Can we only score in counterattack when against strong sides

[zichuan]

The week before I watched the match between Man United and Deportivo de la Coruna, and I have to reluctantly admit that the United are really a strong team (even though I never like them). They play in a direct style and are good at creating chances quickly and directly. It seems that every time they attack they'll create some danger in the opponent's penalty box.
But we recently always have problems in finding the way of passing the ball through the close defence of a tight side(at least recently), I remember the last few goals against the strong teams are all scored in counterattacks, am I right? I don't think this is a good sign for a strong team like Milan who has the most dreadflu attacking line in seria A, even in the world.

Now my question is:
Should we get something useful from the play stly of Man United?
And how can we find our scoring way against a strong side?
(I don't mean to offend anyone as I'm also a dir-hard Milan fan And I also hope Milan will be the best in every respect)

 

[ads216]

I think if we have a good winger, the middle will open up and Rivaldo, Rui and others will be able to make much better passes and score more goals. This is the advantage United has with Giggs who creates space for the midfielders to operate.

But I think the braintrust of Milan is addressing this problem and we'll be okay since the team has too much talent not to score more goals. Also Kala is not all that fit and this break will rejuvenate a lot of players by helping them heal their little injuries.

 

[DonippoKakaShevdini]

Ads is right.......the inclusion of a winger like Giggs really does open a lot of space for the other midfielders to operate.

But.....anytime you are in a close match, and you have to respect the opposition's attack.....counterattacking is almost always where goals are going to come from. In our matches vs Inter, Real, & Roma (which we won all 3 by the score of 1-0) we essetially had to play a form of "catenaccio" because these sides have some attacking talent. But conversely, in the Dortmund match, we were waiting for all-important counter-attack, but eventually we had some nice setup action from our usual suspects.....that being Rui, Seedorf, and Pippo.....so expect this sort of chess-match when we encounter a side that demands anyone's respect as far as talent is concerned.

 

[mtfco]

it's not necessary to always score in a counter attack when we play a strong side, i remember the game against real madrid, in the early minutes we could have scored 2 goals (from seedorf and sheva) but the goal came in a counter attack becoz it was just the right moment with a luck on our side so sheva could finished it with ease...
i never liked the style of man.utd, yes they r strong but a style that uses wing too much is not my favorite.. instead i like the one like milan that has lots of attacking mids... if we need a winger then serginho could be added since he's a pure winger although we dont have a right wing (sometimes gattuso could be winger too hehe )...
anyway i got bored with goals that come from a cross-header (bierhoff style hehe)... i like the one that is set-up from the middle just like what we've been doing right now...
anyway, we can see the possesion of milan's games to ensure that we really r not just playing counter attack like we were last year or years before that, we r playing a beatiful possesion football... and not a boring wing-style football....

 

[mellanie]

it's not necessary to always score in a counter attack when we play a strong side, i remember the game against real madrid, in the early minutes we could have scored 2 goals (from seedorf and sheva) but the goal came in a counter attack becoz it was just the right moment with a luck on our side so sheva could finished it with ease...
i never liked the style of man.utd, yes they r strong but a style that uses wing too much is not my favorite.. instead i like the one like milan that has lots of attacking mids... if we need a winger then serginho could be added since he's a pure winger although we dont have a right wing (sometimes gattuso could be winger too hehe )...
anyway i got bored with goals that come from a cross-header (bierhoff style hehe)... i like the one that is set-up from the middle just like what we've been doing right now...
anyway, we can see the possesion of milan's games to ensure that we really r not just playing counter attack like we were last year or years before that, we r playing a beatiful possesion football... and not a boring wing-style football....

I completely agree with you!
during some games... It could be necessary to play man.utd. or Chievo ( ) style... (it seems to be the same) and for those games we will use Serginho... maybe the best wing of the world now that CAFU is "dead"
But we must go on playing MILAN STYLE... breaking defences fm the centre... tnks to Rui - Rivaldo - Seedorf magicians - with a charming ball possession!!!

Should we decide to change idea and play counter attack, we will begin to look not only for WINGS, but also for HEAVY FORWARDS (like Vieri and Crespo), but that would be another team.........

MILAN IS ENOUGH BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS NOW!!!
AND THIS TWO WEEKS REST WILL MAKE IT MORE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Seamus]

Milan can score against tuff opponents not using the counter attack, but our tactics and formations lead to most goals against good teams to be off the counter. So far Ancelotti has concocted a great plan and the entire team is executing it perfectly. This is what I see him doing:

When we play a tough opponent like Inter or Real he plays with only one striker Pippo or Sheva w/ Rivaldo as an extra midfielder/attacker. In this situation he can only play w/ Pippo or Sheva always pushing forward. Ancelotti is absolutely doing the right thing by playing whatever striker is in better form when he can only play one of them. If we do this they basically play a 4-5-1 w/ 2 attacking midfielders in Rivaldo and Rui This way we can clog the midfield and take control of the entire game. At times against some of the tuffer opponents we don't attack all out, but what we do do is control the entire tempo of the game. When the opposition finally gets the ball they always have a sence of urgency to score because of the lack of oppertunities they know they will have, so most teams are forced to push defeneders forward in hopes of sneaking in a goal against us. Which leave us the ability to play the counterattack, which we can do so well. Brilliant! And when you have skilled players like Pippo or Sheva upfront it is easy to get behind their defenders + w/ Rivaldo and Costa on each side of the midfield we have 2 players who can play some of the best thru balls in the world.

