Preferred Formation

4-2-2-1-1

Like this:

------------ Pippo

------------ Kaka

- Seedorf ---------- Gattuso -

----- Massimo ---- Pirlo

Maldini - Kaladze - Nesta - Bonera

ehm...we'd score...eventually....

haha that would be hell for us

I'd go for something like this:

------ KALADZE --- NESTA --- MALDINI ------- (Costacurta,favalli,simic,bonera)

CAFU ---- PIRLO ---- SEEDORF ------ SERGINHO (Gattuso,Marek,Ambro,Brocchi)

---------------KAKA------GOURCUFF ---------- (Seedorf, or simply change formation if one needs to be rested)

-----------OLIVEIRA----------INZAGHI--------- (Boriello,Gila)

Originally Posted by hitmannq8

haha that would be hell for us

I'd go for something like this:

------ KALADZE --- NESTA --- MALDINI ------- (Costacurta,favalli,simic,bonera)

CAFU ---- PIRLO ---- SEEDORF ------ SERGINHO (Gattuso,Marek,Ambro,Brocchi)

---------------KAKA------GOURCUFF ---------- (Seedorf, or simply change formation if one needs to be rested)

-----------OLIVEIRA----------INZAGHI--------- (Boriello,Gila)

Very adventerous line-up, esp using 11 outfield players, & no keeper.

-----------------dida------------
cafu---kaladze------nesta---jankulobski
------------------pirlo--------------
--------gattuso--------seedorf/gourcuff--------
------------------kaka'-------
-----------pippo-----oliveira

nononono....what people fail to understand is that Carlo still didnt learn the lesson. and that lesson is that he needs to play with one striker, three DM, Maldini - Kaladze - Nesta - Bonera in the back and Pirlo and Kaka behind the striker.

I mean, to play Seedorf and Massimo and Gattuso is too offensive, we need to replace Seedorf with a DM... then and only then can we play for real.

No need to play possession football, give the ball to the other team!!! They'll have no use for it if we can take it from them in any given moment. Carlo needs to teach the back 7 that as soon as they get the ball they should try to pass it to one of the striker-Pirlo-Kaka or just give it to the other team

Originally Posted by Tas

nononono....what people fail to understand is that Carlo still didnt learn the lesson. and that lesson is that he needs to play with one striker, three DM, Maldini - Kaladze - Nesta - Bonera in the back and Pirlo and Kaka behind the striker.

I mean, to play Seedorf and Massimo and Gattuso is too offensive, we need to replace Seedorf with a DM... then and only then can we play for real.

No need to play possession football, give the ball to the other team!!! They'll have no use for it if we can take it from them in any given moment. Carlo needs to teach the back 7 that as soon as they get the ball they should try to pass it to one of the striker-Pirlo-Kaka or just give it to the other team

I dont agree, we must forget 2 DM,as we know milan draw against lille 0-0.And the reason is 2DM.last season is the example ambro was injured so milan just use pirlofor DM,and the reasult is milan made so manygoal last season

Carlo is a coach for ages now, if ha cant learn that he cant hold posession with gattuso-ambro, that he ahs some mental problems.

I was actually serious about this!
Who could penetrate such a shield?? They'd only have to press the opponent, take the ball and *try* to pass it forward. One time out of many it could work and that could be enough. It might even be fun for the players.

Don't be so grim people, all is not black. Even if Carlo plays Ambro and Rino, Kaka, Pirlo and two strikers the only thing that needs to be done is to ensure the two strikers moove enough. That is really *the only* thing that needs to be done. Kaka and Pirlo are a sufficient creative force to beat any team out there, it's just they cant do it if our strikers are static.

Another thing is playing Seedorf as no.10 player (in a Rui Costa role) and Kaka and a single striker. That cold work if Seedorf can play that role. I for one believe in Clarence!

these tactics should be used depending on oponents, IMO. It's a waste of talent to just say that Ambro and Rino must never play together as in certain cases - whether because of the oponent or resting players or both - it would benefit the team if they are played together.
Against Lille, given the pacey players they have and their tactics - lots of wingplay - the best way to control was to use a X-tree like vs ManU (Lille are very similar to ManU's style of play).
We shouldn't forget however that Gourcuff was injured and that's what probably changed Carlo's plans. With Gorky available, I think he would have played Seedorf instead of Ambro and Gorky next to Kaka in support of Gila.
So, let's not be too quick critisizing the coach because his plans were altered by things like Gourcuff's injury that are well beyond Carlo to prevent.

