Milan v Messina 25th November 19:30pm

fitness and preparation is a science in itself. Just because it doesn't include any formulas and theories like physics, math, ot chemistry it doesn't mean that if you just gently scratch the surface and you will have all truth revealed to you.
All in all, a successful physical preparation is a much more complicated and sophisticated matter than a bunch of runs followed by some jumping and chitchat between the players.

Our team gathered as a group 2-3 weeks before our fisrt game vs Zvezda. The players who took part at the WC joined the rest of the group even later and had even shorter amount of time to prepare not to mention the little if any rest they got.

The procedure to reach not top but still accepatble match fitness in 2-3 weeks is much more vigorous but shorter in time than what the team would have normally done when they would have had close to 2 months to physically prepare by STEADILY building the muscle base that would keep them less injury prone and fitter for the entire season ahead of them. The trainings during summer camps are very, very tiresome and give the players a strong foundation which they can build on for the rest of the season. This foundation, however, takes time to be created and can't happen in 2-3 weeks time.

The thing is that once the game-season starts, it is no longer possible for the coaching staff to subject the players to the type of tiresome, energy draining, and muscle building excercises one would see them do during the summer. Why? well, it's quite simple - 'cause the players won't be able to make it through more than half of one game, let alone play a whole game at high tempo every 3 days or so. Training sessions during the season are desined more to SUSTAIN rather than INCREASE the already existing muscle foundation, which should have already been laid out during the summer training sessions.

Well, the extreme circumstances of this summer deprived the coaching staff to do just that - and namely prepare the team physically for the long season ahead of them. This in itself is more than enough to explain why the team looked so well prepped physically at the beginning of the season, while now the players are just plain tired and that's particularly true for our players on the Italian NT - Nesta, Pirlo, Pippo, Gila, Rino who have all looked out of sorts so far this season.

And an explanation is not necessarily an excuse.

Excellent points Zlat...didnt know u were a physical fitness guru!

I have this pain in my...psyche!!!

Originally Posted by Xudong

just saw this on the official site

ROSSONERI SQUAD FOR MESSINA
11/24/2006
KEEPERS: Fiori, Kalac, Facchin (n.30); DEFENDERS: Antonelli (n.31), Bonera, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Jankulovski, Simic; MIDFIELDERS: Brocchi, Gourcuff, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf, Vitofrancesco (n.39); STRIKERS: Borriello, Gilardino, Inzaghi, Ricardo Oliveira.

Who's that? Is that Di Gennaro? I was about to say that's good news he's been called up after seeing it listed in one of Xudong's previous posts, but then the official squad doesn't have him in it

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

Excellent points Zlat...didnt know u were a physical fitness guru!

wish I was Warro but I am far from a fitness guru. Still, I have read quite a few books on soccer and fitness conditioning to have at least a general idea how these things work. Yet, you don't see me point fingers at coaches and staff because those people know much more than I will probably ever know about these things.
I posted the above cause, you know, it just bugs me when when people resort to pointing fingers with or without reason.

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

I have this pain in my...psyche!!!

too bad for you ... but here's some good news - I think I know a cure for this, a kick in the butt should sort out just about everything

Originally Posted by Jim_UK

Who's that? Is that Di Gennaro? I was about to say that's good news he's been called up after seeing it listed in one of Xudong's previous posts, but then the official squad doesn't have him in it

ALL ABOUT FACCHIN AND VITOFRANCESCO
11/24/2006
MILAN – Here is some more information about the youth side players that were called-up for MILAN-MESSINA:

Keeper Davide Facchin (April 24, 1987) has played with Milan since 2001-02. This season he played all 7 Primavera youth side games and they currently stand in first place in the table.

Ferdinando Vitofrancesco (August 4, 1988) can play either in lateral defence or right midfield. He started playing in Milan’s youth sector in 2000-01 when he was only 11 years old. He has played 6 games with the Primavera this season.

www.acmilan.com

I guess he is not di Gennaro. Don't shoot the messenger, all I did was just translating what I read from that Chinese site, :

then again, what's the difference? I doubt Ancelotti will use any one of them anyway. He would rather stick to exhausted Seedorf/Pirlo/Kaka than to give any chance to some new legs.

Originally Posted by zlatanov

fitness and preparation is a science in itself. Just because it doesn't include any formulas and theories like physics, math, ot chemistry it doesn't mean that if you just gently scratch the surface and you will have all truth revealed to you.
All in all, a successful physical preparation is a much more complicated and sophisticated matter than a bunch of runs followed by some jumping and chitchat between the players.

Our team gathered as a group 2-3 weeks before our fisrt game vs Zvezda. The players who took part at the WC joined the rest of the group even later and had even shorter amount of time to prepare not to mention the little if any rest they got.

