AC Milan (A) - CL League Stage, Tue 17th Sep 2024 (8:00pm)

[Trumo]

The supposed dawn of a new era in the Champions League as they've got rid of the group stage. Now each team is playing 8 different opponents in the new League Stage. Rather than playing home and away, the draw means you only play half of them at home and the other half away. Your 'position' is in an overall league table that includes all the other teams in the competition. Finish high enough and gather enough points and you'll be straight into the Round of 16. If you don't manage that, there's another play-off stage for the chance to reach the knockouts proper. The format from the Round of 16 onwards is the more familiar two-legged ties.

 

Our first game is a trip to the San Siro to take on a Milan side that also has a new manager. Stefano Pioli had seemingly been on borrowed time for a little while, and Milan finally replaced him with Paulo Fonseca in the summer. He's a coach that's had his name linked with several Premier League jobs in the past, not least Everton. The Blooshite orc army were not having it, daubing anti-Fonseca graffiti on the walls of Goodison. I'm not entirely sure why they were so against the appointment because he doesn't have any of the baggage that winds them up (calling Everton shite, having once been a Red etc). They ended up with Lampard, which I'm sure they were happy with simply on the basis that he once picked a fight with Jurgen.

 

So Milan have a new coach, and brought in some familiar faces. We know about Morata, but they've also brought in Emerson Royal from Spurs and Youssouf Fofana from Monaco. Serie A clubs aren't averse to loaning players to and from direct rivals, so Milan have also brought in Tammy Abraham from Roma via such an arrangement. Rafael Leao is probably their real danger man but they've also got Cristian Pulisic in the side. He's one of those that either flatters to deceive or is out injured most weeks, but somehow becomes fit and available and turns into peak Eden Hazard any time we rock up. Big Div is still at Milan but has been banished to the reserves. He's such a strange player in that he has never shown anything in spells at Wolfsburg and Forest on loan, or after joining Milan. And yet he's a cult figure at Anfield because he's at the heart of so many important goals and moments under Jurgen. They are a side we mustn't take lightly even though they are nothing close to the stellar line-ups they could field up until Ancelotti left.

 

We have a new situation of our own to deal with, after the first setback under Slot at the weekend. He and the players need to bounce back quickly as this is the second of 7 games in a 3-week period. I try to start these threads after Dave's match report of the last game but I needed to get this one out as part of getting past the Forest calamity in my own mind. Harvey is still out but the others should be available, including Fede who might get a debut. He'll be familiar with the San Siro and most of the Milan team. He has the tools to hurt them. Let's see if he can show it. I think Slot needs to start ringing some changes to keep the players fresh and sharpen a few minds.

 

I've pointed it out before, but it's amazing how, since the 1965 semi final against Inter, we didn't face a single Italian side in Europe until the 1984 final against Roma. It goes some way to explaining why our European record in that period was so strong, because Italian teams were still a tough nut to crack back then. Istanbul was the first time we'd played AC Milan. It's a bit like at the World Cup where Brazil and Germany have had the two best records overall. Brazil have been at every World Cup, and the Germans had sat out the inaugural edition and were banned from the 1950 tournament but otherwise have always been there. It's wasn't until the 2002 World Cup final that the sides met for the first time.

 

For cup games, I'm not listing the first home or away game under previous managers, but rather the first game overall. How did our previous managers fare first time around against the Rossoneri?

 

Shankly...N/A

Paisley...N/A

Fagan...N/A

Dalglish...N/A

Souness...N/A

Evans...N/A

Houllier...N/A

Benitez...25/05/2005...CL Final...AC Milan 3-3 (2-3p) Liverpool (Gerrard, Smicer, Alonso)

Hodgson...N/A

Dalglish...N/A

Rodgers...N/A

Klopp...15/09/2021...CL Group Stage...Liverpool 3-2 AC Milan (Tomori og, Salah, Henderson)

 

I don't ask for much. Maximum motivation, control, application, attitude and concentration from minute one. 3 points please. Get it done!

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Yesterday was rubbish.  Shit it out. Go again. Be much better.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

[Binomial]

I’d take a draw no.

 

Leave Jones Trent Szobo and Mo behind in Kirkby.

[Scott_M]

Fair to say they warmed up for Tuesday better than we did. 
 

 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Weren't we linked to that Youssouf Fofana once.

[an tha]

Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic and Abraham.

 

There's your goalscorers nailed on!

