Kevin Bond on Talksport just now has revealed to Alan Brazil Breakfast Show that Gareth Bale hasn’t travelled to Italy.
Jonathan Woodgate has – and he is is one of a yet unnamed group of ‘one or two others’ that Bondy said had made the trip but would be watched and a decision made at the eleventh hour.
Bond said that Bale’s back was not responding. They had tried a few different things, thought all was well but then once he trained it flared up again.
Dawson and Bassong are on board and Bondy added that Billy Bob Gallas has traveled ‘with an ankle’ which just goes to prove you really never know where you are with the French.
As long as Harry is not paying them too much respect and being tentative with his selections, I think that we can make it difficult for them.We need to front up and stop them from pulling us out of position.If Modders is not fit then Pienaar, Palacios, Sandro and Kranjcar must form the midfield and fight for every ball like never before.Charlie at the back gives as much more solidity with Daws and Gallas and Benoit.Rafa and Defoe/Pav upfront
No Lennon?
Surely Lennon will play as pace is vital against an aging Milan defense/midfield. Looks like a straight choice between Krank and Pienaar for the 4th midfield spot.
Looks like i’m being tentative eh? lol…My thinking’s just that with a solid midfield we’ll hopefully be able to stifle Milan and not concede early then push Lennon into the fray just after halftime in place of Kranjcar.Sandro looks a class player and he could be key in this game if he has more time on the ball like he’s used to.
Im not a fan of the 4-5-1, however, in the San Siro needs will must: I believe it should be Krankie, Wilson, Sandro, VdV and Lennon across the middle with Pav or Defoe up front.
Definitely Charlie at right back – I thought he was great on Saturday.
Shame about Bale, but we have another 25 to choose from. I was delighted with the win, Citeh and Chelsea are catchable. Dzeko and Torres will upset the apple cart at their new clubs, thank fuck we did not sign another spineless eastern European. Pirlo is missing and AC have gone down the road of fielding a team of players who should now be TV pudits. Our game should be too quick for them, all we have to do is keep Zatlann and co quite, easy peasy :whistle:
I’d be happy if we get them to the Lane all square given our injury concerns but what a bonus if we sneak a win.It is possible but then we will have to fight like hell for every loose ball.My early pick for a huge performance is Sandro Ranieri as stated earlier…
Words I never thought I’d hear myself say: if Crouch is fit he has to start. It’s just the sort of game I can see him excelling in.
And I, too, hope that Sandro has been registered this time round.
I agree that Crouch is the ideal choice for this particular game. Just hope we do not give them too much respect. We must get at them, press them and not give them time to play. Italian Serie A is a very slow pace and we must harrass them. Obviously we cannot go completely all out attack as it would be like committing Harry Karry but sensible, measured and pacy attacking will be the key (Len I think will be vital). So the team………
Gomes
Charlie Daws BillyG Ben
Len Sarge Modders Peanut
Vdv
3MP
It is harsh on Krankie but think pace will be the key against Meeeeeelan. They are an ageing team who do not like it up em. I guess Krankie would play if Modders or VdV do not make it.What is the news on Modders ?????? One worry is BillyG, if he is out I would worry about Bassssoooon at this level and would choose Woody if he is fit enough.
We must start well, concentrate and I think if we can do that we have got the ammo to hurt them no doubt. COYS
Milan are only an aging team at the back, they are much younger and very quick up front and through the middle.
Their entire back line is slow, but they are great in the air and tough as nails. Bale would have torn them to pieces.
Just as our speed is going to hurt them, their speed up front is one of my two biggest worries. Neither Dawson or Woodgate are fleet of foot and will be in for a long night trying to slow them down. Also, we have seen Dawson struggle over the years with the stronger players like Drogba and Davies and Ibra is a much better player who is in tremendous form right now.
Are you ignoring the fact the only time Drogba has scored against us in the last 5 years was in matches Dawson hasn’t played?
Even in games where you could argue Drogba could have had an influence without getting on the scoresheet, say the 3-3 in the FA Cup some four seasons ago, Dawson was playing in a back four alongside Tottenham luminaries Ricardo Rocha, Paul Stalteri and Lee-Young Pyo? No, in the main when Dawson has played against Drogba both he and Spurs have acquitted themselves fairly well, I think you’ll find.
Davies plays well against us because he is a very good player. And in more matches than most in the last 5 years, I’d hardly say Dawson has done a bad job in trying to contain him, in fact was not at fault for the majority of goals he scored against us when Daws was playing.
Your point that neither Daws nor Woody are the fastest may be reasonable. Your accompanying examples are poor and based without fact, rather your ongoing prejudice against Les.
Milan’s strikers will likely be a handful. But I’m sorry, the same would be true for any of the country’s best defenders, or the world’s for that matter. Oh hang on, Dawson is one of the country’s best defenders. See where this is going?
Sandro is in the CL squad this time. You can see it here:
http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/clubs/club=1652/squad/index.html
We have two starfleet academy types, Byrne and Nicholson with azzabrows on their photos.
Harry’s a wiley bastard…. I could see Bale travelling separately as part of HRs “doin’ their ‘eads in”…………..
Absolutely, he could probably smuggle him in with Lennons duty free cigars. As you say you could never say never with Harry. Either way just hope Bale can get himself properly sorted out for the rest of the season
Apparently bale is on the plane