08-07-2016, 07:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-07-2016, 08:02 PM by ACMILAN1983.)
Edysim, Badelj is a deep lying playmaker (or regista), closer to Pirlo than Ambrosini for example. He's technically very gifted, has a good reading of the game, good in tight spaces and will move the ball in the team to start attacks. I really like the guy, I think he's a very good player so won't complain if he comes particularly, but there's a couple of things I'm very hesitant on.
First, on a general point and one being discussed in the Gustavo Gomez thread, where would the supposed money come from? I read from some places that we have 15m this market, others say it's already spent to get Lapadula and Gomez. Yet, apparently we're somehow going to get Badelj, Isco, Zaza, Cuadrado and Musacchio if stories are to be believed. More realistic is we see maybe a couple of those names come, like Badelj and Cuadrado, in which case maybe we do have 15m and Cuadrado can come if we can do something about Bacca (apparently he's rejected West Ham again). At this point I have more questions than answers about this mercato, I'm a little uneasy as a result as I have no clue what's actually going on. Maybe we can dream, but I actually think those who do this summer will get burned.
Second, even if there's some sort of resource to buy players (presumably the 15m and Bacca sale money), I'm not actually sure or understand what the plan is at this point. Badelj is very good (he'll walk into the side), but there's so much building to be done in this squad that I don't really understand what we're working towards. Not just with Badelj, but also with Cuadrado, they're purchases that will improve us without a doubt, but at 27 and 28 respectively they're short term solutions in a project where we need to be building foundations for the future and within a couple of years, we'll have to already consider replacing them. If you're buying players at that age, I'd want players who will instantly raise the team to help us achieve short term targets. If we were aiming for a scudetto or CL and these guys could give the boost we need, then by all means they might seem like good purchases. However, as we are, where we realistically need to reinforce at least 6 positions in the team, they won't be able to give the boost we might hope for.
My view is we need to focus on the foundations first and foremost. I've been touting Paredes and Berardi for a long time and this is exactly why. Paredes for me has a very similar skillset to Badelj, and while not as mature he's 5 years younger and imo has signficantly more potential. Berardi has different qualities to Cuadrado, but I think is set to be a star in Italian football in the not too distant future. Both these guys are pretty much of the same generation as Romagnoli, DES, Gomez, Niang, Suso et al. They're players that I would see as playing a part in the spine we're building to be extremely competitive in a couple of years when that generation matures and hopefully hits its potential. I would much rather where possible we build that group.
To that, when we have money in January and next summer, I'd then like to add the big names that are more mature and can help this team make the leap forward. However, that still isn't to say I'd be looking at 28 year olds, I'd be looking at 24-26 year olds. A guy like Isco is ideal, good qualities, been playing at the highest level with lots of responsibility for a long time now, plays a role we're lacking in and would instantly improve on one of our weaknesses. Note that Badelj isn't actually much older than that age group, but I don't think he's of the same quality as the likes of Isco.
Thing is, I see Badelj and I think he's a guy I'd like, but I don't understand why he's our immediate target when you have Paredes also available on the market who imo would be of more value in a longer term project.
Cuadrado is maybe less difficult to understand, as perhaps Suso can mature in peace for a year or two before he can look to take over in the future. However, when I see a guy like Berardi, he's incredibly tempting to build around and would become part of what should eventually be an Italian core to our side with the likes of Donnarumma, DES, Romagnoli and hopefully Locatelli and Calabria (or maybe those who have shown some promise like Zanellato and Felicioli). I've talked about in the past what I think the value of having a core like that is, especially as most of them are homegrown.
Ultimately, I would like to see us building towards a medium term project, as in the next year or so I don't see us being that competitive. Not to say I want to write off this season, but just accept it's still a year of transition. Actually, I think we'll only really see the fruits of the work that was started last summer (yes, I believe that some right decisions were made by Silvio and Galliani) in season 2017/18 and I think we can aim to build a winning cycle starting in 2018/19.
Edit: Xu, Lapadula hasn't played yet.
First, on a general point and one being discussed in the Gustavo Gomez thread, where would the supposed money come from? I read from some places that we have 15m this market, others say it's already spent to get Lapadula and Gomez. Yet, apparently we're somehow going to get Badelj, Isco, Zaza, Cuadrado and Musacchio if stories are to be believed. More realistic is we see maybe a couple of those names come, like Badelj and Cuadrado, in which case maybe we do have 15m and Cuadrado can come if we can do something about Bacca (apparently he's rejected West Ham again). At this point I have more questions than answers about this mercato, I'm a little uneasy as a result as I have no clue what's actually going on. Maybe we can dream, but I actually think those who do this summer will get burned.
Second, even if there's some sort of resource to buy players (presumably the 15m and Bacca sale money), I'm not actually sure or understand what the plan is at this point. Badelj is very good (he'll walk into the side), but there's so much building to be done in this squad that I don't really understand what we're working towards. Not just with Badelj, but also with Cuadrado, they're purchases that will improve us without a doubt, but at 27 and 28 respectively they're short term solutions in a project where we need to be building foundations for the future and within a couple of years, we'll have to already consider replacing them. If you're buying players at that age, I'd want players who will instantly raise the team to help us achieve short term targets. If we were aiming for a scudetto or CL and these guys could give the boost we need, then by all means they might seem like good purchases. However, as we are, where we realistically need to reinforce at least 6 positions in the team, they won't be able to give the boost we might hope for.
My view is we need to focus on the foundations first and foremost. I've been touting Paredes and Berardi for a long time and this is exactly why. Paredes for me has a very similar skillset to Badelj, and while not as mature he's 5 years younger and imo has signficantly more potential. Berardi has different qualities to Cuadrado, but I think is set to be a star in Italian football in the not too distant future. Both these guys are pretty much of the same generation as Romagnoli, DES, Gomez, Niang, Suso et al. They're players that I would see as playing a part in the spine we're building to be extremely competitive in a couple of years when that generation matures and hopefully hits its potential. I would much rather where possible we build that group.
To that, when we have money in January and next summer, I'd then like to add the big names that are more mature and can help this team make the leap forward. However, that still isn't to say I'd be looking at 28 year olds, I'd be looking at 24-26 year olds. A guy like Isco is ideal, good qualities, been playing at the highest level with lots of responsibility for a long time now, plays a role we're lacking in and would instantly improve on one of our weaknesses. Note that Badelj isn't actually much older than that age group, but I don't think he's of the same quality as the likes of Isco.
Thing is, I see Badelj and I think he's a guy I'd like, but I don't understand why he's our immediate target when you have Paredes also available on the market who imo would be of more value in a longer term project.
Cuadrado is maybe less difficult to understand, as perhaps Suso can mature in peace for a year or two before he can look to take over in the future. However, when I see a guy like Berardi, he's incredibly tempting to build around and would become part of what should eventually be an Italian core to our side with the likes of Donnarumma, DES, Romagnoli and hopefully Locatelli and Calabria (or maybe those who have shown some promise like Zanellato and Felicioli). I've talked about in the past what I think the value of having a core like that is, especially as most of them are homegrown.
Ultimately, I would like to see us building towards a medium term project, as in the next year or so I don't see us being that competitive. Not to say I want to write off this season, but just accept it's still a year of transition. Actually, I think we'll only really see the fruits of the work that was started last summer (yes, I believe that some right decisions were made by Silvio and Galliani) in season 2017/18 and I think we can aim to build a winning cycle starting in 2018/19.
Edit: Xu, Lapadula hasn't played yet.