Nigel de Jong Thread

[7_Sheva]

@NDJ_Official 45m
To all my Muslim friends and followers Ramadan Mubarak #Inshallah Bless

now i love him even more

allahu akbar

 

[Qaas]

allahu akbar

 

[Ragamuffin]

Muntari played as CM last year, De Jong plays as a DM and he will replace Ambrosini. That De Jong played like a beast (aka great) last year is an exaggeration.... he had good games, but he also had poor games.

Well he came at the end of the transfer market and was thrusted into a new league and a bad team. But he improved. He bossed against inter and juve

 

[Hitman]

^ agreed.


he wasn't really bad per say, but he wasn't great... he has some good movement and solid games, but like most people said - he played in one of the worst Milan teams in decades.... let's hope the team is upgraded even further this summer and give him a chance with better players around him.

 

[necromancer]

I think they'll operate as a double pivot even if the formation is called a diamond. People probably won't notice unless someone shouts "IT'S 4-2-3-1!!!!" at them.

Absolutely this. I completely expect as much fluidity in formation as was there in the scudetto year with Allegri.

In many ways, Milan seems to be looking at a more stable Quattro-Due-Fantasia.

Poli and Muntari can be good backups for the double pivot.

They already played succesfully in double pivot last season.

Game against Inter comes to mind... We lost that game, but Monty and Nigel bossed Inter midfield.

I lost it when Allegri shifted the formation again after that game.

 

[Moggster]

yeah.

if anything the de jong/montolivo combo is probably best paired in a double pivot. Don't see how they truly 'fit' a 3 man

They already played succesfully in double pivot last season.

Game against Inter comes to mind... We lost that game, but Monty and Nigel bossed Inter midfield.

We never won a game with them in the midfield, of course they were bossing that game, Inter was playing 8-2-0 after Samuel scored. What a terrible example.

With De Jong and Montolivo as our only midfielders our wingers will have to defend ALL the time. And suddenly we'll have 4-4-1-1 with wingers who can't defend, and Balotelli down at the halfway line trying to collect the ball.

We don't have the players for 4-2-3-1. At least not at the moment, anyone with half a brain can see that.

 

[Ender]

4-2-3-1 would be a dangerous formation and too much like an all-attack formation ... as in fun games to watch, but also losing points like a Zeman team.
Montolivo is not Van Bommel when it comes to defensive play, and Zapata+Mexes are not Nesta and Thiago Silva, without mentioning that our backup DC-s (or DM-s) are not the best backups. If we play a 4-2-3-1, it will be more a formation of 4-2-2-1-1 with the wingers actually being positioned as LM/RM.

 

[Sven]

We never won a game with them in the midfield, of course they were bossing that game, Inter was playing 8-2-0 after Samuel scored. What a terrible example.

With De Jong and Montolivo as our only midfielders our wingers will have to defend ALL the time. And suddenly we'll have 4-4-1-1 with wingers who can't defend, and Balotelli down at the halfway line trying to collect the ball.

We don't have the players for 4-2-3-1. At least not at the moment, anyone with half a brain can see that.

Won against Zenit


Calum sum it up.
One of the wingers who can't defend was Urby or Prince. Same players used in a three man midfield. Both also used in the RW in a 433.

Even the players are the same. There's not much difference.

 

[Fiero]

They already played succesfully in double pivot last season.

Game against Inter comes to mind... We lost that game, but Monty and Nigel bossed Inter midfield.

Yep, that was a glorious performance. And then Allegri went ahead and returned to the three man midfield and Lazio thrashed us.

I lost it when Allegri shifted the formation again after that game.

Same here. We totally outplayed Inter and lost to a fucking set piece in the first minute. And Montolivo's had his first goal with us cancelled for no reason. He has had quite a story with Milan so far, and his first goal would have - should have - been in the derby.

The next game Allegri changed the amazing double pivot and we were down 3-0 in the first half to Lazio. That tinkering period was awful.

Only one tinkerman -

 

[Calum1903]

With De Jong and Montolivo as our only midfielders our wingers will have to defend ALL the time. And suddenly we'll have 4-4-1-1 with wingers who can't defend, and Balotelli down at the halfway line trying to collect the ball.

