Banter 2009/2010

Originally Posted by GeoTav

About Chamakh, he will leave for England for sure. It's his dream, he asked to leave the last 2-3 years (to go to Tottenham if I'm not wrong the first time, and now Arsenal, a club still wanting him if I'm not wrong), it looks like this year is going to be the one seeing him leave France for England. I don't know how they will manage the end of this season in Bordeaux, but if Laurent Blanc leaves, they're going to have some problems as Gourcuff already said he could leave too if Blanc leaves, and that some other players will also want to leave (so having this kind of coach, almost a guru, is good to have a team following the same goals, but it becomes a huge blow when the guy leaves and everyone wants to follow him)..

Chamakh is overrated. He'san ok player but he isn't really an upgrade on Borriello.

2009/10- 38 games, 14 goals, 1 assist
2008/9- 40 games, 14 goals 6 assists
2007/8- 32 games 4 goals 6 assists

Borriello
2009/10- 29 games, 12 goals 1 assist
2008/9- 8 games, 2 goals, 1 assist
2007/8- 35 games, 19 goals, 4 assists

We're talking about.... 110 games, 32 goals, 13 assists vs. 72 games, 33 goals 6 assists.

I know stats don't tell the whole story and I'll admit Chamakh is a slightly better player but not enough to really justfy making him milan's new CF signing. Keep in mind Borriello did it in Serie A

Let's see, the possible free players that I guess we are actually looking at are:

Yepes (signed, right?) Cacau (Braida says no) Maldonaldo (free, EU) Godin (good CB), Sofiane Feghouli (great talent, little raw)

So, that's a 34 CB, a 29 SS/CF/W, a 28 LB, 24 CB, and a 20 AM.

If you want to get rid of Kaladze, Favalli, Janku, and Oddo, I don't see how you can get rid of those four players, buy their replacements, and then expect that we can still buy quality players to challenge for first team spots. Since it is clear that Berlusconi is not spending any money for the team, then you should be welcoming this sort of talk because if we spend a 1-5 million on these players, that is less for the players that actually count, that you actually want.

The idea that Yepes is automatically 3rd choice, and because he's 34, that means we're doomed, is kind of funny to me. Favalli has been playing well, first of all, second, Onyewu has never had a chance to prove anyone wrong, Kaladze is officially garbage, and Bonera, our real 3rd choice CB, is hurt. If we have learned anything from Leonardo this year is that no one is guaranteed a spot.

Godin has done well at Villareal, Maldonaldo is someone I don't know very well, while Yepes has done very well in the Serie A this year, and I would gladly take Cacau to be a back up, I don't see how it would hurt us, when Mancini has spent his time injured and Huntelaar awkwardly has to play as some sort of winger. Feghouli has shown promise and talking to Algerian friends, they say they want him to play for Algeria, but again, they warn that he's a little raw, but the talent is there.

A team is not defined by its starting 11. Our starting 11, even with Seedorf, Pirlo, etc, has shown that it can still beat anyone toe-to-toe. Our problem is that we do not have the players to give them adequate rest, and the team suffers as a result.

Look at Man Utd, they might have depth for every position, but, Rooney goes out, and they can't even put someone who can provide him some respite, someone who can fill in and give them that extra push. That's the difference between Milan now, and Milan in CL finals. In 2007, Ronaldo gave us relief in goal scoring, so that we could focus Inzaghi and Kaka in the CL. Arsenal is without Van Persie, Cesc, Gallas, Song, and their backups don't do the best job. I wonder what would happen to Barca is Xavi and Messi missed a game?

Do we need people to replace Gattuso, Pirlo, etc? Yes. Of course we do. But, if we realize that "hey, Berlu is cheap, money is tight, how can we best improve the squad?" Its not like we're Arsenal with Wenger who just refuses to spend money, as if its evil or something, we don't have the funds. What else do you expect Galliani to do? Talk of Leonardo leaving seems to be because he wants money from Berlu, so clearly this is a major problem.

I would love for someone else to buy Milan, spend money, and let us be a powerhouse again. Until that happens, we should stop complaining about any player that is free, is somehow crap, because, a lot of our team is. Most of Barca was free. Our youth department is filled with talent, in just one year. Beretta, Zigoni, Romagnoli, Verdi, Adiyiah, Hottor, and De Vito all seem to be doing very well. I don't think that Galliani will just fill the primavera up for one season and think "I'm done." Clearly we are going to be loading up our primavera, and I don't remember us being linked with them in the summer, they just popped up.

This is the pain of transition, and its even more painful because everyone else is spending money, and we're in need of it, and have an owner who has money, but won't spend it, for whatever reason. I still, don't see the problem of getting players for free, to fill positions that are going to be open. I just don't logically get it, honestly. Do you really think now that Kaladze, etc will be gone, we should spend 4 million here, 5 million there, 2 million here, and then, suddenly, still have 15-20 million for a Cissoko, or whatever? C'mon, that doesn't make sense.

We'll see how things turn out, considering the summer hasn't even started yet. However, I am in full support of grabbing as many players as we can, for free. And you know what? Even if we DID have billions of dollars at our disposal, I would STILL want us to sign free players. It means that we are being smart, and that we are the sort of club that can attract the best, and frankly, we still are that club. Stop listening to some Inter friend you have, who you think is "embarrassing you" or whatever, he's a football fan, what do you expect him to do?

Milan has been, overall, one of the best run clubs in the world, certainly, over the last 20 years. The trophies prove it, the way that players speak of the club, stick to the club, is a testament to that strength. Look at how many former players care about this club in a way that I don't see with Juve, Inter, or Man Utd, and other clubs. Milan builds this family atmosphere, and our success is a clear result of that. The more we pretend that its our biggest weakness, the more we lose.

