friendly summer games

Rabia, this was not Milan's A team. Thiago Silva, Abbiati, Zambrotta, Pirlo, and a real left-back (someone we need to sign) were all not there.

We played better than Inter, dominated possession.

Dinho's through-balls were intelligent. Those were the type of balls that would be best suited to the game that was being played. If Antonini was capable of crossing, or Oddo for that matter, then the game would have been very different.

Why this is a problem is that is Pirlo's job. Pirlo should be the player to be putting those through-balls for our full backs.

Ronaldinho was forced into being Pirlo and our trequartista, and no one can do that.

Against Inter, we were the stronger team, I think that was abundantly clear. The issue is that Huntelaar is not ready, I won't even get on how easily he was pushed off the ball, and that our strikers are doing all most everything wrong. It boggles my mind how our strikers are literally doing everything wrong.

They make their runs behind defenders, instead of in front. Pato cannot seem to do anything besides pass three players, only to lose the ball.

I have said this before, and I will say it again, until I see our real first 11 play poorly, I will maintain hope. Against Chelsea, that was not even our first eleven, it was close, and we played brilliant. If we had a decent fullback to partner Zambro, and if whoever is to be our "big" striker actually showed up, we would have pushed Chelsea aside.

That was the only time we've played like we can, and it's the only time we've put out that sort of formation with those players.

We'll see what happens.

Originally Posted by Samaldinho

Kris, I think you've been harsh on Ronaldinho, and there many times where he just gave great through balls to Antonini only for him to mess up.

I can't remember any that was great. But it is good to have one player that run beside him, otherwise that left side would be frozen in time.

comments from non-Milan fans then.

Originally Posted by JuveGER

Ronaldinho is sad to watch. Have Milan won any matches in pre-season yet? I can't remember one.

Originally Posted by Osman

No offense to those who have hope for R80 delivering this season, but at times he was LOL inducing in this brief little game

Originally Posted by Nacka

Wow, Ronaldinho has gone from mediocre to outright useless...

Juve and Inter fans. and I didn't cherry pick bad comments....

I don't really care about other fans opinions, I care about what I saw.

The simple fact of the matter is that Ronaldinho has always played poorly when he is forced to come back to grab the ball.

Kaka would be playing poorly as well.

Pato is no seconda punta, and Huntelaar was (understandably) poor today.

What were these people saying against Boca, Chelsea, or Club America? Ronaldinho played well then. Especially against Boca.

No trequartista would be able to change the fact that our fullbacks played terrible, and both of our strikers did as well. It wasn't like he was central to our downfall, and frankly speaking, if our fullbacks or strikers actually played anywhere near their potential or the expectations of AC Milan, we wouldn't be having this debate. The only question would be whether Ronaldinho is giving them (fullbacks and strikers) the chance to do something.

The role of that trequartista is to pass and create. If you want Milan to play like we did with Kaka, a guy who just takes the ball and runs, and hopes to get a shot in, then we have to play 4-3-2-1, because no 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2 will be able to support that sort of player from midfield.

Originally Posted by Samaldinho

No trequartista would be able to change the fact that our fullbacks played terrible, and both of our strikers did as well. The only question would be whether Ronaldinho is giving them (fullbacks and strikers) the chance to do something.

Our strikers didn't get any service and was way to isolated. I think a trequartista should make his teammates better, not lose the ball all to much. Ronaldinho had one good cross for Pato and that was pretty much it.

Originally Posted by Samaldinho

The role of that trequartista is to pass and create. If you want Milan to play like we did with Kaka, a guy who just takes the ball and runs, and hopes to get a shot in, then we have to play 4-3-2-1, because no 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2 will be able to support that sort of player from midfield.

don't know what you are talking about. Kaka played his best football with a 4-3-1-2 with two strikers in front of himself and complained for a long time when he had to play in a 4-3-2-1. We had our best scoring season 05/06 playing like that with Kaka behind two forwards. We had all our best football playing seasons playing like that...

I seriously dont see Milan getting any higher than 5th or 6th place, a center mid and 2 new full backs are badly needed if the team wants to challenege for honors.


