FC Barcelona - AC Milan (Champions League Return game 12/03 20h45)

[Revolver]

I think Abate and Constant are up to the task. Abate had a really tough battle with Alba, but it's not surprising that for many he was considered our best player (even though he had bad moments). It's even more tough when you're unprotected by the midfielder in front of you (Flamini).

Constant on the other hand I think just had a bad game. Being up against Messi and Dani Alves together is tough enough, but I also think his mistake from the weekend also weighed in his mind. Thing is, if we look his performances this year (including the steady improvement with more games) and his performance in the first leg, I think he can play at this level.

Zapata I'm still uncertain about as on the ball he's just too weak for my liking.

I would agree about Abate, really he's not bad, not good, but not bad either, and unwritten rule says that if you'll have any average players in a great team, let it be one of your side-backs.

But for Constant I can't agree, he simply makes to much mistakes. And if you look the past games, as much as he improves defensively with every game, his input in attacking phase is lower and lower with every game.
Similar thing happened to Abate when he was transformed to full back in Milan.

I think De Sciglio is already the best option of all side-backs we have ATM, and if is up to me I would play him on the left instead of Constant. He even plays better when he's on the left.

@Alan

You misunderstood me, I didn't think that we buy 11 players to be like Barca.
Of course we have a very good foundation.

As you mentioned strikers force is great already, Niang, ELS and Balotelli have potential to be the most fearsome attacking trident in the world, and yet they have backing of Pazzini, which is best Italian penalty-box striker currently.

Midfield also lays on a good foundation, honestly I believe that Muntari could work with Montolivo, De Jong will be back for next season... But Flamini and Nocerino are second rate players simply put, no over-reacting. They're 29 and 28 respectively and they only have one good season each behind them. We need a talented box-to-box midfielder to work with Montolivo and Muntari.

As for defense, really defense is horrible. De Sciglio is the only to-be great player. We have one good (but not great) center back out of 4 or 5, three average side backs, and one more we're begging someone to buy off us.

Just to mention, tika-taka at Milan is bullshit, Milan never played that way and never will. And it's a good thing. It's a paradox, but Barcelona must've left tika-taka to beat Milan.

[ACMILAN1983]

I would agree about Abate, really he's not bad, not good, but not bad either, and unwritten rule says that if you'll have any average players in a great team, let it be one of your side-backs.

But for Constant I can't agree, he simply makes to much mistakes. And if you look the past games, as much as he improves defensively with every game, his input in attacking phase is lower and lower with every game.
Similar thing happened to Abate when he was transformed to full back in Milan.

I think De Sciglio is already the best option of all side-backs we have ATM, and if is up to me I would play him on the left instead of Constant. He even plays better when he's on the left.

@Alan

You misunderstood me, I didn't think that we buy 11 players to be like Barca.
Of course we have a very good foundation.

As you mentioned strikers force is great already, Niang, ELS and Balotelli have potential to be the most fearsome attacking trident in the world, and yet they have backing of Pazzini, which is best Italian penalty-box striker currently.

Midfield also lays on a good foundation, honestly I believe that Muntari could work with Montolivo, De Jong will be back for next season... But Flamini and Nocerino are second rate players simply put, no over-reacting. They're 29 and 28 respectively and they only have one good season each behind them. We need a talented box-to-box midfielder to work with Montolivo and Muntari.

As for defense, really defense is horrible. De Sciglio is the only to-be great player. We have one good (but not great) center back out of 4 or 5, three average side backs, and one more we're begging someone to buy off us.

Just to mention, tika-taka at Milan is bullshit, Milan never played that way and never will. And it's a good thing. It's a paradox, but Barcelona must've left tika-taka to beat Milan.

I would say Abate's above average if I'm honest, I think defensively he's almost always sound (except when we face Inter) and going forward, as you've said in the past he offers a lot of drive, even if his end product leaves something to be desired.

Regarding Constant, I'm pleased with his growth this year. We should remember that he's only really learning the role and he has become more and more consistent over time. His attacking displays I think vary more on who we're facing than it consistently diminishing. Against lower level opposition, I think Constant is solid going forward, but against teams like Barca or Juve who pin you down, I think he's instructed to focus heavily on defensive duties.

I agree about De Sciglio, he's grown more than everyone this year (possibly even more than El Shaarawy). Thing is, he's still young so I think Allegri's trying to avoid too many high pressure games which could hurt his growth.

