View Full Version : Milan would be 1st without refereeing errors
devoted_dm
04-03-2009, 13:37
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/03/04/1138375/inter-would-be-fourth-without-refereeing-errors-study
And Inter would be fourth, apparently. While this study might not be entirely accurate, I think there is still a point here. Inter have gained 11 points from refereeing errors, while we have lost 5. While it's impossible to ask "what if" when talking about football, this study does say something about how much Inter have benefitted from refereeing errors. While I think it is just big club bias when it comes to Inter, I wonder why we don't have more luck with the referees. Could there be an anti-Milan bias as well, due to our involvement in Calciopoli, or are we just unfortunate?
Something tells that the answers are to be found in Massimo Moratti's bank account :fero:
Warro Bantan
04-03-2009, 14:05
I think so devoted....it is clear, especially after the Sampdoria match, that, more often than not, we are not given the benefit of the doubt by match officials.
Inter have clearly got a hold on serie a refs since calciopoli. HOw else you do explain crappy, last minute off side goals in serie a, and then the same team crashing out in the CL playhing against mediocre opposition like Valencia?
But nonetheless looking at our recent performances, I think we don't have too much of a right to complain about the refs. Most of the errors come from our own team's attitude and the lack of speed, dynamic qualities, and passion. I mean honestly even the Milan derby, even if you dont count Adriano's handball goal----did we really deserve to win that game given how we played? If Inter were luckier, then may have scored even more goals..
Just one quick response to rt9: You can play crappy and win. In fact, some will argue that that's what make a team win a Serie A: you can win even if you don't deserve it.
To me, whether you deserve it is like whether you play beautifully.
We deserve a win, but we draw (we play beautifully, but we draw).
We doesn't deserve a win, but we win (we play ugly, but heck we win).
To me, winning, even if it's ugly, is a win.
***
Based on your assertion, however, there are many games when Milan actually deserves winning (still makes me remember the first game when we play against Bologna with so mcuh aggression) and yet we lost.
Deservedly lost? Heck no. Did we lose? Yes.
Which matter? Winning.
The problem with this kind of studies is that they probably don't say where the 11 points have been won and where the 5 points have been lost for us ... you see, how did they calculate ?
Am I the only one who finds this ridiculous? Not Inter getting beneficial treatment, I can believe that. But did everyone forget the numerous dubious penalty calls we received earlier in the year?
These 'revised tables' are 'calculated' just for headlines and to generate controversy. There's no way to prove how one call would affect the result of a game, and subsequently a team's point total.
Of course, that is useless for some reasons ... just one example: for the same foul, with the same replays, even between fans of the same team, we sometimes disagree with what had to be the decision of the referee. So who are they to do such a thing ?!
Just one quick response to rt9: You can play crappy and win. In fact, some will argue that that's what make a team win a Serie A: you can win even if you don't deserve it.
To me, whether you deserve it is like whether you play beautifully.
We deserve a win, but we draw (we play beautifully, but we draw).
We doesn't deserve a win, but we win (we play ugly, but heck we win).
To me, winning, even if it's ugly, is a win.
***
Based on your assertion, however, there are many games when Milan actually deserves winning (still makes me remember the first game when we play against Bologna with so mcuh aggression) and yet we lost.
Deservedly lost? Heck no. Did we lose? Yes.
Which matter? Winning.
No Jeff, it's not only playing beautifully, but it's about being able to compete, being on the same level as our opposition. Juve have always played crap football, create nothing, and score on a free kick or corner kick in the 89th minute and seal the game--that's fine. But they are a solid team, they may not play beautiful football, but they can compete with any team in the world without being outplayed.
We, on the other hand, have been outplayed in a lot of games. Inter played us off the park IMO. They created so many chances in the derby that they deserved to win the game---it wasnt like Adriano's handball was their only chance that game. What about the Bremen game? THat second half was atrocious, they played us off the park in our own stadium---they ran, they hustled, and they scored 2 goals within minutes of each other and knocked us out. This is what I mean. A team with no solidity, no consistency can play beautiful football at times, but usually even with referee errors, we still deserve to lose a lot of games this year.
