Summer Mercato 2010

It seems we are interested in Andrea Poli, sampdoria general manager gasperini confirmed this on tmw expecting poli to be milans on winter break

If about Juve, their last buy: Traore is a LB, covering the last remained requirement, but even this guy is not any special, 3rd choice after Clichy & Gibbs in Arsenal, IMO.

Juve will be solid, but I'm curious to see how they compete with Roma, Fio, Palermo,...

Originally Posted by Lebanese

It seems we are interested in Andrea Poli, sampdoria general manager gasperini confirmed this on tmw expecting poli to be milans on winter break

This guy has same fitness problem as Mesut Özil, it tooks time for him to train.

Originally Posted by mrki

Brasiliero - how do you feel now about Robinho in Milan? I havent seen your answer yet. Can he play as a 1st sub in here? Is he ready for that? Of course Im not even thinking about playing 4-2-4 as some say, its absurd.
How much would you play Robinho and what do you expect from him? Thanx!

Sorry, my friend. I saw your question before, but lose it with the rain of posts on this thread. Crazy times in MM

I will go a little off topic, but thats my personal vision(summarized) of the player/man Robinho:

When he appears in Brazil, everyone thought he would reach Romario, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho level. When he was 18yo, he lead a great and young Santos team(with Diego, Renato, Alex, Leo, Elano, Fabio Costa) to Brazilian Championship against all odds and one year later, to the final of Libertadores(lose to Boca Juniors). It's funny how some people(several Robinho's haters here in Brazil) like to give all the credit to Diego, when in the final he was hurt and it was Robinho that lead the show against Corinthias in the last game away from home. Don't get me wrong, Diego was very good too, and play a huge role with Alex(stopping a amazing Luis Fabiano) in the victory over Brazil's best team(São Paulo of Kaka&Fabiano) and 1st seed of that time(Santos was the 8º). That win gave Santos the confidence to win it all...

Back to Robinho, he was a amazing prospect with two glaring flaws: below-average finishing skills and frame. The body part was a overrated because of his style of to play. He was(is) at his best in a one touch football(tabelas, as we say here) and using his speed to always receive the ball one step ahead of the defenders. Robinho wasn't the type of skilled player that hold onto the ball and try to get past 3 or 4 players(like Messi, Robben, CR). This don't suit his style(frame) and it is the main reason that make every team that tried to turn him into a winger in Europe, fail... and the same thing will happen with Neymar if tried. Btw, it's incredible, but Neymar at 18 is a much better prospect than Robinho at the same age, and thats a scary thought. But thats another discussion.

He started starring at Real Madrid but couldn't maintain the level(for several reasons) but that you already know. In Milan I think Robinho will find the right environment needed to be the same of Brazil NT and Santos. Every Brazilian player that came to Milan talk about the family atmosphere, and for the respect they received by fans, teammates and Board. Plus, in contrast to what some people like to say, he's everything but a primadona. It's by far the most liked(by teammates) player of Brazil NT. Always in a good mood and like he displayed in Santos before World Cup, shows no EGO problem to became a adjuvant to Neymar and Ganso. So, I think he will fight for a starting place without any problem. If Allegri treat him right and fair, of course. Bottom line, he knows we have Pato, Ibra, Ronaldinho up front, but he also knows he can do several roles and add versatility to our attack, too. But I'm not naive... None of Pato, Ibra, Ronnie and Robinho will be glad of to be on the bench, even more in BIG Serie A and C.L games. So, it's all on the hands of Allegri to manage the minutes and situation. A advice I give to Allegri is: Play the ones with the best form and keep it straight with the four, always talking the true face to face. Players like and respect it. One thing is for sure, I can't see this 4 together more than this season...

But what I like about Robinho's purchase, is the fact it alone will bring the heat to Ronaldinho. He knows now there's a player on the rooster can do his role not only at the left, but also as AMD. Yep, he's not a pure ADM, but I already saw Robinho(mostly in Brazil NT) doing Kaka's role pretty well. Regarding the formation, we still lack the pieces to play "The Big 4" against better opposition, but I think we can do it against small(and some middle) teams in San Siro. One piece is a Jucilei/Essien type of player(2) on our mid and other is a Ronnie improved work rate. What I don't believe now he's on the 30's...

