Summer mercato 2009

Well if united can play vs Inter like this:
----Scholes-Carrick---
-Ronaldo-------Giggs-----
------Rooney---
---------Berbatov----

Then we can also play some opened football in serie a with Pirlo, Gattuso, Yoan and Kaka' in the middle.

The thing is that in past 2 years in serie a our players like Pirlo and Seedorf simly didnt fight and we always looked unprotected. When we play with 2 forwards our coach says "we are unprotected", and the rest of the Europe play CL games with 2 forwards??!

Its not the number of DM's, its the way they move and stand on the field.

First of all, we need a defence that can actually move and play high. That way your lines can be close and the space is closed, like Inter did well yesterday ( buahaha....wasnt enough! ).

Without a strong backline 3 Essiens cant help us in midfield. But with a backline lets say: Zambro-Nesta.Thiago-fast lb-
We can play high pressing game, in which the rotation and fast transition opens space for Kaka', Pato, fullbacks etc. Do not forget we have Ronaldinho, a player that is magical when he decides to play actually!
------------Flamini-------
---Gattuso-------Yoan---
-----Kaka'----Dinho------
----------Pato-----

This midfield and Pato can play vs every team on the planet if they move properly, BUT only with capable defence that can push high. That is the key.

REmember the way Stam and NEsta played when they were CB's? They tackled on 35-40m from the goal! And now our CM's are 30m from our goal defending in zone...

Originally Posted by boring

I have heard of him a lot though I haven't seen him play (except a few highlights). I think Magath praised him a lot. If you've seen him play, anything about his game?.. because he seems like a good player.

Well he is young very talent...he is first striker in Bosnia National team...you have video on youtube, etc...very good in air and can play with left and right foot, have good dribling ability...something like young Ibrahimovic...Maghat and Ciro Blazevic praised him a lot...he had very good game agaist Milan on San Siro and then start interest of Milan (Braida)...he scored 12 goals in this season and have something about 7-8 asist....and at the moment he is 4th on list MVP player in Bundesleague...in local paper he said that he is big fun of Milan and his idol is Sheva...(he changed shirt with Sheva)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edin_D%C5%BEeko

If Barca wants to get both Benzema and this Keirrison kid, they probably have to exile Eto'o and Henry, and maybe sell Bojan, there's just not enough room on that team.
Or maybe they have, we used to be the team nailing Savechevic and Boban to the bench for two years.

Originally Posted by mihan

If Barca wants to get both Benzema and this Keirrison kid, they probably have to exile Eto'o and Henry, and maybe sell Bojan, there's just not enough room on that team.
Or maybe they have, we used to be the team nailing Savechevic and Boban to the bench for two years.

Ah, those good old dyas.. like the SS banner said ‘Once upon a time there was a dream team, now it's ..' But things are different now. Benzema will cost a fortune, and luring away this Brasilian kid won't come cheap either. Anyway, his name doesn't sound familiar to me. Anybody ever see him playing? I mean not only from clips. Where is Brasileiro when we need him

The Bosnian striker for Wolfsberg looks like the kind of player we need. He is good in the air, looks like he can hold the ball up and like Inzaghi hovers around the box.

I have no idea how Benzema is doing these days.

Where would Kerrison fit in? We already have Pato, Kaka and Ronnie. Not to mention a dilema of where to accomodate Gourcuff.

If the formation was Milan's first priority, we would have realised that Pato and Kaka need a propper centre forward in front of them. Pato has been phenominal this season, but he isnt a poacher. Watching Inzaghi's third goal on Sunday, Pato wasnt even in the box. Its time we let Pato continue in his role as secundo punto and get another poacher. That way we wont have to wait 30 minutes between every shot on goal.

Im sick of us waiting for miracles.
We have waited for Senderos to suddenly blossom - Not happened
We have waited for Shevchenko to at least play well for Gods sake even if he doesnt score - Not happened
We have waited for Boriello to lead our line (Sometimes injuries end certain hopes, can we afford to risk yet another season to find out what the guy can do?) - Not happened
We have waited for Kaka and Ronnie to start making magic together - Not happened
We have waited for Nesta to rise like a phoenix - Not happened!

