Debs
02-03-2005, 08:46
When I read this piece with Billy I immediately noticed something that some of us long-sufferign fans have been saying for several years--be patient with this squad and it WILL pay off. We saw the results last year and we're seeing it again this year. This squad rocks!! :pr115: :firedev: :pr115:
COSTACURTA RESTS UPON MILAN PATIENCE
3/1/2005 3:49:00 PM
Experience is a good teacher. Billy Costacurta met the gathered media at Milanello on Tuesday afternoon, as the team resumed training ahead of Saturday’s trip to Atalanta.
The veteran defender ruled out the possibility that Milan are over boosted by the latest successes and with his usual wisdom and experience said: ’I believe that it is impossible to lose the concentration at this point of the season. I mean, if you start well from the beginning, then it is possible that you can get sidetracked, but now we are close to the final rush and we know it. We can’t take the pitch if we are not at our best, we must always take the most of every game.’
Milan have clinched six consecutive victories in February, against Messina, Lazio, Reggina, Cagliari, Manchester and Inter. Billy explained the great quality of the team: ’The team have managed to deal with the difficult moments. Our new ability is to know that if you play with attention, it is also easier to win even when you are not so brilliant. And this season in the league, especially against quality opponents, it is not easy to lead the play. To play against Inter and dominate them is not possible, against those teams who are at your same level, you win thanks to other qualities. So we did in the derby and even against Manchester United. At Old Trafford we played a great game.’
Costacurta also returned to the derby victory. He said: ’Fortune? To call it good luck is really superficial. This can be a component, but not what made the difference. Against Inter we didn’t play a beautiful game but for the whole 90 minutes we had the sensation we could score and win at any time. This Milan side know each other perfectly, we get on well tactically on the pitch and not just that. Months ago the talk was of our defensive problems, now we don’t make mistakes anymore. It is right to stress this point and say that we have a further weapon at our disposal. Well, it is true that we don’t always play at our best, but perhaps one reason lies in the absences. We are without our top scorers, Sheva and Inzaghi, of course this does not help. Hernan [Crespo] is doing well, Jon [Dahl Tomasson] has also returned from injury and is looking for the best form, Andriy and Pippo have had many problems. Milan have done well not to make their absences felt. We would like to play better, but I think that if we had shown an attractive football but drawn level in the derby, it would have been worse than to have played not so brilliant and have won. I think the fans agree on this. The last derby we lost was due to a lucky goal from [Christian] Vieri, this time we came off best.’
The Rossoneri half-back continued: ’After the two slip-ups against Livorno and Bologna we found ourselves in deep water. We tucked up our sleeves and overcame that difficult moment in the best way, joining Juve top of the table. January and February were two beautiful months, we did wellas we leart to be patient. When you face teams that press in masse, it is crucial to be able to wait. On the pitch you know you can’t be aggressive for 90 minutes, that’s why we usually score after the break. The opponents slow down, as it happened with Lazio, for example. Dabo didn’t stop Kaka when he shot, in the first half he would have done it. This is also a key to read the game. Our group is realy compact, the Italians have helped the foreign players to fit in well, we were able to convey the values of this club. I am one of the veterans in the dressing room, every team in Europe have their columns.’
The 38-year-old could not avoid focusing on Kaka, the title challenge and the upcoming trip to Atalanta. He said: ’I think the standard Kaka is playing now can be enough. I don’t see all these problems. On the contrary, I think it is important to have [Pippo] Inzaghi and [Andriy] Shevchenko recovered. Andriy and Kaka have something in common, they are similar. In his first period at Milan Sheva was not always consistent. The same was for Ricky. He has had the same performance as last season, and just as last season he lacks some consistency. But this is quite normal. I have not seen any young talents who at the age of 22-23 have managed to be perfect throughout the whole season. As for Juve and Milan, they are two great teams, it will be an exciting challenge until the end. We have much in common, it is impossible to say which of us are the favourites. However, we must focus on one game each time, starting from the trip to Atalanta. To undervalue this game could be really dangerous.’
