Serie A: Ancelotti calls on AC Milan to get cynical

godtabh

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Ancelotti calls on AC Milan to get cynical

ROME, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Coach Carlo Ancelotti wants European champions AC Milan to get cynical as they seek to react to a surprise midweek defeat at Atalanta by beating Genoa at home on Sunday (1400 GMT).

The 2-1 defeat was a blow to Milan's bid to recover from a poor start and reach Serie A's top four and qualify for next term's Champions League.

It leaves them in 10th place with 24 points from 17 games, 25 points behind leaders Inter Milan and 10 behind fourth-placed Fiorentina, albeit with two matches in hand.

'We have to look ahead because there are still lots of games to play and ways to make up ground,' Ancelotti told Milan's webiste.

'Now we are thinking on a match-by-match basis but we definitely have to learn to be more cynical in certain games.'

New arrival Pato is one of the players Ancelotti will want more ruthlessness from.

The teenage striker, who got his first senior Brazil call-up on Wednesday for a friendly against Ireland in Dublin on Feb 6, missed a sitter when Milan were 1-0 up at Atalanta.

Genoa, who have won their last three league games, travel to the San Siro without suspended defender Domenico Criscito.

Unbeaten Inter are aiming to notch up their ninth consecutive Serie A win at fifth-placed Udinese.

Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose late double gave Inter a 3-2 win over Parma last weekend, is expected to return after being rested for Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Juventus in the Italian Cup.

Argentine Julio Cruz, who scored both his side's goals in the quarter-final first leg with Juve, is favourite to join Ibrahimovic in attack.

AS Roma, who are seven points behind the champions in second, hope to have captain Francesco Totti back from a bout of flu for Saturday's home game against Palermo (1930 GMT).

Roma's Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi is suspended, but defenders Max Tonetto and Christian Panucci return from bans.

Third-placed Juventus visit Livorno in the late game on Sunday (1930 GMT), while Fiorentina travel to second-from-bottom Tuscan rivals Empoli (1400 GMT).

After moving from Manchester City, Rolando Bianchi is likely to make his debut for Lazio at fellow strugglers Torino, who were also bidding to sign the striker.

However, Italian media said the transfer documentation is unlikely to come through in time for Bianchi to play in Lazio's Italian Cup quarter-final first leg against Fiorentina on Thursday.

Saturday, January 26, 2008
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
17:00 UK Sampdoria v Siena Comunale Luigi Ferraris
19:30 UK Roma v Palermo Stadio Olimpico

Sunday, January 27, 2008
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
14:00 UK AC Milan v Genoa Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
14:00 UK Atalanta v Reggina Stadio Azzurri D`Italia
14:00 UK Cagliari v Napoli Stadio Sant'Elia
14:00 UK Catania Calcio v Parma Stadio Angelo Massimino
14:00 UK Empoli v Fiorentina Stadio Carlo Castellani
14:00 UK Torino v Lazio Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
14:00 UK Udinese v Inter Milan Stadio Friuli
19:30 UK Livorno v Juventus Armando Picchi

Inter and Roma have tough enough games but if firing on all cylindes should be ok.

The rest of the top 4 should be ok

Mr. Presentable

and Ronaldo is injured again

godtabh

Only way AC will get into Europe this year is if they win the Champions League again. Cant see that happening.

THey maybe looking for a new manager next season (or earlier)

KdjaCL

kearnsr wrote: »

THey maybe looking for a new manager next season (or earlier)

Thats a done deal with Rijkaard

Barca dont want to sack him so he leaving at end of season to take over Milan, Deco and Ronnie going with him according to Guillem.


kdjac

godtabh

KdjaCL wrote: »

Thats a done deal with Rijkaard

Barca dont want to sack him so he leaving at end of season to take over Milan, Deco and Ronnie going with him according to Guillem.


kdjac

Dont think Ancelotti will reach the end of the season.

I reckon the fans would go for Rikaard before Jose. Can Milan afford Decon and Ronnie?

KdjaCL

Jose going to Barca and its 50 million € for Deco and Ronnie according to Guillem, hes usually 90% right.

Lampard goung to barca too with jose...lol gotta love rumourings.


AC fans would love frankie they get 433 attacking football and hes a bit of legend round them parts.


kdjac

lordgoat

I have a great image of Carlo singing Get Cynical to the tune of Get Physical by Olivia Newton John to his players...


Let's get cynical, cynical,
I wanna get cynical, let's get into cynical...

godtabh

KdjaCL wrote: »

Jose going to Barca and its 50 million € for Deco and Ronnie according to Guillem, hes usually 90% right.

Lampard goung to barca too with jose...lol gotta love rumourings.


AC fans would love frankie they get 433 attacking football and hes a bit of legend round them parts.


kdjac

Not sure I'd like to see that happen!

AC dont have the money they used to have. Not sure if they could afford that kind of money

Peyton Manning

2 goals for Pato today.

27 to go.

eZe^

KdjaCL wrote: »

Jose going to Barca and its 50 million € for Deco and Ronnie according to Guillem, hes usually 90% right.

Lampard goung to barca too with jose...lol gotta love rumourings.


