After the disappointing tie (that almost feels like a loss) at Lecce, we need to come back to the San Siro with a solid performance. Hopefully Inter will have problems at Palermo and we can regain that top spot again. No idea what the formation will be. FORZA MILAN!
Yep, can't let these games get away - need full 3 points. Play with 2 strikers, from first to last whistle.
so far this season, inzaghi has played well only when subbed on later in a game and has been largely mediocre when played from the start of the match. borriello on the other hand does a good job of receiving the ball .. but, 80% of the time he passes it back instead of going ahead with it or trying an attacking move. also, he's beginning to show signs of Gilardinism. as for pato, when he starts a game .. he lacks passion to score, ends up losing the ball in one-on-one situations with defenders. on the other hand, when brought on in the lecce game, he showed glimpses of last year. ancelotti and the rest should pump him up more before the games, and at his age, he should have a more ambitios approach. shevchenko tries hard with flicks to get by defenders, even though he lacks the acceleration of old. imho, he needs pirlo-esque playmaking to open up space for him, coz hes still got a really strong shot. so, if we were to start with 2 strikers up front who would they be? considering ancelotti will have to take off one of: - 2 holding midfielders (fortunately or unfortunately ancelotti's obsession) - 2 attacking midfielders (kaka or dinho)
The official formations. MILAN: Abbiati, Bonera, Favalli, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Flamini, Gattuso, Seedorf; Kakà, Ronaldinho; Inzaghi. CHIEVO: Sorrentino; Malagò, Mandelli, Yepes, Mantovani; Pinzi, Bentivoglio, Marcolini; Langella, Luciano; Pellissier.
man, our attack has been crap for a while...we rely on one moment of individual brilliance (braga and atalanta), soft pens (siena and this match) or an own goal (napoli) and then just hope that abbiati and the defense with gattuso in front can keep a clean sheet. it has worked out for us, we are getting the points...but our luck will end with that strategy. maybe as dinho continues to get in better shape and more acclimated to the environment plus pirlo and borriello fit we will look a little better, but our best offense right now is just give it to dinho and hope he can do something. good defending and tenacious running and covering by gattuso. our defense and keeping have been our saviours so far in this young season. forza milan
we didnt play well... at all... but being disappointed in victory is much better than being disappointed in defeat... i'll take it...
Not exactly great, but we got the three points. Neat freekick with Dinho Janks and Seedorf as well. Out of interest when does everyone think we'll start playing well? I'm hoping it'll be when Pirlo gets back that we'll start to improve the performance as well as getting the points.
I think we played ok, I think we got a little bored in the second , but I will take the points. Pirlo is missed, and we need a striker!!! Also I think there were some really good induvidual performances , but in the end that will not cut it week in and week out.
my ratings (fwiw) abbiati 6.5- very solid, a couple of key saves and perfect reading on some dangerous crosses, also some good reads on through balls, almost like having a sweeper out there at times. nice match janks-6.5 worked hard, excellent free kick, a couple of nice shots and some good skill going forward. he gets -.0.5 for the needless yellow, but other than that very good favalli- 6 good match in the center again kaladze- 6.5 his yellow was needed (pellissier had turned the corner). other than that, he was dangerous on set pieces, calm with the ball at his feet passing out of the back and solid on his defensive duties. well done bonera-6 another good match. you can tell he doesn't play right back as much as he used to, as he wasn't so sharp on his crosses, but very good defensively. very good season for him so far gattuso- 7 ran everywhere, winning headers, had some excellent crosses and nice touches in the final third, read the match beautifully covering any gaps when bonera or janks went forward, just a terrific game seedorf- 6 he gets a 6.5 for his defense and work in the midfield, but disappointing at times in the final third and had some times where he was needlessly caught in possession. form not as bright as it was the first month, but has been a very important player as far as providing balance to the side flamini- 5.5 still a little lost as far as what to do exactly in our midfield. after a bright start to the season, as gattuso has bossed the midfield, flamini seems to be surplus at times. hes a good player, we know this, hopefully just needs to settle a little more and find his niche ronaldinho- 6.5 nice skill, his tricks create space for shots (forced a nice save from sorrentino) and he had some nice through balls. right now, he is out best bet to unlock tight defenses in the final third kaka- 6 he gets credit and an extra 0.5 for a well-taken pen and a couple of other nice touches, but for his high standards another blah match. He is one of the best shooters from long-range we have, but right now his shooting is abysmal. c'mon kaka, we know you can do better! inzaghi- 6 didn't get much service, but worked hard and had a dangerous knock-down for kaka. pato-6 some good runs and hard defensive work in his half hour overall, another 3 points, I'll take it, but we need to get better no doubt. forza milan
when our best player, kaka starts playing his best would be my guess. we are just doing enough to win with him on cruise control, if he gets going, then I think we can really take off. maybe after a nice christmas break and rest for him with no intercontinental flights for qualifiers will breathe some life into his legs again... here are milannews' ratings Abbiati 6.5 - Sempre pronto su ogni pallone, salva anche il risultato in due occasioni pericolose. Bonera 6.5 - Ottima prova anche da terzino destro, viste le assenze di Zambrotta ed Antonini. Kaladze 5.5 - Partita utile a ritrovare la condizione Favalli 6 - Prova sufficiente del "Professore", sempre utile in caso di emergenza. Jankulovski 7 - Le cose migliori in fase offensiva arrivano dai suoi piedi Gattuso 7 - Ennesima partita sui suoi livelli, ormai incommentabili. Flamini 6 - Gara di contenimento per il francese, che non fa rimpiangere Ambrosini Seedorf 7 - Più che offensivamente, offre una grande prestazione in fase di ripiegamento difensivo. Kakà 5 - Si procura il rigore e lo segna, ma continua il brutto momento del Pallone d'Oro rossonero. Ronaldinho 6.5 - Le gambe girano al triplo rispetto ad inizio stagione: sta arrivando al 100%... Inzaghi 5.5 - Praticamente mai servito, Pippo non ha occasioni per lasciare la sua firma. - Pato 6 - Entra a metà secondo tempo, non incidendo poi molto sulla gara. I agree on kaka, nasty run of form right now, but when he gets it going (and he will), then as long as we within striking distance of inter, then we can make a good scudetto push
Pato coming for Inzaghi made the team a lot better upfront. He wasn't great, but right now I think he is our best forward, and yet he hasn't got a full 90 minutes in the league.
There were other 2 PKs that weren't called. There was an offside BEFORE THE F*CKING HALFWAY LINE. F*ck off.
jesus christ, can we start making one match thread for forza canadian ultra and one other for everyone else...
I don't live in Canada... I have a better idea, how about a thread titled: How we won the scudetto with PKs.
[youtube]pAyOVpn8Fic[/youtube] LOL Once against, Milan's best player: the ref. Nice dive by Kaka, what a classy thing by a Ballon d'Or winner.
What about the penalty on Kaka that wasn't called on the second half? Why don't you get us that replay? What about Pato being offside before the halfway line????