No Jeff, it's not only playing beautifully, but it's about being able to compete, being on the same level as our opposition. Juve have always played crap football, create nothing, and score on a free kick or corner kick in the 89th minute and seal the game--that's fine. But they are a solid team, they may not play beautiful football, but they can compete with any team in the world without being outplayed.
We, on the other hand, have been outplayed in a lot of games. Inter played us off the park IMO. They created so many chances in the derby that they deserved to win the game---it wasnt like Adriano's handball was their only chance that game. What about the Bremen game? THat second half was atrocious, they played us off the park in our own stadium---they ran, they hustled, and they scored 2 goals within minutes of each other and knocked us out. This is what I mean. A team with no solidity, no consistency can play beautiful football at times, but usually even with referee errors, we still deserve to lose a lot of games this year.
That's a fair point, rt9. No one will question that Inter dominated Milan. (Though actually, I thought Milan did pretty well in reaction in the second half against Inter Milan (first half is dysmal)).
It seemed, however, that you have not really responded to my points about games when we actually played well (those t the beginning of the season when we played much better than our opponents and yet we lost). We have crafted chances after chances, then hit the post or the other GK is on fire... and Milan lost. Wouldn't it be fair for me to say, then, Milan was actually a very competitive squad at the beginning of the season, then? Indeed, even though we lost, we actually didn't deserve losing (at least at the beginning of the season).
I thus believe that your reasoning is distorted by recent bad runs when we began to desperately miss Kaka`/R80, and to some extent Borreillo and Nesta, and terrible defense that had been terrible since the beginning of the year from DAY 1. When you coupled it with injury crisis and Kaka` leaving for Man City saga, things can only get worse.
Funny you mention about Bremen's game. I intend not to bring it up because it fully exposed our problems recently. You can basically see two things from the game:
1) Surprisingly, Seedorf is useful to the team exactly because he can hold up the ball, unlike Sheva (who desperately needed to prove himself) and Pato (who wasn't an experienced player/fox yet) who tried so desperately to just counterattack, 100% lost their ball immediately.
Bremen didn't walk us over EXACTLY UNTIL Seedorf's injury. Check out the video if you have the chance. Bremen were playing headlessly before and were threatening only at the first 15 minutes.
To be fair, Milan didn't play well even before Seedorf's subsitute, but we had enough ball control and possession AND CALMNESS that we held them off.
2) Our defense is terrible; and we are terrible at defending high ball. I think we already agree on both.
It's the combination of both that, I suggest, contributed to Milan's failure against Bremen.
Like many suggested, all the teams know how to play against Milan: If you play against Senderos, you can easily dribble past him. If you are playing against Maldini who is better technically and defensively, use high ball.
***
My reasoning, if you permit me to go one step further, suggests that something happened from the beginning of the season to now: Injury is definitely the key to blame. With Gattuso out, our defense ability goes down by almost 50%. With Kaka`/R80 out, our attack ability goes down by 60%. These players are invaluable asset, if not the most important, players, and yes we are missing them.
I am just entirely not sure to what extent we are calling for 'crisis' when so much so can be attributed to the injury factor + terrible defense.
It is even more comical, then, that people are calling for Carlo's dismissal when any coach in the world is not going to be able to deal with such ridiculous amount of injury + a lack of squad depth. It's funny people keep criticizing about Carlo's substitution and stuff but they never actually looked at even what option is available.
If Kaka`, for example, were on the bench (just back from injury, say) when MIlan is losing 2-0 then I would expect him to feature, not Favalli.
The fact is, neither Kaka` nor R80 were present, and I wonder how many of you will agree to put up Shevchenko when he has been VIRTUALLY ineffective this season.
But you know what: IF Carlo fielded Sheva you guys will bombard Carlo for fielding Shevchenko as being the stupid move.
yes, damn if you do, damn if you don't.
***
Of course, what contributes to the injury factor itself is a topic worthy of discussion... but i'll leave it to another day. My general opinion is that the management is to blame, and I don't know how they can screw up everyone who is injured. Certainly the new doctor can do a better job?
Regardless, we need a younger team that is more hungry of success and less injury-prone.
Nor do I want to go into detail about our defensive units. We already have enough discussion.