AC fans would love frankie they get 433 attacking football and hes a bit of legend round them parts.


kdjac

Guillem supports Espanyol, he said Ronnie or Etoo would be gone last summer, he also said Ronnie would be at AC by the end of this transfer deadline. Nough said. =P

I still reckon AC will qualify for the CL this season, hopefully theyll buy some top quality players this summer.

Peyton Manning

Cant believe people still fall for what Sky feeds them - Ballague is just as full of sh*t as the average journalist. Gets it wrong much more often than he gets it right.

Mikeyt086

+1 for Ballague being a tool, average journo + exellent English = Sky Sports propaganda.

also i need to say... OMG Pato!

godtabh

inter drop some points. stupid cesar

Xavi6

Bianchi sent off 5 mins into his Lazio debut. Had to lol

Attractive Nun

I quite like Ballague, but in any case aren't Deco and Ronaldinho the two players that Rijkaard is actively freezing out at Barca? Why would be bring them on wherever he goes next?

godtabh

Xavi6 wrote: »

Bianchi sent off 5 mins into his Lazio debut. Had to lol

What a way to start with a new club

Attractive Nun wrote: »

I quite like Ballague, but in any case aren't Deco and Ronaldinho the two players that Rijkaard is actively freezing out at Barca? Why would be bring them on wherever he goes next?

I know nothing about Spanish football but as far as I'm aware AC have been linked with Deco and Ronaldinho with Jose coming on board.

Nunu

Here's Pato's brace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yALy0qe9rMc

Regarding Guillem Balague he is not just another run of the mill hack and his insider info is usually spot on.

eZe^

He looks a prospect alright.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

he fits right into the no.7 jersey, itll be his for the next 15 years. Juventus up 1-0 against livorno, Trezegol hits a well timed shot to make it 14 goals in total this season. this guy is on fire this season, give him a good pass and he'll score, pity Juve have half of their starting 11 out injured , Juve will win, treze or del piero will get a goal 2nd half. possible livorno sending off, they've been a bit aggressive since they let that goal in. Sissoko is in Turin , doing his medical tomorrow, lets hope its signed and seal by tomorrow evening.Boumsomg is gone to lyon for 2m sterling.

fortuneg

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV wrote: »

Juve will win, treze or del piero will get a goal 2nd half. possible livorno sending off, they've been a bit aggressive since they let that goal in..

Good call!

Del Piero 2-0

godtabh

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV wrote: »

Boumsomg is gone to lyon for 2m sterling.

Thats £2m to much for him

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

i've been following juve for the past 11 years , i know this team inside out haha. yeah classic del piero goal. shows hes still got enough pace to do his job.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

kearnsr wrote: »

Thats £2m to much for him

nah man, hes worth 2-3m euro for sure, he didn't do well for newcastle etc but he did well last season in serie B and scored some very needed goals lol, he scored last wednesday against Inter milan away from home sure!! i like the guy, i respect him like i respect zayaleta whos now co-owned by napoli. they don't comnplain if they don't get first team football!! keeps the team spirit high.less media attention.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

hahaha, am i spot on or am i watching the game from the future? theres goes a red card for devessi, good lad, shakes the hand and walks off.

fortuneg

Beautiful goal!

Trez 3-0

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

man im so happy, this is the juve i like to see. all my predictions came true too. lets hope we can get 2 more or just one more for trezeguets hattrick!(it would be 3rd hattrick of season) Trezegol Trezegol Trezegol! he should be starting for france, screw that raymond domenech. if this guy gets a good pass he WILL always finish it , i've seen him finish about 7 other goals this season , back of the net then called offside. great finisher.Juventus's first game of the season was vs livorno , 5-1. lets hope they get that many goals again.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

nearly 4-0 after Iaquinta's great run the second he came on.

fortuneg

They've been a mess at the back all game.

3-1

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

yeah, missing 3 of their best defenders sure! andrade + chiellini+ crisico is gone on loan . Treze and Del piero and Buffon are keeping this team where they are in 3rd! , pity buffon is injured , belardi aint doing too bad, defence sucks, that goal wasnt the keepers fault, defence wasn't aware enough

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

did you see the beast unleash again? he tried to finish off that ball the keeper couldnt hold onto from Neddy's shot. hes really trying this season. i like to see that in a player. he wants his 3rd hattrick this season!

fortuneg

They're going to have to be a lot better at the back if they're going to contain Inter in the cup during the week!

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

hmm i don't know if we will be able to handle them. our defence is slow and stupid and injured. all up to the 3 players gigi D.p. and trezegol

fortuneg

Yeah, can't see them surviving against Inter.
Especially if they have as many scrambles in the box as they did today, Zlatan's bound to come back & haunt them.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

could have sissoko registered for the game?

godtabh

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV wrote: »

could have sissoko registered for the game?

Would they slot him in with only a day or two training with the team? Dont think I would play him in a game like this

DerekD Goldfish

kearnsr wrote: »

Not sure I'd like to see that happen!

AC dont have the money they used to have. Not sure if they could afford that kind of money

Apparently they have signed a deal with Addidas worth a fortune and will completly overhaul the squad at the end of the season