The procedure to reach not top but still accepatble match fitness in 2-3 weeks is much more vigorous but shorter in time than what the team would have normally done when they would have had close to 2 months to physically prepare by STEADILY building the muscle base that would keep them less injury prone and fitter for the entire season ahead of them. The trainings during summer camps are very, very tiresome and give the players a strong foundation which they can build on for the rest of the season. This foundation, however, takes time to be created and can't happen in 2-3 weeks time.

The thing is that once the game-season starts, it is no longer possible for the coaching staff to subject the players to the type of tiresome, energy draining, and muscle building excercises one would see them do during the summer. Why? well, it's quite simple - 'cause the players won't be able to make it through more than half of one game, let alone play a whole game at high tempo every 3 days or so. Training sessions during the season are desined more to SUSTAIN rather than INCREASE the already existing muscle foundation, which should have already been laid out during the summer training sessions.

Well, the extreme circumstances of this summer deprived the coaching staff to do just that - and namely prepare the team physically for the long season ahead of them. This in itself is more than enough to explain why the team looked so well prepped physically at the beginning of the season, while now the players are just plain tired and that's particularly true for our players on the Italian NT - Nesta, Pirlo, Pippo, Gila, Rino who have all looked out of sorts so far this season.

And an explanation is not necessarily an excuse.

*can't believe my own eyes*

so in the future, if any of you have any sporting injuries, you can always find adecvate note on www.milanmania.com, just search for Zlatanov

Joking, nice post mate!

About the game, I only hope to see Simic and Gourcuff play. And Seedorf on the bench along with Billy.

Originally Posted by mrki

so in the future, if any of you have any sporting injuries, you can always find adecvate note on www.milanmania.com, just search for Zlatanov

Joking, nice post mate!

About the game, I only hope to see Simic and Gourcuff play. And Seedorf on the bench along with Billy.

billy won't even be on the bench. he is also out for approximately 2 months.

I think this will be our probably starting line up:
--------------Kalac------------------
-Šimić--Nesta------Maldini--Kaladze--
------------Pirlo---------------------
--Brocchi-------------Seedorf--------
-----------Kaka----------------------
---Inzaghi-------Oliveira------------

Seedorf seems to be out of this game too.
I would expect to see Bonera and Smic start alongside Maldini and Janku. Then Brocchi, Pirlo, Gorky, and Kaka in mid and in attack Oliveira and Gila.

This could be it:
..................kalac............
simic...bonera..maldini..jankulovski...
...................pirlo..............
......gourcuff..........brocchi........
...................kaka'.............
..........oliveira....gilardino

Originally Posted by zlatanov

Seedorf seems to be out of this game too.
I would expect to see Bonera and Smic start alongside Maldini and Janku. Then Brocchi, Pirlo, Gorky, and Kaka in mid and in attack Oliveira and Gila.

Are you sure Seedorf's out? I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank goodness if that's true.

FORZA MILAN!

Originally Posted by ACMILAN1983

Are you sure Seedorf's out? I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank goodness if that's true.

FORZA MILAN!

SEedorf is out due to muscle tiredness, according to my Chinese source.

Originally Posted by ACMILAN1983

Are you sure Seedorf's out? I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank goodness if that's true.

FORZA MILAN!

yeah, he is out for this game. Here is the news on gazzetta:
http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Squadr...re/23/23.shtml

gazzetta says that seedorf is at risk for the game but tgcom also reported it earlier today and they seemed to be ceratin he is out.

It could be our advantage as its pretty obvious Seedorf needs some rest, maybe even a rest like Adriano did at Inter. I know we cant afford that right now, but maybe next year we can rotate him more and get more out of him, now he is just 60% of old Seedorf that played for Milan.

On the other hand, Gourcuff has a lot of potential, its just hard for him to shine as Milan is in pretty bad shape and you cant expect from a young player to carry a team like Milan is on his shoulders. Not everyone is Kaka' About KAka'.....I really hope we will buy some extra players to play alongside him as its sad to see him so frustrated on the field. There is noone who can play alongside him with his pace and skills.

So today, Messina, huh? With Marek on the left and baybe Simic on the right it could be good to play Brocchi on the left and Gourcuff as a RM. And the thing we need to do right at once is - PLAY OUR DEFENCE ON THE CENTRE OF THE FIELD, WITH PRESSING, AND NOT 35 METERS FROM OUR GOAL. That way we can take tha ball in the middle of the field and with 3 or 4 passes get ourselves in good position. With passive defence that we play becouse Pirlo,Seedorf cant run we let waay to many crosses in, way to many shots and so on.... TO be quick and dangerous you need to play good defence, and that is something we are not doing.