Thank goodness the international break is over and we can get back to some real football action this weekend.Destination this weekend is the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence.
Fiorentina have a new manager in Delio Rossi who replaced Sinisa Mihajlovic.The Viola lie 12th on the league log with 12 points.What is encouraging for us is that we have beaten them more often than not in recent times and this should give us some confidence.They are going to be dangerous though,as teams with new managers often get some new motivation to do well.Ricardo Montolivo,who should becomee Milan player sooner rather than later is also in their ranks and would be eager to show us what he is made of.
THE DUCK(BACK FROM INJURY)
PERSONNEL:
There was some good news this week as Gattuso returned to training with the 1st team.Though there is still no definite word on his eventual return,its encouraging for that to have happened and hopefully he shouldn't be out for too long from now.Cassano,recuperating from surgery and Flamini(knee),continue to be the long term absentees.Mexes is still out,with Amelia,Zambrotta,and El Shaarawy picking up knocks.The Duck is back though,ready to go hunting against Fiorentina who have picked a ball from their net 5 times from Pato's boot.Nesta is also back to the squad,here is the list of 20 men called up for the game:
Abbiati,Piscitelli,Roma,Abate,Antonini,Bonera,Nesta,Taiwo,Silva,Yepes,Ambrosini,Aquilani,Emmanuelson,Nocerino,Seedorf,van Bommel,Ibrahimovic,Inzaghi,Pato Robinho
With the Barcelona game coming up in midweek,there is the real possibility of it serving as a distraction to the team,but Allegri is having none of that,expecting the squad to fully concentrate on tonight's game,which is the right approach to adopt.here's is what he had to say at the press conference yesterday...
MASSIMILANO ALLEGRI
"I think it's important to start well after this break, but I also believe that the team showed maturity after the last break and especially in the last game we played at home against Catania. We have the injured players back and we know this is an important month heading towards the Christmas break. We want to get to the break with the most points possible in order to stay at the top of the table.
“Fiorentina have a new coach and they will have regained enthusiasm and we have to play well to take away an important result from Florence, which is what counts. It is another time in the season, but it's an important game and very a complicated one.
"Dealing with Delio Rossi's team is always difficult because with Palermo and Lazio he did great things. But beyond that Fiorentina are a very technical and tactical side who have renewed enthusiasm so they will create problems.
"From now until December we have to aim to stay near the top, this team has the strength to do it because it showed that with the results over the last month. You have to play with great technique and be switched, there is no use thinking about Barcelona. We have eight complicated games ahead of us and we are coming off the break and anything can happen. We are already into the next round of the Champions League so tomorrow is more important than Barcelona where we will be playing top of the group in a match between the two most important clubs in the world. But for now we are thinking about tomorrow.
"Emanuelson has taken a knock to the ankle, but he should be available, we will evaluate it in training today. Doubts are Ambrosini and Van Bommel (who trained yesterday but did not play in the training match, then we must consider Emanuelson, depending he is: he may be the attacking midfielder or Seedorf might be or wide on the left. Aquilani will play tomorrow.
"Pato has not played for two months, he is very well physically, even after two months of inactivity, he has been training very well and is fit, but obviously it is a risk to play him from the start because he does not have 90 minutes in his legs and then the changes from the bench will be important. It doesn’t seem as if Pato is holding back and he is eager to return as are we because we needs goals from Pato. As with all young players who have great skill Pato must understand that they need to be ready and fully exploit their qualities. To do this you need the right mindset and a willingness to improve and the experienced players in this Milan are a prime example. Although they have won so a lot they never take anything for granted and are always ready and willing. The only way to improve is not to take anything for granted and if you don’t then you lose your direction.
"Ibrahimovic also set up a lot of goals the last year. He is very well physically and that the team benefits from that. I think that in respect to last year Ibrahimovic has played less and has expended a lot less energy. This year Pato and Robinho have been out for two months so they are fresher but Ibrahimovic is in good shape and has proved to be in the form in recent games.
"Jovetic is young but has great quality, if he plays he will cause us problems.
"It is difficult to talk about the transfer market. There are 40 days until January the 1st and anything can happen. I hope we can sign someone in January although we don’t need anyone because the players we have are good. If that wasn’t the case then we would look at things with the club and look for a player who can fit in with this club. We need to evaluate the players we have to bring in a second non-European Union player. I think it is premature to talk about it now. The transfer market is like the weather and ideally we would want a player who can play in the Champions League.
"Delio Rossi has brought his ideas and changes to Fiorentina but one thing is sure it will be a completely different atmosphere compared to two weeks ago. The team won easily playing badly but to win the league you cannot always play well and win but there are games you win when you play badly. The league is made up of 38 games, no team in the world can play well for 38 games and win the championship, we need to win games ugly, there are times when it is better to get a result and play badly rather than play well and lose. Last year we played well in Genoa and we drew.
"When the President arrives he always gives us a boost and especially his charismatic personality does well in any environment. I hope, as the whole team do, to see him again soon.
"I would like 18 points in six games before the next break, but I am joking: 6 wins will be hard to do. The important thing is to do well tomorrow. I think there will be six or seven that can push on. Last year we had four, then three, two and finally us.
"If Inter can get a run going then they can get back into the race just as we did. I feel their overall squad is one of the best in Italy.
"We were a bit rusty in the early months due injuries and players on international duty. We made some mistake but also played some good games. We remained calm and get on working but if you do not respect your opponents and have the correct meanness then you cannot win matches in Italy."
PROJECTED LINE-UP:
(4-3-1-2)
abbiati abate,nesta,silva,antonini aquilani,van bommel,nocerino seedorf ibrahimovic,robinho
Let's hope that we get another win to make it 6 in a row,the last time that happened was in the 2005/2006 season,too long,I say.We also need the right result to serve as a springboard on which to build for a victory on Wednesday.Pato should come in to get some game time and hopefully score again.FORZA ROSSONERI!!! Can't wait for 23rd November...
moonbyte
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