***
To support my thesis further, Kaka` is not unlikely to feature against Atalanta due to injury. The doctor is said to have no idea what makes him feel the pain.
Am I surprised?
but of course, this is Ancelotti's fault. Maybe Seedorf too (he must have broken all other AMC legs just to get to play). I'm sure.
Jeff, you make fair points. However, I cannot attribute Milan's poor season only because of injuries. Every team suffers injuries and it is the great teams who can overcome them and still acheive something. Man Utd have also had their fair share of injuries this year, they were without Ronaldo in the early season, without Rooney for a while, without Hargreaves, they came to play INter without Vidic--still they managed to play well and lead their league.
We are Milan. We have to have the squad depth and tactical know how to deal with these things. We can't just fall apart because Kaka or Boriello or Seedorf gets injured. It is up to Galliani to make sure we have a balanced squad that can adjust to different challenges and it is up to Ancelotti to adjust his tactics based on players available. Both have failed miserably this year.
The point I've been making and continue to make is that we are inconsistent, we may deserve to win some games early on, but we can go from playing beautiful football creating numerous chances to then get outplayed by teams like Torino---that's just ridiculous. We have to be competitive and difficult to beat against all opposition, not flashy against one and then utter crap against another. The Bremen game was pathetic, we had a 2-0 goal lead we did not deserve, played the game with full advantage, and still manage to lose----this shows that we are weak as a team, and our manager is equally weak psychologically. And Jeff, this is not the first time this crap has happened---remember PSV, LIverpool, Depor? Ancelotti's Milan has been flashy, but has never had the solidity and mental strength of Capello/Sacchi's Milan. This team will never be able to go on big unbeaten streaks, break records, and win trophies CONSISTENTLY.
That's all fair, of course. Milan doesn't really have the squad depth; I don't think anyone will disagree.
I'm not sure if it's Ancelotti's Milan, or Galliani's (Berlu's?) Milan.
Inconsistency has always been Milan's problems, esp. in Serie A. In fact, I would almost argue that Milan has been very consistent in Champion League (except for a couple of games), but that's again another story for another day...
J
Christian
06-03-2009, 07:13
Jeff, you make fair points. However, I cannot attribute Milan's poor season only because of injuries. Every team suffers injuries and it is the great teams who can overcome them and still acheive something. Man Utd have also had their fair share of injuries this year, they were without Ronaldo in the early season, without Rooney for a while, without Hargreaves, they came to play INter without Vidic--still they managed to play well and lead their league.
We are Milan. We have to have the squad depth and tactical know how to deal with these things. We can't just fall apart because Kaka or Boriello or Seedorf gets injured. It is up to Galliani to make sure we have a balanced squad that can adjust to different challenges and it is up to Ancelotti to adjust his tactics based on players available. Both have failed miserably this year.
I don't think you can compare our situation to Manchester United having Cristiano Ronaldo or whoever gone for a month doesn't really compare with having Nesta gone the whole season, Gattuso gone 2/3 of the season, Borriello gone the whole season, and then minor injuries that have seen Kaka miss probably around a third of the games and then Ronaldinho, Bonera etc, etc, etc. Our situation is extreme, and i dare to say that you can't expect us to be running on full steam when missing 4 or 5 starters, and our abosolutly best players which we basicly have been since this crises started. I don't think any teams would be able to deal with that kind of injuries, look at Real Madrid earlier in the season when they had an injury crises, they got knocked out of the cup by an amatuer team.
I don't think things are as bad as some people want to make them, don't forget that we're still one of the most scoring teams in serie A. Our squad is still good, and I don't think we're more than a couple of signings away to being back among the best of Europe. This ofcoarse requires us to be more lucky with injuries, since the team also need some gelling. Our problem is still the defence, and with Thiago Silva coming in the summer, we would be perfectly set with one more defender, perhaps a LB and depending on Borriello a center forward.
How Kaka` is injured for so long is perplexing, but even more worrisome is what kind of injury this is that he has been struggling for almost a year now.
