Quoted your posts here guys. Sorry for the late opening of the thread

As for that line-up, I can't think of an uglier amalgamation of our players

We've signed some good players in this window. Suso is clearly very talented, Cerci and Destro both have new and better things to offer and yet, we're still seeing Honda on the wing, we're still seeing Muntari start, Menez is apparently untouchable because he's scored a decent amount of goals no matter the ill-effects he has on the general team cohesion.

And Armero... After that horror show against Lazio I really don't understand how he can be started again, especially so soon after

GdS say Bocchetti and Destro will start.

PS not so well known is that on top of being a CB, he's also an LB.

I imagine the defence will be Abate Alex Zaps/Rami Bocchetti.

Zaps is injured.

I'm sure there was doubt about Rami too. Might end up being Abate Alex Bocchetti Armero.

NDJ and Montolivo not available.

D. Lopez; Abate, Alex, Rami, Bocchetti; Poli, Van Ginkel, Muntari, Honda; Destro, Menez

How I'd play: http://lineupbuilder.com/2014/custom/?sk=5ry1l

I'm hearing we're going 4:2:3:1 after all!

But instead of it being the promising Cerci/Suso/Menez combination it's Cerci/Menez/Honda. Instead of 3 players in position, only one is.

PS if Monto's not available GdS are wrong because they have him and Muntari in the 2.

Gazzetta aren't very trustworthy. Pippo said Monto isn't available.

So no 4:2:3:1 then?

If it's to be the useless 4:3:3 then Poli, Van Ginkel and Suso would be my choice. Behind Cerci Destro Menez. PS Bona?

Bona is injured as well. And Abate too!

Zapata, De Sciglio, Bonera, El Shaarawy, De Jong, Montolivo, Bonaventura and Abate are all unavailable.

Now this happens. Good God.

Called up squad is appalling.

Defence especially is dire.

(4-4-2): D. Lopez; Zaccardo, Alex, Rami, Bocchetti; Honda, Poli, Van Ginkel, Cerci; Destro, Menez

So he finally picks a lineup that suits 4-3-3/-2-3-1 and he goes 4-4-2?

Crazy, I know. Everyone with a working brain knows that with those players the best possible way to play is:



Not for Pippo, though. He has to twist and distort it in his own favorite way.

No Suso huh. Remind me why we signed him only to play Honda out of position instead?

We signed him as a talented future investment. Maybe he's not ready, and he certainly should take time to adapt. This is not a game where you instantly push someone who isn't ready.

I wonder how we'll line up...

This group of players has the potential to make up a really good 11, or if used incorrectly it could end up really badly for us

Fingers crossed

Hopefully it's not Honda in attack and Cerci in midfield as some line-ups have depicted

Honda on the right, Cerci on the left, Menez in the centre... How the f@ck does that makes any sense!!

2 natural wingers who can cut in and a natural AM and you somehow manage to mess that up...

Penalty!

MENEZ!

Ohhhh...almost by Destro!

Turned off the TV. Unwatchable. Another season completely wasted.

You know you've hit rock bottom when Parma of 9 points in 20 games plays better than you at San Siro. Shameful.

There IS potential, but it's utterly wasted. These players simply have no direction.

It takes us soo long to decide to make the pass and who to pass the ball to that the opportunity is lost each time, especially when there is potential for a counter

Yes, it's depressing.

You know it's bad when Zaccardo is your main attacking threat...

There still no sort of team chemistry present in this team. Ah well, what can you do?

Where do you see potential?

I also see potential in individual plays, but like William said we have zero team chemistry, and that's all that matters in the end.

In the individuals, but as a group... Absolutely nothing going for us. Just no cohesion, no chemistry, no basic understanding of each other

Essien coming on! Classic

MENEZ!

Great run Cerci

MENEZ! Nice connection with Cerci!

Honda has probably played the worst game I've ever seen anyone play with the Milan shirt. Just mind-bogglingly bad.

Lol, Zaccardo scores.

Hasn't been half bad today.

Menez finally makes a pass

I really don't understand what his role is

Moved from one wing to another with equally bad results. He's painfully slow and can't beat anyone

Zaccardo! Never thought I'd see his name on the board. Nice assist by Menez.

Barely half decent game thanks to Parma being god awful...

Next week against Juve is going to be painful

FT 3-1. Ugly but important 3 points.

Pretty awful display, don't let the score kid you. Pippo doesn't have a clue and it's getting worse. Juve will absolutely r*pe us next week.

Lopez: 6 Didn't have a lot to do, no chance with the goal.

Zaccardo: 7 He was actually very good - got forward well, defended decently and his goal was fine.

Alex: 7 Strolled this one. Didn't have a lot to do, but organised the defence better than we've seen recently. Made a decent captain.

Rami: 7 One or two decent blocks, and got forward well on occasion.

Bocchetti: 4 Poor. Lost Nocerino for the goal and wasn't at ease at LB.

Poli: 6 Industrious and decent display.

Van Ginkel: 5 Months in cold storage have ruined any potential he had. Flat.

Honda: 3 Shite. But then he's not a right winger.

Menez: 8 The difference between the sides really. Good attitude, lots of fine attacking and defending. 2 great goals and an assist. At last he's applying his big match mentality to the small ones too.

Cerci: 6 Flat as a pancake till about 60 minutes at which point he was suddenly looking VERY dangerous. He's been a slow starter to life at Milan.

Destroy: 7 I liked what I saw. Played for the shirt, and with good service will score goals.

Subs:

Essien: 4 Pretty rank in all honesty.

Muntari: 4 Pretty rank in all honesty.

Pazzo: 4 Pretty rank in all honesty.

Pippo: He gets 3 for the win, but it was in spite of him not due to him. There was no structure, no system, and he is obsessed with playing players out of position every match. We won't get continuity with him in charge. Ever.

Months of storage ruined his potential? Come on, he's been playing now for a while! And surely, if he was that kind of a potential, not even the small amount of playing time would have hidden it.

On the other side, we're tactically so disorganized, I'm barely able to make ratings. Individually I mean.

Ask Paul Pogba.
Not saying he's as good as him, but this guy has been in cold storage, only managing to get two starts in a row recently. He's been dreadfully mismanaged, and the guy who started so impressively v Empoli earlier in the season seems completely lost.



I seperate the shambolic organisation from individual displays. I try to score based on attitude, effort, use of the ball and effectiveness.

If I scored them individually based on the collective unit it would be 3 all round. If even that.