Will probably miss this one as I'm going to be out, hopefully we'll win so I can catch the replay...

We will probably win this one, then we will get exited and pleased with our squad and then we wont ask for a decent midfielder. I hope we win but suck at the sametime, in order for the President to see that if we keep signing Kuckas its not going to get us anywhere.

We completely got trounced in midfield against Fiorentina and they still went ahead and signed Kucka. Sometimes I think that Galliani only attends matches to give the camera good shots of his ugly depressed face as we let goals in. Because this guy is simply not watching if he thinks a Kucka or Soriano would make any difference for us in midfield.

We won't win. Draw at best.

I can see Balo getting sent off or having an uninterested match. If he starts.

My predicted XI:

Half decent goalie who was a bit off day one

Useless RB who's in by promise from 4 years ago

Overpriced 12-year old defender

Crazy French combustible

Above average LB

Angry Dutch f*cker

The modern Flamini without a quarter of his ability

Young Allegri

Japanese failure with scary eyes (ever noticed how terrifying they are)

Brazilian with big hair

Top class striker looking infuriated

6:6:6 formation.

I strangely find this post hilarious and also completely OTT

Lopez half decent?

He had 1 iffy moment last week, but otherwise saved 2 sure fire goals in 1-on-1 situations. For me he's as world class as it gets. Even the best have a bit of unsure moments, especially when the rest of the squad is scrambling.

Also, DS has been good recently, I prefer him on the left and Abate on the right though, we'll see what Miha does tomorrow.

I'm hoping you're right and Mexes is the one who starts. Love him or hate him, he's our best CB, and I think Romagnoli will benefit from having Mexes next to him. Playing the two young, inexperienced players at the back just wasn't a smart move.

Anatonelli is okay, but still prefer DS and Abate, there's just something so provincial about this guy

I think the midfield set-up is what needs to be changed though. Playing both Bona and Berto on either side of De Jong is a no-no. We seriously need someone in there who can put his foot on the ball and organise sh!t in that midfield, sadly the only guy who fits that profile is Monto... Not saying he should start before x-off and you jump on me, but really what are the other options? Poli or Nocerino?

Maybe we could still try Honda there? I don't know, I think we're at a point where the situation is that desperate.

As for the attack, I'd go for Balo ahead of Adriano if he's fit. And again, before people bite my head off, I just think he'd make a better partner to Bacca than Adriano...

Well, at least you're sold on his talents, waning as they are at this time in his career.

I stand by the assessment I gave a while ago, comparing he and Alex (search it out if you're in doubt). Mexes misses half the matches through suspension, Alex through injury. But I guess we'll find out on Sunday who Miha rates more out of the two - it's one of the two of them.

Or he'll go left field and start Lord Zaccardo.

Oh he's the best goalie in Serie A, but he did have two shaky moments to add to those two excellent saves. Half decent was sarcasm. He's excellent.



MDS had one good match pre-season - Madrid first half. Otherwise he's been weak.



Alex is our best CB IMO. I'm just saying who I think will start.



X...you're off the leash...attack!



Balo's best partner would be a psychiatrist.

Zapata is also an option.

But I feel that next to Romagnoli it's best to go with either Mexes or Alex.

And again, you over exaggerate with the suspension talk. Mexes during his time at Milan (according to transfermarkt) has 1 red card. All his other suspensions came from yellow accumulations. And he's missed a total of 17 games in his entire time at Milan through suspension.

Alex missed double that through injury just last season.

Bonera earned 2 reds just last season alone as well.

Don't know how accurate those numbers are (pretty sure Mexes has a couple of other red cards with us). But not to the extent you're saying

Edit, just checked on another site, he actually has 3 red cards in his entire time at Milan. 1 of them being a straight red (last season's lunacy)

I dissagree on most of the points.

I think Mihajlovic will go with: Lopez, De Sciglio, Mexes, Romanogli, Antonelli, Montolivo, De Jong, Bertolacci, Honda, Balotelli, Bacca.

And I think that we will win this one, by a good margin of goals.

As for Balotelli, he would combine better with Bacca and also has more potential than Adriano, no doubt there.

