Re: AC Milan vs FC Barcelona; first leg official thread

[pUsHa]

lol

[baresi]

Now when it comes to midfield choices:
It is really tough not to include Aquillani, but again it is tough not to include Urby.
If Aquillani is included then I would not like to have Seedorf and would like to have Ambro on the left.

Nocerino------Aqua------Ambro
Or
Nocerino------Seedorf----Urby (still have aloof questions on this, but its ok)
Or
Nocerino------Ambro------Urby

[baresi]

Oh I wish Muntari was available

[Cookie Monster]

Aquilani should definitely start in my opinion. He's an extremely pivotal part of our midfield. I would play:

Aquilani----Ambro-----Nocerino

or

Aquilani---Seedorf----Nocerino (this formation will be exposed defensively unfortunately)

I feel bad leaving Urby out as he's excellent for counter attacking gameplans. I'd say Aqua, ambro, and noc will probably start with urby and seedorf coming on as subs. Boateng might not be able to make it for the entire 90 minutes so having Urby on the bench could be a good idea.

[Cookie Monster]

I'm really not sure how we should play this game. Many have mentioned parking the bus or playing a high pressure game. I feel that parking the bus without our best defense and MVB would be disastrous. The high pressure game seems to be the most effective against Barca, but we can't keep that up for 90 minutes and after our players tire out we'll be picked apart.

So, what the hell do we do then? I say we just play our own game. Be organized and compact defensively. Everyone should be contributing defensively, there's no room for lazy forwards against Barca. Boa and Binho (or whoever plays) need to be harassing Xavi and Messi when he drops deep. Then, we rely on a mixture of fast counter attacks, set pieces, and, when possible, our normal build up play. It's more than likely that we'll concede at least one, but our attack is very capable of putting a couple past Barca's defense, which I find is their weakest link.

This will be no easy task, however, I really do feel that if any team is going to knock Barca out of this competition, it's going to be Milan. Obviously they're favourites, but we're not THAT far behind in terms of quality. We can definitely do this.

At the very least, I want our team to go out there with an incredible intensity and show the world their quality.

[Milan31]

I hope we go out there and play our game. If we come out with high intensity and hungry for the win we are more than capable of doing it at the San Siro. If we go out there scared and thinking its "Barcelona" mentality, we will struggle. We put 4 past them in two games already, I don't see why we can't do it again.

[KR10]

This is the team I would field

Bonera Nesta Mexes Antonini


Aquilani Ambrosini Nocerino

Emmanuelson Boateng

Ibra

[KR10]

I think having an extra midfielder will help us contain Xavi and Iniesta. Also, with the 4-3-2-1, we will have both Emmanuelson and Boateng to counter-attack at maximum pace, while on the defensive end I would use them to man mark Xavi and Iniesta in the heart of Barca's midfield.

Ibra can hold up the ball and release Boateng and Emmanuelson, both of whom have more pace than Barca's central defensive pairing.

I know this is not the system we usually play... But you can't treat a game like Barca like a normal game. Further, none of our striker our fully match fit besides SES92, who is not experienced enough at this age to gain a starting role.

I hope Max goes with this team. The extra midfielder will be huge. Having Robinho will make us defensively susceptible.

Forza Milan, we can't show any fear. Nothing is impossible. Crazier upsets have happened in this sport

[T0tti]

Ibra: We are NOT afraid of Chelsea...

[Ganso]

Stadium is officially sold out

[Milan31]

Stadium is officially sold out

Oh, how I wish I could be there, I would do ANYTHING for a ticket

[red&blacklegion]

Aquilani shouldnt start imo.He is really bad at defending. For me Emanuelson-Ambro-Nocerino in MF. Use Aqua and Seedorf when players get tired.

[•MilanDevil•]

If we can shut Barca's midfield by pressuring them effectively, we are going to be able to juice out some results.