Our summer mercato cant possibly be so reliant on so many uncertainties again. Like Sacchi said, we have too many duplicates. bring Gourcuff back, bring in a striker, bring in Santacrocce or Zapata. Whoever delivers, plays. Who cant take the competetion suffers while AC Milan marches forward. And if Carlo doesnt try out new combinations, then he can go too. Im sick of seeing the same tired 11 players every single game!

Plus this choice of players will give us far more options:

--------------Abbiati------------------
Santarocce--Thiago--Zapata--Zambrotta
--------Gatusso--Pirlo--Flamini---------
-------------Kaka---------------------
--------Pato-----Striker---------------


--------------Abbiati------------------
Santarocce--Thiago--Zapata--Zambrotta
--------Gatusso--Pirlo--Flamini---------
-----------Kaka------Ronnie/Gourcuff---
----------------Pato--------------------


--------------Abbiati------------------
-----Santarocce--Thiago--Zapata-----
----------------Flamini----------------
-------Gatusso---Pirlo--Gourcuff-------
----------------Kaka------------------
------------Pato-----Striker-----------


--------------Abbiati------------------
-----Santarocce--Thiago--Zapata------
---------------Gatusso----------------
-------Gourcuff---Pirlo--Flamini--------
-----------Kaka------Ronnie-----------
----------------Pato-------------------

Best thing is players like Seedorf, Janku, Inzaghi can be used as and when needed. If nesta comes back, even better.

I think we just need a good box to box midfielder who can defend, pass, run, cross, etc, etc...someone like Gerrard or Fabregas. Our players at the moment are too static, everyone does their own role and that's it---there is nobody who is willing and capable to do multiple things and make the team more dynamic.

Who knows, if we start to show more faith in Flamini, maybe he can be that man for us.

Originally Posted by mrki

defence that can push high. That is the key.

REmember the way Stam and NEsta played when they were CB's? They tackled on 35-40m from the goal! And now our CM's are 30m from our goal defending in zone...

Correct!

I kept saying this after the Cagliari game (i think it was) and when people were asking for a 4-4-2.
This team with these players can not play that formation. That formation requires high defensive line. Our players can't do that and after 15 mins you started seeing the line drop deeper and deeper. Before you know it, our midfielders are standing 30 meters from goal defending. And even if we steal the ball that deep.....breaking away and taking the ball to the attacking third takes so much time that we never look like scoring...........or there is a long ball to a forward who is all alone without any support.

I remember Mrki in 03/04/05 when we had such a compact and mobile team that our DEFENDERS BLOCKED shots 25 meters from goal. That's how high our line was when opponents would 'try' to attack us...........and not now, defending with the defensive line on the 16 meter line. Ridiculous!!!

And I remember back to tha Arrigo Sacchi days when our defense used to be up near the midfield line, our whole midfield and forwards used to pressure the opponents for the ball. We either won the ball back, forced a bad pass, or if they were lucky enough to get a pass off, they would be called off side. That was a dynamic Milan that played some beautiful possession football. Now we play possesson football, but we're too slow when we have the ball, and then wait til the opponents reach our final third before closing them down, which usually is too late, we get a couple of long balls into the box and we crumble.

We should stop looking at what we did as I doubt we will ever see that again.

Originally Posted by Gabriel489

We should stop looking at what we did as I doubt we will ever see that again.

What I wonder is why can't we see something like that again? Sacchi's philosophy was an ageless one, that's what makes it so amazing.

I think it's okay to look back at we have done in the past, especially to Sacchi's era. His team IMO was the closest thing to perfection in football which was unprecedented then: finding the balance of lethal attacking and solid defense. But what's more important than looking back is taking valuable lessons from it.

Sacchi once said that the defense that conceded an average a goal a game is a mediocre defense. If we are to build a strong team, we must start with a strong defense.

Though we must wait a while before we judge him, getting Thiago Silva is a good start. Whereas renewing Favalli's contract (I read it it first here but I don't know if it's true) isn't.

Well Sacchi's Milan is byfar the best team ever assmble on this planet.