About the squad, I think in midfield we need some work, though we've got some groundwork there to start working in young players, rather than needing more experienced players. Similar in defence, our fullbacks are fine imo, we don't need to change unless it's like a 4th choice option. The CBs is where we need most work, as Mexes isn't really good enough, while Zapata's highly questionable, mostly due to his lack of quality on the ball.

[ACM2023]

Now that De Sciglio can be trusted at LB and Abate seems to get his form back as RB, I wonder if Constant can now be moved back to the midfield, considering that our midfield can use some good passers?

[ZvonimirBoban]

meanwhile farca getting PSG

[ACM2023]

meanwhile farca getting PSG

without Ibrahimovic in the first leg too.

[WCmilan]

Now that De Sciglio can be trusted at LB and Abate seems to get his form back as RB, I wonder if Constant can now be moved back to the midfield, considering that our midfield can use some good passers?

I dont know about that tbh.. Like Constant is doing really well at LB and whwn we bought him we apparently told him hed be used as a full back, so I guess our management dont see him as the type of midfielder we need. IMO if we played with wide mids (LM/RM) he would do very well.

[shegs]

I've got the benefit of hindsight so my thoughts might not count for much. I look back at the Arsenal game last season and see a similarity with the debacle at the camp nou on tuesday and for this reason I place the blame solely at Allegri's feet. At 4 - 0 and 2 - 0 respectively, we had absolutely no need to score an away goal in those games. But the coach, not for the first time, set up the team in the wrong way by not modifying his tactics from both first legs. At the camp nou, I'd have started with De Sciglio in defense and Abate at right midfield because of Iniesta. I'd have started Muntari instead of Flamini and played him at left midfield because while he might not cover as much ground as flamini, he is simply a better defensive option than the frenchman. Montolivio and Ambrosini would have kept their spots and I'd have played Prince as the trequartista. Shaarawy or Niang would have been the lone striker because of Pazzini's absence. We might have held our advantage with this defensive strategy but even if we didn't we would still have had options on the bench to win the game.

[Best-Pundit]

Now that the dust has settled, I can calmly say that AC Milan did not lose to Barcelona, nor to Messi, AC Milan lost to a defeated mentality, started by Ancelotti against Deportivo, PSV and Liverpool and perfected by Allegri (the loser) in his first three seasons. There was no need for some many forwards. AC Milan would have progressed if they were without any coach, but Allegri made sure we don't by his clueless tactics.

[Hasan Rossonero]

Now that the dust has settled, I can calmly say that AC Milan did not lose to Barcelona, nor to Messi, AC Milan lost to a defeated mentality, started by Ancelotti against Deportivo, PSV and Liverpool and perfected by Allegri (the loser) in his first three seasons. There was no need for some many forwards. AC Milan would have progressed if they were without any coach, but Allegri made sure we don't by his clueless tactics.

No, I disagree.

What is the link between the mentality of this team and Ancelotti's? Two different sets of players with different coaches. Milan is all about winning so it's not as if the players went into the 2nd leg thinking "oh man, we have inherited the script, we're going to lose."

I would say that has much culpability as your PSG post.

Allegri won the Scudetto in his first year--hardly a loser. Allegri brought this team up to third place when it was lurching near the relegation zone--hardly a loser. Allegri, Petkovic, Montella and Conte are the best coaches in the league.

I don't know how to read half of your posts because you may be joking or exaggerating, which is fine. I agree with you that maybe Allegri made some mistakes, but we lost because Barcelona had a perfect night, our players couldn't string two passes together, and because Niang (poor guy) missed a great chance.

It happens.

[ElMago99]

It's always difficult to judge who's at fault.. Management, Coach, or players,....

It's difficult to say. Up 2-0..you need to finish the team off...no excuses. So it's not really on Management. However, Allegri must get some blame..he should have changed to 5 Midfielders as soon as we were down by 1 goal.

Regarding Allegri winning the Scudetto.. we were playing against no one. Inter was depressed about losing Mourinho..Juventus were 7th place..and there was no one else.. Napoli was and still is not deep enough to win a Scudetto. They have no subs.

Allegri won with an OUTSTANDING team against zero competition. He's been shit in UCL, and not outstanding in the league.

However, I am starting to want him to stay. Let's "build" the team in next 2-3 years as Management says...and see what this guy can do. If nothing, then he really was the shit we all thought.


EDIT-

Would Barcelona have scored 4 goals against this team?

----------------SES-------------------------
Muntari-Monty-Ambro-Flamini-Boateng
DeSciglio--Zapata-Mexes--Abate--------

???