Serie A: Milan - Chievo 16.11.08

Time to build off what was (IMO) a good performance versus Lecce. What should in theory be a routine win for Milan is normally a little more difficult. However with Ronaldinho slowly but surely coming to full fitness (running 10x as much) I'm sure we can break them down. Kaka will need to step his game up because as WPOY/Ballon d'Or holder, I felt he was a little "shy"(for lack of a better word) versus Lecce.

Since the match is a ways away...I have a question to pose. When Pirlo is fit...does anyone think it's REALLY possible to keep everyone in the team happy? Rotation is a nice thing in theory but it's in fact better IMO to have some continuity in the team (in terms of players and formation) so that the players get used to the tactics. If it isn't possible...who is surplus ?

when Pirlo is back i believe Seedorf will hit the bench as we all noticed that he is getting slower by the day..

all seedorf needs is to rest and play once in two weeks or so, he'll be a good sub for Pirlo, and dont get me wrong, i still am grateful for what he has done for the team.

Less Emerson will be one of the best improvements in the team, as we all saw, he's good at holding the ball but he's even better at giving away unnecessary free-kicks

Also, Carlo has stated that, and as we all know, Pirlo is a very important player for the team and without him, our attacking options and the long balls are pretty much limited to keeping possession and trying the long shots, which obviously, dont work vs 9 defenders!

We should attack like hell against Chievo,not just 1 goal but 3!!!!
Usually we score a goal and lay back,now we must score 2 goals in the first 45 minutes so the case is closed.I hope Inzaghi is playing with Ronaldinho and Kaka upfront.Inzaghi is the man who can give us the early lead,if it is still 0-0 when the first half is over then we can always bring in pato or borrie.

IF Milan cannot beat the Flying Donkeys at home, they should not even talk about they are title contenders.

GO MILAN GO

Originally Posted by Mystik

Since the match is a ways away...I have a question to pose. When Pirlo is fit...does anyone think it's REALLY possible to keep everyone in the team happy? Rotation is a nice thing in theory but it's in fact better IMO to have some continuity in the team (in terms of players and formation) so that the players get used to the tactics. If it isn't possible...who is surplus ?

My 2 cents about that: why wouldn't the players be happy anymore when Pirlo is fit again ? It adds competition in midfield, even if some guys are not happy (they can always go to another team in January if they feel bad with competition ...), it's good for the team, so ...

And about rotation, just remember that the lack of rotation cost us a Serie A title (I think it was when we lost against Liverpool, I'm not sure), there is a season that we leaded until some of the last last last games lol and the team lost all titles in 2 weeks ... it was because of the lack of rotation.

About tactics, I think the players start to know the way we play lol ... most of our guys are there since a while now, and we've played the same kind of football for years, with some changes sometimes, but not a lot. And it's one of the benefits of having a majority of experienced players: they have experience lol ...

I'm from the people who think that if tomorrow, Ancelotti wants to play with a 4-3-3 formation, the players have to adapt themselves (of course after some trainings before) ...

A team like Milan has clear cut roles for all it's players. I think rotation is not necessary unless absolutely required. If Pirlo comes, Seedorf will have to hit the bench and 4 players compete for 2 DM spots. Flamini and Gattuso should be the way to go I think. With R80 coming back in form, we'll be playing 1 striker. 4 high profile strikers for a team that plays only 1. I can't wait to see Ronaldinho and Pirlo together.
By the way, does anybody else think we should make the most out of Sergio Ramos' ongoing crisis? (he's clearly not happy) Although he'll be facing the same problems he's facing at Madrid - lack of wingers.

Geotav: It's not that the players will be unhappy because of Pirlo. It's when their playing time gets reduced they'll start to complain. Then the complaining might lead to a bad atmosphere in the dressing room etc etc. Not saying that having options is a bad thing...but we have too many at the moment and someone will suffer greatly. Don't know who yet but I'm 180% sure of it. Look at our strikers for example. 4 strikers for one position. Overkill...no?