Ronaldinho needs to be dropped if his attitude doesnt change.

Pre-season is looking really bad. Leonardo seems clueless and totally out of depth at this level.

I think Leo is the mistake. I respect him a lot, but we needed someone like Prandelli or Spaletti, a trainer, coach, someone that can make out of nothing something, meaning players that are not up to the quality right now better them and make them better.
We ll see I hope for the best, but is not looking good.

wow.. that last pre-season game we won seems to be an eternity ago.. Milan has been retardedly and ridiculously bad.. its plain for all to see ( everyone does besides B&G ).. let me ask those of u who say that we did not too badly a question.

Sure we had more posession and stuff.. but whats the use if we cannot turn posession into goals? we conceded 3 and scored 0.. we were horrendously inadequate in attack.. we had a crapload of games and all we have to show for are losses and 1 creditable game against chelsea ( which we also lost btw ).. where is the bright spark in that?

Even when Barcelona appointed Pep, that guy was already familiar with the squad and actually coached the reserves beforehand.. what coaching experience has Leonardo has? I was happy as drunken santa on frat-boys night when Carlo left but if this was our replacement ( i was hoping for MvB or Riijkard ) or someone with an inkling of idea how to coach a team.. Sure MvB failed like a stoned hippie in holland but who are we to say he didn't learn from his mistakes? has leonardo made any mistakes to learn from and improvise before being handed Milan ? To spot a talented footballer and to coach a Talented Footballer is 2 different things.. its like asking a food critic to cook and be graded highly.. ( not impossible, but highly improbable )

We got cowdung for management, seemingly unimpressive coach & the world is laughing at us.. damn.. we cant even win our bloody owners cup..

*fret not.. we are a squad of champions*

Originally Posted by SkyEdge

wow.. that last pre-season game we won seems to be an eternity ago.. Milan has been retardedly and ridiculously bad.. its plain for all to see ( everyone does besides B&G ).. let me ask those of u who say that we did not too badly a question.

Sure we had more posession and stuff.. but whats the use if we cannot turn posession into goals? we conceded 3 and scored 0.. we were horrendously inadequate in attack.. we had a crapload of games and all we have to show for are losses and 1 creditable game against chelsea ( which we also lost btw ).. where is the bright spark in that?

Even when Barcelona appointed Pep, that guy was already familiar with the squad and actually coached the reserves beforehand.. what coaching experience has Leonardo has? I was happy as drunken santa on frat-boys night when Carlo left but if this was our replacement ( i was hoping for MvB or Riijkard ) or someone with an inkling of idea how to coach a team.. Sure MvB failed like a stoned hippie in holland but who are we to say he didn't learn from his mistakes? has leonardo made any mistakes to learn from and improvise before being handed Milan ? To spot a talented footballer and to coach a Talented Footballer is 2 different things.. its like asking a food critic to cook and be graded highly.. ( not impossible, but highly improbable )

We got cowdung for management, seemingly unimpressive coach & the world is laughing at us.. damn.. we cant even win our bloody owners cup..

*fret not.. we are a squad of champions*

Agree, I wanted Rajikard so bad to be our coach.

Originally Posted by Bosniaco

Agree, I wanted Rajikard so bad to be our coach.

anyone but him mate!!
not rajkard..

Originally Posted by kris

Our strikers didn't get any service and was way to isolated. I think a trequartista should make his teammates better, not lose the ball all to much. Ronaldinho had one good cross for Pato and that was pretty much it.

Well, the thing is, he actually did. How is it his fault that Antonini smashes an American Football field goal for a cross? Or that Pato seems incapable of doing anything but running into a crowd of defenders?

I don't think Ronaldinho played brilliantly. However, it has to be said that he did distribute the ball well, that those who recieved the ball played rather poorly is the main issue I have.

don't know what you are talking about. Kaka played his best football with a 4-3-1-2 with two strikers in front of himself and complained for a long time when he had to play in a 4-3-2-1. We had our best scoring season 05/06 playing like that with Kaka behind two forwards. We had all our best football playing seasons playing like that...

