^ Replace Yepes with either Mexes or Acerbi and that's how I would lineup the team as well.

Cookie Monster wrote:^ Replace Yepes with either Mexes or Acerbi and that's how I would lineup the team as well.

I totally agree with you. We can't base our defense on a 36 yo player. I think Zapata-Yepes is the best couple.

In the end of the day we have a decent team,specially with the arrival of de jong,I'm just worried about our defense.also I have a good feeling about bojan

----------------------------------Abbiati
Abate--------------Zapata----------------Mexes------------De Sciglio

---------------------------------De Jong
----------------------Prince---------------- Montolivo

----------Bojan-----------------------------------------Robinho
------------------------------------Pato

I think we'll have our annual rocky start to the season like we always do but I think we should be able to pull through the season and get 4th or 5th spot at least.

For me I guess this is a good formation:

---------------------Abbiati----------------------
Abate------Mexes-------Zapata----Antonini
--------------------De Jong----------------------
--------Montolivo----------Nocerino-----------
---------------------Boateng--------------------
------------Pato--------------Robinho----------

Still have got to see how bojan and pazzo develop in this team that's why I chose those strikers

I thought it best to merge this thread with the "Best 11?" thread.

I'll give my thoughts after I see how the likes of Pazzini and Bojan settle in concerning what our best approaches might be depending upon our opponent.

The squad is really versatile right now and we could play a number of different formations. I think we should scratch the 4-3-1-2. These days it's all about the lone striker with a supporting cast and that's how I think we should play.

A 4-3-2-1/4-3-3 could work well with the players we have available

---------------Abbiati---------------
Abate--Mex/Zap--Ace/Zap---Antonini/Didac
-----Monty----De Jong---Nocerino/Prince
-----Prince/Robin-------SES/Robin----
---------------Pato/Pazzo------------

This could be a very effective formation and could easily be changed to a 4-3-3 if Urby and Bojan are subbed into the game.

Personally, I'd like to see a 3-5-2 if we're trying to play an ultra defensive game in the CL or something. The only problem with this formation is that aside from Zapata our CBs are pretty slow.

-----------------Abbiati---------------------
----------Zap---Mexes---Acerbi--------
Abate------Monty----De Jong------Urby
------------------Boateng--------------
-------- Pato/Pazzo---Robinho/SES----

Overall, we have a good team. The fate of our season is gonna depend on many factors though. IF Acerbi can develop into a solid CB, IF Zapata can regain his Udinese form, IF Mexes, Montolivo, Pato, and Boa can stay injury free, IF Robinho can play like he did in his first season at Milan, IF SES can start answering the hype, and IF Pazzini can remain confident and in form, then, just maybe, we could challenge for the scudetto. Probably not gonna happen though.

However, it's about time Milan overachieves for once. If we can pull a Juve of last year and punch above our weight, a top 3 finish isn't farfetched at all.

Doesn't matter how you change the formation or line-up, the backline always looks absolutely out of sorts. Last year with Thiago Silva and Maldini, AC Milan held Barcelona at their own turf. This year the defence will be a laughing stock to mediocre teams like Udinese. Don't even get me started with Champions League opponents.

danyjr wrote:Doesn't matter how you change the formation or line-up, the backline always looks absolutely out of sorts. Last year with Thiago Silva and Maldini, AC Milan held Barcelona at their own turf. This year the defence will be a laughing stock to mediocre teams like Udinese. Don't even get me started with Champions League opponents.

Nope. Not Maldini.

The D will be fine. Last year Mexes was rock solid most of the time next to Silva, despite it being his first year back from a major knee injury. Zapata was a beast for Udinese and looked solid in preseason. I haven't seen much of Acerbi, but whenever I saw him for Chievo he looked good and he's definitely a bright prospect. Also, Yepes is about as solid of a backup as you can have, despite his age. So relax there. I would've liked Yanga-M'biwa in our squad but it's likely that we'll sign him next year on a free so that's fine.

I'm not saying we're in the best position defensively but, aside from Juve, our D is still better than the majority of Serie A sides. Inter are thought of as scudetto candidates and their defense is no better, if not worse, than ours.

...unless Bonera keeps starting. Then yeah, we're in trouble.

I would love to have some park the bus a la chelsea tactic in CL

-Abate-Zapata-Mexes-Antonini
--------De Jong----Montolivo-----
--Robinho---Boateng-Emanuelson
--------------Pazzini-------------------

Acerbi could make a case for the starting 11, he played well against bologna

Mexés? The most overrated CB on the face of earth.

danyjr wrote:Mexés? The most overrated CB on the face of earth.

Not sure if you are aware of our CB options

Ganso wrote:

danyjr wrote:Mexés? The most overrated CB on the face of earth.

Not sure if you are aware of our CB options

I am and that's the sad part. A club like AC Milan shouldn't be in this state.