[cositomilan]

I salute all the milanisti from here america......... but no matters what happen tomorrow we held our heads high because all of us the supporters of this great team will shout with every free kick,every corner and we will rejoice in victory but humble in defeat :lol!:

[Forza]

Abbiati, Amelia, Antonini, Bonera, De Sciglio, Mesbah, Mexes, Nesta, Zambrotta, Yepes, Ambrosini, Aquilani, Boateng, Emanuelson, Nocerino, Seedorf, El Shaarawy, Ibrahimovic, Maxi Lopez, Robinho.

These are the players named by Allegri after the final training as being available for the Barca game. Good news is that Robinho, Nesta, Boateng are all fit.

[Guest]

lol

good one pusha!!! hahaha

[Guest]

Now when it comes to midfield choices:
It is really tough not to include Aquillani, but again it is tough not to include Urby.
If Aquillani is included then I would not like to have Seedorf and would like to have Ambro on the left.

Nocerino------Aqua------Ambro
Or
Nocerino------Seedorf----Urby (still have aloof questions on this, but its ok)
Or
Nocerino------Ambro------Urby

thats a good balance ur trying to find man. importantly we should be having speed and strength. so i like the one with Nocerino Aquilani and Emanuelson but i think its likely that Aquilani Ambrosini Nocerino will start. i have no idea if emanuelson will play should boateng start.

i wished if emanuelson started as LB.

tough game... im hoping zambrotta or antonini they dont venture forward too much and always have defending mentality first, and hoping that everyone helps each other. even tonight ibra need to track back time to time because our defensive strength is weak.. no abate, no silva... nesta is just back and hasnt played means he is not in full match fitness, so is boateng.

[Arquitecto]

Parking the bus against Barca? Are you serious? Everyone who closely watchs Barca knows you DO NOT park the bus against them considering 98% of the time they overcome you in this tactic.

We didn't park the bus at Camp Nou as there is a difference between the latter and playing defensively on the line.

Against Barca, you consistently press and pressure them into losing the ball while closing up gaps. Don't believe me? See Valencia every year against Pep's Barca or Madrid recently.

Bad news is we don't have much specialty in "pressing & pressurizing", but we do know how to park the bus.

Indeed, a Cameroonian club can park the bus against Barca and get torn to smithereens, but we are Milan, we can do it excellently like Inter did.

We can play with names Arquitecto, but the nature of what we did in our heroic 2-2 was parking the bus, no question.

if Abate hadn't let go of Messi there, I'm sure we could've won it somehow.

Offensively, we're simply incomparable.

Defensively, we are a little comparable, but our pressing isn't as merciless as that of Barca's, so we can rely on our better height and better tactical awareness.

So, the antidote remains blocking every hole and hope for a 100% shots on target/shots ratio.

Only counterattack can open Valdes' net, otherwise, we're sooooooooo unlikely to get something like Pato's goal or any other thing from open play through intelligent, high-tempo passing.

I believe with true concentration and composure we can get something.

Parking the bus against Barca? Are you serious? Everyone who closely watchs Barca knows you DO NOT park the bus against them considering 98% of the time they overcome you in this tactic.

We didn't park the bus at Camp Nou as there is a difference between the latter and playing defensively on the line.

Against Barca, you consistently press and pressure them into losing the ball while closing up gaps. Don't believe me? See Valencia every year against Pep's Barca or Madrid recently.

Bad news is we don't have much specialty in "pressing & pressurizing", but we do know how to park the bus.

Indeed, a Cameroonian club can park the bus against Barca and get torn to smithereens, but we are Milan, we can do it excellently like Inter did.

We can play with names Arquitecto, but the nature of what we did in our heroic 2-2 was parking the bus, no question.

if Abate hadn't let go of Messi there, I'm sure we could've won it somehow.

Offensively, we're simply incomparable.

Defensively, we are a little comparable, but our pressing isn't as merciless as that of Barca's, so we can rely on our better height and better tactical awareness.

So, the antidote remains blocking every hole and hope for a 100% shots on target/shots ratio.

Only counterattack can open Valdes' net, otherwise, we're sooooooooo unlikely to get something like Pato's goal or any other thing from open play through intelligent, high-tempo passing.

