Welcome!

let's see how good you really are at the highest level... good luck!

Was in the process of doing this, just got distracted by the NFL!

I don't think he will be worse than Antonini, still young and good versatility. Could be a decent, useful player for us.

No one can do worse than Antonini... thing is, we need someone who is a whole lot better than Antonini is, and Furby is not the one. Galliani said for a reason he's signed as midfielder, because that's where he doesn't suck.

Sad but true, but I prefer Bonera as leftback until Zambrotta is back.

Unless we sign another fullback, I want him as leftback. He might not be brilliant in that position, but he certainly can't be worse than Antonini.

He has a lot to learn and hopefully he catches up with our level. He's weakness isnt defending but the lack of concentration.

Welcome! Love this extra reinforcement.

According to Il Corriere dello Sport, Urby has been training specifically lately in order to be used as a leftback in the future.

Link

I like.

I think Urby has been steadily improving (albeit a bit slowly) and that's a good sign. he was all over the pitch last night and was behind many of our attacks like the one that resulted in the third goal.

I don't get all the criticism he gets.

Yesterday was the first time in many games he's looked effective as opposed to being a 5th wheel. If you compare him with say the incisiveness of Cassano who he replaced you will get the criticism.

But then again yesterday we had Cagliari on the ropes..so.. we shouldn't read too much into it. Hopefully he goes on from here to improve.

Urby is a utility player, think Brocchi.

However, he is much more skillful that Brocchi and has held a first team spot at Ajax. He is good in that he fills the gaps and considering we now have Mesbah, I doubt he will feature as a LB anytime soon. Again, he is a utility player that can fill in that role as he can several midfield positions - However, on average, his performance is nothing to admire really, yesterday was probably the first time that I actually so him with confidence on the ball. Lets hope his form continuous to improve.

Emanuelson has been called up to the Holland NT for the friendly against England on the 29th of February

Will be interesting to see how Marwijk actually uses him.

No?

Yeah, could be. And who plays the LB? Aren't they a bit thin in that area?

When we get Aquilani and Boateng back, I really want to see him as LB. He seems like a very tactical aware player, so I don't think it would be a problem trying him there for a coupe of games. Might turn out a blessing for us.

But,he's done so well at the midfield area.I don't fancy the guy's defending much,he's too soft.But,as a wide midfielder,he'd do wonders imo,he's similar to Nocerino,but doesn't know how to shoot.Him,and Robinho together on the field is just a beautiful thing to see,they've developed something quite special.I'd like for Aquilani to be tried once more in the Attack midfield area,and to see this...

Robinho-Ibrahimovic
Aquilani
Nocerino-Van Bommel-Emmanuelson

Yeah, and Boateng?

I say we try him as LB. If it works, awesome. If it doesn't, fair enough. When we played Serginho there, who had zero idea about defending, I see no reason why we shouldn't try Emanuelson.

Alright,Put Boateng instead of Aquilani,though it will lack some creativity .

We can try Emmanuelson out as a left back,but Mesbah was doing really well though...dunno.

Allegri doesn't even consider Mesbah for the important games, if you've noticed.

Yes, he picks Atonini ahead of him. Pure genius that.

Does he? I think Mesbah had the flu or something like that, and that's why he didn't play.

He's playing much better lately, seems like Allegri's faith in him is paying off.

Let's hope you're right.

Journalist Cristiano Ruiu said that Allegri has been trying for a week Emanuelson as LB in training, in order to play him there against Barcelona. Antonini will play on the right.

Don't know if this would be smart at all.

Antonini was pretty bad on the right against Juve, while Urby is not the most defensively sound player.

I think best option would be to just stick Bonera on the right for the first leg, we'll have Abate back by the 2nd leg (if the tie is not already over by then)

I don't know, it's hard to pick the exact way of death, don't you think? I'm getting uncomfortable on the mere idea of seeing Bonera running up and down and catching up Barcelonas attackers. Antonini, Mesbah or Emanuelson make me also shake. But IMO it's too risky to force him back to the LB position after weeks and weeks of playing him as AM. He should be played as LCM or benched for god sake, his constitution is like paper, he'll be falling like flies.

Bonera wouldn't be going up the pitch, he'd have to hold his position. Trying to attack on either flank would surely result in us conceeding a couple. The most important thing is keeping the defence tight and always having 2 mids covering that back line.

Urby could use a rest, this would be the best time to give it to him

He's = ? Mesbah or Antonini. The later perhaps. Either way, much is a comparative word, it will take both these players generations just to reach the defensive soundness of Abate, let alone improve upon that.

He's = Urby. It's his thread after all. It was posted after the first Arsenal game.

Ah, makes sense. And yeah I agree, to a major extent. I've been critical of this guy because he is being played at a position that requires much too much for a player like him to give. But overall he's brought his A-game these past few weeks. Still a lot to improve to make the position his own, but at least the signs are there.

