Summer mercato 2009

You know, I'm not Kaladze's biggest fan (as a player, as a man, I respect him greatly) but he just said something that I think makes a lot of sense:

"We have a good team and we can focus on the championship. The gap against Inter and Juventus can only be confirmed when the league starts,"

I think that's the fantastic point.

I know we are all screaming for that big midfielder signing, but IMO we really need to give Abate a chance. Everytime I see him, he's running up and down the field like a maniac trying to make things happen. If he develops into enough of a threat, it can take weight off of Dinho and Pato to produce the ball up front to Huntelaar.

----------------------------Huntelaar-----------------------------
----------------Ronaldinho----------------Pato--------------------
----------Flamini---------------Pirlo----------------Abate-----------
--De Silvestri--------Nesta-----------Silva------------Zambrotta-----


De Silvestri (or Jankulovski) will bomb up and down the left flank, it's the style of play they both bring. De Silvestri is also quite a good back to get back into defense in a hurry. Abate will flank on the right giving Pato and Dinho the freedom roam free and service Huntelaar. Not to mention, Pirlo will throw his occasional service to the forward. This puts a lot of weight on Flamini in defense, but it sure as hell won't be a boring walk in the park as it's been the past few seasons.

Good to hear Di Silvestri impressed against a big team.

This kid could probably be good, I mean he definately has talent, just needs to have his breakout moment. And at Milan I'm sure he could do that, honeslty I have a "feeling" he will become an important player for us starting this season.

I don't know why though.....

Originally Posted by Koeke

Seedorf is considered a forward by our officials, we all know he is more of a midfielder but to see him as an defensive midfielder is one step to far .


Considering our mercato we should ask ourselfs are we stronger than last year? At this moment I still would say no.
important players out: Maldini, Kaka, Sheva

important players in: Huntelaar, Silva, Onyewu

Last year wasn't good so we need to do better. Is it possible with our current squad?

At this moment it depends of Dhino and Nesta can they play on a consistent level than I can see us playing better than last year. If one of them or both of them fails/is injured most of the year then. We 'll do (much) worse...

We have our new striker and our central defence has been rejuvenated, our defensive midfielders are also ok but everywhere else we could use another player.
-A goalie probably next year,
-a fullback, everyteam has a shortlist so who was next after Aly Cissoko?
-and a creative forward/midfielder that Hernanes should be our main objective
we still have a non Eu spot left. (silva took one, Onyewu has a Belgian pasport) How much would he cost?

What??

Es was not important at all.

I would Abate to tlist of new players based on pre-season. Di Gennaro & Zigoni can't be counted just yet.

I'm all for swapping De Silvestri for Oddo, even if it means having to pay part of Oddo's wages in the process. It's not I rate De Silvestri that highly (though I think he's got great potential), but he'd be a massive step up from Oddo, who in the last 2 years has become incompetent in defence, doesn't support enough in attack and his crosses seem to be aimed at NASA satellites rather than attackers in the box.

I'm also seeing posters still entertaining the idea of a Borriello and Santacroce swap. This is the article where De Laurentis says he wants to get rid of players, not bring them in...

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy...ches-attack-on

This is his quote...

“We have enough players to have two teams playing in the championship. ‘Get rid of them’, I told my director of football. It’s been five years since we have been able to sell a player. Why do we keep players here when we know we don’t have any use for them?”

He really isn't likely to be interested in a swap deal. However, we should enquire about Santacroce's availability.

Originally Posted by kris

Our depth in defense is far from thin. In fact we have to many players there at this moment which just will mean players like Albertazzi won't get any games. We already have the silly amount of FOUR reserves for CB. That is at least one to many.

Also, Bovo wouldn't improve us.

Ledesma isn't good enough to start with us and if we were to get a midfielder then we should get someone that improves us as we don't need bench players there.

we have a lot of cover in defence, but we are thin in quality. What we need to do is get rid of the deadweight (read: Kaladze) and bring in some quality like Santacroce. I really don't understand why we brought in Onyewu, he was a needless transfer and isn't really adding much to our squad (even if he's huge).

I agree. Getting rid of Oddo, Favalli, Kalac, Kaladze is a must even we only replace them with 2 new players, the quality of the squad will improve.

I'd like to see Santacroce/Zapata, Afellay/Sissokho, Lavezzi/Rossi as possible new players.

Any 2/3 of those would be awesome. Unrealistic, but awesome.

I personally think the best business we can do is buy two defenders: De Silvestri and Santacroce.

If that means sacrificing Oddo, Kaladze, and even Borriello then so be it.

It is not sacrificing; it is simply dump them out. But unfortunately there are only a few, or maybe none, clubs that are willing to receive the 'dump'. Our deadweights aren't able to add something in most of the deals we plan.

It seems like keeping Pirlo has forced Leo to abandon the 433.

"Having started with the idea of converting the historic 'tree' of Ancelotti in a 4-3-3 which provided Pato and Ronaldinho the awaited center to the sides, Leonardo seems to have found a better squaring for his Milan with a 4 -- 3-1-2 where the position of classic trequartista behind the two peaks makes Ronaldinho even more pivotal man for the new project rossonero.

