Milan's Biggest Need + Crisis Solution + Don't blame management

i have a feeling he took up Shevas non EU spot. I didnt think he had a spanish passport?..

That is one reason why im so pro Italian and european players at Milan. Its alot of hassle that whos eu and non eu stuff..

Does anyone know who our list of 5 non Eu players are?

my guess would be

Pato
Dida
Cafu?
Serghino
kalac?

Motivation is an excuse for poor players. Most of the people here would be motivated to play for Milan, doesn't mean we'd do a good job.

It's very simple guys. Stop, repeat STOP buying crap players, and buy the players you promised, the superstars, the ones who can make a difference. We are in the same market as all the other clubs, except we end up looking in the bargain basement for our players.

Originally Posted by Tony75

Motivation is an excuse for poor players. Most of the people here would be motivated to play for Milan, doesn't mean we'd do a good job.

No it ain't. Motivation is a important issue for all top teams and it is many factors contributing to it. It is IMO a big problem for us and the most simple explanation as to why we do better in the big UCL play-offs and why we used to win the first 4 UCL group games only to not win the two last...

Originally Posted by ACMILAN1983

I didn't agree with the summer transfers, but I didn't think we needed much more. As Pato can't play until January, I would have kept an extra attacking option for the first half of the season (my pick would have probably been Oliveira). I also thought a top class LB was needed. Though Janku has done reasonably this year on the whole, I still feel a signing like Zambrotta would have been better.

However, we must also look at the problematic areas of the squad, which at the moment is most commonly in the attacking third (the defensive third is struggling too, but isn't as big a problem). No one can deny we're weak in depth for our attack, but at the same time, we were expecting players like Serginho and Ronaldo to have actually played. If we had them back (or even just one), rather than just Gourcuff on the bench at times, we'd have a few options, and greater depth. For example, Serginho offers width and pace, Ronaldo acceleration and ability to play off the front man and then players like Gourcuff and Gila, Pippo or even Seedorf on the bench, depending on the system in use. Problem is the depth isn't there, nor the options, as these players have had long term injuries. So really I don't blame them for thinking the squad was competitive.

Anyway, I really doubt the problems at the moment are to do with a weak squad or lack of a decent transfer campaign. These factors may add to the problems, but it's evident that this squad is more than good enough to challenge for a top 4 spot, and that's the bare minimum. The fact that isn't the case, and that we're struggling in 11th, losing against Palermo, Empoli and Celtic, suggests to me the problem is deeper rooted.

Sacchi today has apparently commented that in his opinion it was to do with motivation, which I agree with to some degree. I was appalled at how we played at Siena and for me that was the start of the problems, as we didn't seem to look at that game to see what was wrong and simply looked beyond it. However, after that the same happened again and as results fail confidence drops. Now we're at a point where confidence is very low, and we're trying to force our way out of the problem, which makes things worse when they fail (which in most cases it does). I still feel our problem is mental rather than physical or technical.

Wow, we didn't need much more. IMO the transfer campaign not only brings in quality players with skill and talent that helps the team, but also brings in hungry motivated players that want to win. This in turn rubs off on our players that have won before & whose motivation may not be what it was in prior years. That mix is important. It's a basic in sports youth + desire and hunger to win + experienced players that know how to win. (it goes without saying talent must be there also) We have a bunch of the latter, and one of the former that can't play until January.

Why the heck didn't we steal Rosina from Torino in the summer? He's young, fast with a lot of talent & hungry to win.

If it true and we said no to Toni & Ribery that's just plain ignorant on someone in management's part as they would've brought talent and hunger to win.(and in Ribery's case youth) Since there is no doubting the skill of these players, IMO by not signing them managment was saying we don't need these players.
I'll say it again, management's arms haven proven to be too short and our pockets too deep to get players of this calibre. Milan's popularity has never been higher...we know they have more money than they can count.

It seems that you like management were convinced that injury proned Ronaldo would stay fit. Why would you think that? What in his past would make you believe that he would be fit for an entire season? He was getting injured in his prime, much less when he's older. We didn't even bother buying a back up for him. So now we don't score. Instead we RELY on penalty calls to get our goals...and complain when we don't get the calls. (I'm not saying the refs aren't blowing calls...but relying in their calls to win/tie games or pointing to this as the reason why we're losing is pathetic for a team of Milan's stature)

When it comes to defence we are so slow that teams simply beat us on the counter. They don't always have the quality to score or finish the attack but we get beat a lot. We didn't pick up one defensive back. With all respect to Zambrotta he's up there in age also. We have the experience in the back already find a really good young defender and buy him! There are plenty out there that we could have bought. (Defense is tricky though because if we were scoring the way we should be the one lousy goal that we allow wouldn't be a problem.)

