Most predicted line-ups still have Montella using the 4-3-3 with Borini starting on the wing. Honestly, I'm getting concerned about this if he keeps on persisting with it when we obviously don't have the players for it

Conti's out as a precaution (should be back for the EL game), so either Abate or Calabria will start.

Gianluca Rocchi will call the game. He is not one of my favorite refs.


As for the formation, I agree that 4-3-3 isn't ideal given the players we have *when we're at full strength*, but until Romagnoli is fully back, I suspect the team won't move to 3 at the back.

Mediaset has a different line-up: Donnarumma; Abate, Musacchio, Bonucci, Rodriguez; Kessie, Biglia, Montolivo; Suso, Cutrone, Bonaventura.

Good to have Bonaventura back for this crucial test.

Now they have Borini instead of Jack.

How about we play both Hakan and Jack and bench the hell out of Monto and Borini? Eh, Montella?

I'd like to see this: Donnarumma, Abate, Musacchio, Bonucci, Rodriguez, Kessie, Biglia, Bonaventura, Suso, Cutrone, Calhanoglu.

Perhaps Jack isn't starting because of the long stretch of games coming - including the Europa League game this Thursday. All things being equal, I'd prefer him to start as well.

Me too.

Still doesn't make sense to not play him in the more difficult fixture

This Borini thing is really starting to needle me. He started all of our games, just doesn't make sense. Monto I sort of understand as he adds more defensive stability than either Hakan or Jack, But Borini? That man is useless and literally kills our left side.

This 4-3-3 business is also getting beyond annoying now. We simply do not have the players for it so why persist?

Montella could easily go 4-3-1-2/4-3-2-1/4-2-3-1 with the players he has. Actually all of them would fit more naturally in any of those systems. 4-3-3 just looks completely unnatural with this group of players

I've been behind Montella completely up until this point. And atm complaining is counterproductive because we've won all our games. But he needs to change thing up and he needs to incorporate his best players into the line-up not play Borini to satisfy his 4-3-3 fetish while leaving players like Bona, Hakan, Silva and Kalinic on the bench

Also, I know Cutrone is on a streak but he should be played in the EL game and not against Lazio imo. He's a a very good goal scorer but his overall contribution to the game is limited and when you're playing a team like Lazio you need more then someone who'll just pop up with a goal

I put Cutrone only because he's on a streak. I feel he should be given the opportunity to extend his good form. But I expect if things do not go well, Silva or Kalinic will replace him in the second half.

Call ups:

Apparently the game could get postponed if the weather gets too bad. Heavy rain is predicted for tomorrow

I think it's gonna be played.

As of now it's at strong risk of being postponed. Decision to be made in around 30 minutes.

We'll see...

Match officially postponed guys

Argh. Was so looking forward to it. When will it be played? Today or?

Today at 16:00.

Yeah, it's just by an hour, initially they said to a later date, maybe things have calmed down a bit

Official line-up is the one as predicted before. Monto and Borini both starting.

Today's storms will be nothing compared to the hell that Monto and Borini will unleash on that left side.

I really feel bad for Rodriguez. Conti has Kessie and Suso to combine with, while Rodrigues has Borini and out of position/shape players to combine with

And to think we have Hakan and Bona on the bench.

Started well, let's hope they can keep this up

Any stream to watch the game?

Biglia is so good though.

Check here

http://cricfree.sc/football-live-stream

Looks like they can only keep it up for about 20 minutes

Penalty. Stupid foul by Kessie.

We're staler than 3 day old bread. Our attack is non-existent and Monto and Kessie aren't doing much to help matters either.

Kessie needs to step up, as good as he can be, ha can also be too casual

And he gives away a penalty now...

Can I just say that the only two goals that we've conceded so far have been Kessie f*ck-ups.

Jack needs to come in for Monto. We need more offense now

We'd been asking for both

The team is just not playing well. We started well but once again have completely faded out of the game.

Montella is really bombing so far imo. His choices are just not good.

Borini and Cutrone are also both problematic. While Suso can't get into the game

I was about to write when we conceded the penalty.

What a stale, stale game. We have possession but that's it. Can't combine 2-3 passes in a row, we're absolutely clueless in Lazio's half, our attack is non-existent. With Borini and Cutrone it's like we're playing with 9 men. Montolivo is a dead horse. Suso has been absent entirely.

I could go on forever. Montella is starting to frustrate me at Allegri levels.

And 2-0...

2-0

We truly need a 4-0 defeat so Montella can open his eyes to this mess.

Agreed.

If he doesn't make changes at HT he'll have a lot to answer for.

The Borini thing for me is the most frustrating aspect. Everyone and their grandmother knows he has no business starting for us. The guy couldn't even cut it for Sunderland FFS! Why Montella keeps insisting on him is just something that I'll probably never be able to understand

Atrocious game.

Only Biglia, Musacchio and Rodriguez look solid from time to time. The rest is having a nice, lenient, nonchalant afternoon like it's a friendly match. No energy, no game conception, nothing.

Very disappointing.

Man o man do we look awful. The most impotent possession I've seen in a while. Montolivo is apparently incapable of anything other than standing over the ball for a century before passing backwards. Borini can't beat a man to save his life. Suso has been completely invisible. Just all around bad. Montella needs to make some changes and put his boot up some backsides.

Yet the problem goes way beyond Borini. If Bonucci, Kessie, Monto etc would do a better job, we'd be talking about Fabio. But today Milan simply decided not to show up. It's not Borini's fault, he's the least talented and individually weakest player on the pitch but that doesn't make him automatically responsible for this mess.

Montella is the main culprit here.

True, but every time I see him bumbling over the ball it just gnaws away at me

Montella is obviously at fault here, his decision making has been bad


Kessie once again has had a mare of a first half, I don't understand how he can be so good one moment while so bad in another. The foul that gave away the penalty was so pointless and stupid.

Bonucci has been patchy as well. Calabria sometimes forgets that he has to defend. Suso is just completely cut out of the game and I can't tell if it's because of him or the midfield not being able to help him out more. Biglia started out so well but I feel like he's lost his way. Monto is just so slow, he takes so long to decide where to make the passit's just so uncomfortable to watch. Cutrone is non-existent. Just like I've been saying, aside from the goals, he doesn't tend to do much else. Kalinic or Silva need to come on ASAP. Borini is also a nightmare, just can't do anything even when he has the ball and has opportunities in front of him he just can't execute

And it's so frustrating! He receives the ball, looks around, raises his right foot and stays like that for 3-4 seconds rotating a little bit before making the easiest pass in the world. That's Montolivo for you. Genius of football.



Yes. If I was Fassone I'd sack him immediately. Spending over 200M for him to start Montolivo, Borini and Cutrone, inappropriate formation, and a team without passion and ideas. Pathetic. GTFO!!!

No changes

...

What a joke! If we don't pull one back in the first ten minutes then Montella needs a beating.

Ughhhhh

My God!

Getting hattricked by Immobile!

Uneccaptable

Can we call the game now?

Monto pulls one back

Nice 2nd touch from Hakan