In effetti, in una zona più centrale del campo, la tecnica e il talento di Ronaldinho possono venir fuori forse più che sulla fascia sinistra. Indeed, in a more central area of the field, the technique and the talent of Ronaldinho may be out perhaps more than on the band left.

Ma c'è un'altra soluzione, non meno affascinante, resa percorribile dall'impatto fisico del nuovo arrivato Huntelaar, che potrebbe proporsi come terminale unico di un attacco di tipo 'spallettiano' o alla Dunga, con un tridente di cursori alle spalle del 'Cacciatore' e 2 mediani a protezione della difesa. But there is another solution, no less fascinating, made viable by the physical condition of the newcomer Huntelaar, who could act as a single terminal attack type 'Spalletti' or Dunga, with a trident cursor behind the 'Hunter' and 2 median to protect the defense.

La chiave di volta - e la verà novità che sancirebbe una rottura decisa con il passato - sarebbe rappresentata dalla nuova posizione di Andrea Pirlo, che poi sarebbe la vecchia di inizio carriera. The key to time - and the real news that would enshrine a decisive break with the past - would be represented by the new position of Andrea Pirlo, who would then start the old career. Il bresciano verrebbe infatti riportato sulla trequarti avversaria, dietro Huntelaar e con Pato e Ronaldinho ai suoi lati. The Brescian would indeed appear on trequarti enemy behind Huntelaar and Pato and Ronaldinho to his side.

Davanti a Nesta e Thiago Silva, la coppia Gattuso-Ambrosini (o Flamini) garantirebbe la necessaria copertura ad una squadra a trazione anteriore come chiesto da Berlusconi... Before Nesta and Thiago Silva, the couple Gattuso-Ambrosini (or Flamini) would ensure the necessary coverage for a team to front-wheel drive as requested by Berlusconi ... "

Its an editorial, but it makes a lot of sense. The options that seem viable now are a 4312 (or 4321-Seedorf,R80) or a 4222 with Pirlo pushed up alongside Ronaldinho as a double trequartistas. I'd love to see that in action sometime before the start of the season. If it doesn't work, at least we see one final flameout before we revert to our warm, lovable Christmas tree.

Guys, we have to be realistic as well. Unfortunately, mgmt believes we have enforced our central defense with the signing of Onyewu. Even though it was free, I agree with everyone, it's been a wasteful signing taking up a spot on the roster.

Also, we quite often throw Santacroce's name around. I dont think we've ever been linked with him, not even on the crap rumor sites (goal.com or tribal). Once the Mexes rumor faded, so did the Central Defense rumor.

The LB position continues to be tipped as well as the midfield. I think we should be looking at 1, maybe 2, more signings. It doesnt seem like central defense is in the cards...

now we know for sure that a full back will arrive. and at the last seconds of the mercato we will get VDV on loan plus purchase option. thats what i think will happen.
but to be honest i would want to sign santacroce, de silvestre a midfielder and an attacker if borriello leaves

Originally Posted by MiamiMilanista

----------------------------Huntelaar-----------------------------
----------------Ronaldinho----------------Pato--------------------
----------Flamini---------------Pirlo----------------Abate-----------
--De Silvestri--------Nesta-----------Silva------------Zambrotta-----

.

Allthough I'm not against this starting line up we should keep in mind that Max is our new captain so I doubt he sit on the bench.

Originally Posted by Tony75

What??

Es was not important at all.

I would Abate to tlist of new players based on pre-season. Di Gennaro & Zigoni can't be counted just yet.

He wasn't that important since he didn't play wel but he still played 17 games. We were counting on him but he didn't brought what we could have expected.
Since Borriello and Inzaghi were injured that long I coun't him to be important. I'm sure he costed pretty much in wage and loantag and he costed us a non Eu spot hence the reasons why I think of him to be important. But I agree you can easly leave him out of the list.
Abate? why not

I very much doubt that when Napoli talked about getting rid of players, they were talking about Santacroce. The reason why he has not been seriously linked with anyone (him going to Juve for 6m was crap) is because Napoli have no intention of selling.

If De Silvestri comes, he's obviously going to battling for a right-back spot, with Zambro taking up the left side. In light of recent rumors over Oddo, it seems that he has no intention of leaving, so I'm not so sure De Silvestri is actually coming. If he does, it probably will not mean Oddo leaves, in fact, it might just mean we have Oddo and De Silvestri on the right, with Zambro and Antonini on the left. Janku will be pushed into midfield, while our CBs would be Kaladze, Onyewu, Bonera, Favalli, Nesta, and Thiago Silva.

I just hope we don't grab Bale. I sincerely doubt we will, anyways. If his price is 12-15 million (that's what his agent said would be about right) then we might as well grab somebody much better, for much cheaper.

I still wonder, does anyone think Dossena is worth a shot?

Everyone here is talking about Santacroce, but didn't someone mention that he'd never be linked to us because their team's owner hates our guts and would rather die than sell anyone to us?

I thought that was the main reason why we've never been linked to him.

nothing close to official yet, but what are your thoughts on this..
http://goal.com/en/news/10/italy/200...uld-love-milan