Summer mercato 2009

Personally I don't think Serie A has more talents spread through the league. I think the BIG 4 in EPL are just too talented for the rest of the EPL.
Just like how Barcelona and Real are too talented for Liga.

Don't get me wrong, Serie A is not a bad league but it is just not as good as the EPL at the moment.

If Italy copied the english there would no youth coming through, and the league would be about 3 billion in depth too. That's not allowed in Italy, so Italy can't compete for some players, but I hope clubs with massive depths dissapear and aren't allowed into Europe for the good of football. Rules need to be changed about youth players too. Any english team could steal a Milan product under 18 for practically nothing. It's a disgrace.

Originally Posted by Tony75

If Italy copied the english there would no youth coming through, and the league would be about 3 billion in depth too. That's not allowed in Italy, so Italy can't compete for some players, but I hope clubs with massive depths dissapear and aren't allowed into Europe for the good of football. Rules need to be changed about youth players too. Any english team could steal a Milan product under 18 for practically nothing. It's a disgrace.

Thank god we have no quality youth players.

Originally Posted by Patistico

In no way am I optimistic about winning any titles this season, but I certainly do think many here are being overly pessimistic. I think Rick's post was spot on. I add some opinion below.

From last year, we've lost:
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Kaka. Not the Ballon d'Or Kaka that won us the CL, but rather a Kaka whose game was relatively mediocre (though his presence was enough to keep defenders occupied and open space for others) and who was continually bothered by injury.

Carlo. Certainly one of the greatest coaches, but who had developed strong friendships with players that negatively affected his choices, and who also played relatively defensively against many weaker teams.



Thus far, we've gained:
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A thus-far healthy Nesta, who even in his current form is pure class.

Silva, who in my opinion has been VERY good in pre-season and has formed a great understanding with Nesta.

Gattuso, who was consistently our best player last season before getting injured.

Abate: not very effective yet, but hopefully we can figure out how to benefit from his pace.

Leonardo. Who doesn't display the same nepotism towards Seedorf as Carlo did. Not having to play Seedorf every game from the start is a fantastic benefit that we shouldn't underestimate.

Huntelaar: Really, a quality striker who scored a goal in almost every game at Ajax. I know it was the Dutch league, but if you've seen him play I'm sure you were impressed. Hopefully he will settle in soon.

Borriello: Disappointing pre-season. I don't have much hope for him. I think he can most wisely be used as bait for a transfer for a proper player.

Dinho (b/c he actually gets playing time now). Certainly not as effective as Kaka, but good enough that we can't just simply say "we lost Kaka without replacement". We got Dinho instead; even if he's only 60% of Kaka, that means we only lost 40% of Kaka.

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So all in all, I think we have a stronger side than last year... as long as we stay healthy. If the team can gel together, I think we'll be competitive and clinch 3rd. All this talk about "relegation" is pure nonsense... and probably should not be mentioned again.

Inter lost Ibra and still have not found a creative replacement. Milito is definitely a great striker, but doesn't have the creativity of Ibra. I think Inter will face some difficulty next year as a result.

Juve have improved with the signing of Diego, but IMO Diego isn't a HUGE improvement over Seba. Unless they can figure out how to effectively play Seba and Diego together, I don't think the 25M for Diego was worth the marginal improvement over Seba. And Cannavaro is nowhere near his prime.

Other teams like Fiorentina, Udinese, and Lazio have certainly improved, but not enough to overtake Milan.

The starting XI is really only missing a full back and Dinho in better shape. Subs of course are a different issue.

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And I definitely don't think that preseason was a fair indicator of our abilities. Rarely did we play with the starting XI (if ever, I can't remember). And Leo clearly was trying players in different positions.

I agree with almost every word here! It's a pure rubbish when media compares us to Fiorentina, Genoa or Lazio. And what the **** is so special about Juve?! Suddenly they became a title contenders and we became a "mid table" side. OK, they bought Diego, he's good, Melo is the most media-hyped Serie A player in years (goal.com rubbish) and Cannavaro is ridiculous, he's starter at NT because (ironically) Italy doesn't have a decent defender. He's not an improvement over Leggrottaglie. And I don't wanna even discuss Moliano, I'll just say that there are at least 10 left-backs in Serie A better than him and he's a starter. Take Pasqual, he's a cover player in Fiorentina and he's a world-class comparing with Molinaro. Then Sissoko. The player who just know how to run, a defensive midfielder with a chicken brain.

I hear many of you talking about 6 or 7 new players. What the **** Milan are then, a bunch of invalids, for God sake?!

We have 4 great strikers, we have 6 decent PURE midfielders (including Jankulovski, excluding Abate), we have a world-class CB partnership... And what's wrong about Zambrotta? He's not the player he once was (the best full back in the world by mile, that is), but even today there are few right backs better than him. All we really and realistically need is a left back. And I've heard many great things about Gareth Bale. It would be nice if we could take Van Der Vaart as a Ronaldinho's cover, but we're good as we are. Don't forget that Pato could be AM also in some matches.

I forgot, it has nothing to do with this thread, but because this is the most active thread it would be nice if someone provided a WORKING link for tonight's game.

Well, Totti is not the same player he used to be, in deed Totti would be booed alot at the San Siro because at the present time he is not Totti but walking Totti just like our Seedorf.
Cassano faild in La Liga which is more suitable to his style than the EPL so there is no gaurantee he can performe in England
Criscito & Santacroce have 0 International caps never played in any major club or compition and are very young and cant make to any top 4 teams in England because the 2 or 3rd choice defenders are dream signinig for top 4 team in Italy, ALex, Carvalho Agger, Galas, Vidic, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashly Cole, Evra, Sagna, Clichy, Eboue, etc are all dreams to Milan, Juve and Inter.
Gargano, Pazzini and Pizzaro are not good enough and Mexes is the most over rated defender in the world there is a reason Roma conceded all those goal last year and I assure you its not Juan's mistake.
Hamsik & Lavezzi are class and can make to any team in the world in the near futur but once more right now on the expense of who? Rooney, Berbatov, Drogba, Torres, Van Pirse, Archavien, Nani, Balack, Nasri, Kalou, Joe Cole, Valancia, Robinho, Tevez etc are all better at the moment.
Only Juan(always in jured) Vucinic and De rossi can make to the top 4 teams in England you know why? because they already play in a top team in Italy at the moment.