Why would De Jong and Montolivo be the only midfielders in 4-2-3-1? The central player in the "3" would be Honda or maybe Boateng - another midfielder.

With that in mind, why would the wingers have to defend all the time? Plenty teams play 4-2-3-1 with only 1 winger doing a lot of defending, and the other staying fairly high up the pitch while the team defends.

And if it became 4-4-1-1, why would Balotelli have to drop deep? What would the other "1" be doing?

We don't have the players for 4-2-3-1. At least not at the moment, anyone with half a brain can see that.

True. But if Milan sign Honda, what's missing? A quality winger, arguably, but there are major gaps in Milan's squad for any formation, including a diamond.

4-2-3-1 would be a dangerous formation and too much like an all-attack formation ... as in fun games to watch, but also losing points like a Zeman team.

Why?

Are Bayern and Dortmund dangerously attacking? Were the Dutch in 2010 and 2012? Dunga's Brazil!?

Montolivo is not Van Bommel when it comes to defensive play

No, but De Jong is. Most 4-2-3-1 teams play with one ballplayer and one ballwinner, and Montolivo's defensive contribution is far, far greater than most ballplayers.

 

[Ender]

Are Bayern and Dortmund dangerously attacking? Were the Dutch in 2010 and 2012? Dunga's Brazil!?

No, but De Jong is. Most 4-2-3-1 teams play with one ballplayer and one ballwinner, and Montolivo's defensive contribution is far, far greater than most ballplayers.

First of all, Bayern and Borussia are better teams than us ... and better teams are more prone to attack than defense. Bayern and Dortmund don't play in Italy where teams park the bus all the time . Also from what I've seen of these two teams (which is not a lot, so someone correct me if I'm wrong), they press the opponent with their whole team starting from their striker (Lewandowski or Mandzukic).
I doubt that Balotelli would do that type of game (and when he does he often gets yellow card)... and that counts also for Robinho (who's very likely to stay). Also if you play a high-tempo, high-energy game, a team should have a deeper bench than us.

My point is that 2 midfielders offer less cover than 3 midfielders , and our DC-s are not the best of the bunch. Plus our team was just formed last year and is still absorbing changes (unlike Borussia or Bayern where most of the players have played together for years).

I might be wrong, but my opinion is that we need to be more cautious ... a 4-2-3-1 is something to be tried if we need to score and don't have a lot of time

 

[Curupira]

I guess we will see during preseason how well he recovered

 

[Naraku]

It seems promising so far from what you hear about his fitness etc. He hasn't come back over weight or anything like that.

 

[Sod-Lod]

 

[kakajd]

At man city, De jong was awesome after he got settled. Perfect defensive mid who can break play and pass the ball simple to Montolivo.

If Poli is good beside them, then awesome. If not, I dont see why we shouldnt play 4-2-3-1

Saponara, Robinho,SES,Niang, Mario, Pazzini rotating for the top 4 positions. With De Jong and Montolivo behind.

If god forbid one of De jong or Montolivo gets hurt, then we can change formation.

 

[Curupira]

Looking fit, hopefully he's good to go

 

[Jasper]

 

[Albertini]

im going to stick my neck out even at this stage and predict that NDJ will be our player of the season followed by zapata. can't wait to see him in action again he got injured just as the teams form was picking up.

 

[Christian]

Great to see him again, he's such and awesome tackler and I like his touch on the ball

 

[AndreiX]

Best player vs Juve

 

[Wake the Dead]

Hard work, beast mode
He didn't lost his touch
MotM

 

[necromancer]

Ah, I had missed him.

 

[Raz]

Exceeded my expectations.

 

[Moggster]

Beast is back.

 

[Qaas]

De Jong :*

 

[Ploki]

Amazing how De Jong can play on that level in a friendly after an 8 months injury break.

 

[Wake the Dead]

Best player

 

[bacon d'or]

Best player

beaaassttt

monti - de jong

 

[belloefamoso]

the beast! love

 

[benjamin]

Best player of the match or the entire TIM cup?