I remember seeing one pic of a 4 men wall of Guilt, ALbertini, Frank, and Van Basten. How did Milan manage to do that is beyond me.

If we want to see something similar to Sacchi's Milan, Berlu must go out and sign, Santacroce, Zapata, Essien or Diarra, De Rossi, Torres and Drogba.

Then I think we will be a strong team with a deep bench.

Originally Posted by Gabriel489

Well Sacchi's Milan is byfar the best team ever assmble on this planet.

I remember seeing one pic of a 4 men wall of Guilt, ALbertini, Frank, and Van Basten. How did Milan manage to do that is beyond me.

If we want to see something similar to Sacchi's Milan, Berlu must go out and sign, Santacroce, Zapata, Essien or Diarra, De Rossi, Torres and Drogba.

Then I think we will be a strong team with a deep bench.

Sorry I think you may have understood what I was asking. What I meant was why can't we see Sacchi's philosophy in football being applied again. Our greatest periods of success over the last 20 years all have certain characteristics, all of which were first seen in Sacchi's team in the '80's.

I won't write a dissertation on the matter (and you can), but simply, I want to see a few prinicples which Sacchi applied in his day being maintained in our club.

1) A solid defence - The defence is the foundation of a side. It is the security that makes a side capable of holding a lead and provides confidence through the side.

2) A well balanced midfield - A good midfield must be balanced. This means the best midfield in the world isn't necessarily the most talented. What it means is the midfield must be capable of functioning in all parts of the pitch, in defence and in attack.

3) Width - A good group of players are of no use if they aren't able to use the full width or length of the pitch. Defensive opponents need to be opened up, and spreading them across the pitch is a good way to make space to work through.

4) Teamwork or Unity - This is integral to the success of a side. A team must work as a unit to prevent opponents taking advantage of spaces. A compact side with good teamwork will always be stronger than a group of individuals without good teamwork. It's also more consistent, as the team work as one group rather than hoping for moments of brilliance from an individual.

5) Pace and tempo - I'm not saying we need to be the quickest side in the world, but a little pace is necessary from any side. Most importantly, it's how quickly the unit moves around the pitch and how quickly the ball is moved around the pitch. This doesn't mean players who are fast runners are needed (though it's an obvious benefit), but players who can play at a high tempo are. This pace is important when countering too (again, it's not the speed of a player that's most important, but how quickly we move the ball from defence to attack). Tempo is especially important to opening opponents. Many defensive opponents can be opened through a sudden single quick move. A good example is the traditional Brazil, at different lines of the pitch (line meaning how high or deep they are on the field), Brazil will generally play at different tempo's becoming most explosive when reaching the final 3rd or 1/4 of the pitch.

6) Movement - A key aspect of Sacchi's attacking gameplan. He said himself one of his greatest influences were the classic Liverpool team of the late '70s and early '80s. Liverpool of that time described their play as "pass and move". Essentially, once a pass is made, the player must move to give options for his teammate. This movement disorientates opponents and the defensive structure, opening up gaps in the set up. The same has often been seen in the classic sides throughout history, whether you look at classic Brazilian sides or the dutch total football.

7) High Pressing - The most famous aspect of Sacchi's game was the high pressing game. We dominated opponents by simply not giving them the chance to attack us. Counter attacks are nullified by pinning them back and a strong collective group is needed to achieve this. We essentially suffocate opponents until they give and we get our goals. Defence starts from the attack (again, I think Sacchi may have been influenced by the classic Liverpool in this regard) and the team works together to get the ball back. Same when attack, the unit moves around the pitch as a single compact group. Tempo is especially key to understanding how to apply the pressing game, as no team can apply it for 90minutes. Understanding when in the match to press high and when to slow the pace down and keep control of the situation is key.

8) Discipline - Every player on the pitch will have a role. Every player MUST know the system well, where they are meant to be on the pitch at all times and how their role in the side corresponds to others in the side.

When I look at these points and think of the current Milan, it's quite a depressing thought.

The thing is, ManU is Sacchi's Milan.

Originally Posted by Gabriel489

The thing is, ManU is Sacchi's Milan.

man take it easy