Since this post is so big, I will talk about playing the four together on another post.

the 4 can play together in a 4- 2 - 3 -1. But we'll be terribly exposed in the back without 2 good tacklers in the middle of the pitch. it can work as any two of Ambrosini, KPB ,Flamini and Seedorf, should do, bt as there's no room for pirlo in this formation, i don't really see us using it too frequently.
Thank you Don Silvio, Raiola and Uncle Fester for making this mercato the best in along time.

I noticed a lot of posts talking about the difficulty in deciding who sits and who plays up front but with the different competitions is it really a problem? Not to mention with injuries throughout the year I think that the Robinho purchase allows us to rest players up front and change styles depending on who the opponent is. I mean if a front line of ROnaldinho, Pato, and Zlatan is not fast enough on any given sunday then put Robinho in for dinho or Zlatan.
Or you could even go all out on a team by putting in all four.

-----------------------------Zlatan
-------------------Robinho-------------Pato
------------------------------Dinho
--------------------Pilro-------------Ambrosini
------------Antonini-------Silva-------Nesta-------Bonera
Abate

Talk about an offensive team I am not sure how it would work but I think it would be fun to watch against a team that wants to sit back and just try to counter us all day.

I think this is a great problem to have and I look forward to see how this plays out over the season.

If they all pressed the ball when lost, and understood def responsibilites then they could play together, but I doubt they will press much. I hope Allegri can install this into them as this is the starting point for all successful teams. Can;t wait for next match.

what a strange last week of this mercato!!! i'm soo damn happy!
Now we can finally win something again!!!
welcome Robinho!
and GRAZIE SILVIO!!!!!!!

For Champions League and Big Serie A games, or if it fits Allegri's tactics, they will simply use this Formation:

------------------Amelia/Abbiati------------------------
------Bonera-------Nesta---T. Silva------Antonini-----
-----------Ambrosini--Pirlo--(KPB/Flamini/Seedorf)--
--------------------------------Ronaldinho(Robinho)--
-----------------Pato(Robinho)-------------------------
--------------------------Ibrahimovic(Pato)-------------


Who start's will simply depend on tactics and what he's trying to do, who's fit, or injured... the Big 4 will rotate

Against lesser opponents, especially as San Siro,, I certainly expect this:

-------------------Amelia/Abbiati-----------------------
Bonera---------Nesta--T. Silva------------Antonini-----
----------------Pirlo----Ambrosini/Flamini--------------
------Pato------------Robinho--------------Ronaldinho--
----------------------Ibrahimovic-------------------------

You pull one off when want to balance the team out..but against lesser teams I don't see them losing with this formation.. they will pound teams like Barca and Chelsea currently does in their respective leagues...


very exciting... Allegri needs to keep open communication with these 4.. Unlike Mancini and Pep Guardiola.. and help them understand they will play together sometimes,, and they will rotate sometimes, but they will be first sub in....

I can't WAITTTTTTT

Wish KAKA was here again. Miss him.

Originally Posted by OCmilano

Wish KAKA was here again. Miss him.

now u miss kaka????!!!!

you have to watch games of man city and real madrid when robinho was deployed between midfielder and winger , if robinho can be a winger in england he can be a winger anywhere considering how phisically extreme that championship is , ronaldinho will stay up on the wing on the left like always you guys have to watch how spain would line up its team considering the midfield was inesta / winger , xavi , xabi alonso , sergio busquets , pedro and david villa are both strikers / wingers ... robinho same type of player .... seeing robinho arrive is seeing a dream , ive seen him in copa america in 07 , i remember watching him at santos before joining real madrid ( youtube ) , thats funny all teams complain that he's a headcase why didnt santos and dunga complain who was so strict that he didnt want to deal with pato's ego ? fact is most latin american players dont like england
( sorry language barrier and climate ) it was eazier for robinho to intregate to spain based on the stlye culture and language of the country the same goes in italy its 10x more eazy to learn italian / romance language then english or german dutch , and thats considering my personal point of view being born in the USA where english is the most commonly spoken language ...

so remember 422, 4231 or a open 442 mancini's old inter formation look up your fifa video games and youtube highlights ...