Rotation can be good but the amount of rotation that we'd have to do to keep everyone happy would be bad for team chemistry (players need continuity to adapt properly to a formation). I'm sure you remember Benitez getting criticized for his extraordinary rotation where the same team seldom played two games in a row. Carlo doesn't make subs early in the game so if a player doesn't start a match he'll be getting 15 mins max of playing time. I don't think our superstars will be too happy about that.

Last but not least, it's easy to say "just offload them in January" but it's another thing to be able to do it.

It would be very bad to have 4 strikers for one position if they were 4 WC-excellent-very good strikers ... it's not the case.

We have a future star (Pato), we have a guy who has to find his way in our team (Borriello), we have Inzaghi (don't know what to say about him lol) and a guy that can't score for moment (Shevchenko).
=> For me, we have Borriello and Pato + Inzaghi as a joker, Shevchenko doesn't exist from what he can show us ...

About our "superstars" (we're not Real Madrid, they can be rested without problems), Kaka' needs some rest if we don't want to see him playing like last year again ... Ronaldinho can't play each game for moment, Seedorf can't play 3 games in a row and being good at the same time, Gattuso is back to his level but it's better to give him some rest after X games too (same problem as Kaka'), Flamini is new so he has to adapt and he is our future, Ambrosini and Emerson would have to be there to help if needed (even if Ancelotti uses Ambrosini in the first team and Emerson as his sub). Pirlo is also like Kaka' and Gattuso ...

So of course, when I say "rotation", I don't see it as a changed team at each match ... it would be like killing ourselves. I see rotation as changing players for UEFA Cup, letting 2-3 players (not all and not always the same !!) resting when we play against small teams. This way, everyone has time on the pitch and can play if needed, everybody is ready to get his chance in our first 11 ... not like last year (putting Gourcuff, Emerson, Paloschi etc who never played in Italian Cup cost us qualification against a "small team" like Catania).

my Chinese source announced that Borriello is off the game this week and, worse still, probably another month after yet another injury.

Now Pato & Sheva will have to step up...

Here it is:
http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/?action=read&id=128984

Channel 4 are also saying it,Pato or Inzaghi will probably play now.I hope Inzaghi,he can play better in the one man forward position then Pato.

So I guess with Boriello´s injury, the GeoTav / Mystik discussion is now on pause?

Its unfortunate though in all seriousness, that we cant count on him for this game, and for what looks like a month or so. Hope he gets well soon.

Will Pirlo be ready for this game? I hope he gets a run...cant wait to see what Pirlo, Kaka, Pato and R80 can do when on the pitch all at once....its a home game, so it is possible to see all 4.

Wow. This is the stuff of fantasy. 4 players among the best in the world at their position in attack...lets hope they can break down what I am sure will be a packed Chievo defense.

Hence the importance, as has been mentioned, of an early goal (or few), to force Chievo into attack.

Look forward to see the team sheet.

FORZA MILAN! Lets win this! Who knows, Inter or Juve could drop points. Lets let them regret any they do indeed drop!

Juve already got the 3 points...

Pirlo wont be risked for this match, however, he has been training with the team and will play next weekend..
but its still Carlo's choice whether he plays or not

What do you think , Wich will bee the first formation of Carlo ?

Originally Posted by lirChE-kAkA

What do you think , Wich will bee the first formation of Carlo ?

There wont be suprises in the formation.

On goal we will see Abbiati.

The defence will be Zambrotta,Bonera,Kaladze and Jankulovski.Kaladze will play because he is fit now and Maldini not.

On the midfield we miss Ambrosini,so the midfield will be just like last week against Lecce with of course G.Gattuso,Seedorf and Flamini.

In the attack Dinho and Kaka will be supporting Pato or Inzaghi.

So the only question is:Pato or Inzaghi.I hope it will be Inzaghi but we will see probably Pato because he did well in the minutes he made against Lecce.

So the line-up will be:Abbiati;Zambrotta,Bonera,Kaladze,Jankulovski;Gattuso,Seedorf,Flamini;Kaka,Ronaldinho;Pato/Inzaghi.