It was a thoroughly tongue in cheek post, not to be taken seriously.

And you call ME an over exaggerator?!

Alex made 21 appearances of 38 matches. Double 17 is 34. Han, think about what you're saying before you say it.

Over what exactly are you two fighting again? A humorous post that's over the top? Oh come on...

Anyway, don't know what to expect.

Mihajlovic: "Mexes still hasn't recovered, so he won't be called up for the match against Empoli tomorrow."

MILANELLO – Sinisa Mihajlovic faced the press on Friday and on the eve of Milan’s home match with Empoli in Serie A. The coach was joined in the pre-match press conference by club captain Riccardo Montolivo and the vice-captain Nigel De Jong.

Opening comments from the coach, starting with the return of Mario Balotelli and the addition of Juraj Kucka from Genoa: "Balotelli and Kucka are both available for the match. Balotelli is lacking in match fitness and hasn’t trained match, but he could be useful to us during the match. There is no questioning Balotelli’s potential as a player, his problem has always been a mental one, but he has made promises and I am sure that he will keep them. He has a moral commitment towards everybody, but I have seen him determined and he will now have to maintain those promises. He has always been a good lad, he knows he has made lots of mistakes and that this is the last chance for him. He has huge potential and I think that he’s realised that this is the moment to become a man. Kucka is a complete player and has experience in the Italian top flight. He is physically strong and he never gives up. He knows this is a big chance for him and he will make the most of it. We slipped up in Florence, but it was the hardest of the matches. We went there to win but were unable to. We now have to win our first league match at home. Empoli are an organised side, but we need to win. Balotelli will play when he is ready and if he deserves to. Let’s not put pressure on him."

The coach reflected on Milan’s Serie A opener last week away at Fiorentina: "The first 35 minutes in Florence were balanced, we both had a chance each. We struggled versus Fiorentina, but at the moment they are one of the strongest sides. I would have liked to have seen the entire match played in 11 v 11. This season we have changed players and we have changed our playing style. We now need to win, convincingly. The President was left disappointed with the loss, just like the rest of us, but we’re calm. I always try and focus on my team, we know we are strong and that we need to improve."

Mihajlovic will be forced into some changes for the visit of Empoli on Saturday and also reflected on individual members of the Milan squad: "With Ely suspended, we will change a few of the players. Balotelli can also play behind the two strikers and not just in attack. Kucka is a wide midfielder. Montolivo is an important player for us, he is training regularly and we will try and choose the right moment for him to play again. I always like to have an alternative formation to our 4-3-1-2. We have Menez and Niang both injured at the moment, but when we have them fit again we will be able to play with an alternative 4-3-3 formation. It’s important to get the best out of the players. We have strengthened in the transfer market, but it will take time. We have lots of room for improvement."

Closing comments from the coach: "In defence we are covered. I think that Milan’s activity on the transfer front is finished. We bought Kucka because he is a good player at a good price. He joins our squad and it is now down to him to show what he can do. Honda for now and with this formation plays where he has been playing: behind the front two strikers. He has the characteristics to also play as a wide midfielder but we haven’t as yet tried it seeing as we have lots of midfielders. He is a player that learns right away."

RICCARDO MONTOLIVO
"I’ve been penalised slightly by the coach’s choices in the past 2 matches, but individual interests come after the interests of the team. I always give my best, the coach rates me and that is what is important for me. I, like the others that aren’t playing, am trying to convince the coach to select me. The national team is certainly an objective I have in mind, but first I must and have to play well for Milan."

NIGEL DE JONG
"We have worked hard this week. We must win at home to Empoli and we want these 3 points. During pre-season we worked well but we still have lots to do this season. We gave a good performance versus Perugia, but we now have to do the same against all of the others. There are lots of players with experience in the changing room, the one with the captain’s armband out on the pitch is the skipper. We hope that we can finish amongst the top-three in Serie A, but we always take things one match at a time."

True on the first point. But I have a feeling Miha is going to rotate the defense a little before settling, whether due to circumstances or just his own will. Hopefully the changes stop in a few weeks, and we can go in with a settled pair for a steady stretch of time, because otherwise, it's going to be a repeat of last season.

