Winter Mercato 2011

Originally Posted by Maltese Charlie

Barbara Berlusconi is showing interest to have a seat in Milan's Management!!!!!

Looks like something is going to happen.

Good news ? Bad news ? I don't know ...
But after reading what said Allegri about her, I think she doesn't come for football !!

The best would be that Marina Berlusconi was interested, as she's among the most powerful women in the world, she knows how to manage a firm. The same can be said for Piersilvio Berlusconi. Barbara Berlusconi is just a young woman for moment and I don't think she has any key role in any firm.

But after that and when we know that Piersilvio is an absolute fan of the club, who knows if we won't be owned by the Berlusconi family for 30 more years ?!

Originally Posted by GeoTav

Good news ? Bad news ? I don't know ...
But after reading what said Allegri about her, I think she doesn't come for football !!

The best would be that Marina Berlusconi was interested, as she's among the most powerful women in the world, she knows how to manage a firm. The same can be said for Piersilvio Berlusconi. Barbara Berlusconi is just a young woman for moment and I don't think she has any key role in any firm.

But after that and when we know that Piersilvio is an absolute fan of the club, who knows if we won't be owned by the Berlusconi family for 30 more years ?!

Good news ? Bad news ? I don't know ...

Originally Posted by xvr11

I don't buy the age and growth thing. Everyone in the game goes through this age and period and they arent chronically injured as Pato. Some poeple bodies just can't take the pounding (R9) is prime example.

Lets not forget also the american sports where they are much more phsyical and players those age don't seem to have problems like Pato is having. And were just talking about running and fitness with slight physicality in soccer compared to football or basketball.

These injuries are worrisome.

R9 was steroid up like mad in PSV resulting in all the knee injuries later in career due to his ligaments/tendons not being able to cope.

Let's forget American sports. They don't have to perform as many movements that a football player does - agility and flexibility + all the rest periods they have during games.

If Pato was getting continues hamstring issues then your point would be correct, but he keeps getting small muscles tears which could be a poor training regime or diet.

Pato is developing phisically, he needs time.

Anyway, in the winter, for the sake of football - buy ONE good fullback so we can play for real. Its sad to see how Bonera plays on the right with Pato and Ibra, how Antonini cannot cross even if you create 15 clear chances for the cross ( oh, crossed once vs Auxerre!).

If Boateng and Flamini find their form and place in first 11 most of the games, and if Milan does get just one new fb who will be on the level which we need, in the second part of the season we can play seriousely in the CL.

If we stick with Seedorf, Pirlo, Ambro mid., with bonera as a RB in front of Zambrotta, we cannot go for the London final, Im 100% sure.

For serie a we just need balance and some more fitness. Without injuries we can win it. We have too much attacking power now with Ibra and Robinho + Boateng.

I need to see mroe matches to see how this team works, this is it for now. There will be more games as vs Cesena, where it wil be horrible to see what our defence can ( cant ) do. So its important to have moving midfield. More of Boateng and Flamini is the key!

Originally Posted by ZvonimirBoban

Good news ? Bad news ? I don't know ...

well his son seems a decent enough guy, its his daughter that holds finivest that screws us over most often.

Originally Posted by Tony75

R9 was steroid up like mad in PSV resulting in all the knee injuries later in career due to his ligaments/tendons not being able to cope.

Let's forget American sports. They don't have to perform as many movements that a football player does - agility and flexibility + all the rest periods they have during games.

If Pato was getting continues hamstring issues then your point would be correct, but he keeps getting small muscles tears which could be a poor training regime or diet.

I read some rumours saying that it could happened because with Milan he was following a certain training pattern and when he joined the brazil national team he trained on a different pattern for 1 week. In fact both him and Tiago Silva suffered musscle problems when they returned.

Maltese Charlie can you give us your opinion on Barbara Berlusconi? Most of us have no idea what to expect from this move.

Not only because he's injury prone, but we aquired Robinho, I won't mind selling Pato in the next summer and purchase Dzeko. We'll loose some of the tricks and speed, but get strength and ball moving efficiency.

Robinho+Dzeko+Ibra>Dinho+Pato+Ibra

strongly disagree, pato is better than those 3... who is Dzeko anyway now that we have Ibra? if we are to sell pato for 60m, it would be okay if only we got Neymar, only... not even Ganso... because Neymar would be a direct replacement.

Originally Posted by hitmannq8

Maltese Charlie can you give us your opinion on Barbara Berlusconi? Most of us have no idea what to expect from this move.

Sorry my friend, I can't tell you.

The last time I took her out for a pizza I promised her to keep every thing secret!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I can only tell you that she is a little bit (2 euros the most) richer than me.





I think her father wants to tell everyone that he still has Milan in his heart, and after him a member of his family will take over.

I hope all works out with Pato...hopefully it's just that he's young but I don't recall other young players being hurt because they're young...

Neymar would be only replacement for Pato... and I would still not want to do that unless we know he has injury problems.... like Kaka..

Originally Posted by Tony75

R9 was steroid up like mad in PSV resulting in all the knee injuries later in career due to his ligaments/tendons not being able to cope.

Let's forget American sports. They don't have to perform as many movements that a football player does - agility and flexibility + all the rest periods they have during games.

