Milan v Bologna 31/08/08

So here we go again, the opening game of the season is upon us and our campaign is filled with much optimism, hope and expectation.

Our new signings combined with our departures have improved the squad and according to some bookmakers, we are 2nd favourites for the title behind Inter.

Galliani has more or less demanded that Ancelotti win the title, while several of the players believe that this time round we are a force to be reckoned with. Only time will tell if we will play as pathetically as we did at times last season or if along with the new faces, we've found some extra steel & hardness to go with our established silk & finesse.

Alot of the mistakes last season were due to laziness and unwillingness to close players down, this has to improve dramatically or else all the new faces and hard work in the transfer market will have been for nothing.

While we have no CL to distract us, we will still have the UEFA cup and again, expectation will be high for this competition. On paper we should probably get to the final if not win it and given that it's the only major trophy we've never won, that it's probably Maldini's last season and that the final is in Istanbul, there seems to be enough incentives for us to go all out for this trophy.

However, one game at a time and all that and we must start with Bologna. They've been equally busy in the transfer market and have made 12 signings i believe, of which Di Vaio might be the one to cause us the most damage on Sunday. They will have nothing to lose and nothing to fear as it's the first game. No one will realistically expect them to win so they can play without pressure and give it a real go.

To counter this we will need to be sharp and that is something we've looked far from in a pre-season disrupted by injuries and the Olympics. The spine of our team (Nesta, Senderos, Gattuso, Kaka, Boriello) are all out and will not be available for a few weeks yet. Given these facts, we can only guess what the starting 11 will be as we attempt to stick a side together that can gel quickly and get us off to a winning start on Sunday.

Here's the 11 i would go for (assuming these players aren't injured right now):

----------------Abbiati------------------
--Zambrotta--Bonera--Maldini--Antonini--
---------Flamini---Pirlo---Ambrosini------
---------Ronaldinho---Seedorf----------
--------------Shevchenko--------------

Subs: Kalac, Kaladze, Jankulovski, Emerson/Brocchi, Cardacio/Viudez, Pato, Inzaghi

I agree. Maybe Kaladze for Bonera.

The only thing i'm afraid of is the defence. If Nesta can keep a constant season, then we'll be all set. I bet in a back line formed by Nesta/Senderos in the near future.

Who's Antonini? youngster? i confess that i don't know him.

My favorite thread and now it starts, lets the show biggin.

My 11 against Bologna are:

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

Zambro-----Bonera----------Kaladze-----Janku

------Flamini--------Pirlo--------Seedorf-------

----------Ronalinho--------Shevchenko--------

--------------------PATO---------------------

maybe some of you will not agree with my formation, but i think that Seedorf can play very well at this position, and thats Sheva will be a great support for Pato.

Antonini is far from youngster, he have 26y.

this is may 11

___________________Abiati------------------

Oddo-------Bonera--------Kaladze------Janku


Flamini/Rino---------Pirlo---------Anbrossini

--------------Roce--------Seedorf

--------------------Duck

If Rino is stil Injured will play Flamini
Sheva is not in good shape
Oddo is far to good from Zambrota. for me!

*Jamie

Janku was our best player if the preseason, along with his great performance against England, I think he deserves a starting place, even more with Antonini and favalli being other options.

I think Janku physically is best prepared player at the mom.

i agree with kastriot janku is one hell of a player the only downside to him is when he gets injured but when he is healthy he is a good fast defender as well as a good left foot shot sort of like riise..he should deffinetly get the start and antonnini can sub him later any one kno if pato is available to play i say play him and inzaghi with ronnie behind them here is my line up

----------------------Abbiati---------------------

----Zambrotta------Bonera------Khladze-------Janku-----

-----Flamini---------Pirlo--------seedorf(ambro)-------------

------------------Ronnie(seedorf)-----------------------

-----inzaghi-----------pato---------------------

For now, Dinho and Seedorf are both slow, very slow, I would pair one of them with Pato behind Pippo.

