Serie A – remaining fixtures

Laudrup · March 26th, 2012, 10:57

Normally I would be too worried about our UCL QF against Barcelona to think about Serie A. But due to the ridiculous injury situation, and knowing we don’t have an honest chance of winning that competition, the QF has become an inconvenient factor, an annoying interruption to our league campaign, bound to wear out the remaining players, as our squad atm. is so paper thin that even without this disturbance, we’d struggle to keep a determined Juve behind us.

Fortunately, we have managed to come out of the difficult third part of the season successfully, in spite of a loss to Lazio and draws against Juve and Napoli, as we’ve taken over 1st place and even have a 4 point advantage (effectively 3 as they win if the two sides end the season level on points).

Since we’re now entering the last quarter of the season, I thought it’s time to look at our schedule, which, on paper looks manageable but, knowing that nasty surprises might wait around any corner, it is of course way too early to start celebrating. It is worth noting, though, that 6 of our 9 matches are played at the San Siro, and in terms of positions in the table, the best side we’ll meet is the 7th placed Catania.

Matchday 30: Catania-Milan
Matchday 31: Milan-Fiorentina
Matchday 32: Chievo-Milan
Matchday 33: Milan-Genoa
Matchday 34: Milan-Bologna
Matchday 35: Siena-Milan
Matchday 36: Milan-Atalanta
Matchday 37: Inter-Milan
Matchday 38: Milan-Novara

How incredibly sweet it would be, after having beaten the rat's Inter to the title last season, to do the same thing to Conte's Juve this season

dabdob · March 26th, 2012, 11:03

Here what I fear the most: ****ing Fiorentina will show up and ****ing Atalanta will do the same. Recently we haven't been doing great against these sides. Don't remember last season though. Then we'll end up with a decisive Derby, and once again, the tinkerman will tinker us because he has a good record against us and us only!

Nonetheless, seriea is what's left for now and we should focus there. I don't like to rule anything, but UCL is pretty much gone, unless a 2007 miracle happens again

Toscani · March 26th, 2012, 11:27

Catania and Inter are tricky, maybe Fiorentina too. Others we should win if we want the Scudetto.

e: Juve have much harder games IMO

Napoli (h)
Palermo (a)
Lazio (h)
Cesena (a)
Roma (h)
Novara (a)
Lecce (h)
Cagliari (a)
Atalanta (h)

Laudrup · March 26th, 2012, 12:04

Toscani: it would appear, though, that to Juve the matches you didn't highlight are the most difficult ones. Unlike us, they've won most of their matches against big sides, while they struggle against the teams they should be beating rather easily.

dabdob · March 26th, 2012, 12:28

Juve will have 100% winning record. I can smell it!

Toscani · March 26th, 2012, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laudrup

Toscani: it would appear, though, that to Juve the matches you didn't highlight are the most difficult ones. Unlike us, they've won most of their matches against big sides, while they struggle against the teams they should be beating rather easily.

Hehe, good point

. I would still say Conte is a bit more nervous playing Napoli at home than Novara away

.

Anyway, I think most would agree their schedule is more difficult than ours.

jani · March 26th, 2012, 12:44

We really should be winning all our remaining games with relative ease.

Our next one at Catania is tricky, and a derby is always a derby. But otherwise wrap the Scudetto and deliver it to Milanello

Yashimi Nakitu · March 26th, 2012, 12:52

We got this

Rodriguez · March 26th, 2012, 19:07

Despite the injury list we should still have this scudetto sealed with the squad we have available. If this was Carletto's Milan I would be concerned, as that Milan often dropped points in inexplicable ways against mid-lower table sides. Allegri's Milan routinely turns over these sides.

Tyge is right in saying that Juve drop points against the weaker opposition. However I would be surprised if they beat Napoli, Lazio and Roma. If they do, hats off to them because it'll confirm how strong they've been against the big clubs. But that doesn't win you the scudetto.

Laudrup · April 2nd, 2012, 09:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by jani

We really should be winning all our remaining games with relative ease.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yashimi Nakitu

We got this

jani · April 2nd, 2012, 12:00

Well, on paper.. Catania was the hardest

Milanista4ever · April 2nd, 2012, 13:58

Milan is the strongest team in the league but that doesn't necessarily win you titles, not when you have such a curse in just about everything this year...major injuries, refs really costing us so much, heck even the timing of facing teams (see Inter, I bet they'll peak again by the time we play them)...Fiorentina, as garbage as they are decide to ****ing change coaches just in time for the Milan so this is not going to be an easy game for us.... Buve have all of the above going their way

If we take care of business, we can win it, but I really don't know what's the next misfortune awaiting us so you never know...it's probably best if we can get eliminated tomorrow so that we focus on the remaining Serie A games. If we miracolusly stay in CL I fear we're looking at a trophiless season, this season is reminding me of 2005/06 season and I hope it doesn't turn out that way when it's all said and done

Rodriguez · April 8th, 2012, 10:03

Ok, so we've screwed up our last couple of fixtures and this is our run-in:

Matchday 32: Chievo-Milan
Matchday 33: Milan-Genoa
Matchday 34: Milan-Bologna
Matchday 35: Siena-Milan
Matchday 36: Milan-Atalanta
Matchday 37: Inter-Milan
Matchday 38: Milan-Novara

On paper it is an easy run-in. With Juve's form we're certainly going to have to win the vast majority of them. Of course with the derby you don't know what will happen as it's a unique game, but if we're to retain our scudetto we need to be routinely beating these teams week after week. Despite the injuries we have a squad good enough to do it, and with no Coppa/CL distractions the players will have ample time to be physically, tactically and mentally prepared.

brickeberg · April 8th, 2012, 10:52

Juve-Lazio
Cesena-Juve
Juve-Roma
Novara-Juve
Juve-Lecce
Cagliari-Juve
Juve-Atalanta

I wouldn't say that Juventus has that many tough games either. They do well in the big games, get to play Atalanta and Lecce at home, the away games against Novara and Cesena should be easy and the Cagliari game will probably be played in a neutral venue.

I've frankly lost all hope and can't believe how we've screwed this up.

Dae · April 8th, 2012, 15:34

How can you lose all hope when we are one point back with so many games left?

brickeberg · April 8th, 2012, 16:59

How can I have any hope left when half the team is injured all the time, the rest play awful football and Juve is in such a good shape?

humanTORCH · April 9th, 2012, 03:29

We expect some lost points from Juve last three matches but they prove me wrong.
They deserve to be at the top unfortunately......

ac_milan_foreva · April 9th, 2012, 07:03

next week I think Lazio will play for at least a draw as they need it for their CL hunt.

SVETO · April 9th, 2012, 10:25

Next week , Lazio will be destroyed!!!

Laudrup · April 9th, 2012, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabdob

Juve will have 100% winning record. I can smell it!

I think you may be right. They'll win their next 4 matches for sure, against Lazio, Roma and two already relegated sides, so this'll be over soon as we won't be able to to the same thing.

I think we'll be 3-4 points behind in a few days.

Two consecutive Scudetti is something we'll have to wait another 15-20 years to achieve. We're the most complacent club in the world. We almost threw away a 4 goal lead against Arsenal in half an hour, we threw away 5 points against two average sides in less than a week. This was ours to lose, and we lost it.