UCL SF 2nd leg : Milan-Manchester Utd.

My prediction : Milan 3-1 Man U

Milan will score 2-3 goals first then concede 1. I am pretty certain of this, mark my words.

I think Ferdinand will play. They might leave that decision to the last minute like they did with Evra. Evra was always going to play, in my opinion.
But Evra's suspension is the worst loss for Utd. He did very well following up when Ronaldo was stopped by Oddo (who was really good).
I would stick with Gila up front, it's so difficult to play up front on your own at Old Trafford. I would pick Oli before Pipo.

There won't be so much hype about Ronaldo, as Man U now have their own tremors having to face Kaka. Btw, please God, don't book Kaka in 2nd leg!

Milan will win, but Utd will score in the San Siro.

I think the key for Milan is controlling the pace of the game. This is so important because they are an older team. If we control the pace in the first half, we shouldn't get as tired in the last 30 mins, and we will be strong at the end.

We have to attack Man Utd, and keep doing so even if we score the first goal. Although usually the Italian way is to organise and defend, when your opponent has suffered as badly as Man Utd have at the back the best form of Defense is Offense.

Milan are still in total control of this tie, and even though the win was better than i dared hope for Utd pregame i still think Milan will progress.

This tie will be decided by the Utd defence, or whats left of it. Both of Milans goals yesterday were preventable, Rio is far quicker off the mark than Heinze and wouldve stopped the first goal, or at least narrowed the angle to leave nothing but VDS to hit. As for the 2nd how often do you see top level defenders crashing into each other like that? this was a makeshift defence with no great experience of playing together and that goal showed exactly what happens when they dont have a midfield to shield them.

Utd will still be a threat on the break but not half as threatening as they would be with a solid base to rely on, Utd are not good at all at defending leads and as soon as Milan get the breakthrough it will be possession time, with may be a second added on the break. Utds only chance of progressing will be a moment of genius from someone on the break, fortunately there are a few capable of providing it

Football is unpredictable, we should know that by now. But some things are more predictable than others. One of those is the AC Milan from the 2000's giving away leads way too easy. This wouldn't have happened with the late eighties early nineties team, and the tie would have been over at half time. Sadly those times are unlikely to be back any time soon.

I wish we could go through and maybe we will, but for months I have that horrible premonition about the final, I'm not even going to watch the english EPL match in the other semi final but damn I hope Liverpool gets to the final instead of Chelsea that way I know the premonition won't come true.

well guys...i hope everyone of you is right..excpet for MZK...not to be rude but as much as dida pissed me off..id still like to see him in da return leg ..but i dont care wat happens..i just want our strikers to do good...kaka cant run all over the field hopefully pippo is fit..

I honestly don't think Gila will be capable of scoring a goal against ManU. Combine that with his almost stationary role near the middle of the pitch the entire game I have to think Oliviera would be a better option. I don't think that he has any better chance of scoring but at least he'd run back for the ball and maybe wear out a few of their defenders plus he is a much better option on the counter for when we get the early lead. It's one thing to stand there and draw defenders away like Gila did yesterday. It's another thing to command their attention. I think that'll open up more space for Kaka and Seedorf. I have to say, ManU were pretty compact back there. We didn't have much space aside from the flanks and unfortunately we had another horrendous day of crosses.

Prediction, Milan 2 - 1 Man U. They won't be able to keep up the pace as they did at home. Ambrosini is due for a goal as is the not so young Seedorf.

Side note, did anyone else see the Kaka goals as pure brilliance? I especially loved the first. It used his touch, speed and killer goal scoring instinct. That was beautiful to watch especially when watching with a bunch of ManU fans The second was classy too though.

Oh yeah and as for Dida. He had a bad game against Bayern in the first leg to turn it around with a great one in the second. I expect no less from him. He makes his share of mistakes nowadays but still pulls out incredible saves from his A$$. If we are to win Dida WILL BE MOTM.

1-0 to milan finish san siro will do the jobe

I cant even go to the 1st leg thread...but I will say this:

Dida cost us the first leg, but he is good enuf, on his day, to gift us a victory with his saves....

I had a bad feeling about the game all morning, but still have hope that we can win this 2nd leg at home, and do so convincingly.

FORZA MIIIIIIIIILAN!!

