Udinese - AC.Milan 20/01/2008

The game is 3 days again.. and i hope to see 22-7-99 again in their best performance.FORZA MILAN!!!!

from channel4.com:

Serie A Week 19 - 20/1/08 (14.00 UK)
Udinese-Milan

Stadio Friuli

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The spotlight will be on Alexandre Pato once again when Milan take on Udinese at the Stadio Friuli. The young Brazilian sensation marked his competitive debut for the Rossoneri with a goal against Napoli in a 5-2 victory which was their first at San Siro since last April.

It still wasn’t enough to push them out of the bottom half of the table, although Carlo Ancelotti’s men do have three games in hand on most of the rest of Serie A so it seems only a matter of time before they start climbing the ladder. And the Diavolo will fancy their chances of leaving Friuli with the three points as their away form has been impressive this season.

However, if Milan’s Brazilian trident of Kaka, Pato and Ronaldo aren’t firing then breaking through the Zebrette’s rear guard could prove tough, given that Andrea Pirlo is sitting out a one-match suspension. The man to replace calcio’s equivalent of a quarter-back is Gennaro Gattuso, who has plenty of heart but is hardly the man to unlock a defence with a slide-rule pass. That is expected to be the only change to the starting XI which tore Napoli to pieces.

Udinese boss Pasquale Marino has worked wonders since arriving last summer from Catania, pushing the Friuli boys up into contention for a Champions League spot. Despite usually operating with a three-pronged attack, it is actually defence which has been their strong point this term. A solid backline was certainly needed against bottom side Cagliari at the weekend, seeing as the Friuliani had to play with 10 men for an hour after Diaz Felipe’s dismissal. Despite that, Fabio Quagliarella’s seventh goal of the campaign was enough to secure the victory.

Felipe, as you probably guessed, is now suspended so he will be unable to take on the side who have been linked with a move for him in the past – his indiscipline certainly isn’t doing him any favours, as he now has seven yellow cards and two dismissals to his name this term. Andrea Coda benefits from this and will make his 10th appearance of the season. Gokhan Inler, who had previously missed just one game, also sits out a ban so that hands Finnish ace Roman Eremenko an opportunity to stake his claim for a first-team place.

History doesn’t bode too well for Udinese in this fixture though. Milan’s last two trips to the Stadio Friuli have seen them emerge victorious on both occasions, with an aggregate score of 7-0! Add in a 5-1 home win for the Rossoneri in 2005 and the fact that the Zebrette have gone five years without a victory in front of their own fans against Milan and it doesn’t make good reading for Marino and Co. The neutrals, however, can take heart from this statistic – there has been only one goalless draw between the sides since the turn of the century.

Keep an eye on: Alexandre Pato (Milan) – Who else was it going to be? The kid is mustard and is looking more than capable of living up to the hype, so expect more fireworks this weekend.

Last season: Udinese 0-3 Milan

Form guide: Udinese (L W L D W) Milan (D W D L W)


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Udinese (probable): Handanovic; Zapata, Coda, Lukovic; Mesto, D'Agostino, Eremenko, Dossena; Pepe, Di Natale, Quagliarella

Milan (probable): Dida; Bonera, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini; Seedorf, Gattuso, Ambrosini; Kaka; Pato, Ronaldo

Going to be another cracker, and all eyes will be on our brazilian trident, Quagliarella and mayb Di Natale..

While I am hoping Quag has a good game (so we then end up buying him), I hope that he is subdued enough by Rino and Co. to not cause us too much harm.

This is another stern test for Milan, who are facing yet another team above them in the table, and this time, with or without the 9 points from the as yet unplayed 3 matches missed due to our participation in the World Club Cup.

So, a 6 pointer then, and if my info is accurate, we have no injuries or suspensions to worry about (maybe apart from Marek, who may still not be fit)...

It will be interesting to see if Carlo opts for the 4-1-2-1-2 formation, or if he goes with the Xmas tree...

Somehow, I think after the success of the Ka-Po-Ro partnership, that he will employ it again, at least until we are comfortably in the lead, and I wouldnt object to that policy in the slightest.

Unfortunately, methinks we will only be able to see the game vis streaming (ie those of us in the "New" World at any rate)...as Rai (from whom GolTV and FSC both get their Serie A matches) will be showing the Inter and Juve matches.

Any streaming links for the game would therefore be greately appreciated.