I don't think you can compare our situation to Manchester United having Cristiano Ronaldo or whoever gone for a month doesn't really compare with having Nesta gone the whole season, Gattuso gone 2/3 of the season, Borriello gone the whole season, and then minor injuries that have seen Kaka miss probably around a third of the games and then Ronaldinho, Bonera etc, etc, etc. Our situation is extreme, and i dare to say that you can't expect us to be running on full steam when missing 4 or 5 starters, and our abosolutly best players which we basicly have been since this crises started. I don't think any teams would be able to deal with that kind of injuries, look at Real Madrid earlier in the season when they had an injury crises, they got knocked out of the cup by an amatuer team.
I don't think things are as bad as some people want to make them, don't forget that we're still one of the most scoring teams in serie A. Our squad is still good, and I don't think we're more than a couple of signings away to being back among the best of Europe. This ofcoarse requires us to be more lucky with injuries, since the team also need some gelling. Our problem is still the defence, and with Thiago Silva coming in the summer, we would be perfectly set with one more defender, perhaps a LB and depending on Borriello a center forward.
I take your point, but even if we are missing 3-4 starters, we still have the quality to beat teams like Torino, Cagliari, Reggina. Why are we still losing to the so-called minnows? And out of all the players you mention Gattuso and Kaka are probably the most relevant. But please, we should not be feeling the loss of Boriello or Bonera who himself is a back up so much.
If this squad is so flimsy thin that a couple of injuries will cause our season to collapse, then something is wrong. There is no defending management in this case. Every team goes through injuries---a good management will make sure we have enough cover, even in the worst possible scenario, and a good coach will make sure that he has the tactical know-how to reshuffle his players and make the most out of the players available.
Lebanese
06-03-2009, 22:59
I take your point, but even if we are missing 3-4 starters, we still have the quality to beat teams like Torino, Cagliari, Reggina. Why are we still losing to the so-called minnows? And out of all the players you mention Gattuso and Kaka are probably the most relevant. But please, we should not be feeling the loss of Boriello or Bonera who himself is a back up so much.
If this squad is so flimsy thin that a couple of injuries will cause our season to collapse, then something is wrong. There is no defending management in this case. Every team goes through injuries---a good management will make sure we have enough cover, even in the worst possible scenario, and a good coach will make sure that he has the tactical know-how to reshuffle his players and make the most out of the players available.
you are right about the situation, but blame it to the management then to the coach who is short on tactics. if you cant defend then attack, don't try defending when you don't have the proper cover for that.
rt9 its not just some players injured, its the backbone of your team
Nesta, Gattuso, kaka and borriello. those players are irreplaceable. i mean with 4321 you need a power forward borriello. you need kaka to break fast, gattuso to break their attack and offcourse nesta. when borriello is injured ancelotti needs to find an alternative formation, because of all milan player only borriello is physically capable. pato is a second striker you cant just throw him there and expect him to work wonders though he is the only guy who is saving our asses. and the flanks are not working as they are supposed to do.
I take your point, but even if we are missing 3-4 starters, we still have the quality to beat teams like Torino, Cagliari, Reggina. Why are we still losing to the so-called minnows? And out of all the players you mention Gattuso and Kaka are probably the most relevant. But please, we should not be feeling the loss of Boriello or Bonera who himself is a back up so much.
I'm sorry to say that, but these teams, with their first team players, are clearly better than our team without our key players ...
Look at the Lazio: fit first team against fit first team, we kill them, but second team against second team, they kill us ... and there is something wrong there !! Injuries or no injuries, first or second team, we should be better than them, no matter our players !!
Theoretically we should, but our the depth of our bench has been problematic since day 1 I think.
Geo Tav, our so-called second string, or let's put it this way---the team we are fielding without our so-called injured stars is still stronger than Lazio, Calgliari, Reggina, etc, etc,
Think about it: This would be our line-up (or there abouts):
Abbiati, Janku, Zambro, Maldini, Senderos, Pirlo, Ambro/Flamini, Beckham, Seedorf, Pato, Pippo/Sheva/R80
Dude, this team is still good!! We should be beating the socalled smaller sides with this line up shouldnt we? I think it is a question of how Carlo motivates the players and what formation he plays.