My birthday is two days after the tie...Please Milan, give me a good birthday present!!

Originally Posted by Stezagud

Milan are still in total control of this tie, and even though the win was better than i dared hope for Utd pregame i still think Milan will progress.

This tie will be decided by the Utd defence, or whats left of it. Both of Milans goals yesterday were preventable, Rio is far quicker off the mark than Heinze and wouldve stopped the first goal, or at least narrowed the angle to leave nothing but VDS to hit. As for the 2nd how often do you see top level defenders crashing into each other like that? this was a makeshift defence with no great experience of playing together and that goal showed exactly what happens when they dont have a midfield to shield them.

Utd will still be a threat on the break but not half as threatening as they would be with a solid base to rely on, Utd are not good at all at defending leads and as soon as Milan get the breakthrough it will be possession time, with may be a second added on the break. Utds only chance of progressing will be a moment of genius from someone on the break, fortunately there are a few capable of providing it

Steza, any news on how the recovery of Ferdinand, Vidic and Neville is going? I guess Neville is more or less certain to make it but there are some controversial reports on the other two.

From what i've read Neville should make it but wont be fully fit, and an unfit Neville may as well not play he usually takes a few games to get back up to speed and Fergie knows that so may leave him out anyway.

Rio is about 70-30 in favour of not making it, he has a chance but since the injury already came back once after rushing him back too quickly vs Boro i dont see them taking a chance again unless they are sure he is 100%. Vidic has no chance, which is a real shame for Utd because not only is he a quality centre back he also is by far our biggest threat on corners and freekicks, and the way Milan have been defending them at times this year he couldve caused havoc

Utds other problem is the squad is stretched so thin by injuries elsewhere too, the defence cant rotate at all, and in midfield the nature of the games coming up (plenty of tough away fixtures in a row) means Fergie cant afford to rest Giggs or Scholes, especially with Park out. Up front Saha is missing too and though Smith and Ole try they dont have Rooneys quality. By the time of the 2nd leg Utds XI will have hardly had a rest in a month because of the chase for the treble, Milan can keep fairly fresh though as the CL is the only trophy to aim for.

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

I cant even go to the 1st leg thread...but I will say this:

Dida cost us the first leg, but he is good enuf, on his day, to gift us a victory with his saves....

I had a bad feeling about the game all morning, but still have hope that we can win this 2nd leg at home, and do so convincingly.

FORZA MIIIIIIIIILAN!!

My birthday is two days after the tie...Please Milan, give me a good birthday
present!!

Milan will give you a birthday present with a 1-0 win in the 92nd min thanks to Pippo Inzaghi

If you compare today's semi result with yesterday one, then a Liverpool fan should be more worried than a Milan fan, because obviously a 0-1 loss is worse than a 2-3 loss.

We'll see.

Originally Posted by hwmook

My prediction : Milan 3-1 Man U

Milan will score 2-3 goals first then concede 1. I am pretty certain of this, mark my words.

Yah, I don't see betting agents making this kind of odds anymore c oz they know it's simply going to happen lol~

Originally Posted by Stezagud

From what i've read Neville should make it but wont be fully fit, and an unfit Neville may as well not play he usually takes a few games to get back up to speed and Fergie knows that so may leave him out anyway.

Rio is about 70-30 in favour of not making it, he has a chance but since the injury already came back once after rushing him back too quickly vs Boro i dont see them taking a chance again unless they are sure he is 100%. Vidic has no chance, which is a real shame for Utd because not only is he a quality centre back he also is by far our biggest threat on corners and freekicks, and the way Milan have been defending them at times this year he couldve caused havoc

Utds other problem is the squad is stretched so thin by injuries elsewhere too, the defence cant rotate at all, and in midfield the nature of the games coming up (plenty of tough away fixtures in a row) means Fergie cant afford to rest Giggs or Scholes, especially with Park out. Up front Saha is missing too and though Smith and Ole try they dont have Rooneys quality. By the time of the 2nd leg Utds XI will have hardly had a rest in a month because of the chase for the treble, Milan can keep fairly fresh though as the CL is the only trophy to aim for.

thanks Steza ... for the encouraging news

btw, the second leg is just a week away - next Wedneday - so each team will have only a game to play between the two encounters.

btw, Jim, 'Pool sucks