I'm going to wait for the called-up players list to come out(Saturday)

but i dont think Kaladze should play... maybe Maldini or hell, even Favalli(He's done good as CB,imo)

------------------------Abbiati--------------------------

----Zambrotta----Senderos------Khladze-------Janku-----

-----------Flamini---------Pirlo--------Ambrosini----------

-------------------Seedorf--------Ronaldinho-------------

-----------------------------Pato------------------------

Subs in: Sheva, Emerson, Gattuso
Subs out: Pato, Ambrosini, Ronaldinho

----------------Abbiati-----------

Zambro----Maldini---Kaladze---janku

-----Flamini------Pirlo----Ambro---

---------Seedorf------Pato-------

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


I too think think that dinho and seedorf should not be paired yet. they are way too slow. and at this moment I think that seedorf has the edge due to having had better preparations with the team.

Sheva maybe dinho and sheva are not in good form.. but it really feels great having so much depth in the squad,finally.

Here we go again....games and tactics, 2008/2009!! WOHOOO!!

-------------------abbiatti-----------
( so nice not to see Dida or Kalac here)
---zambrotta---kaladze-maldini-jankulovski------
-------------------pirlo------------
------flamini-------------ambrosini---------
------------------seedorf------------
--------shevchenko-------pato--------

Bench: Oddo, Bonera, Favalinho, Gattuso ( half injured ), Inzaghi, Ronaldinho.
Dinho is not ready for 90 min, but Pato and Sheva had normal trainings, they can play it.

Originally Posted by forward

------------------------Abbiati--------------------------

----Zambrotta----Senderos------Khladze-------Janku-----

-----------Flamini---------Pirlo--------Ambrosini----------

-------------------Seedorf--------Ronaldinho-------------

-----------------------------Pato------------------------

Subs in: Sheva, Emerson, Gattuso
Subs out: Pato, Ambrosini, Ronaldinho

These players will not play because they are injured. Senderos is out for about 10 days and unless Gasttuso's shoulder heals rapidly, he won't play any part in the game this weekend.

Koti, as much as it pains me to say it, playing well against England doesn't count for much these days. I'd like to see Antonini get his chance, we know what Jankulovski can do and there's no reason why Marek can't come on with 20-30 mins to go. This is a good game for Antonini to play in, Bologna will provide good opposition but nothing he shouldn't be able to handle.

Originally Posted by mrki

Here we go again....games and tactics, 2008/2009!! WOHOOO!!

-------------------abbiatti-----------
( so nice not to see Dida or Kalac here)
---zambrotta---kaladze-maldini-jankulovski------
-------------------pirlo------------
------flamini-------------ambrosini---------
------------------seedorf------------
--------shevchenko-------pato--------

Bench: Oddo, Bonera, Favalinho, Gattuso ( half injured ), Inzaghi, Ronaldinho.
Dinho is not ready for 90 min, but Pato and Sheva had normal trainings, they can play it.

Yes, I think so. Play 2 strikers, why not ^^

Both No.10 and No.80 tend to play wide in left flank, so I prefer Seedorf.

Sheva will be over the moon if he could start the opening match.

Forza Milan!!!

I believe we will see:

------------------------ ABBIATI ------------------------
ZAMBROTTA ----- MALDINI --- KALADZE ---- JANKULOVSKI
---- FLAMINI ---------- PIRLO ------------ AMBROSINI ---
-------------- SEEDORF ------ RONALDINHO -------------
---------------------- INZAGHI -------------------------

I am certain we will see Pato at a point, hopefully Sheva too but I think Carlo is going to punish him on the bench for a while. Carlo also can not sub out Seedorf, he just wont leave him on the bench.

@mrki.. why cant R80 play 90 mins?

he played 4+ matches 90+ mins each in the Olympics..

although, i do think he needs to work on his speed :/