WITH only five matches left to play, it seems to me (and I’m sure that to most of you as well) that the Scudetto is ours. The final pieces of the puzzle are about to be put into place, the race is almost over and it looks like we need just a little push for the final 10 meters.
With Pato getting injured, Zlatan suspended, Pippo still not 100 % fit, Cassano not being able to play for 90 minutes yet, and Robinho’s goalkeeper-like finishing, the only obstacle I see in our last few and key matches is our forwards. Right now we do not have a true striker at our reach, in the first squad may I say.
It has caught my attention that lately, some of our youngsters have had some outstanding performances with Milan’s Primavera team. The likes of Giacomo Beretta and Simone Verdi have started to raise their voice, and scream to the first squad “isn’t it time for you to give us a chance?.”
Milan drift away in the Serie A
Week 33 in Serie A: Results and Standings
Now, as risky as this may seem, keep in mind three things:
- first of all, this is only for one or two matches, until Pato and Inzaghi return and Ibra’s suspension ends
- secondly keep in mind that the next two fixtures in Serie A are against very weak teams, specially Brescia and that it might be good to try our youngsters with weak teams
- and last, it must be brought into consideration that neither Cassano nor Robinho are true forwards (Beretta and Odu are); they are a mixture of second strikers and attacking midfielders, a nine and a half you might call them.
Displaying a formation with one unexperienced but talented player up front and backed up with experienced midfielders and defenders behind him is not a bad idea at all. In fact, it wouldn’t be the first time that Milan would do such a thing. When Pato and Shevchenko arrived at Milan they both were very young, but they were surrounded by grown, mature and talented players which allow them to grow faster, learn more and in some occasions make many people forget their very young age.
In our squad we only have three real strikers : Ibra, Pato and Inzaghi. One of them has the temper of an angry cat, the other seems to be made out of glass and paper, and the last one is near the end of his professional career. It seems to me that it is a perfect time to start introducing our promising youth stars to a more competitive environment and allow them to get used to the Serie A rhythm little by little.
Anyway, is up to Allegri to decipher this equation and find a solution for the next two fixtures. He has done a great job so far despite many people wanting him to leave before he proved them wrong at the derby, but the next six points are a must win for Milan so we can go to Rome without unnecessary tension on our back and to Udine with the Scudetto in our hands already.
Exactly. and keep in mind from a younger players point of view they wouldn’t want to mess up and cost us valuable points and would work even harder then they already do. also I would like to see strasser playing again. I know he got injured and we were in an important stretch thatcould have decided our standing in the table but now we have two games in hand and play against weak teams. don’t forget strasser already won us a game this year
2010-11 SERIE-A CHAMPIONS- AC MILANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
I disagree with you saying Brescia and bologna are very weak teams. That is simply not true. It is wrong to say that we already have the scudetto. The writer of this article clearly doesn’t understand football. In football, anything can happen. Never ever write off a team like brescia, bologna etc and say that they’re easy. They fighting to climb out of relegation. They’re fighting for something just like us. It is foolish to say that we have already won the scudetto. Anything can happen. Five more league matches have to be played and if our players go out… Read more »
first of all I never said those matches are EASY, I said those teams are weak, if they are in relegation zone it’s for a reason. I do understand football and I know anything can happen, but unless Milan have a bad couple of weeks we are supposed to defeat them. Right now we have momentum, we have won 3 in a row and we do not need to win the las 5. Keep in mind that Napoli will surely miss a few points and keep in mind that due to the results against Napli an Inter, in case of… Read more »
Hey ya! First of all, i do not totally agree with the article’s writer. You are right at the point we should try out the likes of our youngsters, but the following matches will be crucial. We cannot let teams like Brescia or Bologna to rob points from us, because that way we can easily find ourselves in a tricky situation. I mean if we lose points against them we must beat Roma and/or Udinese away which is never easy. I guess Mr.Allegri will give them a chance in the Coppa Italia. That would be conducive in a lot of… Read more »
right at the end of the article I saidd the next two games are a must win, meaning they are crucial and we shouldn’t drop points in those matches.
We can move Emanuelson in a more advanced position, and have Robinho as a CF. I don’t like the idea of giving Verdi or Beretta a chance. We can’t risk it. And Bologna and Brescia are not weak teams nor should be underestimated. I’m not sold on the ability of either Beretta or Verdi.
changing formation was also on my mind, but then I thaught that if Allegri hasn’t done so far this season his not going to start doing it now. And Brescia and Bologna are not really weak teams but they are weak, Bologna without Di Vaio is like a hot dog with no saussage and Brescia usually plays defensive because they don’t have many attacking options. As for the younger players I was thinking to take them as subs, or maybe playing one the first half and then put Cassano in since he can’t really play an entire match
winning 3 games we are champions
or 2 winning and 2 draw
Beretta and Verdi would be more than ready to play those games, because It’s only maybe like “Beretta”
And Beretta and Robinho upfront…
Seedorf, Boateng, Bommel and Gattuso behind ! sooo !!!