Prediction: Hmmmm this is a close one...I would bet on a draw, were I placing money on the match, but since I am not, I think I will say:

We will win this one, especially if Udine make the mistake of attacking us, instead of counter-attacking...which they may well do, considering that they are playing at home.



FORZA MIIIIIIIIIILAN!!

Oh...Pirlo is suspended for this game, and this might make all the difference...Seedorf may be asked to drop into that position, or Carlo could give Gourcuff that responsibility (and ***s will not only fly, but they will pilot the next NASA Shuttle flight).

While I think the young Frenchman could handle it, I see Rino and Ambro starting...which, I am sure all are aware, will severely impact our attacking capabilities.

Im sure we'll see this:

-----------------dida------------

bonera----nesta--kaladze--jankulovski/favalli---
---------------ambrosini---------
-----gattuso----------seedorf---------
---------------kaka'-----------
------ronaldo------pato-----------------

Its good enough! It simply has to be. Ambro and Rino can hold the midfield and seedorf will play his role in the midfield. Maybe even Serio can be back aldough I doubt it...

Forza Ka-Pa-Ro!!!

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

While I think the young Frenchman could handle it, I see Max and Ambro starting...which, I am sure all are aware, will severely impact our attacking capabilities.

I`m sure u meant Rinho and Max.....however i think the best will be to put Seedorf in Pirlos place...thats the safest option, will be covered by rinho and Max, so Seedorf laziness wont be of great damage this time(And Jamie can finally be happy)

Thanks kastriot...I made that post rite b4 lunch..so the brain wasnt working properly, but thats exactly what I meant...

just a quick mention as I don't think it's been said before, but Sunday's match will be the date of Maldini's 23rd anniversary since he made his debut against none other than Udinese. Seems ironic to think that Maldini, in what will be the last anniversary of his debut will face the very club he started his legendary career with.

Unfortunately I miss matches for the next month or so.

maybe it was meant when matches were scheduled(Spell?)

gourcuff deserves his place for this game IMHO. he showed us in coppa italia game.
let him start for pirlo

-------gattuso-------
--gourcuff-----seedorf
--------kaka---------
--R99---------pato----

i rather wanna see gila----pato
but R99 did well in his first game

Ambro is taking Pirlo's Spot...

Gila is going to play in the match, as Ronaldo wont be fit to play 90mins(Already stated by Carlo many times) but that also depends on how the match goes

too bad Maldini gonna miss tomorrow's match

Dida is not starting this match!

He is injured, so Kalac is starting instead.

http://www.acmilan.com/NewsDetail.aspx?idNews=60075

Maldini misses historic game

Paolo Maldini and Francesco Totti are out of Sunday’s games due to flu, so the Milan captain misses the 23rd anniversary of his Serie A debut.

It had all been set up perfectly for Maldini to mark the occasion when he ran out for the first time on January 20, 1985 against Udinese.

The Rossoneri were once again to face the Friuli outfit, but destiny had other plans in store and Maldini won’t be able to celebrate this historic date.

The defender has been bed-ridden by a bout of flu and is not even in the squad travelling to Udine.

“He’ll have to wait until next year to celebrate,” joked Coach Carlo Ancelotti, aware the 39-year-old will hang up his boots at the end of this season.

Maldini is not the only one suffering from the flu virus sweeping Italy, as Totti has also been ruled out of this Sunday’s Serie A match.

The Roma hero scored his 200th goal for the club during the midweek Coppa Italia victory against Torino and was set to receive a special prize in a ceremony before kick-off.

However, he won’t be there for Roma’s game against Catania and neither will the injured Juan or suspended Christian Panucci.

As for Milan, goalkeeper Nelson Dida will miss out on Udinese after sustaining a sprained right knee in training, so Zeljko Kalac takes the gloves.

Milan squad: Kalac, Fiori, Offredi; Bonera, Digao, Favalli, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Simic; Ambrosini, Brocchi, Emerson, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kakà, Seedorf; Gilardino, Pato, Ronaldo

source:channel 4

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Kalac,Bonera,Nesta,Kaladze,Favalli, Ambro,gattuso,Seedorf,Kaka,Pato,Gila/Ronaldo

thats my line-up

-----------Kalac-----------
Bonera Nesta Kaladze Favalli
---------Emerson----------
Gatuso-------------Seedorf
-----------Kaka-----------
----Ronaldo----Pato-----

Missing Pirlo is not easy. However, we can play 2 true DM, making the 4-3-1-2 formation more balanced, taking less risks from being counter-attacked.

KaPaRo will shine. Forza Milan!!!