Coach Vincenzo Montella has some doubts heading into the match against Shkëndija, as even Leo Bonucci’s partner in defense is apparently not determined.
After getting past Romanian side Craiova, Milan now have to beat Macedonian outfit KF Shkëndija in order to get to the Europa League group stage, and the first match is on Thursday at San Siro (20:45 CET).
About 25k tickets have so far been sold for the match, and the team continues to train ahead of it. According to Sky Italia, however, Montella has yet to make up his mind regarding the starting XI.
Sky’s Peppe Di Stefano says that the first doubt is in defense: Leonardo Bonucci, with the captain’s armband, will surely start, but it remains to be seen whether Mateo Musacchio or Cristian Zapata will play alongside him. Andrea Conti and Ricardo Rodriguez will be on the two side of defense.
With Lucas Biglia out injured, one of Manuel Locatelli and Riccardo Montolivo will start and at the moment it seems that the youngster is preferred over the ex-Fiorentina man. Franck Kessié and Giacomo Bonaventura’s places in the starting XI seem to be secured. In attack, Montella will have to decide between Fabio Borini and M’Baye Niang for the left-wing, with Suso on the right.
Di Stefano reports that André Silva is likely to play from the first minute, leaving Patrick Cutrone on the bench. With Serie A returning, Milan need to prepare for a week with 3 matches.
between niang or borini? Seriousy are we trying to win something here?? Scudetto? Maybe qualifying for CL?
If yes, between niang or borini??? Please help us. Kalinic?? Please help us double…
Anything but Borini… Just play Bonaventura as LW and Hakan in mid
Exactly. Niang and Borini are not worth mentioning.
Bonaventura on the left wing with Hakan alongside Kessie and Locatelli.
Bona seems to be comfortable playing at LCM right now. Better Hakan in LW.
I really was thinking that its time for montella to deploy the 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 formation. Why think of who to choose btwn niang and borini. Borini is just a boring player. Pls select wisely since we have serie A starting this weekend. Milan win 3-0 at San siro. FORZA MILAN
it’s not time to change formation, Zapata-Bonucci-Gomez are too risk, even romagnolli just begun his training after injury
…………… Gigio
Conti – Bon – Musa – RR
… Kessie – Loca – Jack
… Suso – Silva – Cano
Comment: If
Conti Mussachio Bonucci RR
Kessie Locatelli Bonaventura
Suso Andre Niang
starts
remember he will have to make substitutions during the second half.
3 among Cutrone, Calhanoglu, Borini, Mauri, Montolivo, Antonelli, Calabria, Zapata will still have to play.
my take is for montella to have a starting XIs for all competitions.
i prefer Cano @ LW cuz Montella sticking 433, Cano able to direct, long shot, pivot, killer pass & cross better, while Jack @ LM got the energy to defend, recover, track back, run box to box better,
Cano will pump the ball from midle & Jack overlap from left side,
Hakan in MF n bona as LWF is d best bet…though I think niang or borini shld be able to play against dis opposition, if dey cant, then dey don’t have any business wearing d Milan short…it will be nice to see silva start to earn his 40m price tag…bonucci n musa for CB at least give d New signings time to show demaelves as we prepare for 3 matches in 7days…for a milan
Hakan also played LWF and did that very good, in Bayer, here he just need playiing time
Good luck guys.
No to Montolivo, and Borini, I rather give Niang another try to see if he is consistent, Locatelli should be second to Biglia NO to Kalinic, and DO NOT SELL Crutone. If anything change the formation but keep the dead weights off the field.
Comment: from my observation we a starting XI from this team but we don’t have a complete back up plans except for the defense, striker, LMF and register
Hope Kalinic comes to Milan so that means that another striker will come hope for Aubameyang or if not don’t buy anyone.
Dolberg talked too which is cool!
Torreira would be a good addiction for Milan (The one from Sampdoria.)