Lebanese, I hear you. But Nesta was out since start of the season---why was he not adequately replaced? There are plenty of possible Gattuso replacements in the squad (although no one can really take his place)---Ambro, Flamini. If Flamini was not capable of replacing Gattuso, then why did we buy him?
And lastly, if Boriello is the power forward we absolutely need to function and if he is so critical to our formation, then why didn't we buy a potential replacemnt over the summer? Management clearly thought Pippo could replace him, but they're probably wrong.
Our injuries are injuries that every team gets, I don't think there is anything extraordinary about it, but the fact that we can't cope with it indicates poor planning (Galliani) and perhaps poor execution (Carlo).
Lebanese
07-03-2009, 01:23
Lebanese, I hear you. But Nesta was out since start of the season---why was he not adequately replaced? There are plenty of possible Gattuso replacements in the squad (although no one can really take his place)---Ambro, Flamini. If Flamini was not capable of replacing Gattuso, then why did we buy him?
And lastly, if Boriello is the power forward we absolutely need to function and if he is so critical to our formation, then why didn't we buy a potential replacemnt over the summer? Management clearly thought Pippo could replace him, but they're probably wrong.
Our injuries are injuries that every team gets, I don't think there is anything extraordinary about it, but the fact that we can't cope with it indicates poor planning (Galliani) and Exrhaps poor execution (Carlo).
Exactly, and i think Galliani should be punished for ruining the squad, 2006/2007 we suffered a huge decline but we managed to win UCL, thewe were a 1000 signs that we need rebuilding and many players should be forced out, but looks the management realized the problem very late.
every mercato pier silvio comes up and publically criticises the way galliani is handling transfer, but you cant blame their actions as our prisdent lost intreset in football.
every mercato pier silvio comes up and publically criticises the way galliani is handling transfer, but you cant blame their actions as our prisdent lost intreset in football.
And the last mercato, he said that selling Kaka' wasn't bad if I remember ... Berlu's family also told him not to spend millions anymore, the thing why he is criticised the most here !! So I don't have any trust for Berlu's family !!
Christian
07-03-2009, 07:11
I take your point, but even if we are missing 3-4 starters, we still have the quality to beat teams like Torino, Cagliari, Reggina. Why are we still losing to the so-called minnows? And out of all the players you mention Gattuso and Kaka are probably the most relevant. But please, we should not be feeling the loss of Boriello or Bonera who himself is a back up so much.
If this squad is so flimsy thin that a couple of injuries will cause our season to collapse, then something is wrong. There is no defending management in this case. Every team goes through injuries---a good management will make sure we have enough cover, even in the worst possible scenario, and a good coach will make sure that he has the tactical know-how to reshuffle his players and make the most out of the players available.
I see what you mean, and ofcourse we should be able to beat Reggina etc. even with our second string. But I still only think our team is thin in the defense, and with Thiago Silva coming, one more signing would fix that. That's the main thing we can blame management for in my opinion, not signing a CB in the winter or in the summer. Playing Favalli/Kaladze in central defence is a distaster, and it's embarresing having the 20th ranked team field a CB pair better than ours.
And I think you can also blame management for not getting reliable forwards. The only one we have who is reliable and consistent is Pato---if he gets injured, we're dead. Look at the other options: Boriello (injured), Pippo (cannot play consecutive games), Sheva (out of shape/out of form, returning from injury, injury prone). How the hell do you plan for a season with forwards like that? Trezeguet was out injured for Juve---so what did they do? They bought Amauri and had Iaquinta on the bench plus Giovinco. We would fall apart if Pato and Boriello got injured---remember the games Ambrosini started as a forward? That's really pathetic.
Now on a more positive note, if only we could find more space for R80, Kaka, Pato to play behind a strong target man (hope we sign Adebayor or someone of that caliber), we could have an unbelievable attack with both speed and power. Too bad we didnt get Amauri this summer, he may have fixed most of our problems.
What from Galliani said in summer, we actually could afford to buy R80 and Adebayor but he said something like we can't have Ade, R80, Kaka all together in one team (which I don't agree).
What from Galliani said in summer, we actually could afford to buy R80 and Adebayor but he said something like we can't have Ade, R80, Kaka all together in one team (which I don't agree).