As for Zaccardo? Hopefully not. I like the guy, limited talent he is, but his is an emergency case basis.

Man, I love these press conference transcripts in the match threads. Gives it flavor. Keep them coming!

It was a joke, Zaccardo will never play for Milan again

Mexes won't play tomorrow - either Zaps or Alex.

Of course, it was. My abacus needs occasional oiling, not my joke detection sensors

Then who will?

Ely is suspended, Mexes is injured, Peletta is gone. That leaves Alex or Zapata.

I'd go for Alex.

The optimist in me hopes that maybe Miha can be the one to get Balo to grow up and realize what potential he might actually have (if any). The realist in me says the chances of this happening are slim to none.


Almost feels like he is trying to convince himself

Anyway, will have to miss the game (travelling).

Forza Milan!

Mediaset probable line-up: Lopez; MDS, Zapata, Romagnoli, Antonelli; De Jong, Nocerino, Bertolacci; Suso; Bacca, Adriano.

Good to see Suso in there, but Nocerino? Why???

God knows why...

If you read the press conference transcripts..you'd see that Miha is intending on playing Honda unless he gets injured so I don't really think Suso will feature.

Mediaset says he'll try Suso. Others as well. I really hope he goes for it, cause Honda has so little to offer right now.

That team will lose. All-round disgusting. Bacca, De Jong and Lopez aside it's a total f*ck up.

But Miha DID say Honda will start in the hole.

Likewise Suso.

God help me I'd rather have bloody Balo in there.

Jesus, is this how bad we've become?

I don't think Suso is like Honda. He still has lots of things to prove, whereas Honda already showed all he can or cannot do.

Yep. Danny writes Suso off too easily. He's still young and relatively unproven.

You lot wrote Niang off for the same reasons. Suso's my Niang.

He's nothing like Honda.



Agreed totally.

None of this disputes any of my original point.

So what's your original post about then?

For the same reasons? Niang has played many, many games for us (33) and has proved he's crap. Suso has payed 4. They're both young, but we've seen Niang enough to give an assessment. Can't say the same for Suso.

His attitude, mostly. Whatever talent he has gets drowned due to his (unprofessional) behavior.

You people are worrying about who's going to play in the hole?

When we have no one decent to play next to De Jong and is the main reason why our midfield is cr@p

Let's just try Suso in the AM position, Honda instead of Bonaventura. Anything would be better than playing Nocerino though!

Read it again. I'm unhappy with pretty much the entire team and Suso is astoundingly underwhelming with, IMO, limited talent and a Menez-esque selfishness. I don't see him as an upgrade over Honda but I accept he has far more to prove. I just don't see him proving it.

PS all the outlets going with that team still.

Suso or Niang?

The very thing you've been harking on about for the past four weeks, and now you're telling us off for it?!

I meant in the early days when we first signed him. You lot wrote Niang off instantly but give Suso far more slack today.

And I don't agree Niang is crap, far from it. He's not Robben I admit but he may suffer big club mentality - 5 in 14 for Genoa is a lot better than 'cr*p'.

But this is getting away from the point: we're down to Suso, Honda or Balo for the trequartista role. That's not even slim pickings.

No wonder the Curva Sud are protesting and demanding Fester's termination. And by termination I mean they want him killed.

Not true. He's been harking on our complete lack of a regista. I disagree with han on some things but let's at least disagree with him on things he's actually said

I meant creativity. Not the positioning.

I've been barking about a regista since before the summer started and have made it very clear that I view a proper creative CM as a higher priority over an AM

Not the same thing, even though both are creative players a regista would literally make our midfield work as that is what we need the most, an AM is second priority. The positioning is greatly important

I think we need Gandalf to make our midfield work.

Niang, of course. Haven't seen enough of Suso to form an opinion, to be honest.

That would be disastrous. There will be no more PASSING then

Sorry Danny, I'm not gonna talk about this any longer. You seem to imply awfully lot in awfully little that you tell in your initial posts. And then you turn on your charm and say things like "read my post again", a two word statement that is. How should I know what you meant? How should we know that you meant the early days of Niang? Ah, never mind...