If management didn't see this year unfolding the way it has thus far... I question how well they know their team and question whether they fix problems on team they don't see. Further to that why do most Milan Fans on the outside see problems that management cannot.

The team is stagnant and needs an injection of youth to get the older guys motivated.

I'm as big a MilanFan as anyone...but when I see a problem I have to give my take what it is.

Good point mr. Anonymous!

Originally Posted by Graeme C

reason we had to loan Oliviera out was to get Pato back, one EU player in and out.

I’m not 100% sure but I think the rule is that Italian teams can hire only 1 non EU player per season, and is not related to the number of non EU players on the squad or to the number of non EU players leaving, so letting 1 non EU player go doesn’t open another spot….but again, I’m not a 100% sure.

Originally Posted by Paolo3

I’m not 100% sure but I think the rule is that Italian teams can hire only 1 non EU player per season, and is not related to the number of non EU players on the squad or to the number of non EU players leaving, so letting 1 non EU player go doesn’t open another spot….but again, I’m not a 100% sure.

By the way, as far as I know that rule apply only for transfers from abroad.

italian teams can only have 5 non-eu players, and have a 1 in one out system if the non-eu player comes from outside italy.

Originally Posted by Graeme C

italian teams can only have 5 non-eu players, and have a 1 in one out system if the non-eu player comes from outside italy.

Are you sure about this ?
Because Inter has 10 non-EU (players without EU passport)

Julio Cesar, Cordoba, Maxwell, Maicon, Samuel, Suazo, Cambiasso, Cruz, Adriano and Crespo don't have an EU passport

Only Burdisso, Solari, Stankovic and Zanetti from the players who don't come from the European Union have the EU passport.

Graeme, I see your point. But either way, it was foolish to let RO go without replacing him. I still doubt the 5 non-EU per team rule, but even if that were the case, why didnt we get RO AND a European or Italian striker to cover for the first half of the season. How about something even more simple----why not hang on to Borriello until Pato becomes eligible?

There is no 5 non EU players rule in Italy, nor a 1 in 1 out that I know, and yes letting RO go (as bad as he looked last season) without getting another striker to hang on until January was not a good idea, we are forced to play the 1 striker formation until Pato becomes available because Ronaldo can't stay healthy and Pipo and Gila just doesn't work together.

Question, how many times (if any) on the past couple seasons Inter have filed an entire non Italian starting formation? I mean, I know Milan seems to have a fetish for brazilians but at least they put 6-7 Italian players on the field more often than not.....but Inter, oh boy....most of the players listed by Tony are starters at Inter, and there are anothers that have a EU passport but they are not Italians (Ibra, Viera, etc.)

Originally Posted by Paolo3

There is no 5 non EU players rule in Italy, nor a 1 in 1 out that I know, and yes letting RO go (as bad as he looked last season) without getting another striker to hang on until January was not a good idea, we are forced to play the 1 striker formation until Pato becomes available because Ronaldo can't stay healthy and Pipo and Gila just doesn't work together.

Question, how many times (if any) on the past couple seasons Inter have filed an entire non Italian starting formation? I mean, I know Milan seems to have a fetish for brazilians but at least they put 6-7 Italian players on the field more often than not.....but Inter, oh boy....most of the players listed by Tony are starters at Inter, and there are anothers that have a EU passport but they are not Italians (Ibra, Viera, etc.)

It's quite hard for Inter to field Italians because they only have a handful of Italians in the squad. Apparently 3 keepers and 2 defenders of whom Toldo and Materazzi are the only ones who play.


Oh, is there any truth in this article?http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=459976
If he really wants to leave, I suggest we get Rosina.

Originally Posted by rt9

Graeme, I see your point. But either way, it was foolish to let RO go without replacing him. I still doubt the 5 non-EU per team rule, but even if that were the case, why didnt we get RO AND a European or Italian striker to cover for the first half of the season. How about something even more simple----why not hang on to Borriello until Pato becomes eligible?

The management got rid of Borriello due to the drugs thing.. wasnt it steroids or something from his girlfriend? anyway Milan pretty much wanted to wash there hands with him. I agree with you guys that it was stupid losing a striker and only getting Pato in january. But i am glad we did get rid of Oliviera, that guy never looked like he would settle in Italy.

Originally Posted by ThrusT

It's quite hard for Inter to field Italians because they only have a handful of Italians in the squad. Apparently 3 keepers and 2 defenders of whom Toldo and Materazzi are the only ones who play.

I think that this year Inter will set ( if they already didn't) a new record in fielding a team without any Italians in it. Since Materazzi got injured and until he gets back from injury, the only time Inter has an Italian in the team is when Julio Cesar doesn't play.

They will play half the season without an Italian player in starting XI.