All depends on what you want to do with Pato. It's pretty sure we won't play with R80, Kaka', Ade and Pato all together on the pitch if behind them, we have players like Seedorf and Pirlo who won't defend a lot. It's possible only with Flamini and Gattuso behind them.
So, by knowing that Seedorf and Pirlo would be some of our key players this season, Galliani just said something realistic ...
Of course, with all the injuries, now, we would be happy to have another good striker to play alongside Pato, but at the start of the season, having fit Kaka', Seedorf, Pato, Pirlo, R80, Adebayor, Gattuso, ...
About next year, we'll need a striker but, I said it sometimes, we won't have to bring a striker who is already a star, just someone at the level of Pato but older (so Pato will be prefered). Why ? Just because in a formation with 2 strikers, we can really say goodbye to Gourcuff, even if Seedorf leaves, and also, Pato needs to be our starter.
PS: I think we're not in the right topic :D
All depends on what you want to do with Pato. It's pretty sure we won't play with R80, Kaka', Ade and Pato all together on the pitch if behind them, we have players like Seedorf and Pirlo who won't defend a lot. It's possible only with Flamini and Gattuso behind them.
So, by knowing that Seedorf and Pirlo would be some of our key players this season, Galliani just said something realistic ...
It's actually a bit not realistic what Galliani said. We had only Pato as a real striker (fit and realiable). Other are either not fit or not WC (great) striker we need : Boriello (won't count his goals in preivous season so highly), Inzaghi and Paloschi. We really need other high-level striker which could be Adebayor. Forget about Ronaldinho, he was not on form (thousand miles away from fit). So, it would be certain that we could play Kaka with two strikers (Pato and Ade). Inzaghi and Bori could be back up.
About next year, we'll need a striker but, I said it sometimes, we won't have to bring a striker who is already a star, just someone at the level of Pato but older (so Pato will be prefered). Why ? Just because in a formation with 2 strikers, we can really say goodbye to Gourcuff, even if Seedorf leaves, and also, Pato needs to be our starter.
PS: I think we're not in the right topic :D
Next year we need a high-rated striker to accompany Pato as one striker formation is not effective in Serie A based on our results since 2001/02 when Ancelotti took Milan. Either Ronaldinho or Gourcuff is sold.
It's actually a bit not realistic what Galliani said. We had only Pato as a real striker (fit and realiable). Other are either not fit or not WC (great) striker we need : Boriello (won't count his goals in preivous season so highly), Inzaghi and Paloschi. We really need other high-level striker which could be Adebayor. Forget about Ronaldinho, he was not on form (thousand miles away from fit). So, it would be certain that we could play Kaka with two strikers (Pato and Ade). Inzaghi and Bori could be back up.
I'm sorry but Ronaldinho had to be fit sooner or later (seems like it will be later, but who would have been able to predict that ?!) ...
We also weren't able to know that Borriello would be out for the whole season ... ok, he's actually the kind of player we needed: motivated, confident after his last year (if you don't count highly his goals of the previous season, I don't know how you can then value highly the season of Gourcuff, say Ancelotti did a mistake with him and say he has to return for example), and of course, a different kind of player than Pato.
So, for me, again, Galliani said something realistic (he said many unrealistic/funny/not funny/ironic things, but for me, he is right with this declaration): you take R80 and, if he is fit again, you have plenty solutions of formations (he never was fit, but again, who could have known ?! And it is something we can say only without injuries, because with all these injuries ...), OR, you take Adebayor, and we mainly play with 2 strikers. The two solutions could have been good.
I'm sorry but Ronaldinho had to be fit sooner or later (seems like it will be later, but who would have been able to predict that ?!) ...
We also weren't able to know that Borriello would be out for the whole season ... ok, he's actually the kind of player we needed: motivated, confident after his last year (if you don't count highly his goals of the previous season, I don't know how you can then value highly the season of Gourcuff, say Ancelotti did a mistake with him and say he has to return for example), and of course, a different kind of player than Pato.