FORZA MILAN !!!
Robinho as a CF?
it’s an option but I’m already fed up with his bad finishing, but it’s an option, as I said is up to Allegri now, I just said what I would do
ok theres alot of mixed opinions about this matter. wither to bring young attackers from the Primera or not, I suggested before to place Merkel behind the attackers, he is fast and he’s excellent in through passes , now some think that giving the youngsters a chance to come up and some think its too risky , so i would bring them along and leave them on the bench and when we score and we are sure we got the match in our favor we can replace them in the second half. its just my opinion but its football anything… Read more »
I think we have enough fire power up front without having to promote these unreliable youngsters. They can stay on the bench if we need them, but to start… I don’t agree.
Anyways formation I think is likely for Palermo (Milannew.it says Amelia, Antonini, Emanuelson, Flamini are likely to start, as is Cassano and Ibra):
Amelia; Antonini (LB), Yepes, Sokratis, Oddo; Emanuelson, Pirlo, Flamini; Boateng; Ibra, Cassano.
This is what I think is possible for the Coppa game. I hope we take it seriously. Oddo can have a good game very now and then… so I think he should start.
we are the champion,my friends…..
“with only five matches left to play, it seems to me (and I’m sure that to most of you as well) that the Scudetto is ours.”
really? not me, that’s for certain. and probably other milanistas that are still sane ;)
we need to win 3 matches, that is if Napoli and Inter don’t drop points and seeing Napoli’s last fixtures it’s likely they will. A 6 and 8 point lead at this stage of the season is almost impossible to waste.
yea. i don’t think we’re in the clear for the scudetto just yet…if we win at Brescia and both inter and napoli either lose or draw i would be more eager to say we were, but i still wouldn’t entirely claim the scudetto as ours yet…too soon.
I am a huge fan of trying out a young striker up top during these trying times. They are in a spot where making a mistake doesn’t lose the game. When a player like Robinho can fail buffet so many chances (i.e. the Inter game) and still come back to play a significant role the next games this shows that Allegri has faith in his players, so why not have faith in some young talent? S.A.F. put Macheda in untested and the lad had a world class finish against Arsenal last year. Just win, by any means, this is for… Read more »
great article but where is rub-a-dub-chub??
the what ???
I gave AKA619badman this nick name :) since he is in all of the pages, hence i asked.
I hope to see Verdi playing since the last year.
Talking about youngsters…why Didac Vila doesn’t play yet?
It will be a real risk to start Beretta against Brescia, but I have NO doubt WHATSOEVER that his finishing is much better than Robinho, but it is the experience, and hence is movements on and off the ball that we don’t know of. I am sure he is really talented, even though I only saw him play against Al Ahli back in January, and in some highlights in the Primavera league. He will not dissapoint if started in my opinion. But if he will start, I would rather start him alongside Cassano with Boateng behind him. Cassano is a… Read more »
the youngsters should be given the chance ,like verdi ,merkel,baretta,urby and the like.the old ones should leave peacefully bcos the time is past and we need young ones for the next generation
@F.Vasquez: Interesting point here, but sorry, I have to disagree with you. When scudetto is 100% ours, then I think Allegri MUST try those youngsters, but I’m not really sure about letting them play as starters in the upcoming crucial games where mentality plays the major part. Even if we have to play it with Robinho-Cassano I still think they’re more dependable than Verdi/Beretta/Odu. But seeing their performances lately in Primavera, I think one of them sitting in the bench would be a good option though (especially for Beretta).
I love what you wrote:
“Robinho’s goalkeeper-like finishing”
Made me laugh, funny but very true.
Playing weak teams at the end of the season are NOT to be taken likely. Weak teams are always battling to not plunge into regulation, and they WILL go at us with EVERYTHING. Playing mid-tabled teams are best. They can’t make it to the CL, but can’t drop to regulation either, so they don’t have much of a drive.
i dont think they should start but maybe come on in the last minutes if we are up 3-0 or so.it would also be better to play full strength teams against the weaker opponents then rest them against udinese or another team that we might have a harder time in.win the laegue early and let them play knowing they can relax and enjoy their football, so if they mess up nothing will happen.it would be like a showcase.i also think verdi is better then beretta.