It might just not be about holding possesion, but what you do with it that counts..anyway, if we are using Pirlo to pass the ball up forward and him being pressed is a problem, there are two possible solutions that I can see atm:
1) put Seedorf @ LM and send long passes to him from defense and have him play 'a Pirlo' -- this could be used well in the XMass Tree.
2) put Janku on LM and have him pair up with Kaladze to try to run with the ball out of defence, and if need be, give the ball *back* to Pirlo who should be open (they have to try and stop the two dont they?) -- this is not very x mass tree.
The thing is, with both of theese, we would need a defensive LB (Maldini or Favalli) to provide cover if a pass goes wrong or a run is stopped (a dangerous place to loose the ball). Both would give Pirlo a lot more space and both would let us play with Cafu on the right (altho I would preffer Bonera). In the end it would depend on how good a defender is Maldini nowdays or is FAvalli capable enough. We could always go SErginho there -- that would be all offensive (with Cafu) but might be a bit too much for Kaka to handle. (all that left sided mooving). Hehe -- had we signed Zambrotta ... Carlo would have more options today for LB .

heres the one


----------------------------- Dida ----------------------------------------

------ Cafu ---- Nesta --------------- Kaladze -------- Maldini ----------

----------------- Gattuso -- Pirlo ---- Gourcuff ----------------------------

--------------------------- Kaka -----------------------------------------

---------------- Gilardino ------- Oliviera ----------------------------------


Fair enough eh

-------------------dida---------------
----cafu----nesta--------maldini-------serginho

-------gattuso-----pirlo--------------------------
-----------------------------seedorf----------
-------------------------------------------
----------------kaka--------------------------

---------RO------------------gila------------

is the best,we dont need anymore dm,because gattuso is a dm

That's dependant on how great at tackling/tracking back and other defensive midfield duties the other players are. Unfortunately Kaka, Pirlo and particularly Seedorf aren't the best at this. So i think a player more capable of defensive duties is what is needed, but not necessarily an out and out defensive midfielder.

Besides which, i would like to see us play 4-3-3 for a run of games to see if it's a formation which could work for us. I think it would help the midfield more, but it could place more pressure on already fragile strikers.


CAFU ---- NESTA ---- MALDINI ---- MAREK

---- BROCCHI --- PIRLO --- SEEDORF -----

---- KAKA --- INZAGHI --- OLIVEIRA -----


Gattuso would obviously fill in Brocchi's place when he comes back. Gourcuff can deputise for Seedorf and Serginho can play in both the left-back and left-forward role when he returns. Gilardino and Oliviera can replace Inzaghi in the middle depending on other players availability.

I mentioned in the Holland v England thread that i think the 4-3-3 formation would help our midfield and in particular Seedorf alot. He would be covered by 2 players instead of one on the left wing and in defensive situations (ie when we're without the ball) the wide players can drop back a touch to make a 4-5-1 formation, making it harder for the opposition to pass through us. An important part of this formation would be for a midfielder and the wide players to get in the box so as not to leave just the front man in there by himself. If a cross comes in from the right (Kaka), then the left sided player (Oliveira) has to make sure he comes into the box to follow up the cross and vice versa. Obviously the left and right sided players can swap when they need to.

it's definitely worth a try but at the moment i would leave pirlo and nesta out of the team and play

seedorf - brocchi - gourcuff

in the middle.

both italians are far from their best and should be rested for some time (2 - 3 weeks or so). something like inter did with adriano.

What I think is needed at this moment is to get Pirlo in form again. Then, push him further up the field and give him freedom like he had in Italy.
To do this we need someone in Pirlo's place who can pass the ball good and take care of it. At the same time he needs to be better at defending then Pirlo. At this time, the best thing we are looking at is Brocchi, but he has to fill in for Gattuso. If that wasn't the case, I would gladly put Brocchi in Pirlo's place and Pirlo in Seedorf's leaving Seedorf on the bench.
Untill then though, I think trying out

-------------Brocchi--------
---Pirlo----------------Seedorf/Gourcuff

can prove to be good. Pirlo can be fatal if given the freedom to go further up the field just like he was in Italy.