El Ghazi also… we will see.. anything is better than Borini or Niang…
hope this starting 11
Donna
Conti Musa Bonu Rodriguez
Kessien Loca Çalhanoglu
Suso Silva Bona
The crazy thing about making transfer suggestions nowadays is that Milan actually have the capital to back up the dreams!
If it’s between Borini and Niang, I’d pick the latter based on their pre-season games.
Why is Monti still an option? he’s awful he should definitely be sold this summer along with Sosa, Paletta, Loan Calabria, the inconsistent Zapata and perhaps Niang. We are in dire need of a another central midfielder, a striker and a winger if we really are going to stick to 443, and to those who think Hakan is a winger, he is far from he down right a #10(Central Attaking Mid) behind the strikers.
Please sell Montolivo already.
You though?
Monty should be sold, loaned, or kept off the field, he is gona cost milan with is dreadful backpass, sentiment aside him being the captain and whatnot, he is paid to help milan win matches not lose matches!!!!
I am not surprised that Borini keeps making first team. Alot of people said he was acquired for depth. Sad though.
So hakan is on the bench while Borini plays.. something sounds really odd here.
What’s important to me is the win… Forza Milan
Know how you feel adeb.
Odd as Montella’s decisions. He sometimes is the biggest pain in anyone’s arse.
The word arse always cracks me up. (Pun intended) I’ll give you a thumbs up.
How is Montella even confused in the defense, between Mussa and Zapata??! Even last season Palleta and Roma were by far better. Now he has Mussa a big time upgrade, how he is still unsure who to start is beyond me!
Calm my friend, I think the confusion is not comes from technical side of the player but it comes from the busy schedule in this week: 3 matches in a week including important and first match of Seria A so rotation (maybe) needed to get desired result
Rotataion bro… in a week we have three matches to play… thursday is the europa league play of first leg
On sunday Serie A starts for milan…
Then again we have 2nd leg of play off…
So players need to be rotated… it is generally seen managers deploy mediocer teams in europa group stages and after that they dispense the main team… so relax… Niangs, Zapatas, Borinis are good enough for these small teams…
Mussacio is obviously better option… but zapata have also shown his worth in pre seasons… he was there on the task when needed… covered the spaces well… he was actually good… Mussacio is definitely an upgrade for our defence…this new zapata is also an upgrade… he is nowhere a dead weight now…
No club want them, they’re useless
1) like i said, bonucci should be the capt. A senior proven winner, what more can u ask? 2) is montella seriously having hard time determining whether to play musa or ZAPATA alongside bonucci? No wonder milan never had fixed starting lineup all through the season last season. I even read rumor that gomez in on his way to turkish league. So, he doesnt want bacca AND gomez but he puts capt armband on zapata occasionally? 3) did any of slack jawed milanisti watch barca – madrid match? Now thats how u execute 4-3-3 perfectly. At least 2 great playmaking… Read more »
There we are again, zigzagging from opinion a to opinion b, just to hear our own voice aloud.
I thought we had a goal scoring machine and a scudetto winning squad according to your football genius; why would need another striker? An experienced one nonetheless? You are saying Silva isn’t ready to lead us to the scudetto? Isn’t experienced enough? Sounds familiar to me somehow.
And I watched Barca vs Madrid and saw another of your pet obsessions Ter Steigen take a third goal that Donna wouldn’t have gotten when he was 13.
When did i ever say hot prospect like silva isnt ready to lead milan? What i said was milan already has 2 young potential st in cutrone and andre silva so it wouldnt be logical to add yet another youngster, especially if montella’s still using 4-3-3. Anyone who says 21 yr old andre silva is experienced enough clearly doesnt watch football much. He’s 21 for gods sake. Im still laughing at ur laughable claim that silva is garbage because milan only paid 38m for him when his buy out clause is 60m. Like i said, please watch and read about… Read more »
I am looking forward to seeing this match. Hopefully there will be a strong link for streaming. Smh about Niang/Borini but as a high school coach (don’t make fun, It’s nothing to brag about) you see your squad day in and day out and sometimes have to make unpopular decisions based on fitness and player preservation. We will win this match.
Coaching at any level is something to be proud of.