So, for me, again, Galliani said something realistic (he said many unrealistic/funny/not funny/ironic things, but for me, he is right with this declaration): you take R80 and, if he is fit again, you have plenty solutions of formations (he never was fit, but again, who could have known ?! And it is something we can say only without injuries, because with all these injuries ...), OR, you take Adebayor, and we mainly play with 2 strikers. The two solutions could have been good.
About R80
His performance dropped since 2006/07 (after Barca won CL 2006) and drastically last season. It would be extremly difficult for Ronaldinho to be fit this season. I was one of fans who doubt he would be fit soon. That was a huge gamble.
R80 or Adebayor
Ancelotti was 'forced' to play 2-striker formation by Berlusconi in the past and why on earth we bought R80 then? I know the answer :D, it's only because of Berlu's love for R80 as we chased him since last years. But in tactical point of view, it would be safer and wiser to buy a striker than a AMC like R80 as we need striker, not attacking midfielder. And Ancelotti has already said it : we need Eto'o not Ronaldinho (not in this sentence of course but the point is same).
About Boriello
He was not top scorer in Serie A and only managed to score that many in one season (with no proof of continuity). He was also loaned in previous seasons (of course he was younger) but the result was far from last season. The case is just like many strikers in european league have done : making ton of goals even top-scorer (which Borri wasn't) and flopped in the next season (one season wonder). The funniest thing for me is that we took Bori and sold Gila which for me no value added took a place (it's like to change 45 pounds for 40 euros or even less LOL).
ps : 4 pounds = 4,5 euros
About R80
His performance dropped since 2006/07 (after Barca won CL 2006) and drastically last season. It would be extremly difficult for Ronaldinho to be fit this season. I was one of fans who doubt he would be fit soon. That was a huge gamble.
Of course, he couldn't have been fit in September, but the plans were to have him fit in January. It was the plans made by the Milan Lab. Unfortunately, Ronaldinho slowly disapeared since January and the Milan Lab looks more and more like a joke this year ...
R80 or Adebayor
Ancelotti was 'forced' to play 2-striker formation by Berlusconi in the past and why on earth we bought R80 then? I know the answer :D, it's only because of Berlu's love for R80 as we chased him since last years. But in tactical point of view, it would be safer and wiser to buy a striker than a AMC like R80 as we need striker, not attacking midfielder. And Ancelotti has already said it : we need Eto'o not Ronaldinho (not in this sentence of course but the point is same).
Imagine if all our key players were totally fit, not injured, we would have a hell of a team, I mean, Ancelotti would have some choices to make (not like nowadays) ... that doesn't mean we would be first, nor a good team, but "on paper", we would be a strong team.
About Boriello
He was not top scorer in Serie A and only managed to score that many in one season (with no proof of continuity). He was also loaned in previous seasons (of course he was younger) but the result was far from last season. The case is just like many strikers in european league have done : making ton of goals even top-scorer (which Borri wasn't) and flopped in the next season (one season wonder). The funniest thing for me is that we took Bori and sold Gila which for me no value added took a place (it's like to change 45 pounds for 40 euros or even less LOL).
ps : 4 pounds = 4,5 euros
Don't try to persuad someone already convinced ?! :D
I like your metaphor ... you should put it in your signature !! :cheers:
(I even think that Gila is better than Borriello, I have no doubt about that, he just has to be used in a 2-striker-formation, he mainly failed when they put him as a lone striker in front of Kaka', his first year alongside Shevchenko was good, his second year alone was average/bad, his last year was bad, and you don't come back to your highest level in 2 months, I mean, once Pato arrived, it was sure that Gila wouldn't have started to score again, he lost his confidence for 1 year and some months, so we should have kept him this summer to play him alongside Pato, I'm pretty sure that would have worked)
About the age, look at Toni and Inzaghi, they both exploded at a relative "old" age, Inzaghi exploded when he was something like 24, and Toni at 28 if I'm not wrong, as well as Drogba, you never heard anything about him before he was 28-29 too for example ... and the few minutes spent on the pitch by Borriello showed he wasn't the same Borriello than the one I bashed each time he got minutes on the pitch some years ago. Anyway, if you ask me, I would have prefered an attack with Pato, Borriello, Gila and Paloschi + Inzaghi instead of Pato, Borriello, Inzaghi and Shevchenko ...
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