Summer mercato 2012

[Stitch]

Both Milan clubs have shown an interest in Fabio Quagliarella, but the forward wants to remain with champions Juventus.

http://www.football-italia.net/23654/%E2...a%E2%80%99

I hope we don't get him. Adds nothing that we already dont have.

[HO-YOUNG]

can we afford Hernanes? we need a player like him to make our crap forwards produce.

[ganjarb]

Mesbah gone, Didac in the infirmary, Abate a fitness doubt. Wow, we haven't started the season and already we are down to two side-backs. What the hell?

On the RB position, i'm quite happy with how De Sciglio has been playing. I think he's a different type of player than Abate (not relying so much on speed), but better crossing, and promising in general. Still prefer Abate over him, but good backup/rotation option. And yeah.. still came problem on LB.

On the striker pair, I don't think anyone is considering pairing Pazzini with Pato. But maybe Robinho - Pato, and El Sharrawy - Pazzini. Two creators, two strikers. Maybe.

[Ryo]

Mesbah gone, Didac in the infirmary, Abate a fitness doubt. Wow, we haven't started the season and already we are down to two side-backs. What the hell?

On the RB position, i'm quite happy with how De Sciglio has been playing. I think he's a different type of player than Abate (not relying so much on speed), but better crossing, and promising in general. Still prefer Abate over him, but good backup/rotation option. And yeah.. still came problem on LB.

On the striker pair, I don't think anyone is considering pairing Pazzini with Pato. But maybe Robinho - Pato, and El Sharrawy - Pazzini. Two creators, two strikers. Maybe.

Problem is, mate, that SES can't create, and Binho isn't consistent. Binho is more of a poacher and dribbler than an orchastrator. Last season they combined for a total of 11 assists (Binho had 9, SES 2) out of a combined 51 Serie A games played (Binho had 29, SES 22). Cassano was out for half a season and in that half season alone managed to produce 10 assists, one shy of the two combined. Ibra and Aquilani are joint third on 6 assists each, and everyone else has between 5 to 0.
Seriously, does anyone think we can challenge for anything this coming season with a 22 assist decrease from last season?

Sorry mate, I just don't see it.

[ganjarb]

Sorry mate, I just don't see it.

I wasn't suggesting that we should rely on Robinho or El Sharawy to create. Maybe 'creator' was not the right choice of word. I'm just saying those two are different type than Pazzini and Pato, that's all. We were looking for a goal getter, and Pazzini was supposed to be that person. Again, not saying that he fits the bill or anything.

Agree with you on the assist statistics. Very evident on the trofeo berlusconi - lacking the killer pass to finish the attack. But that's not the only problem area, as you mentioned. LB, creator/orchestrator, and also a couple of proven systems that can be deployed comfortably to win different types of matches. That's Allegri's department and there's a lot of work to be done there. I just hope he has a plan. Youngsters need to integrate and mature, seniors need to instill some winning mentality - which we don't have now (I think only Ambrosini and Abbiati have some winning experience with Milan). We're very far from where we need to be. So the realistic objective this season is 'survival' = qualify for next year's CL and avoid any embarrassment throughout the season, while continue building that confidence and team identity.

In all honesty, Milan fans should not expect much this season. Berlusconi and Galliani should have said it out loud. I'm just hoping something will come out eventually from this supposedly 'long-term' project, maybe in 3 - 4 years from now.

[RIO]

What exactly is this "three or four years project", supposedly? I'm not really seeing a plan in any of this. Unless the plan is to see what the lowest threshold of acheivement that the fans will take without burning down the main offices and hanging B and G from a lamp-post is, in which case, BRAVO, that project is going great. At this point, I'm not even angry that I will probably not be able to see Milan's matches on the television (due to the Al-Jazeera buy up of the rights to the major Euro-leagues in the USA), since it will probably be better for my health not to see the product of this project. Maybe, Pato, ES, Pazzo, Robinho, Zapata, Constant and the young defense will all play out of thier skins while being super healthy and that FFP will have teeth when it kicks in (although I fear that the oil barons and FIAT have a way around it all picked out already) and in a couple of years we will look like geniuses...
don't see it happening, though.

[LebRN]

There's a rumor that Inter are closing in on signing Gargano on loan + option to buy for 1.5Mio + 5Mio in one year.
This player is someone who could be our CDM and the deal looks like a great one if true.

[xudong]

Statement from Zvonimir Boban about this transfer:

"We'll see how things will develop, but I think that Pazzini-Pato combination will not work. They are both very good scorers, but lack creativity. I can't imagine a dialog between them on the field. On the other hand, Cassano is so good that he can adapt to any team, even Inter with so many attacking options. But his transfer request is not ok. He already said goodbye to Milan, the only question is his destination."

I tend to agree with Boban. I think Pazzini will be Pato's understudy, instead of partner. Cassano has amazing skill that benefit any club and at the same time lack of maturity that could ruin any club.

[Warro Bantan]

Thanks and farewell Cassano. Welcome Pazzini.

Who would've thunk?

And the saga continues...

[xudong]

Has Pazzini passed the medical yet? Has Cassano? The two deals have been claimed "official" everywhere else, but I have failed to see it on www.acmilan.com, English or Italian, and I haven't either heard any news on the medical(s) either. For all I know, Pazzini may not have good enough teeth.