Strangely Mediaset have Abate on the right even though they say he's unavailable. They also say that Rami might play on the right if that's the case (cos again, f*ck Armero).

MILAN (4-3-3): Diego Lopez; Abate, Rami, Alex, De Sciglio; Muntari, De Jong, Bonaventura; Honda, Menez, El Shaarawy.
INTER (4-3-1-2): Handanovic; Nagatomo, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Dodò; Guarin, M'Vila, Obi; Kovacic; Icardi, Palacio.

Link

Yes Pippo, go with the brilliant 4-3-3 with Muntari in midfield and Honda on the wing. That really has worked for us so far *sigh*

www.milanfan.com/f*ckarmero

Someone posted this on FB as the formation they'd play:



How could you disagree? It's exactly like how we should be playing, but no! Too obvious and offensive for Pippo. Not enough shtick in the middle without Muntari.

I'd have Bona over Honda. And Zaps over Rami. And myself over Torres.

Mediaset have to get their sh*t together. Yesterday they were saying De Jong had recovered from his injury, today they're saying his recovery for the derby is improbable. Essien will play in his stead.

Diego Lopez; Abate, Mexes, Alex, De Sciglio; Muntari, Essien, Bonaventura; Honda, Menez, El Shaarawy.

Ain't that midfield a joy to watch?

If Pippo really does end up playing that formation then I hope we get thrashed. This sh*t can't keep up any longer!

Hoping to get trashed by Inter just because you don't like the lineup is - and pardon my expression - pretty stupid.

I get your frustration, but at this point it's pointless. We hoped Allegri would go away. What happened then? Nothing, just more of the same or similar. If we sack Pippo now, we'll most probably end up with...Oddo or Zambrotta at helm. So, what's the difference?

Yes, it is pretty stupid, but the frustration is taking the better of me. I'm way past the point of patience. We should have signed someone like Rijkaard, who's free and won't probably cost a lot. Yes, he completely vanished after leaving Barça and has accomplished jackshit since then, but even so he'd be ten times better than poor Inzaghi.

I'm with X actually. If we start a team that disgusting and it plays like it looks, then if a thrashing is what it takes to see Pippo isn't the man for the job and the team isn't up to Milan scratch, I'll take it.

I love Milan, and that's why I desperately want change.

This midtable incarnation isn't Milan - it's a hollow joke, and Essien and Muntari paired in midfield with that disgusting defence and that threadbare attack is just garbage.

I can't understand the logic. Leonardo got trashed by Inter, nothing happened. Allegri lost and lost and lost and only got sacked at the last bearable moment. Now should we enter the cycle again? What will it take now to make a difference? Relegation spot?

And what then, when we sack Inzaghi? You think we'll sign Spalletti, Rijkaard? No, it will start over again.

So the only difference would be a change in management.

What's disgusting about the defence? I think it's the strongest 4 we can field, I know you don't agree with me because of Mexes and DS. But really, if both Abate and DS are fit they should be starting, Armero is a good back up guy and I don't for one second think that it's okay for Pippo to shift around the entire back line just so that he doesn't have to play him but Armero has serious defensive weaknesses, DS is going through a rough patch atm, but defensively I still trust him more.

As for Mexes, I still personally think that him and Alex are our most accomplished CBs. Rami and Zapata both bring in a whole slew of issues


You're right it's a big issue, and not really a coaching one. The fact that we've been hiring rookies since Carlo left has been a major problem for us.

Oh, I would pay good money to see a pairing of DS, Mexes, Alex, Abate play on. On for a few straight weeks, without any injuries and without any additional tinkering. Maybe we'll get some defense stability going. But I'm sure such thoughts and Inzaghi don't live on the same planet.

I'm not sure if Mexes and Alex complement each other well...

That was on my mind, true, and that's why I put DS alongside Mexes. Besides, both Abate and him are pacy and at their peak, so they can lend a hand. But at least, we'll not have those brain freeze moments that we get with our other CB pairings, at least one every match that leads to goals.

But hey, it's fantasia, not like this back four will ever happen. Plus, things may change in January, and we may offload Mexes if both the club and the player see an opportunity. Point being, our defense is in tatters, and no surprises our whole team is, in a way. Leagues are won from the back, you need stability there. Watertight.

