like he's trying. Goal was great.

Honestly I'd be happy with Bacca as our striker next season.

Really disappointed so far in Kessie to say the least, Rod was as I say alright nothing to be stunned by.

Best player out there is pretty much everyone in a yellow shirt but Aubameyang has been the best player by a country mile.

Pretty bad - pretty expected. But Borini and Kessie didn't look half as bad as you say IMO.

I read somewhere that Kessie is playing in the central midfield position. Don't know if it's the case because I can't watch, but I don't think that position suits him at all

That being said, I think all our players don't fit in a 4-3-3 now, and Montella needs to drop it, like yesterday

So I understand the game finished 3-1. I heard Kessie was good as was Mussachio. Basically all the new signings looked good, while the old ones were meh!

And heard Ousmane Dembele was awesome.