AC Milan - AEK Athens 13/09/2006 Champions League

Originally Posted by Jim_UK

Don't you think though that we had the easiest match out of whoever you class as the 'so-called European giants'?

Dunno...I thought Lyon romped over a non-entity...eh? Oh.

But seriously...maybe we did, but that doesnt detract from the quality of the victory, especially when we played our "B" defense...and rested several key players in other areas of the pitch.

Now, one can argue that we should be able to beat teams such as AEK with our youth team, but based on where we are in our respective seasons, the fact that we won so convincingly with the selection as aformentioned, I dont think we did so badly after all, and I would suggest that, if what was essentially our second team on the pitch, we have shown a dominance that augers well for us in the future....a possible MOM is 20 yrs old for petes sake!

Does that imply that our depth is better than other so called European giants? Well, if that doesnt, then what does? Do we need to beat Roma or Inter with our "B" team to prove that point?

now Seedorf will get crazy becouse gourcuff is doing good and score hat trick against Parma...hehehe. seriousely, we did ok. did what we had to do. Still, Nesta-Kaladze are our best options as CB. Im waiting to see that again...

Still disappointed (as I'm sure everybody is).. that Janku coldn't get a start over Favalli. wtf..?

It may be that Janku will start vs Parma...in fact, I would bet a small sum that he does. Showed some fine touches for the little time he took the field.

Well he'll definitely either start next game.. or the next because I think we have ANOTHER midweek game next week ? You might even see Borriello get some action

I bet Janku will start against Parma too. Knowing Ancelotti, he does rotate at the beginning of each season.

Originally Posted by Mystik

Still disappointed (as I'm sure everybody is).. that Janku coldn't get a start over Favalli. wtf..?

I think it made sense to start Favalli. Cafu was playing at RWB and Janku is similar in he likes to run forward. Defensively, we would have been left open if they both played, much like what happened against Lazio.

Favalli may not be fantastic, but he's a solid LB, he doesn't attack too much and defends more, so the left side wouldn't be as open.

Plus, you have to consider that Gourcuff played on the left, who isn't the type of player we should really want to offload too many defensive duties to, so playing a more defensive minded LB gave Gourcuff a little more freedom to express himself.

Originally Posted by Xudong

I bet Janku will start against Parma too. Knowing Ancelotti, he does rotate at the beginning of each season.

hahaha, yes. and then after 6 rounds it all goes away

I don't see why we can't play 2 attacking full-backs in a match. If i'm a left-back and i see Cafu charging forward i'll think to myself

"hang on, as much as i want to go forward i'll wait a bit and stay back so not to expose both flanks at once"

Is that such a hard thing to do? It's not rocket science and it's not like you need to be a member of mensa to work it out. It just requires a bit of discipline.

I'm sure Jankulovski is smart enough to realise when to go forward and when to stay back.

And since we'll be able to attack from both flanks AND through the middle.. it makes us less predictable.

Originally Posted by Jim_UK

I don't see why we can't play 2 attacking full-backs in a match. If i'm a left-back and i see Cafu charging forward i'll think to myself

"hang on, as much as i want to go forward i'll wait a bit and stay back so not to expose both flanks at once"

Is that such a hard thing to do? It's not rocket science and it's not like you need to be a member of mensa to work it out. It just requires a bit of discipline.

I'm sure Jankulovski is smart enough to realise when to go forward and when to stay back.

Yes, they can stay back but remember that they won't provide the defensive stability another more defensive minded full back will provide, which is critical when numbers will be lacking in the back. Even against smaller sides, though its possible to play 2 attacking full backs, if the opposition counters, we should really have some assurance in defence at that point.

Maybe Janku has more talent and speed than Favalli, but he's still to show that in Milan...

someone may say: When is he gonna show that, if Carlo doesn't play him?

Well, Favalli, when given chances to play has done well... Janku has not...

and remember Carlo watches them in training every day... we don't... and training, although not the same as actual matches, does count...

Favalli is more of a defender than Janku... in other words, Favalli is first of all, a defender... who finds a way to become midfielder...
Janku is a midfielder, who was learned to play in LB both in his club (Udinese first, then Milan) and in the Czech NT...

so having Cafu on the other side, it's not surprising that Carlo wants at least 3 solid defenders (not that Cafu isn't)

I think that, if for some reason he didn't have Simic, or Bonera available to sub Cafu, and he had to put Billy as RB, with Nesta and Maldini in the middle, Carlo wouldn't think too much to put either Serginho or Janku on the left, over Favalli or Kaladze...

FYI - for those that get Fox Sports Channel in the US they are airing this match on Monday @ 7pm est.

Originally Posted by midori

FYI - for those that get Fox Sports Channel in the US they are airing this match on Monday @ 7pm est.

And again on Tuesday at 3 p.m. for those who can't watch tonight. Last year they were airing the matches the very next day (usually at 5 p.m., just after UEFA's 24-hour waiting period expired), so I don't know know what's up with waiting until tonight. I hope they go back to the next day replays.

Originally Posted by Rick

And again on Tuesday at 3 p.m. for those who can't watch tonight. Last year they were airing the matches the very next day (usually at 5 p.m., just after UEFA's 24-hour waiting period expired), so I don't know know what's up with waiting until tonight. I hope they go back to the next day replays.

ESPNC covered Lyon-Real Madrid CL game live (quite fun to watch the chaotic RM midfield beaten by Lyon ). Anyway, I hope they'll have Milan at some point. They also did a 1 hr review for all CL games also.