Kaka might have complained during his usage in the 4-3-2-1, but he won his FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon D'Or in the 4-3-2-1 system and won his Champions League using that system as well. So, I'd debate whether he really played his best football in the 4-3-1-2.

Originally Posted by Samaldinho

Kris, I think you've been harsh on Ronaldinho, and there many times where he just gave great through balls to Antonini only for him to mess up.

This team is not significantly weakened to the point that Leonardo's results should differ from Carlo's. Maldini might've retired, but Nesta is here to save the day. Plus, Milan has won many critical games, under Carlo, without Kaka.

Dinho has always played poorly when he is the only creative player in that midfield. Watching him have to come back like he does has never been a good sign, not for him, not for Kaka either.

Huntelaar has literally just joined up with Milan. I'm not going to say anything about him, it would not only be unfair, but knee-jerk.

It is clear that without Pirlo this team does not tick. I understand Pirlo was away on duty for Italy, as was Zambro, but, watching our play without them is frightening.

Hell, even Seedorf would have offered something different.

Gattuso should not be played in that role again, ever again. The reason why it worked before was because he had Seedorf sitting next to him.

Our major weakness is our full backs, that is very obvious. It's not just the defending-part of their position, that part, actually isn't as bad. It's that this formation we're playing relies on them being part of the attack, and when they are as ineffective as Antonini and Oddo were today, it invites pressure and we look toothless, even if we maintain possession, like we did today.

Antonini plays better on the right then he does on the left, and I think if I had to pick a starting lineup for Milan against Juve in Berlu Cup, I'd play this:

------------Storari
-Antonini--Nesta--T Silva--Zambro
---Abate-----Pirlo---Flamini
-----Seedorf---Ronaldinho
------------Pato

Abate can take Seedorf's spot and we play Gattuso next to Pirlo. Pato cannot be a seconda punta, he does not make the right choices, ever.

Actually, I think the one we have been missing for the last three seasons (In the Serie A atleast) is a Seedorf in the central midfield. It's obvious how important he was to us in the central midfield before he started playing behind Kaká, because we've never really replaced him.

Originally Posted by M.O.I.

anyone but him mate!!
not rajkard..

Why not? Whats the matter with him?

R80, favalli, oddo have no place in Milan at all.

Hopefullt r80 gets a long injury coz Leo will be forced to play him every game to please cradle snatchers berlu and galliani.

We have 4 average keepers, 2 good cd, one running mid, one good forward, and the rest have question marks.

our cd cover is pathetic, our wb's are average or useless, or dm is old and slow, and we don't have a 3/4, neither seedorf or r80 have the determination to play that role.

Sell the club pls.

Originally Posted by Samaldinho

I'm not calling for Leonardo's head. I think he's brought some good things to the squad. However, I think he's put out teams in our pre-season games that probably are not how we are going to play.

4-3-3 might have been Leonardo's idea, but, the sign of a great manager is to be able to take the players he has and utilize them properly. Mourinho wanted 4-3-3, but realized that the players he brought in (Quaresma and Mancini) were not up to it, so he changed the formation to suit his players.

I don't think the squad needs a complete overhaul, well, actually, I don't think we can say whether the squad needs a complete overhaul, until we actually see our real, best starting 11 play. We have only seen that once, and that was against Chelsea. Again, that was a great game from Milan.

As far as pressure on Leonardo, I don't think any pressure should come onto him until our actual season gets underway. He has said he is evaluating players rather than attempting to get results. The press are talking about the losses or whatever, but Leonardo is being smart in just evaluating who he can rely on and who he can't.

The great success story of this process has been Abate.

I think we critically need a FB to help Zambro, and whatever help we do need in midfield will be expressed (by the management) in Beckham's return in January.

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to grab Giovinco from Juve, they clearly do not have him in their plans. For God's sake they played Iago Falqué instead of Giovinco today.

It's because Giovinco is injured. He will be out for a month.

http://www.football-italia.net/aug12p.html

G. Giovinco is his brother, thats the guy who played yesterday.