AC Milan 2007/08 Thread.

Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

I think Milan vs Siena is going to be very interesting this weekend... Siena must be on a high after thrashing Roma...

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

wow if all them 4 are really out, Arsenal become huge favourites.

L r d wrote:

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

wow if all them 4 are really out, Arsenal become huge favourites.

I think Gattuso will play and Pato def. make the bench, but still, it puts the ball in Arsenal's court for sure. Though they have a few problems themselves with Kolo Toure (hasn't been playing for Ivory Coast, I don't think), Flamini, and Van Persie.

L r d wrote:

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

wow if all them 4 are really out, Arsenal become huge favourites.

Hardly. Milan have enough squad depth to cope with these injuries.

Its possible that we'll be missing Flamini and RVP anyhow.

In theory you could say that Seedorf can replace Kaka, or Ambrosini (let's not even talk about Emerson) can replace Gattuso, etc. But the fact is such big players cannot be replaced so easily. There is always that extra something that they bring that will be missed if they are out.

Tweedle wrote:

L r d wrote:

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

wow if all them 4 are really out, Arsenal become huge favourites.

Hardly. Milan have enough squad depth to cope with these injuries.

Debatable, i don't think they have great squad depth at all. Flamini's main job would have been to contain Kaka anyway, and he's out. I think Gattuso could have made it difficult for Cesc, but Ambrosini, Brochhi?

Pato and or Ronaldo would have been very dangerous, but Gilardino?

Some will probably make it anyway, it's to early to say. On what Kas said about Toure, i think Toure missing a few Ivory Coast games is a good thing, he wont be burnt out, and his injury isnt serious.

Tweedle wrote:

L r d wrote:

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

wow if all them 4 are really out, Arsenal become huge favourites.

Hardly. Milan have enough squad depth to cope with these injuries.

Its possible that we'll be missing Flamini and RVP anyhow.

Not really. Their squad depth is pretty poor. And besides in Kaka you're talking about not only their most important player, but one that they don't have a replacment for.

If they don't have those four, I can't see them beating Arsenal. Ancelotti will probably just play 5 DMs anyway.

Arsenal need Van Persie back, then they could be said to be favorites to go through.

Nummer 14 wrote:Arsenal need Van Persie back, then they could be said to be favorites to go through.

I think a Milan (-) that quartet makes Arsenal favourites anyway.

Even if RVP isn't fit, Arsenal have Eduardo who at the very least is an international class striker.

The biggest critique of Milan is the lack of squad depth. Thats exactly what I was saying in the thread last month, on the fact that Milan missed a great opportunity to close their gaps in January.... and de risk themselves from injury risk.... looking at the situation now, its almost as if I wished it

With Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka, and Inzaghi unavailable, Milan have very little quality in attack. Serginho is not in the CL squad, and that leave just Seedorf & Gilardino. Gattuso's miss can be managed, coz IMO Emerson is as good. But without those 4, I just cannot see them beating Arsenal.

Tweedle wrote:

L r d wrote:

kas wrote:Wow, that is huge news. Gattuso, Ronaldo, Pato, Kaka - 4 big players that may be out, or not quite 100%.

wow if all them 4 are really out, Arsenal become huge favourites.

Hardly. Milan have enough squad depth to cope with these injuries.

Its possible that we'll be missing Flamini and RVP anyhow.

Does anyone know if Jankulovski will be back?

Hypothetically, if those injuries still stand they could play:

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

Oddo-----Nesta---Maldini---Jankuuu

-------------Emerson------------

Seedorf----Pirlo---Ambrosini--Gourcuff

-------------Gilardino---------------

Would that be their strongest? Its still pretty damn good.

They could even play Gourcuff more centrally off the striker and slip in onetrick on the left.

Tweedle wrote:Hypothetically, if those injuries still stand they could play:

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

Oddo-----Nesta---Maldini---Jankuuu

-------------Emerson------------

Seedorf----Pirlo---Ambrosini--Gourcuff

-------------Gilardino---------------

Would that be their strongest? Its still pretty damn good.