IMO when we plays a weaker opponent he should sit Rivaldo play Pippo and Sheva (or even tomasson sometimes) together with Rui or Pirlo as attacking midfielders. If they want to win the CL and the Seria A the entire team will have to realize that they will have to sit sometimes for the tactics that are being employed and the good of the team.

 

[AMN]

Well, it should be far too complicated if I were to compare between Milan and Manyoo. I dislike Manyoo as much as I could but I also give credit where it's due, therefore I'm obliged to say the least that Manyoo have been playing some attractive football lately. True that they attack and are getting goals mostly from their flanks but you have to understand that that's how most teams in EPL operate, the width and that's why Liverpool are kinda suffering right now since they have this lack of width thing going on. Also EPL teams generally play with more pace thus there is higher possibility of direct open play.

Now, regarding the issue of Milan scoring mostly on counter-attacks lately. We were facing some tough fixtures and the fatigue should start affecting the players' performance. We really have to be glad to how the team was able to minimize the fatigue and also some of the injury problems (Rino & Rivo).

The only recent game so far where we had to sit back and absorb the pressure a la 'Catenaccio' was against Dortmund apart from that, Milan tried to attack as much as possible.
I also like to note here that in some of our recent matches (in particular Empoli & Roma), our opponents have been very defensive-minded by stocking as many players as they could in their own area and also marking closely our creative brains hence it was pretty tough the players to create any decent chance.

 

[swedishmilanista]

I think we must get somebody faster and better then serginho so Rui, Pirlo, seedorf can make great passes for Sheva and Pippo and Rivaldo. I like to see ze Roberto or Sorin so we can solve this problem.

But also if they play the style like against Borussia and win 1-0 then the defense must always be very strong and make sure we dont make any mistake for the 1 goal lead to hold. But this will not be so easy when we play some teams later in CL who are more higher scoring then us.

 

[DonippoKakaShevdini]

it's not necessary to always score in a counter attack when we play a strong side, i remember the game against real madrid, in the early minutes we could have scored 2 goals (from seedorf and sheva) but the goal came in a counter attack becoz it was just the right moment with a luck on our side so sheva could finished it with ease...
i never liked the style of man.utd, yes they r strong but a style that uses wing too much is not my favorite.. instead i like the one like milan that has lots of attacking mids... if we need a winger then serginho could be added since he's a pure winger although we dont have a right wing (sometimes gattuso could be winger too hehe )...
anyway i got bored with goals that come from a cross-header (bierhoff style hehe)... i like the one that is set-up from the middle just like what we've been doing right now...
anyway, we can see the possesion of milan's games to ensure that we really r not just playing counter attack like we were last year or years before that, we r playing a beatiful possesion football... and not a boring wing-style football....

I am glad to see you like goals that are not "boringly set up by wingers." Now you know why Milan only beat strong sides by the usual count of 1-0. A world class defense isn't going to let you march in like the wind.....even if you do have world class attacking talent among your ranks....like Pippo, Sheva, Riva, Rui, ect

 

[mellanie]

I am glad to see you like goals that are not "boringly set up by wingers." Now you know why Milan only beat strong sides by the usual count of 1-0. A world class defense isn't going to let you march in like the wind.....even if you do have world class attacking talent among your ranks....like Pippo, Sheva, Riva, Rui, ect

and that's another point...
During last summer I got that, except for a few few names (Paolo Maldini, Sandro Nesta, Fabio Cannavaro, Liliam Thuram, Ivan Ramiro Cordoba, maybe two or three more) - your hands should be enough to count them -
we do not have so many World Class Defenders in Serie A... who can opposite Pippo, Sheva, Riva and Rui with success!
So Milan should not win 1-0, but more and more...
If great victories come not so often, I'm afraid it's our faught and not our opponents' deserve...
Too often, I see Milan play slow...
Often, I see Milan making "empty virtuosity" (had a look at tha game of yesterday???)
Sometimes, I see Milan fail stupid passages...

Once more I don'd think we need to change our way of playing to "wings and rams"...
but for sure we have to play better and better and, if we go on playing with 2 attackers... at least make clear on what the hell of place they should have and what fucking movings they have to do!!!

I'm fed up of seeing Sheva in the place of Pippo and viceversa!
and...
I went crazy yesterday when JTD stole the match ball fm Pippo's head!

 

[DonippoKakaShevdini]

I'm fed up of seeing Sheva in the place of Pippo and viceversa!
and...
I went crazy yesterday when JTD stole the match ball fm Pippo's head!