Do you think we can win in games vs teams like Barca MU RM Inter?

Is this:

-----------------------------Zlatan
-------------------(Dinho)Robinho-------------Pato
---------Seedorf(KPB)-----------Pilro-------------Ambrosini(Flamini)
------------Antonini-------Silva-------Nesta-------Bonera

Can win a team like Barce (the team around)?

I think we steel don't have a good LB and RB who can chalenge D.Alves and a good Mid player insted of Seedorf.
Our Center D is VERY GOOD(!) amd Pirlo will become PIRLO with Flamini our mid can be very good.
IN front we will have to wait how will Zlatan and Robinho will do and if Pato will show we can do and I think that the big Q is if Ronnie will play like in sunday. If he will and Zlatan will return to Inter's Zlatan And Robinho will play like in Brazil
OUR FRONT WILL BE AMAIZING!!!
Lets wait and see...

One more Q:
How do you think Robinho will adapt to the SERIA A?

Does anyone know if we actually signed that Sebastian Coates kid? I really wanted him here because he is young, talented and big. If mentored well, he could turn into the Nesta successor we need. Besides, we do not yet have a huge towering defender outside of Onyewu.

Originally Posted by mrki

Brasiliero - how do you feel now about Robinho in Milan? I havent seen your answer yet. Can he play as a 1st sub in here? Is he ready for that? Of course Im not even thinking about playing 4-2-4 as some say, its absurd.

How much would you play Robinho and what do you expect from him? Thanx!

Regarding the offensive formation, Milan will face the same dilemma Brazil NT coach is facing right now, working on a team for a W. Cup in Brazil, where several teams will "park the buss" against us.

Mano Menezes said it very well in a interview I watched last Saturday when asked about the first(and very offensive) Brazilian team he put together against USA last month. A very offensive 4-2-3-1 where the DM's were Lucas and Ramires, and the Fb's Alves and André Santos. Keep in mind Menezes is a defensive minded coach and that alone let everyone(press/fans) curious about his new approach. Just to clarify, he isn't a catenaccio coach, but one gives high importance(and value) to a strong defense.

So, he talked about of how the amount of offensive talent(Milan?? ) he has on the hands as Brazil NT coach change his style, and clarify points about such a offensive minded team and how it could work. What he said a team need to do to play(and win) in that way, was:

1- Fast CB's to play a high defensive line(as Allegri did Sunday), plus with ability on the ball. They need to be able to pass and can't fail. Since the team press so high, the creation start on their feet. A thing Tiago did for us a lot against Lecce. Brazil has T. Silva, Alex, D. Luiz, Mario Fernandes and R. Toloi(maybe Sidnei) and Milan has Silva, Nesta and from what I saw, Sokratis. So, we can do it.

2- But for it works, needs a Midfield with pace, strength, high work rate and ability on the ball. Like he said, we cannot lose the ball on the mid. We need to keep possession and boss the game or we will lose. And one more time emphasized it: Quality to keep the ball and don't lose it easily committing a mistake because the D will be high and exposed. Here we are laking material, imo. A player like Rinno runs a lot, but will lose it too and in a dangerous area. Thank God the time of the Gilberto Silva's type of player for Brazil DM position is running out. I hope for us, too. If he put it together, Flamini could be one of the 2 DMs, but we still miss the other one.

3- The AMD and wide players need to have at least a very good work rate. We(Brazil) have Ganso and Giuliano(if called) Neymar and Robinho. all can do it. We have Ronnie, and here is where the balance is lost for us. But now we have Robinho.

Brazil played with:
-------------------------------Pato--------------------------------
--------------Neymar--------------------------Robinho-------------
-------------------------------Ganso-------------------------------
------------------Ramires-----------------Lucas--------------------
----Andre Santos----D. Luiz--------------T. Silva----------D. Alves---

Like Mano said, when you play like this, there will be times you will expose your CB's, so they need to be real good and fast. Like in the first 15 minutes against USA when they stole the ball in our side and almost score. But if you have the talent and compromised players, the reward is amazing!!