CL SF (second leg): PSV - AC Milan (ALL-game comments)

We got a great result in the first round, even if we didn't play at our best. For the second match I expect another great display by both teams and a close encounter....with Milan victorious at the end

Chances are high that Carlo will go with the Christmas tree formation, with both Rui and Kaka behind Sheva. Nesta is back from suspension. In terms of players one yellow card away from suspension I think we are doing well (only Ambro if I am not wrong).

Anyway, Istambul is waiting! FORZA MILAN!!!


!!!FORZA RAGAZZI!!!

yeah we should use the christmas tree, yeah ambro only person 1 yellow away

Originally Posted by almilan

yeah we should use the christmas tree, yeah ambro only person 1 yellow away

Seedorf got a yellow yesterday and I think Sheva may have one from before. I do think that you need 3 yellows to earn a suspension in the CL (someone correct me if I am wrong) and if that is true noone risks missing the finals, unless they get red carded.

Originally Posted by Henrik

Seedorf got a yellow yesterday and I think Sheva may have one from before. I do think that you need 3 yellows to earn a suspension in the CL (someone correct me if I am wrong) and if that is true noone risks missing the finals, unless they get red carded.

Ambro is the ONLY one who risks missing a POSSIBLE final due to accumulated yellow cards. There are a number of other players with 1 YC but a player needs to get 3 in order to get suspended, so ... not much of a risk in this aspect.
This being said, I think Ambro would be very useful against a physically strong PSV midfield and the same goes for Chelsea/Liverpool, if we qualify for the final that is.
Seedorf desperately needs a rest this Saturday vs La Viola, too bad Ambro is suspended but we do have some other options too such as Rui/Dhorasoo/Serginho to get his place in midfield.
As for the return game vs PSV, I believe that the reason why they dominated us in the second half was due to our midfield being exhausted which made Seedorf, fitness-lacking Pirlo and even Gattuso look way too slow to react to any midfield movement PSV undertook. I am sure that Carlo will take some measures and will learn from the first game. Chances are we will play the X-tree formation and I won't be surprised to see Ambro feature from the beginning even if that means loosing him for the final - the guy is a yellow card machine, after all. Another positive note is that, unless something happens, Nesta is coming back from suspension and this will not only solidify our defence but will add some shear speed to the zone where Park operates.

its good to hear that only ambro is risking the final and no one else... the one thing i wouldnt want is to see a star player get suspended from final the way nedved did against us 2 years ago. one thing i really hope for is to have our defence and dida to play an excellent match vs psv because theyre very similar to depor in terms of speed and passing, i remember nesta and cafu were horrible that day and the midfield was exhausted.. we should play the following formation against them:

dida
cafu nesta maldini (give stam a rest) kaladze
gattuso pirlo seedorf serginho
kaka
sheva

PS: sorry i dont feel like doing the line thingy

I have three things to say about your fears for a Riazor-like blunder to repeat:
1) back then, Carlo and the technical staff admitted that due to the easy schedule ahead - due to the 4-1 beating of La Coruna, the return leg at the Riazor was counted as one of those "easy" games - they had taken the decision to increase the training load of the team so that they arive in better physical condition for the final rush of the Serie A and CL competitions. This is why our players looked tired and were totally unable to come even close to scoring a goal in Spain.
2) in the first game at the SS vs Depor, Milan simply shred them to pieces and beat the crap out of them all over the place. Unlike that situation, PSV totally dominated the second half and showed that they are a team to be reckoned with and should be taken very very seriously i.e. there is no way Milan is gonna underestimate them for the second leg.
3) for the game at the Riazor, Milan's coaching staff and players did NOT have an example to learn from, for good or for bad, now they do and it is called "La Coruna".

For the return game we won't have the problems we had yesterday. Most of our midfield can keep in close distance of the defense now and we can go on the counter attack.
We have a good strategic opportunity now that Ooijer is suspended, and Casper Bogelund will probably replace him:
Ooijer´s absence gives us a chance to counter attack by quick movements on the left wing, to escape pressure on our defense and score a vital away goal that would definitely put us in Istanbul.
For a team with an offensive wingback, like PSV´s Lee on the left, it's important that another wingback is there on the other side for the balance when the offensive winger goes forward. It's dangerous to go forward with two of them, because you can't cover the center when the opponent counter attacks.
This requires good communication and training. If the defensive winger doesn´t adjust, and stays on the wing too wide, a good counter attack will force the defense back and give the counter attacker the chance to rush to the other goal with a majority because of all the space. If he´s too far up front, a good counter offensive will make the center collapse or will give chance to a striker to get behind them and make a move to the goal with an empty field in front of him, because there is no cover.
Ooijer and Lee´s positions are well adjusted to each other´s movements, but I don´t think that will be the case with Ooijer´s replacement: Casper Bogelund, who has rarely played this season. As I said, balance between the wings takes training and experience.
So if we pull back our midfield when Lee moves forward and give PSV the space to put more of their midfield up front, their right won´t be covered, with Bogelund probably standing a few metres too wide, too far to the center, too far up front or too far behind.
With Gattuso and Ambrosini being good at recuperation, and Pirlo and especially Rui Costa having the skill to play the long ball, Serginho´s movements on the left could cause huge damage.
Gattuso recuperates, Ambrosini gets Rui in position, and Rui plays a deep one to the left, Serginho´s movement forces the entire PSV defense back and we can break out with Kaka, Sheva and Cafu against just two of their central defenders.