They could even play Gourcuff more centrally off the striker and slip in onetrick on the left.

I presume so, though it would be a 4-3-2-1 with Seedorf and Gourcuff behind Gila. Not sure if Janku will be back and Dida may not get his place back.

Its a good side that will be hard to beat more than anything. Gourcuff is pretty Cr@p and Gilardino struggles upfront on his own. I guess theyd play for a draw at the Emirates and try and win it at the San Siro when their attackers are back.

Gourcuff was good in France. I think he made too big a step up though and has now lost confidence in his own ability.

IMO he'd benefit from a year loan next season

Tweedle wrote:Hypothetically, if those injuries still stand they could play:

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

Oddo-----Nesta---Maldini---Jankuuu

-------------Emerson------------

Seedorf----Pirlo---Ambrosini--Gourcuff

-------------Gilardino---------------

Would that be their strongest? Its still pretty damn good.

They could even play Gourcuff more centrally off the striker and slip in onetrick on the left.

If Arsenal's midfield and defense is on top of their game, then Emerson/Gourcuff/Gilardino shouldn't be any threat. Like BoBo said, they will probably look to not concede first, then see what they can get on the break. Arsenal like to dominate possession, so it'll be up to them to convert ball possession into goals.

BoBo Vieri wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Hypothetically, if those injuries still stand they could play:

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

Oddo-----Nesta---Maldini---Jankuuu

-------------Emerson------------

Seedorf----Pirlo---Ambrosini--Gourcuff

-------------Gilardino---------------

Would that be their strongest? Its still pretty damn good.

They could even play Gourcuff more centrally off the striker and slip in onetrick on the left.

I presume so, though it would be a 4-3-2-1 with Seedorf and Gourcuff behind Gila. Not sure if Janku will be back and Dida may not get his place back.

Its a good side that will be hard to beat more than anything. Gourcuff is pretty Cr@p and Gilardino struggles upfront on his own. I guess theyd play for a draw at the Emirates and try and win it at the San Siro when their attackers are back.

I think that formation could be very effective if they defend mostly. they should just let arsenal have the ball because i dont think they can pass their way through milan if they sit deep. also is it for sure that ronaldo wont play in the first match.

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:Good news for Arsenal fans: reports suggest Kaka and Pato will be out for the Arsenal game.

Pato has been told 20 days rest. I will update the news on Kaka as it becomes available.

Breaking news:

Ronaldo and Inzaghi should be available for Siena (at least on the bench).

Kaka WILL be there for Arsenal.

Jankulovski will also be returning this weekend.

The definitive Pato diagnosis is 2 weeks.

He should be ready for Arsenal.

They will try to recover Gattuso also.

The following link details what the Milan doctor said (on Milan channel):

http://www.acmilan.com/NewsDetail.aspx?idNews=61323

and Gattuso?

BoBo Vieri wrote:and Gattuso?

They will try to recover him also.

It's in Italian. If any one wants a full translation let me know.

LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Calidad wrote:LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Milan should have kept this quite, and played mind games with Arsenal.

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Milan should have kept this quite, and played mind games with Arsenal.

I think we will have to wait and see. I mean only earlier, it was said Kaka was going to be out for 4 months. Now he'll be ready for the Arsenal game. Needless to say, that's a huge disparity.

I'd love all their top players to be fit though (likewise with Arsenal). As a neutral, I like to see all the best players play. Furthermoe, I've never seen Pato live, and haven't seen Ronaldo live for some time.

Calidad wrote:

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Milan should have kept this quite, and played mind games with Arsenal.

I think we will have to wait and see. I mean only earlier, it was said Kaka was going to be out for 4 months. Now he'll be ready for the Arsenal game. Needless to say, that's a huge disparity.

I'd love all their top players to be fit though (likewise with Arsenal). As a neutral, I like to see all the best players play. Furthermoe, I've never seen Pato live, and haven't seen Ronaldo live for some time.

Yeah, but those 4 months stories were speculation from a Rome based newspaper. This is from the official site.

