Jim_UK

Jim_UK · 26-08-2008, 13:50

So here we go again, the opening game of the season is upon us and our campaign is filled with much optimism, hope and expectation.

Our new signings combined with our departures have improved the squad and according to some bookmakers, we are 2nd favourites for the title behind Inter.

Galliani has more or less demanded that Ancelotti win the title, while several of the players believe that this time round we are a force to be reckoned with. Only time will tell if we will play as pathetically as we did at times last season or if along with the new faces, we've found some extra steel & hardness to go with our established silk & finesse.

Alot of the mistakes last season were due to laziness and unwillingness to close players down, this has to improve dramatically or else all the new faces and hard work in the transfer market will have been for nothing.

While we have no CL to distract us, we will still have the UEFA cup and again, expectation will be high for this competition. On paper we should probably get to the final if not win it and given that it's the only major trophy we've never won, that it's probably Maldini's last season and that the final is in Istanbul, there seems to be enough incentives for us to go all out for this trophy.

However, one game at a time and all that and we must start with Bologna. They've been equally busy in the transfer market and have made 12 signings i believe, of which Di Vaio might be the one to cause us the most damage on Sunday. They will have nothing to lose and nothing to fear as it's the first game. No one will realistically expect them to win so they can play without pressure and give it a real go.

To counter this we will need to be sharp and that is something we've looked far from in a pre-season disrupted by injuries and the Olympics. The spine of our team (Nesta, Senderos, Gattuso, Kaka, Boriello) are all out and will not be available for a few weeks yet. Given these facts, we can only guess what the starting 11 will be as we attempt to stick a side together that can gel quickly and get us off to a winning start on Sunday.

Here's the 11 i would go for (assuming these players aren't injured right now):

----------------Abbiati------------------
--Zambrotta--Bonera--Maldini--Antonini--
---------Flamini---Pirlo---Ambrosini------
---------Ronaldinho---Seedorf----------
--------------Shevchenko--------------

Subs: Kalac, Kaladze, Jankulovski, Emerson/Brocchi, Cardacio/Viudez, Pato, Inzaghi

26-08-2008, 13:50	#1
Jim_UK Registered User Join Date: 07 2001 Location: England	Milan v Bologna 31/08/08 So here we go again, the opening game of the season is upon us and our campaign is filled with much optimism, hope and expectation. Our new signings combined with our departures have improved the squad and according to some bookmakers, we are 2nd favourites for the title behind Inter. Galliani has more or less demanded that Ancelotti win the title, while several of the players believe that this time round we are a force to be reckoned with. Only time will tell if we will play as pathetically as we did at times last season or if along with the new faces, we've found some extra steel & hardness to go with our established silk & finesse. Alot of the mistakes last season were due to laziness and unwillingness to close players down, this has to improve dramatically or else all the new faces and hard work in the transfer market will have been for nothing. While we have no CL to distract us, we will still have the UEFA cup and again, expectation will be high for this competition. On paper we should probably get to the final if not win it and given that it's the only major trophy we've never won, that it's probably Maldini's last season and that the final is in Istanbul, there seems to be enough incentives for us to go all out for this trophy. However, one game at a time and all that and we must start with Bologna. They've been equally busy in the transfer market and have made 12 signings i believe, of which Di Vaio might be the one to cause us the most damage on Sunday. They will have nothing to lose and nothing to fear as it's the first game. No one will realistically expect them to win so they can play without pressure and give it a real go. To counter this we will need to be sharp and that is something we've looked far from in a pre-season disrupted by injuries and the Olympics. The spine of our team (Nesta, Senderos, Gattuso, Kaka, Boriello) are all out and will not be available for a few weeks yet. Given these facts, we can only guess what the starting 11 will be as we attempt to stick a side together that can gel quickly and get us off to a winning start on Sunday. Here's the 11 i would go for (assuming these players aren't injured right now): ----------------Abbiati------------------ --Zambrotta--Bonera--Maldini--Antonini-- ---------Flamini---Pirlo---Ambrosini------ ---------Ronaldinho---Seedorf---------- --------------Shevchenko-------------- Subs: Kalac, Kaladze, Jankulovski, Emerson/Brocchi, Cardacio/Viudez, Pato, Inzaghi __________________ ... Is watching you ...