I believe with true concentration and composure we can get something.

Abbas, I am failing to see how we parked the bus as I feel you may be confusing the fine line between defensive counterattacking and parking the bus.

The match at Nou Camp involved our wide men ahead of MvB with Pato and Cassano stationed forward and ready for the ball while our fullbacks also were ready to counter. Which is why many instances our team instantly attempted counters yet failed simply because of our poor midfield and lack of pace. Parking the bus involves everyone deep behind the mid line without any counter initiative.

And I disagree on our lack of pressing and pressurizing, as after the first Juve game, Allegri changed our system to a more team pressing system which is why our team has been more successful since.

And we are not capable of parking the bus against Barca as Mexes and Nesta are not speed demons while our fullbacks will be roasted by them and all the open space we leave. Lets also not forget Nocerino isn't impressive defensively while MvB is out.

The key is balance between the right combination of intelligent pressing and pressure while closing the gaps in which our high football IQ team is adept at.

But frankly, with our injury ravaged team, I don't even see Allegri's astute tactics overcoming Barca's sheer quality.

I just don't see it.

[the xcx]

I wish luck for Ac Milan and hoping for a good game from both sides. Thiago Silva missing barca clatch is still worrying tho.

[dostoevsky]

I'll be brief as I want to try and get some sleep before the game. As Arq has stated, we need to wisely press and unsettle Barcelona as far as possible. Robinho and whoever is our LCM need to attempt to cut off Dani Alves' passing routes through midfield. In order to conserve our energy whilst remaining competitive in midfield for the entire 90 minutes we're going to have to dictate where we allow them to enjoy possession when we lose momentum going forward, and cutting off simple short passing options and forcing Barcelona to take greater risks, switch flank or go back will allow us to defend from the front without asking our players to do anything that they haven't done before.

I really do want to see Emanuelson in central midfield for his runs from midfield, pace, ability to cover a fullback which might be integral if Mexes needs to move up and put pressure on Messi in a higher situation than usual with Bonera tucking in more centrally to try to hold the shape of the backline. Our midfield is in for a monumental night and as with our second tie of the group stage they'll need to move the ball quickly and give our forwards every opportunity we can for them to work their magic.

I'm comfortable with us dropping off Barcelona for periods, though we can't sustain this without a first choice midfield. We'll need to rest at times though, and whilst we should burst out of the blocks at the beginning of each half, as long as we are effectively controlling where they enjoy possession I'm happy to give them the ball for periods of time. If they're creating chances then we've got no chance but to enter a shoot-out and hope that we're the more clinical side.

A lot will depend on our midfield composition and how the chosen trio out of Ambrosini, Aquilani, Nocerino, Emanuelson and Seedorf fare. I'm convinced that we're going to see a big game out of Boateng tonight, and whilst I've always considered Mexes to be a European flop I'm hoping he'll do us proud. If they're not capable of this, all I can ask if that they leave everything on the pitch.

Our players have probably been talking too much, however they've got a great attitude heading into this game.

No Silva, No Abate, No Van Bommel? No Problem.

Forza Milan

[TonyDaBeast]

if im not mistaken he posted 99% of the lineup on milanews.it


Abbiati-Bonera-Mexes-Nesta-Antonini-Nocerino-Ambrosini-seedorf OR Emanuelson-Boateng-Robinho-Ibra

[TonyDaBeast]

and also i just read that Milan will be wearing their away white kit tonight at home! ''LA MAGLIA FORTUNATA''

[Potential]

I am watching the game with a friend, the last game I watched the game with him was the Arsenal first leg, so expect a good win.

[shamr9pato]

man// i lost my lucky milan kit..:'(.. i was wearing it this evening and came back home to discover it wasnt there where i left..

[guest7]

NOW IN SAN SIRO: Barcelona fans chanting: Puta Madrid - Milan fans chanting: Mourinho, I thought it was Milan vs Barca?

[DeviAngel]

Canale 1: SKY SPORT ( PRE MILAN-BARCELLONA)

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