The guy is a joke if you ask me. He's got it to be a mid-table utility player every coach alla Ranier would dream of.

As a AM he's a real travesty. Sure, his ping-pong may actually cause from time to time against weaker defenses confusion, but all in all - he's a solid pass, a poor shot, his technique leave something to be desired, and his strength...god, he has no stability, no stamina. Just fix him with a stronger player, and you got him solved.

That's a bit harsh, Fillipo.

No stamina? Are you joking? Have you actually watched a game lately? He always runs hard all game. Against Juve he was the only one that continued to run after we scored our second goal and he ran his *** off in extra time. You continue to support has-beens like Zambrotta and Seedorf who are gasping for breath after 60 minutes yet you call Urby a joke. Absolutely ridiculous. Urby is not a typical AM but he has shown improvement over the course of time and has really helped us in our injury crisis. As a fullback he doesn't have much strength but he has some speed and he displays composure on the ball that both Antonini and Mesbah lack. We don't need him to be amazing we just need him to keep his man in front of him and not make a howler that puts excess pressure on Thiago.

What did it bring? Almost every of his runs was stopped without even triggering a foul/free kick? He has pace, surely, but what is it good if he falls like a fly every time a stronger player tries stopping him. And his dribbles are not near enough good to get him past a more defensive stable team. Yes, playing Emanuelson as AM at Milan is a joke if you ask me.

Aye. I'm sure he's a good guy, with a heart of gold in the middle, and it's not like I dislike him or anything, not even 1%, he's perfectly fine. But definitely not who should be a solution for Milan if we want to aim big. Like you said, a perfect mid-table utility player every coach would dream of.

A lucky, or should I say, extremely lucky perfect mid-table utility player every coach would dream of.


Spoken like it is, Fillipo. He has neither the build nor vision for this position. If I have something against Allegri it is this. He has been stuffing this team with jack of all trades, master of none players. Yes, Emanuelson has put in a few good shows these past few matches, and he's improving a bit, but it is what it is.

As long as we have players like these, we'll never be the masters of our destiny. Any of the bigger teams will figure us out at will. As of this writing, I am sure Barcelona's coach is very carefully analyzing all our players, their strengths and weaknesses. And Emanuelson has not much of either.


Harsh, but not totally untrue. The guy hasn't a creative bone in his body. I've been as shocked when I see him starting in the AM position, as I was when he first got a chance to play there. LCM is where his place is, and that too as a sub. Or at least it should have been if this was 2007.

He's a gap filler and played good in a time of crisis in the Serie A - when we had like 12-13 injuries and almost no midfield at all - and showed improvement. He's no starter and wasn't brought as one so I find this criticism to be undeserved. Who would play AM when we had Boateng, Seedorf, and Aqui injured?

Thank you, Jack. Glad some one can put this in perspective. At full strength is Urby is at best third choice AM and he has performed admirably. Sure his runs didn't result in a game winning goal or dangerous free kick but they were the only glimpses we got during extra time. Also, why would you expect him to singlehandedly win for us? He's not Kaka. He needs people to run with him and no one put any effort in. Ideally Urby is a quality utilities man who can back up three different positions and make no mistake, players like Urby are essential to being able to fight on three different fronts all season.

That's right, he's a gap filler like Giunti. And great, when we had no one, surely he filled the position. But I've seen Allegri selecting him as AM when in fact Urby wasn't the last resort. I fear he could stubbornly play him as AM even when we end up fully fit.


Admirably? How many assists did he make? What's so admirably he's done?


Actually his runs resulted Juve's counterattacks. Unless you think it's a good thing, I would say those runs were pretty stupid.


And you got that conclusion from where? When did Urby impress you as LB exactly?

Your fear has no legs. When fit, Boateng is the first choice AM every time. Urby is a useful utility player and done well lately, when was needed in time of many injuries. Like when the fading Seedorf was injured in the beginning of the Arsenal clash and like in the Serie games in the last two month (2 goals, 4 assists). So I don't get the bashing of someone who helped us overcome a difficult time in the league when we practicaly had no one. No one claimed that he's world class or should be a starter.

That's ironic, coming from someone who keeps supporting old has-been's that have got nothing to do with the game of football anymore.

So we gotta go personal now, repeating what already has been said? Great defense.

But it's so true. You should be the last person calling Emanuelson shite.

So by defending players like Inzaghi or Seedorf I loose my right to criticize other players, or better their playing positions??

You don't lose the right, but you don't sound too credible when you say such things.

That's great. Thank you for clearing things out. You won't be bothered by my less-credible comments any more.

You're sounding like CHU-LIP.

What's you problem? What should I say?

Is it too late now to start scoring easy credibility points by bashing someone old?

Why the tension?We have a decisive week coming but still...

Yep, everyone needs to chill out!

Chill out? I've been told not to criticize one player because the lack of criticism for veteran players. I find that somehow very offensive and insulting, it reduces my comments to a mere point.