Well we can't really come to that conclusion without actually seeing them in action.

I think the only drawback they bring is that they're both relatively slow, but aside from that they're both very good CBs

Rami has his issues, Zapata has his. I trust Mexes more than both of those 2 put together

Daily update

Milan (4-2-3-1): Diego Lopez; Rami, Mexes, Alex, De Sciglio; Muntari, Essien; Bonaventura, Menez, El Shaarawy; Torres.

Oh my. Are they just making this sh*t up as they go along?

That's what I was thinking, Rami on the right is just ridiculous, has he ever even played there in his career, like EVER?

And is this some sort of deformed 4-2-3-1?

Oh, dear can we just get Abate in place of Rami in the newest formation. Unavailable at the exact wrong time that guy. Would just have loved to see that back four in what is probably the biggest match of the season for us. I don't care how they perform, just want to see them start and play the whole 90.

That's the problem though, isn't it? We never perform for the whole 90 minutes. We're very inconsistent. On top of playing bad, we don't display hunger and eagerness to win. Sometimes we just seem happy with a draw against the likes of Cesena and Cagliari.

Even against Sampdoria we started well, scored early but then we completely switched off and played like crap until we equalized, after which we showed a certain degree of determination to win the game. But it's not sufficient. Pippo hasn't been able to install a winning mentality in these players. Only very few, like Abate and De Jong, give their all for the entirety of the match. The others just switch their intensity on the pitch however it pleases them.

Yeah but they've always been like that.

Now Mediaset says we might play 4-4-1-1 with Bonaventura and SES on the wings.

My suggestion is we wait until Sunday and the see the latest lineup. This is ridiculous, every few hours another lineup.

Well, they've got to eat, you know.

Eh, I know. Just for killin' time.

Simone, Han, Kurt, Ash, Acid, X, Danny, MB, R7, Jack, Blue.

There. As accurate as any I'm sure.

Bloody brilliant. Though I'd swap places with Han as the CB. Oh mama!

Or does that make Kurt the CB? Eh, it's only a lineup!

What formation is this? I can't get on board until I know all the facts...

And why am I the RB?

I have a feeling Danny gave me Muntari's role.

Alex won't play, got injured in his right thigh yesterday. Like we didn't have enough problems already ..

Yeah, you can swap with me. I'm no CB.

Oh yeah, yeah! Done!

Nah you're safe. I'm unfit and can't play any more, so I've got the Muntari role.

It's 4:3:3. Because I'm the fucking manager and if you don't like your position I'll freeze you out muthaf*cka!

(So this is what it's like being Pippo)

Predicted defence is one of two:

Poli, Mexes, Zapata, MDS

Or Rami, Mexes, Zapata, MDS.

Because, you know, f*ck Armero.

The second one is the least horrendous so I'd go with that

Seeing this lineup over and over again:

Lopez, Rami, Mexes, Abate, MDS, Essien, Muntari, Bonaventura, Menez, SES, Torres

4:2:3:1

I think it's going to be a 4-4-2 with SES and Bonaventura on the wings.

EDIT: Abate isn't available, Danny.

Diego Lopez; Rami, Zapata, Mexes, De Sciglio; Essien, Muntari; Bonaventura, Menez, El Shaarawy; Torres

Handanovic; Nagatomo, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Dodò; Guarin, Obi, Kuzmanovic; Kovacic; Palacio, Icardi

Muntari and Essien double pivot... OH LAWD!!!!

My god! Muntari and Essien are going to assist an Inter player today, already starting with the awful mistakes

3 minutes in and I've spotted Muntari over-dribbling and losing the ball 3 times already. Zapata and DS saving him twice and he fouled the other time to save his own @ss

Here we go with Muntari..almost cost us one.

Ladies and gentleman, Muntari.

FOUR TIMES!!

Muntari what a f@cking @SSHOLE!!

Top class from Lopez

How the f@ck can you play with this idiot in your midfield and expect to achieve anything?

That was nasty from Muntari, WTF. Feeling bad for Dodo.