Barcelona - AC Milan [R] 3/12/13 - CL Round of 16 (Game 2/2)

looking at barca's starting line up today

-----------pinto
alves-puyol-mascherano-adriano
thiago---alex song-------fabregas
tello--------villa---------sanchez

looks like they are resting the big boys.
pique, iniesta, messi, busquets, on the bench.
(do pedro and alba usually start? i don't even know)
xavi i guess is still not ready, but won't believe he's missing the game on tuesday until barca's team walks out to the field
oh and valdes not on roster either

 

Their strategy will be to score 4-5 goals and they will come out blazing. If we can hold out for the first 25-30 min, we have a really nice chance to disappoint them. We WILL need a goal.

 

Giampaolo Pazzini is out of Milan’s trip to Barcelona and possibly even longer, as tests confirmed a micro-fracture.

The striker limped off during the 2-0 win over Genoa on Friday at Marassi after scoring a goal.

The official Milan website released a statement this afternoon confirming further tests had been done on the injury.

“The tests confirmed heavy bruising and a micro-fracture to the head of the right fibula.”

It is not clear how long Pazzini will be out for, but he’ll certainly miss Tuesday’s Champions League match with Barcelona.

Mario Balotelli is cup-tied, while Philippe Mexes and Kevin-Prince Boateng are also battling injury to make it to Camp Nou.

http://www.football-italia.net/31711...ture-confirmed

 

losing pazzini is huge. i thought he did really well against them last time, holding up the ball and putting pressure on their defense. also, without balotelli and pazzo we don't have a CF.

 

Niang??

 

Barca Vs AC Milan

Interesting Take on Milan's matches vs Genoa and Barca !

 

Don't know if it's possible, but since Pazzini is out this can do the trick:

KPB - El Shaarawy - Niang

 

i do not trust niang to play the whole 90. is robinho available?

 

Yes, so is Bojan.

 

I will catch up here later.

 

i don' think putting SES in the center would be a good idea. that would basically eliminate our most dangerous threat. i say keep our best player in his best position.

 

who will be the CF then? Pazzini is out and Balotelli can't play

 

boateng sucks there, but i'd rather have him there. tough choice though

 

Allegri: "We will see how Mexes is doing in the training at Camp Nou this evening. If he's not fit then Bonera or Yepes will play."

 

Let's not worry too much who is playing, what they need to do is the same as last time; limit the spaces between the lines and hit fast on the counter. They all need to be 100% focused, and know that they can get a result. Barcelona is not unstoppable.

 

I am sad that Pazzini won't be playing in the game BUT excited nonetheless. Without a "true CF" to play we have a few options. Play Niang at CF(I say Niang because Boateng and SES already know how to play the wings vs Barca ), but than perhaps put Boateng at false #9 and have him do exactly what Pazzini did and let Niang/SES run flanks. OR we can go completely defensive .

My thoughts are that Barca will come out at the start of the game looking to score immediately. No tiki tak style, but a very offensive approach. Atleast for first 10-15minutes. Think of a fighter throwing haymakers for the KO in first round. IF we can weather that storm than I think they will go back to that tiki tak style until atleast HT. WE DO NOT HAVE TO WIN THE GAME. BUT we have to think of getting the goals/ conceding goals as "points". We must play tactically sound defensively and choose when to attack smartly. When Alba/Alves are attacking and Barca lose possesion we must attack with speed down the sides that they are not there. Niang/SES can run past Puyol/Pique any day of the week, so use them.

Barca need 2 goals to tie,3 to win. IF we score 1 goal, it forces Barca to score 4 to win, no more tiebreaker at 3, but they would need 4. That is why I think we must create and take our chances and their attack also. If we play ultra conservative we will lose. We must not play the mentality of sitting back and defending. While our defense was excellent in the first leg, they now know they must score 3 or they are out. The Barcelona mentality is to score,score,score. We must not allow them to shoot from outside or create multiple chances. We need to show that we will attack and not bunker down from the first minute. I think we can do it, and I hope we prevail. Either way, it should be a very exciting game for neutrals while very nerve wrecking for Milan/Barca fans...

 

Everyone expects us to play defensive the whole game. Barca is surprisingly weak in the first 5 or so minutes of every game as they get warmed up. No one will expect milan to go all out attack at the beginning of the game and that is exactly what we should do for just those first 5 minutes. Barca will not be ready to counter attack, and although there is some risk of conceding, its go big or go home.

They will have learned from their mistakes last match and be ready with a reasonable plan on how to score 2 goals against us. They will not expect this and they will be at their weakest point early on.

If we don't score after 5 minutes are up, we shift to our business as usual plan, but I think its a risk worth taking, as it will put them into a panic mode whether or not we score because they will not expect us to come out so aggressively, and secondly if we do manage to score they will of course have to score twice as many goals.

 

I don't think we should come out to score quick. If we give one up early that will swing things big for them. You don't want that. Just play smart and take a chance when it comes. Patience is the key. We don't have to force anything, but can't sit back for 90 and just let them press. They need to bring it to us if they want to go on. They will and we just need to catch them. We get one and it should be over. Right now, I say we lose 2-1, maybe 3-1, but that's good enough. I might change my prediction after I poop. I feel good this morning, but not like I felt the day of the 1st game. Which I said we would win. If The Pope from Milan is picked later on and we are still going, I say Milan wins the CL. Things just seem to be getting in line.

 

I am happy to report good results from the Messi study. One log to two or three turds (I didn't have gloves and wouldn't sort it anyway if I did). Sight study only. So I will stick with the 2-1/3-1 pick I originally posted. We lose, but we move on. No other picks will be made till after the result. I'll BS here, but no picks. My meteor/asteroid theory worked last game. Now let's see how the Messi study turns out. I feel much better after the study, but not a winner better.

 

Spiritual much?

 

Not religious at all. I probably should be though.

 

I have a feeling that we're going to get cheated again. Will UEFA allow their pets to be eliminated this early in the competition??

 

I did say last week the ref will be in the pockets of Barca, but I feel confident in my prediction and study.