Milan - Torino (19 April)

WEll, if Carlo continues to bench Seedorf, then I will say he is a good coach. Lets see what happens in the next game.

First of all benching one player does not make you a a bad coach. You may disagree, but it doesn't make him a bad coach.

I will make the argument again to the entire scathing critizicing of his actions lately that you do not at all know how the situation from day to day is at Milanello. You do not clinically keep track of all the players like he and Tassotti does. Both men are very intelligent and understands football. Both coaches have enjoyed long careers where they've learned massively a lot about football, maybe Italian football in particular.

You have made points like Seedorf. First of all Seedorf is still a very good player. If you asked the players or coaches in Milan they would all in a second say that Seedorf works like a proffessional at Milanello and on the pitch. He has given us all moments of splendid joy.

We can all agree that Seedorf may not be as good as he was maybe a couple of years ago. The thing is that it strikes me odd that when you go after players like Seedorf it seems very quick. It seems like quick conclusions.

Originally Posted by Rico

First of all benching one player does not make you a a bad coach. You may disagree, but it doesn't make him a bad coach.

I will make the argument again to the entire scathing critizicing of his actions lately that you do not at all know how the situation from day to day is at Milanello. You do not clinically keep track of all the players like he and Tassotti does. Both men are very intelligent and understands football. Both coaches have enjoyed long careers where they've learned massively a lot about football, maybe Italian football in particular.

You have made points like Seedorf. First of all Seedorf is still a very good player. If you asked the players or coaches in Milan they would all in a second say that Seedorf works like a proffessional at Milanello and on the pitch. He has given us all moments of splendid joy.

We can all agree that Seedorf may not be as good as he was maybe a couple of years ago. The thing is that it strikes me odd that when you go after players like Seedorf it seems very quick. It seems like quick conclusions.

We do not see players day to day, but we base opinion what we do see in matches, and this forum is a place where we post our opinions. If we can't formulate thoughts and opinions based on what we do get to see, then surely this forum is pointless.

I don't think anyone denies Seedorf is still a good player, but he's not producing frequently enough to warrant a starting spot every week. Gabriel made a decent post in the Summer Mercato thread showing the results in the 6 matches where Seedorf has played about half. We either struggled to win or drew in matches where Seedorf played, but in matches where he wasn't in the lineup we won comfortably everytime. Whilst this alone doesn't show that Seedorf is a problem, it can't be denied that there is a strong correlation between him playing and us struggling.

Also, these aren't quick conclusions being made without justification. This issue with Seedorf and others (e.g. Ambro, Emerson, Brocchi before and some will argue Pirlo, I don't personally) has been an ongoing discussion for years now, and the general consensus on most Milan forums on the net is that Seedorf shouldn't be a regular anymore, so there must be a reason for so many people being against him starting.

Thanks ACMILAN1983.

Just a few more things to add.

Yes, we don't see these players day in and day out. However, we do see them in matches. If getting select in a match is a result of doing well in training then Seedorf is either someone who works his ass off in training and does crap in matches or every body in Milan do horrible at training.

I just can't see how Seedorf can just walk into the starting lineup where as Flamini, Beckham and others need to earn it. What others and myself are bashing Seedorf or others are not base on them not scoring goals or not making killer passes rather we base them on not running and MOVING on the pitch. To me thats not too much to ask for a professional football player who get pays over 3.5Million Euro a year, an amount that some people won't even make in a life time. If Seedorf is a striker, then his 1 min of greatness per match can be justify, but he is not, he is a midfielder who does not run to cover in defense, lose the ball when he dribbles up the field, and takes ages to make a pass.

Why Carlo kept playing him infront of others is beyond me as well as 99% of Milan fans around the world!!!!

Originally Posted by mrki

Now Pato's goal is what I want to see.

me too...after inzaghi got his 3 goals again...it was only right to see pato score

but then he was taken out which i don't think was fair. i think when inzaghi is in, pato is stiffled...all the ball movement up front is driven toward inzaghi by the team. and unless pato takes the ball on his own...through numerous defenders...all passes go to inzaghi so pato is left out. pato needs time to play after inzaghi has been subbed. and let's face it, pato's young man...surely he can play 90 minutes...and i think he wants to

i was glad to see seedorf out. i think pirlo touched the ball only a handful of times throughout the game...i even forgot he was playing at one point!

i thought flamini hustled and appeared to enjoy himself...the cameras showed him smiling throughout the game. although he didn't make any spectacular plays, it's good that he stretched his wings a bit and moved around the field...hopefully he will get more time to play in upcoming games

i was glad to see shevchenko get almost 20 minutes in this game. yes inzaghi may have scored more goals had he been left in the game...but why should he? shevchenko can't prove himself from the bench...the only way is on the field. unfortunately he didn't have much luck...but he hustled and tried

overall good game...i wish i had been there watching and cheering at the stadium!!

Pato got a knock on his foot, that was the reason he was substituted at the half. Otherwise he would play the whole game...

hmm yeah, i just read that...i somehow must have missed it while watching the game. hope he's alright

Ragazza: I saw when he bent down and clutched at his ankle...but it could have easily been missed.

I think we played a great game, albeit vs mediocre opposition...regardless, its always good to score 5 goals in a match.

Seedorf´s absence was duly noted by yours truly, and I am sure it had an impact on how we played, and ultimately, the result...its IMO, going to be even more difficult for him to reclaim a starting role..but you never kno with Carlo!

Glad we won, glad Juve choked, and looking fwd to Palermo...who we need to thrash, so as to repay them for our loss in Sicily.

Now this is the kind of Milan I always want. The one who approaches the game with the right attitude and maintains it throughout the entire game. I never thought that I would praise Carletto's decision anymore this season, but yesterday he deserved it. While he has been somewhat equivalent to predictability, he made bold (and proved to be correct) decisions. First is his decision to bench Seedorf. With Becks the ball flows faster, and his crosses were sublime, especially in the first half. Second to put Mathieu as RB instead of playing safe by putting Favalli and Zambrotta as LB and RB. Third the other changes he made were laudable too.

Some might say that it's due to our oppositon is just a mediocre. But for years we've been facing the same difficulty against the so called mediocre especially at SS, so at least for this game, two thumbs up for Carletto