I prefer not to play Seedorf, because any building-up forward will be long deep balls, for which he isn't needed as much as Rui Costa and Seedorf is a tactical liability.
For containing the pressure we'll need good ball recuperation, so I'd say Ambrosini as well as Gattuso will be essential. For Serginho I'd sacrifice Crespo because we'll need someone up front who can play on a big distance from the opponent's goal.

My lineup:
---------------Dida------------------
-------Maldini-----Nesta-------------
--Cafu-------------------Stam-------
-----Gattuso-----Ambrosini-----------
-------------Pirlo--------------------
----------------Rui Costa------------
-----------------------Serginho(46'Tomasson)
---------Shevchenko-----------------

After the first half, replace Serginho with Jon Dahl Tomasson, he's tireless and PSV will have adapted to this way of playing, so we'd need someone to make the space for Sheva and make the runs after ball recuperation.

Originally Posted by mk18

PS: sorry i dont feel like doing the line thingy

Cocaine?

Originally Posted by Henrik

Cocaine?

.... u have the best comments ever

The following players have got 1 yellow:
Stam,Ambro,Sheva,Seedorf.

I worrya liitle of Stam.
My formation

Dida
Cafu Maldini Nesta Kaladze
Pirlo
Gattuso Seedorf
KAKA RUI
Sheva

I prefer to play in X-mas tree formation.It's a stable formation for us.PSV will do heavy attack at their home while they're losting 0-2.Therefore we should control the midfield and the match to reduce the danger of PSV's attack.and Cafu should not go to the front frequently to prevent their counter attack.PSV will raise up the pressure in the 2nd half so we can sub Ambro for RUI and Serginho for Pirlo for counter attack.i think we can score a gaol in Philip.Give Stam and Crespo a rest for Juve's game

u said it urself.. psv will pressure us... so how do u leave out stam?

Originally Posted by Masson

The following players have got 1 yellow:
Stam,Ambro,Sheva,Seedorf.

I worrya liitle of Stam.
My formation

Dida
Cafu Maldini Nesta Kaladze
Pirlo
Gattuso Seedorf
KAKA RUI
Sheva

I prefer to play in X-mas tree formation.It's a stable formation for us.PSV will do heavy attack at their home while they're losting 0-2.Therefore we should control the midfield and the match to reduce the danger of PSV's attack.and Cafu should not go to the front frequently to prevent their counter attack.PSV will raise up the pressure in the 2nd half so we can sub Ambro for RUI and Serginho for Pirlo for counter attack.i think we can score a gaol in Philip.Give Stam and Crespo a rest for Juve's game

I think we will need every bit of help from our defence in this game and that would mean Stam will have to be there too. He is our best defender for he is more stable, impenetrable and foolproof than either Nesta or Maldini. The Dutch wall is at his best right now and he just has to play for this game is at least as important as the Juve game if not more crucial - this tie is far from over and it will be very very difficult for us in Holland.
As for the yellow cards, here is the full list of Milan players who have been booked in the CL:
1 YC - Cafu', Kaka', Seedorf, Sheva, Brochi, Dhorasoo, Stam, JDT
2 YC (i.e. one away from suspension) - Ambrosini
Nesta is cleared.

MY Formation
Dida
Stam
Cafu
Nesta
Maldini
Pirlo
Seedorf
Gattuso
Kaka
Crespo
Sheva!
We must play offensive football either we will lose(IMHO)!

I will give my thoughts on team selection and formation after we win in Florence tomorrow...this as I cant focus on this game yet...

However, I do agree that we will be under immense pressure, and that we must endeavour to remain focused, and remember the Riazor debacle in the event we become overconfident.

PSV will throw everything at us, including the kitchen sink, so we will have to be very carefull in defense, and somewhat conservative in attack.

funny that JDT takes credit for the goal against Ajax two years ago when we all know it was Pippo Inzaghi who scored it. JDT kicked it after it crossed the line

PRESS SURVEY - TOMASSON: 'I scored an important goal'
4/28/2005
MILAN - La Gazzetta dello Sport have interviewed Jon Dahl Tomasson: 'As I put the ball in the net against PSV my mind was clear. I was thinking of nothing, it all came after when I ran away to celebrate with my team-mates and the fans were cheering then I knew I had scored an important goal. It's not the first one, however, there was the one against Boca Juniors in the Intercontinental Cup, the goal against Ajax in the Champions League quarter-finals two years ago which was as important as the PSV goal. Dutch sides bring me luck. I played a few years in Holland and know their game. I am a great fan of Dutch football. They always play well and I like their style.'