Impossible not to agree with him.
COSTACURTA RESTS UPON MILAN PATIENCE
3/1/2005 3:49:00 PM
Experience is a good teacher. Billy Costacurta met the gathered media at Milanello on Tuesday afternoon, as the team resumed training ahead of Saturday’s trip to Atalanta.
The veteran defender ruled out the possibility that Milan are over boosted by the latest successes and with his usual wisdom and experience said: ’I believe that it is impossible to lose the concentration at this point of the season. I mean, if you start well from the beginning, then it is possible that you can get sidetracked, but now we are close to the final rush and we know it. We can’t take the pitch if we are not at our best, we must always take the most of every game.’
Milan have clinched six consecutive victories in February, against Messina, Lazio, Reggina, Cagliari, Manchester and Inter. Billy explained the great quality of the team: ’The team have managed to deal with the difficult moments. Our new ability is to know that if you play with attention, it is also easier to win even when you are not so brilliant. And this season in the league, especially against quality opponents, it is not easy to lead the play. To play against Inter and dominate them is not possible, against those teams who are at your same level, you win thanks to other qualities. So we did in the derby and even against Manchester United. At Old Trafford we played a great game.’
Costacurta also returned to the derby victory. He said: ’Fortune? To call it good luck is really superficial. This can be a component, but not what made the difference. Against Inter we didn’t play a beautiful game but for the whole 90 minutes we had the sensation we could score and win at any time. This Milan side know each other perfectly, we get on well tactically on the pitch and not just that. Months ago the talk was of our defensive problems, now we don’t make mistakes anymore. It is right to stress this point and say that we have a further weapon at our disposal. Well, it is true that we don’t always play at our best, but perhaps one reason lies in the absences. We are without our top scorers, Sheva and Inzaghi, of course this does not help. Hernan [Crespo] is doing well, Jon [Dahl Tomasson] has also returned from injury and is looking for the best form, Andriy and Pippo have had many problems. Milan have done well not to make their absences felt. We would like to play better, but I think that if we had shown an attractive football but drawn level in the derby, it would have been worse than to have played not so brilliant and have won. I think the fans agree on this. The last derby we lost was due to a lucky goal from [Christian] Vieri, this time we came off best.’
The Rossoneri half-back continued: ’After the two slip-ups against Livorno and Bologna we found ourselves in deep water. We tucked up our sleeves and overcame that difficult moment in the best way, joining Juve top of the table. January and February were two beautiful months, we did wellas we leart to be patient. When you face teams that press in masse, it is crucial to be able to wait. On the pitch you know you can’t be aggressive for 90 minutes, that’s why we usually score after the break. The opponents slow down, as it happened with Lazio, for example. Dabo didn’t stop Kaka when he shot, in the first half he would have done it. This is also a key to read the game. Our group is realy compact, the Italians have helped the foreign players to fit in well, we were able to convey the values of this club. I am one of the veterans in the dressing room, every team in Europe have their columns.’
The 38-year-old could not avoid focusing on Kaka, the title challenge and the upcoming trip to Atalanta. He said: ’I think the standard Kaka is playing now can be enough. I don’t see all these problems. On the contrary, I think it is important to have [Pippo] Inzaghi and [Andriy] Shevchenko recovered. Andriy and Kaka have something in common, they are similar. In his first period at Milan Sheva was not always consistent. The same was for Ricky. He has had the same performance as last season, and just as last season he lacks some consistency. But this is quite normal. I have not seen any young talents who at the age of 22-23 have managed to be perfect throughout the whole season. As for Juve and Milan, they are two great teams, it will be an exciting challenge until the end. We have much in common, it is impossible to say which of us are the favourites. However, we must focus on one game each time, starting from the trip to Atalanta. To undervalue this game could be really dangerous.’
Impossible not to agree with him.