So bring me Yepes, Godin, Maldonaldo, Feghouli, and Cacau. Goodbye Kaladze, Favalli (thanks), Oddo, Janku, and Mancini. Hello future.

Originally Posted by Aficio

hehe, free transfer, saving or stingy


Out of topic a bit: How do you think about the reinvestigation of Calciopoli 2006?

I think Inter would give the Scudetto 2006 to Roma and start next season with negative point

Lets hope for a warm summer and that one day I'll buy Gazzetta and read that Merda has been relegated just like Juve and have been written off the scudetto they won on paper! That would make Milan's low mercato acceptable

Seriusely, if the court will be the court of justice and not the court of money, Morratti will have some serious problems. We'll see, but I hope Inter gets every possible punishment they can!

Well If I'm not mistaken..........if they re-open the investigation with the reported new phone calls that have come to light now.......then Milan might be in further trouble as well. There are phone calls in there that involve Milan as well, that were not included during the previous trial.

Or am I wrong?!?!

Originally Posted by mrki

Lets hope for a warm summer and that one day I'll buy Gazzetta and read that Merda has been relegated just like Juve and have been written off the scudetto they won on paper! That would make Milan's low mercato acceptable

Seriusely, if the court will be the court of justice and not the court of money, Morratti will have some serious problems. We'll see, but I hope Inter gets every possible punishment they can!

I would hate for that to happen. When Juve got relegated, Milan looked around and didnt see Juve and an inter they didnt take seriously. Milan stopped being competitive thinking there was no real competition and we have been a shambles since.

Inter is the only team capable of carrying the Seria A flag in the latter stages of the CL and they set the bar high for other Italian teams to match. Without them, Seria A would be worse than it has already become.

Several players to watch today (Liverpool X Benfica): David Luiz, DiMaria, M. Rodriguez, Ramires(even in a poor form) and one of the most intriguing change of positions that I remember in a European player... Fabio Coentrão.

Still remember him in the under-20 WC in Canada playing as a winger. Heck! Still remember of him playing as a winger this season. This happens a lot in Brazil, to take a winger or LMD/RMD and turn into a fullback, but don't see it often in Europe(maybe I'm wrong).

With our connections with Rui Costa, it's a shame we can't compete in the market anymore...

Originally Posted by Brasileiro

With our connections with Rui Costa, it's a shame we can't compete in the market anymore...

You can have so many connections but you can't buy if you are not ready to spend. That is Milan unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Brasileiro

Several players to watch today (Liverpool X Benfica): David Luiz, DiMaria, M. Rodriguez, Ramires(even in a poor form) and one of the most intriguing change of positions that I remember in a European player... Fabio Coentrão.

Still remember him in the under-20 WC in Canada playing as a winger. Heck! Still remember of him playing as a winger this season. This happens a lot in Brazil, to take a winger or LMD/RMD and turn into a fullback, but don't see it often in Europe(maybe I'm wrong).

And so far he has delivered in some big matches as a fullback.

He could be the surprise in, imho, a very weak Portugal team during South Africa 2010.


Yesterday Jucilei was playing as a fullback on the right side. He is soooo versatile.

Watching Wolfsburg v Fulham to see Dzeko (why I do not know) Fulham 1 up after 20 seconds

Originally Posted by bayern

And so far he has delivered in some big matches as a fullback.

He could be the surprise in, imho, a very weak Portugal team during South Africa 2010.


Yesterday Jucilei was playing as a fullback on the right side. He is soooo versatile.

You're right, I'm liking what I'm seeing of Coentrão.

Jucilei will be Brazil NT in the near future, bayern... no doubt about it. The time to buy him is now...

Btw, Sidnei, ex- Internacional CB and friend of Pato we were link in the past is playing at CB and David at LB. Don't like it... not because of the player quality, but of the defensive posture.

Originally Posted by Siregar

You can have so many connections but you can't buy if you are not ready to spend. That is Milan unfortunately.

You're right

hows Dzeko playing Jay?

Originally Posted by Brasileiro

Btw, Sidnei, ex- Internacional CB and friend of Pato we were link in the past is playing at CB and David at LB. Don't like it... not because of the player quality, but of the defensive posture.

I still don't understand why you don't like it. You don't like Sidnei as CB or Luiz as LB? Or because both are playing as defenders?

Btw how do you rate Sidnei? Why do you think about Sidnei playing as CB not Luiz (you really rate Luiz very high)? Did we really ever link with Sidnei?

Originally Posted by Kaka1899

hows Dzeko playing Jay?

Not great very frustrated but Wolfs are all over the place , can't judge him by this.

Originally Posted by Siregar

I still don't understand why you don't like it. You don't like Sidnei as CB or Luiz as LB? Or because both are playing as defenders?

No, I like Sidnei as CB a lot. I talked about him at "Kaka's father..." topic, and imo he's doing great in this game. It's more a question of change of style. I watching Benfica play since the start of the season, and they are great playing "to kill you" type of football. Every time they tried to play it safe, they didn't play good...

Btw how do you rate Sidnei? Why do you think about Sidnei playing as CB not Luiz (you really rate Luiz very high)? Did we really ever link with Sidnei?[/quote]
I hate Sidnei high, very high! Imo he's doing great against Torres today, and all this without playing too much this season. Very impressive for a rusty defender.

We were linked to him in the past, when he was at Internacional. He and Pato are best friends(lived in the same house). But as always, we give up, and Benfica bought him, and now has another future 20/25 million defender for "banana's money, like they did with David Luiz.

Thanks Brasileiro for the information.

So, how David Luiz performance this season? Any significant upgrade from his ability? He is first team player for CB position right?