Calidad wrote:

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Milan should have kept this quite, and played mind games with Arsenal.

I think we will have to wait and see. I mean only earlier, it was said Kaka was going to be out for 4 months. Now he'll be ready for the Arsenal game. Needless to say, that's a huge disparity.

I'd love all their top players to be fit though (likewise with Arsenal). As a neutral, I like to see all the best players play. Furthermoe, I've never seen Pato live, and haven't seen Ronaldo live for some time.

Got tickets?

He is back, and may play a bit this weekend.

BoBo Vieri wrote:Does anyone know if Jankulovski will be back?

bluenine wrote:He is back, and may play a bit this weekend.

BoBo Vieri wrote:Does anyone know if Jankulovski will be back?

Yep.

Jankulovski: I’m back
Wednesday 6 February, 2008

Czech international Marek Jankulovski is back in action after knee surgery and can’t wait to return to the Milan line-up.

The 30-year-old has played just six games this term as a serious knee problem has kept him sidelined.

However, the former Udinese man has returned to full training and may even make a contribution against Siena at San Siro this weekend.

“Finally I am fit and I’m back at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal,” Jankulovski grinned.

“I think that I’m already fine to play. I hope to be ready against Siena on Sunday, but we will have to see how training goes.

“Perhaps this surgery could have a small psychological effect on me because it’s the first time that I’ve had such an important procedure, but I think that I can play through small pains and see how it develops.”

Jankulovski will face some stiff competition for a starting place this term and could find things harder still next term if Azzurri star Gianluca Zambrotta does join from Barcelona.

“My teammates Paolo Maldini and Giuseppe Favalli are playing really well, but it’s better for us to have an abundance of options now that I have returned,” he continued optimistically.

“If a player of Zambrotta’s class arrived I would be happy because he is the best wing-back in the world, even if it meant greater competition.”

For now, Jankulovski is concentrating only on Milan’s Champions League qualification charge,

“Every game we play from now on is important to get towards our objective of fourth place,” he stressed.

“Slowly but surely we are getting closer but we have to keep it going in our rescheduled game against Livorno and against Siena.

“We won’t be taking the Robur lightly, they are a good side and they stopped Roma.”

--

channel4

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Milan should have kept this quite, and played mind games with Arsenal.

I think we will have to wait and see. I mean only earlier, it was said Kaka was going to be out for 4 months. Now he'll be ready for the Arsenal game. Needless to say, that's a huge disparity.

I'd love all their top players to be fit though (likewise with Arsenal). As a neutral, I like to see all the best players play. Furthermoe, I've never seen Pato live, and haven't seen Ronaldo live for some time.

Got tickets?

Yes. A couple of my mates were going (season ticket holders), but one of them has dropped out, so he's given it to me. I've never been to a CL game before, so I'm sure I will enjoy it.

@ forza

assuming *if* everyone is fit, what team would you play? Would it be different for home/away?

Lucky Bastard.

Calidad wrote:

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:

TM wrote:

Calidad wrote:LOL

One minute they're all out, next they're all back.

Milan should have kept this quite, and played mind games with Arsenal.

I think we will have to wait and see. I mean only earlier, it was said Kaka was going to be out for 4 months. Now he'll be ready for the Arsenal game. Needless to say, that's a huge disparity.

I'd love all their top players to be fit though (likewise with Arsenal). As a neutral, I like to see all the best players play. Furthermoe, I've never seen Pato live, and haven't seen Ronaldo live for some time.

Got tickets?

Yes. A couple of my mates were going (season ticket holders), but one of them has dropped out, so he's given it to me. I've never been to a CL game before, so I'm sure I will enjoy it.

@ forza

assuming *if* everyone is fit, what team would you play? Would it be different for home/away?

Kalac; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Janku/Maldini; Gattuso/Ambro, Pirlo, Seedorf;Kaka, Pato, Ronaldo

However, Ancelotti could play the CL final 2007 formation, in which case:

Kalac; Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Janku; Gattuso, Ambro, Pirlo, Seedorf;Kaka, Inzaghi

First option looks likelier.