Originally Posted by hany.Egypt

Well, Totti is not the same player he used to be, in deed Totti would be booed alot at the San Siro because at the present time he is not Totti but walking Totti just like our Seedorf.
Cassano faild in La Liga which is more suitable to his style than the EPL so there is no gaurantee he can performe in England
Criscito & Santacroce have 0 International caps never played in any major club or compition and are very young and cant make to any top 4 teams in England because the 2 or 3rd choice defenders are dream signinig for top 4 team in Italy, ALex, Carvalho Agger, Galas, Vidic, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashly Cole, Evra, Sagna, Clichy, Eboue, etc are all dreams to Milan, Juve and Inter.
Gargano, Pazzini and Pizzaro are not good enough and Mexes is the most over rated defender in the world there is a reason Roma conceded all those goal last year and I assure you its not Juan's mistake.
Hamsik & Lavezzi are class and can make to any team in the world in the near futur but once more right now on the expense of who? Rooney, Berbatov, Drogba, Torres, Van Pirse, Archavien, Nani, Balack, Nasri, Kalou, Joe Cole, Valancia, Robinho, Tevez etc are all better at the moment.
Only Juan(always in jured) Vucinic and De rossi can make to the top 4 teams in England you know why? because they already play in a top team in Italy at the moment.

but that's the thing, no player who doesn't play in top 5 (including man city) in england wouldn't be a starter here or in juve or inter, meanwhile a couple of players not in top 5 (present top 4 and roma) could walk into a PL top 5 team

Save for Sagna & Evra the other wide def are tosh. Agger & Gallas are mistake prone, nani, kalou, valencia are average, Lavezzi would kick out Berbatov & Robinho from their teams, whilst Tevez despite being a hard worker doesn't score more.

Stop over-rating these media creations.

Mexers is over-rated, but not any more than dopey ferdinand or dirty kunt terry.

Whats this non-sense saying those premiership players would walk into our teams? That's just propostorous and so exaggerated. There are a few players that would come to the first team here, and there are a few here that would go to the first teams there (Aquilani being the most recent).


Anyway, Di Gennaro could injured and is out for two months. Might force the hand of our management to get an attacking midfielder?

Ronaldinho: "I want to win the CL & Scudetto" - goal.com

The non sense is to think that a Seria A players are better than the EPL ones, not to start comparing the head to head results in the last 2 years between English and Italian club, really embarrissing.

Outside of the top 4 the epl is a kick and run league, and even if some teams have tried to buy success they still lack a philosophy.

Some of the results have been bad, but Serie A clubs were allowed to operate at such financial losts with massive debts, then Italy would be better than the epl.

The italians are better than there english counterparts, whilst the foreigners are just as good. It's just there are more of them in epl, and they are made look better by the sub standard approach to tactics & technique in england.

I don't know if you guys watch games on sky. But maybe here is why I do not like the EPL (ofcourse nothing to do with the teams or players) its the pure venom filled hatred towards Italian teams.

This might stem from Italian league dominence 89 - 98 or maybe because and this i think is correct they do not show Italian football on sky.

But from the moment the CL starts until the Serie A sides are gone they say how bad Italian football is how slow it is how boring it is how negative how defensive.

If anyone has watched Liverpool ever Chelsea against a quality side not so much man u infact not them at all. But all Chelsea and the pool do is defend oddly enough when an EPL side or Celtic and Rangers its great a job done great heart great battling. And it pi$$es me off.

Because Ive seen Italian teams play a match in a normall fassion but they will call it anti football typical negative Italian approach. Now I know these guys are not told what to say but as Graeme Souness said on Irish television they are told what not to say.

But Richard Keys and Andy Gray take particular pleasure in bashing Seire A , sure the EPL is doing better at the moment in Europe but the gap between EPL and Serie A is nothing like the gap between Serie A and the EPL in 91 -98. Someone mentioned EPL didnt exsist and the teams werent in europe when the italian sides dominated. Well they were the league was set up in 1992 and the teams were back in europe in 1991.

So these are the reasons why I get annoyed that people proclaim the EPL to so superior to Serie A. When the top four teams are but from if 5t down played the same in Italy i think Seire A would come out on top.....End Rant!!

Jay Crisp, no offense but please, could you do an effort with the way you write etc for the people who can speak English because they learned it at school and not because they live in the UK, USA or any other country where English is the language (to say it clearly, it was hard to understand your last post). I ask you that because you are from Ireland ...

Anyway, back to the topic and ... again nothing new about any potential arrival !!

Oh, I forgot, about Cissokho, do you remember, most of the people here started to bash our management for not taking him at 15M and trying to reduce his price ... after 2 games in Lyon, he's done nothing particular. They start to think that he was overpriced because he is good at defence (in those 2 games so far, against two teams that are not top teams) but didn't bring anything in attack. Some people even already ask why they bought him !!

I know it's still early to criticize this player, but if people react like that about him in Lyon, how would it be in Milan ??

It's because of rupert murdoch's personal battle with berlu that sky slates italian football so much.

Where has Galliani been for the last week? Hasn't said much, I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing.

Berlusconi too, no news on them or Galliani, Braida's where abouts?