Montella can be frustrating at times…
1. Mussachio is clearly a better option than Zap.
2. Hakan is clearly a better option than Borini/Niang
3. Locca is clearly a better option than Monti
4. Hakan is clearly best as a CAM
5. Jack/Suso are clearly our best wingers
Montella needs help getting over his addiction to the 433.
4231:
Conti-Bonnu-Mussa-R.Rod
——–Locca—-Kessie———
Suso——Hakan———Jack
—————Silva—————–
Forza Milan !
Montella just keeps on frustrating us, but it wouldn’t matter as long as we win…
How about this :
Gigio
Conti – Leo – Musa – RR
–Kessie – Loca – Jack–
——-Hakan——–
—Suso – Andre Silva—
Hakan as a playmaker and Suso as a 2nd Striker
Not bad at all, Silva would perform better with a partner up top, especially with a willing passer like Suso. Only reason i prefer the 4231 is it allows Suso and Jack more 1 on 1 opportunities by playing them out wide.
Montella and his 433…We have a quality CAM in Hakan yet Montella and his 433….4312 or even a 4411 would be better if you want to play 1 striker.
Mirella, the man of mystery
quit complaining…… some of you had the sense to know that montella is rotating the squad, thats why he isn’t gonna field his strongest IX.
about the 4-3-3 formation, montella likes it because from 433 he can easily switch formations during games, pretty simple to me.
then regarding calhanoglu, does anyone share my opinion that he isn’t in the best shape physically, he looks a little bit fat…..
because calhanoglu is widely regarding as a 10 doesn’t mean he can’t play in other positions…
well he hasn’t played for months so yes, Hakan isn’t in best shape
Liked your comment, and agree that Hakan is out of shape.
Also agree that he can play other positions, but if hes out of shape why would you want him on the wings or at LCM where hes a defensive liability. CAM is one of the few positions one can afford to start an out of shape but skilled player.
Also, I agree Montella has to rotate the squad, but Thursdays match is critical.
Lastly, please clarify why the 433 allows him to switch formations any easier than any other formation with 4 backs ?
JaRossoneri…. because thats his favourite…. it is from that formation the manipulation begins….
JaRossoneri…. because thats his favourite formation…. it is from that formation the manipulation begins….
regarding calhanoglu question….
i never stated that he should be used in one particular position, i was merely speculating that he can play in other positions….
but i guess due to him not being in the best shape is more of the reason montella opted not to start him.
Point taken…appreciate the feedback.
4-1-4-1 is anoda option
cont – bonus – Musa – RR
Kessie
suso. – loca – hakan – bona
Andre S
or….
Gigi
conti. – bonu – musa – RR
kessie – loca – bona
suso – hakan –
andre
I heard that gustavo gomez will be sold to beskitas and antonelli will be the part of kalinic deal..what is this?we dont have backup.
I hope fasobelli and montella know what they are doing
Ups I mean gomez to fenerbache
Comment: dona
conti–bonucci—musa—rodri
kessie—monto—bona
suso—cutrone/silva—niang
dis is my view,coz montolivo paired kessie in d icc cup against bayern and d midfield was perfectly ok dat almighty bayern couldn’t do anything!!and also niang is a good player who can assist either cutrone/silver in cf!!he’s also good in firing shot from d left forward
READ: http://www.espnfc.com/italian-serie-a/story/3148751/tianjin-quanjians-alexandre-pato-ac-milan-thought-my-career-was-over Pato: “There were people, even within Milan, who were telling me that I would never be able to play again, but I knew that it wasn’t going to end like that. That is why I left. I needed to change training methods and my recovery” I NEEDED TO CHANGE TRAINING METHOD. Allegri what did you do? Pirlo out, dinho out, cassano out, pato out, Allegri you are the reason behind milans failure all these years. You just fall in love with flamini, bommel, poli, muntari. Two finals with juve? Allegri you WILL NEVER win CL. You are too… Read more »
If montella keeps starting niang and borini with his stupd 4-3-3 then he needs to get fired!!!