If Pato was getting continues hamstring issues then your point would be correct, but he keeps getting small muscles tears which could be a poor training regime or diet.

Your joking right? That's just an ignorant statement because your are totally biased. Have you watched american football? The absolutely beatings those men take? Have you watched basketball? The same basketball that requires you to play an uptempo game nonstop all game. The side to side, stop and go, up and down movements that put a pounding on ligaments and muscles?

What was wrong with Pato last year in CL? His hamstring. And what small muscle tears are holding him back? Tears means serious stuff. He can have muscle strains which means his muscles tire and get damaged. If thats the case, at 20 years old, he will be like that his whole life. There's a reason why youth years in all sports are your must prized, its because thats when your at your healthiest.

In my opinion starting at a younger age at a demanding club and schedule is tough, some can make it some can't. I doubt any of us can tell for sure which category Pato falls in. He is now 21, in my opinion if nagging injuries don't stop by 22 (or 23 latest) it is almost a certainty that he will be in more and continuous trouble beyond that age.

By the way my take on American sports...in all of them you have start and stops (time outs, switching lines, switching offense to defense) . In terms of stamina that makes them easier but in terms of athleticism, movement and stuff like it there is no difference.

Originally Posted by Elmago99

Thanks Brasileiro for the information. Milan has had a strong connection with Brazilians the way Merda has had a connection with Argentines...

Yep. Milan is very active in Brazilian market(on and off the field). Just last season, Milan reach the first place as the international team with more fans in Brazil. A huge achievement, because Barça and Real hype in South America is BIG.

Btw, Inter is slowly turning their eyes to Brazil, as in the near past they bought J. Cesar, Maicon, Motta, Lucio and now Coutinho. But we are still the #1 here...

Can you just give a sentence describing each player..and who they most resemble in Europe.... I think right now Jucilei is the guy Milan needs most..more than Ganso or Neymar...

I really don't like to label players after Europeans football stars, never likee these type of comparisons. But I will give a try...
Jucilei: Hard to find one... Today, if pressed, I would say a bigger Essien. With the arrive of Corinthians new coach(Adilson Batista), Jucilei was given a almost box-to-box role in Corinthians MID, and he's shining at it. I always thought Jucilei would be a much better player once he arrive in Europe, because there, they would use him as a box-to-box player. And after watch the last 7 games of his new role at Corinthians, I have no doubt about that. What is scary is he's showing that is even better technically than I thought... Imo, priority #1 in January.

Ganso: Ganso reminds me a left footed Zidane. Same pace, class... Ganso likes to play more deep than Zizou, and has a better work rate, but one more time, it's unfair to compare him with a legend like Zidane. I hope one day he gets there... Would be great to have him(or Giuliano) as our #10 next season.

Neymar: Reminds me a lot a 18yo Robinho, but being a much better prospect. Robinho was a very poor finisher at 18, but Neymar on the other hand is a amazing finisher. Really has CF skills. Plus, appears to be more faster, too. Not even Ganso at 18 played at his level... Imo, with Pato and Robinho at Milanelo, Neymar would be a luxury(a AMAZING one), but we have more glaring needs to fill...

Are there any promising RB's? new Dani Alves'? Maicon's?

People here are raving about Mariano(from Fluminense), but I still saw little of him. To be honest, the games there I saw he was unimpressive. But he's getting a lot of praise here and to be fair, I only saw him playing 3 times this year.

I guy that I like a lot, and if coached(like Maicon and Daniel) maybe could turn into a complete fullback in Europe is Pará, from Santos. Amazing going forward, great effort at the back, but still raw at defending. Positional awareness on defense still need work, but with his willingness and work rate there(defense) I can see a improvement with the right coaching...

To be straight, every fullback prospect here nowadays is a high risk. At least the ones playing professional... Imo, a purchase of a guy like Mario Fernandes would be a much better(and smart) solution. He's a CB, but with skills(defensive&offensive) to play as fullback if needed. Amazing young player and one of the only 2 players that I saw stopping Neymar, Ganso and Robinho at his side playing RB, without rely on several fouls. The other one was Jucilei when played as RB against Santos...

Originally Posted by Reza

In my opinion starting at a younger age at a demanding club and schedule is tough, some can make it some can't. I doubt any of us can tell for sure which category Pato falls in. He is now 21, in my opinion if nagging injuries don't stop by 22 (or 23 latest) it is almost a certainty that he will be in more and continuous trouble beyond that age.

By the way my take on American sports...in all of them you have start and stops (time outs, switching lines, switching offense to defense) . In terms of stamina that makes them easier but in terms of athleticism, movement and stuff like it there is no difference.

Thanks, Reza!!! It's all speculation right now, guys...

The schedule in a big club in Brazil is even bigger than in Europe and teams here doesn't do the turnover. It was one season, but here Pato didn't have this injure.

Milan doctors need to investigate it deep. Still remember when Bebeto always had the same muscular injure several years ago, and after several months of research, Doctors found a dental problem that was starting the problem. Strange, but after that his muscular problems disappear...

David Luiz also had the same ankle problem for 2 seasons. I was worried at that time since he was becoming injure prone, but Benfica sent him to a specialist in USA, and he was healed. Messi too, spent 2 or 3 season with the same muscular injure some years ago, and now appears to be healed. Calm down, folks...

MilanLab need to step up