 

Plastic twats 

 

 

[Scott_M]

No doubt some fannies will make issue over what I’m about to post…

 

…I’m going to this. Really looking forward to it. I’ve been to the San Siro twice, both which were classed as home games for Inter. The game where Torres scored for us and the CL Quarter Final in 2005 between Inter v AC Milan. Think AC Milan won the first leg 3-0 and Shevchenko put AC Milan 1-0 on the night. Inter had a goal disallowed and then the Inter fans threw flares on the pitch and the game was abandoned. We were in the end where it all started to kick off and quickly left…. the next evening was from the frying pan into the fire of Turin. 
 

I genuinely think it’s the loudest crowd / stadium I’ve ever been to. Shame AC Milan are having issues with the ticket prices and likely not to be sold out. I really wanted to go again before gets demolished, although I’m not sure they are doing that now and might be re-modelling it. 

[an tha]

3 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

No doubt some fannies will make issue over what I’m about to post…

 

…I’m going to this. Really looking forward to it. I’ve been to the San Siro twice, both which were classed as home games for Inter. The game where Torres scored for us and the CL Quarter Final in 2005 between Inter v AC Milan. Think AC Milan won the first leg 3-0 and Shevchenko put AC Milan 1-0 on the night. Inter had a goal disallowed and then the Inter fans threw flares on the pitch and the game was abandoned. We were in the end where it all started to kick off and quickly left…. the next evening was from the frying pan into the fire of Turin. 
 

I genuinely think it’s the loudest crowd / stadium I’ve ever been to. Shame AC Milan are having issues with the ticket prices and likely not to be sold out. I really wanted to go again before gets demolished, although I’m not sure they are doing that now and might be re-modelling it. 

Latest on the future of it....

 

https://footballgroundguide.com/news/san-siro-rebuild-demolition-updates

[George Costanza]

Really cannot be arsed with this shite, farcial tournamnet now.  Uefa can go fuck themselves.

 

 

[Jairzinho]

They've managed to make it feel like it's no longer the top European competition.

[3 Stacks]

They could destroy us if we aren't solid. The left side with Hernandez and Leao is extremely strong offensively.

[Scott_M]

9 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

They could destroy us if we aren't solid. The left side with Hernandez and Leao is extremely strong offensively.

Our right side isn’t bad either. 

[an tha]

A league where you don't all play the same games. 

 

Modern fucking football.

 

[Elite]

The format is fucked. Couldn't be less invested until the knockouts.

[Anubis]

Basta vincere.

[Mook]

Worth remembering Liverpool FC are as much responsible for this Poundland super league pish as anyone & also voted to retain VAR.

 

So thanks Liverpool FC.

[Bruce Spanner]

These ain’t shit.

 

0-8.

[El Rojo]

Play Quansah, Jones and Nunez to freshen things up and limit the risk of predictable injuries to Konate, Macca and Jota. 

 

Chiesa might figure for a bit in the second half too. 

 

I’d suggest Bradley and Tsimikas too but both were diabolically bad when they came on yesterday. They were hardly alone in that though. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

4 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

Play Quansah, Jones and Nunez to freshen things up and limit the risk of predictable injuries to Konate, Macca and Jota. 

 

Chiesa might figure for a bit in the second half too. 

 

I’d suggest Bradley and Tsimikas too but both were diabolically bad when they came on yesterday. They were hardly alone in that though. 

Yeah, I don't think we can drop everyone who was shit yesterday.

[chrisbonnie]

Pulisic always played well against us for Chelsea, the wee shit.... 

 

Hopefully we batter them like we did the last few times we played them. 

 

I'm fairly confident slot has learned more from that loss on Saturday then the previous 3 wins. 

[3 Stacks]

4 hours ago, Scott_M said:

Our right side isn’t bad either. 

Truly a battle of players of who dont defend.

[VladimirIlyich]

12 hours ago, El Rojo said:

Play Quansah, Jones and Nunez to freshen things up and limit the risk of predictable injuries to Konate, Macca and Jota. 

 

Chiesa might figure for a bit in the second half too. 

 

I’d suggest Bradley and Tsimikas too but both were diabolically bad when they came on yesterday. They were hardly alone in that though. 

Bradley was ok but Tsimikas is shite. Klopp performed miracles getting decent performances out of him.

[Carra_is_legend]

19 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Bradley was ok but Tsimikas is shite. Klopp performed miracles getting decent performances out of him.

 

I thought Bradley was abysmal. 

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Carra_is_legend said:

 

I thought Bradley was abysmal. 

Not as bad as Trent for me.

[Pidge]

Elliot, Jones and Grav please. Nunez and Gakpo up top. Would stick with Salah and Trent.