Too right about Sheva and Pippo......

Jon Dahl Tomasson.......get the hell out of Milan.....

I see that Mellanie.....Pippo would have scored that goal, but the "Danish Javi Moreno" tried to be the star and blundered mightily.....

 

[azira]

I'm fed up of seeing Sheva in the place of Pippo and viceversa!
and...
I went crazy yesterday when JTD stole the match ball fm Pippo's head!

Too right about Sheva and Pippo......

Jon Dahl Tomasson.......get the hell out of Milan.....

I see that Mellanie.....Pippo would have scored that goal, but the "Danish Javi Moreno" tried to be the star and blundered mightily.....

calm down man, maybe he's not used to this team, we must give him chance to make him improve his performance..
i think pippo is enuff to be our sole striker and the main factor drive the milan attacks for is serginho, not that boastful rivaldo..
i think, either riva or Jdt should be consider to sell..

 

[ads216]

I agree with the fact that JDT is the odd man out in the striker rotation at Milan not because of anything but to the fact he's not as good as the rest of them. IMO even Boriello is better than him.

we should trade him in a package deal and get a Sorin or a wingback now that Serginho is out for 3 weeks.

 

[Red&BlackDevils]

i dont think we should, and i know that anccelotti knows what he is doing... i always hate man utd. they r pain in ass. if u seen man ut 2:1 chelsea game. forlan is rubbish.. milan have to bring their own style. and give some reputation to italian football. coz we havent seen much of it in past 2 or 3 years

 

[DonippoKakaShevdini]

calm down man, maybe he's not used to this team

calm down? Ok, I will. Not used to this team?!??!?!?! I think 5 months of sitting on a bench would give you the motivation not to screw up.....what about u?

i think, either riva or Jdt should be consider to sell..

I have just one question.......who and the hell do you suggest we sell Rivaldo to??? Al Ittihad????

 

[ads216]

SELL RIVA?!!! I guess you missed the game against Piacenza! Rivaldo has finally adjusted to the Italian defenses and you want to sell him? The only striker for sale should be JDT !!!

About Rivaldo being boastful, from what I've seen of him in Barça and in la Liga and in the Seleçao, he seems very modest and unassuming. There are plenty of players with far less talent who are much more arrogant and boastful. And in anycase if you had his talent, wouldn't you be boastful as well?...I know I'd be!!!

 

[mad4milan]

Nah! Riva's not boastful... I didn't exactly enjoy his oscar-winning diving performace but, you know... I don't think he's arrogant.

If I had any footy talent I'd be a trash-talker... I'd back it up, of course...

 

[azira]

it's ok nobody on my side..but look..

how many time is riva on the ptich and count
how many time does JDT on the bench?


is that fair to judge someone by giving him (jdt) less chance to indicate his perfomance?
the last game against piacenza could not be the prove riva is a good midfld...look at rest of the game...did he play well?/???

 

[mellanie]

it's ok nobody on my side..but look..
how many time is riva on the ptich and count
how many time does JDT on the bench?

Pls DO not compare shit to chocolate!

is that fair to judge someone by giving him (jdt) less chance to indicate his perfomance? the last game against piacenza could not be the prove riva is a good midfld...look at rest of the game...did he play well?/???

If for you many years in Barca and last World Championship with Brasil was nothing.... Here follows Newspapers rates of Riva's games, since he arrived at AC Milan:

MILAN 2-1 PIACENZA (19JAN)
TUTTO SPORT - 7,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 7,5
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 7

BOLOGNA 0-2 MILAN (12JAN)
TUTTO SPORT - 6,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 6,5
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 6,5

COMO 1-2 MILAN (15DEC)
TUTTO SPORT - 6
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 6
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 6

MILAN 1-0 REAL MADRID (26NOV)
TUTTO SPORT - 6,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 7
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 6,5

MILAN 1-0 INTER (23NOV)
TUTTO SPORT - 7
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 7
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 6,5

MILAN 2-1 PARMA (17NOV)
TUTTO SPORT - 5,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 5,5
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 5,5

JUVENTUS 2-1 MILAN (10NOV)
TUTTO SPORT - 5,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 6
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 7

MILAN 1-0 UDINESE (6NOV)
TUTTO SPORT - 6,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 7
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 7

MILAN 2-0 REGGINA (3NOV)
TUTTO SPORT - 6,5
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 6,5
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 6,5

ATALANTA 1-4 MILAN (20OCT)
TUTTO SPORT - 8
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 8
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 8

MILAN 2-1 LENS (18SEP)
TUTTO SPORT - 6
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 6
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 6

SLOVAN 2-1 MILAN (28AUG)
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - 6
GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT - 5,5


Azira, Thank you for forcing me to do this research job...
I just realized how better than I thought he's been playing since NOW!!!
and PLEASE...
Have a look at some of mentioned games!!! I'm quite sure you'll change your "strange" opinion!