I personally want us to try out a 4-3-2-1

-----------------------------------Abbiati
----------Abate-------------Zapata-----Mexes---------Antonini

--------------------Montilivo-----De Jong------Prince
------------------------------Robinho----Bojan/SES/Pato
------------------------------------Pazzini

-----------------------------------Abbiati
----------Abate-------------Zapata-----Acerbi---------Didac

--------------------Montolivo-----De Jong------Noce---------
-----------------------------------Prince
----------------------Pazzini--------------------Pato

My preferred lineup

I'd like everyone to read this, this is my opinion as to what's happening and what should happen:
•Not saying El Sharaawy sucks or he's bad or anything, he is young, he makes a lot of mistakes, quite natural for anyone of that sort but, would you sacrifice our team's position for just one player's experience? We should let Urby play over El anyday, start for that matter. Urby was our best player in the preseason. He's as fast as El, will probably make 2-3 mistakes a game at maximum, small mistakes that too, very promising and he's really dynamic and can play those nice short passes. He should definitely start for Milan with El probably coming on later in the game depending on our team's performance. And I'm pretty sure El would make an exceptional supersub.

•De Sciglio on the left.
Once Abate is back, he should be fit for a long time, so DS should be preferred to Antonini on the left hand side. I would love to have Antonini as our back up for Abate and share the time at left back between Didac and De Sciglio but, very unfortunately, for some lame ass reason, Didac isn't happening for Milan.

•When our squad is completely fit and running(no pun), we should interchange between Robinho and Kevin Prince at the Trequartista role. Robinho had probably understood that he isn't the same he used to be, which shows him working a lot harder now. KPB on the other hand is hard to predict, on his day, he's probably the best or he can become cranky and play like shit. We should start with Pato and Pazzini, giving Niang appearances then and there.

•The centre of midfield is a pretty convincing one this season(First choice, once again no pun intended), Montolivo will be on one end of CM, being our ball handler or better known as our regista. Nocerino serves as a good box to box midfielder, Flamini has been good when called upon and its a good sign. The epicentre of midfield will stage our best signing (IMO), Nigel De Jong. He can anchor our midfield just like MVB did. He can be given some rest with substitutions from Ambrosini and the rest of the scrubs.

•Just as I finish writing this, I realize, I've missed out on Bojan :O
He will take over when Pato is out. I have no idea what will happen to him once Pato is fit, or will he be playing along with Pato but instead of El? That sounds good as well. Especially, with the news that we have an option to buy him

•So once our centre backs are set(Mexes>Zapata>Acerbi>Bonera) we should have a squad which would be good enough to secure a champions league berth.I only hope we don't suffer from injuries again. Forza Milan.

goal.com actually posted quite a nice article on Pazzini...Yea really.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2012/09/06/3356763/the-dossier-how-ac-milan-can-give-pazzini-the-conditions-he

I agree up until the last part. I do agree what the author posted is much more realistic to what will actually happen than what I will present, but I would like to see Milan line up kind of like this; (almost copying Samdoria success season)



Emanuelson would play great in a "withdrawn winger" role. Not quite a LB, not quite a winger, but with the freedom to push forward and stretch oppositions. De Sciglio would have the same role on the other wing. They would of course have to track back to cover defensive duties when off the ball, but given DS is normally a fullback this shouldnt be a problem. Emanuelson also has plenty of running to offer so defensive duties shouldnt be a problem for him. The LB and RB would not be allowed to push up as much and therefore would provide extra cover on defense. De Jong would sit back more and patrol the area infront of the defense, while Montolivo would have to do a lot of running to make up for him pushing forward into the central pocket. This could possibly work though given the extra support from the fullbacks on defensive duties. Robihno could add some creative spark and look to feed Pazzini or take a goal himself. Different players may have to cover roles in the event of injuries, but overall I think this could work. I do realize the chance of this happening is almost zero and it almost pains me to say this...This team actually could be built around Pazzini.

Question: What are your opinions on Strasser guys?
can he fulfill the "MVB" role?
Can he break in the first team and/or be a rotation option for NDJ instead of Ambro?
I remember there being an aura of hype around him a while back, but know i dunno.

El Shaarawy wrote:Question: What are your opinions on Strasser guys?

Unless he shocks us all, I really don't see how he could break into the first team when we have Ambrosini and De Jong that offer us so much more.

I'm not opposed to him starting most if not all Coppa Italia and meaningless CL/Serie A games though.

Forza Rossoneri wrote:

]

I like this formation, the only change I would make is switch emanuelson with robinho so that they can both cut through the center.

I'm starting to get sick and tired of watching Milan as of late, we really need to change our formation. Right now we are waaaaay to predictable and can't produce a win against freaking Atalanta. Something has got to give right now. The formation MUST BE change here are some possibilities. ***No Injuries

4-3-3
------------------------Abbiati
Abate---------Mexes------------Acerbi----------De Sciglio

------------------------De Jong
-----------------Prince----------Montolivo

----------El Shaarawy-------------------Pato
-------------------------Pazzini

3-5-2
-------------------------Abbiati
-------------De Sciglio---Acerbi----Zapata

Abate---------Montolivo---------De Jong-------------Urby
-------------------------Prince

--------------------Pato-------Pazzini

4-1-4-1
When we defend, then Prince drops back, when we attack, Prince goes into Attack he is still an attacking mid.
-------------------------Abbiati
Abate------------Mexes----------Acerbi-------------De Sciglio

------------------------De Jong
----Nocerino--------Prince-----Montolivo--------------Urby

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

You are being blasphemous . anything but 4312 is a sin.

Talk to Allegri, we have been saying there needs to be a change in formation for a while now