How OLD is Milan now???

Emerson is JUST 29.

2 years ago.....

forza_rossi wrote:Emerson is JUST 29.

He is 31, still a teen by Milan standards I guess.


He looks like 71 at least.

I really don't understand Milan's transfer policy at times. You'd think they'd be trying to bring in some fresh blood, but they seem hell bent on turning it into a retirement home.

Most of the squad are twice as old as Pato...

It's not even as if they're lacking in the DM position.

blutgraetsche wrote:

forza_rossi wrote:Emerson is JUST 29.

He is 31, still a teen by Milan standards I guess.


He looks like 71 at least.

Oopss i really need to check before i post.

Calidad wrote:I really don't understand Milan's transfer policy at times. You'd think they'd be trying to bring in some fresh blood, but they seem hell bent on turning it into a retirement home.

Most of the squad are twice as old as Pato...

It's not even as if they're lacking in the DM position.

but its worked hasnt it? Everyone keeps calling them old yet they still keep blowing these younger teams away in the CL

Ronaldo
Seedorf Kaka
Emerson Pirlo Gattuso
Jankulovski Maldini Nesta Oddo
Dida

Apart from Dida this is a very strong team.

They are well covered in defence with Kaladze, Bonera, Simic, Cafu, Serginho and Favalli providing cover.

In midfiled they have Ambrosini, Brocchi, and Gourcuff covering the main positions. Pato could play in Kaka's role in the new year. This is maybe a bit short still, but Emerson has definately helped the situation.

Upfront, they have Inzaghi and Gilardino providing cover plus Pato in the new year.

According to the first team squad posted on Wikipedia, the average age of Milan's squad is 30
A couple of youth team players, Pato, Gourcuff, and Digao (Kaka's brother) bring the overall age down, but most of these bar Gourcuff are nowhere even close to the first team right now. There's a couple of players like Gilardino and Kaka in the mid-20s, and practically everyone else is 29 and above!!!

But it does work for them, so it seems like the club's officials have a clear strategy of sacrificing injuries and the risk of a lack of hunger for experience.

digao, is he any good or is he riding on his brother's coat tails

I know you talk from his performances in Spain, but IMO Milan have pulled the transfer of the summer so far!!

Emerson for £3.8M??? Wow!!! Emerson will unfortunately make milan so much more hard to beat now, also giving them this alternative to Gattuso that Ambrosini never was.

Sick sick day. Imagine a midfield of Gattuso-Emerson-Pirlo-Seedorf-Kaka!! It makes me very worried. Milan now have the best starting midfield in Europe IMO.

As for the age thingy, yeah so some of these guys will not last 3 seasons... how the fcuk does that make any difference if these guys can perform next season - 2-3 seasons later Milan will replace them. This whole age thing is so over rated. Ideally a top club should only buy 27-28 yr olds at the peak of their powers... but if a 31 yr old or a 24 yr old can deliver the same, it does not make any difference. Its much better than buyin a 22 yr old "potential" superstar coz you gotta pay for his learning curve.

Calidad wrote:I really don't understand Milan's transfer policy at times. You'd think they'd be trying to bring in some fresh blood, but they seem hell bent on turning it into a retirement home.

Most of the squad are twice as old as Pato...

It's not even as if they're lacking in the DM position.

Gattuso-Emerson-Pirlo-Seedorf is the best starting midfield in Europe?


I must not understand football.

kas wrote:Gattuso-Emerson-Pirlo-Seedorf is the best starting midfield in Europe?


I must not understand football.

you forgot Kaka aswell.

And yes you must not understand, that midfield is simply awesome and perfectly balanced.

I count Kaka more as the withdrawn forward.

I'm sure that midfield is great for Milan (assuming Emerson recovers his form and adapts to Milan) but that surely cannot be the best starting midfield in Europe. It'll be up there, but Barcelona, Chelsea, Man. Utd., Inter, are all equally good or better.

If the 5 of them play the way we know they can, I can't see a better midfield... at least not at Inter/Barca/ManU/Bayern/Lyon.

You forget that Emerson will probably play the way he did with Juve now that he is back in the familiar Italian environment. That Emerson was one of the best for his position.

uh oh Real, what have you done!!

BoBo Vieri wrote:

kas wrote:Gattuso-Emerson-Pirlo-Seedorf is the best starting midfield in Europe?


I must not understand football.

you forgot Kaka aswell.

And yes you must not understand, that midfield is simply awesome and perfectly balanced.

I don't think it's a given that Emerson will play like his Juve days. First, Milan have a different system to Juve. 2nd, he'll be behind his teammates in fitness/match sharpness (he's hardly played any friendlies). Also, we don't really know if he's past it or just had a bad year at Madrid, even though common sense indicates the latter.

Jury's still out IMO, I wouldn't worry as much as you just yet.

bluenine wrote:If the 5 of them play the way we know they can, I can't see a better midfield... at least not at Inter/Barca/ManU/Bayern/Lyon.

You forget that Emerson will probably play the way he did with Juve now that he is back in the familiar Italian environment. That Emerson was one of the best for his position.

uh oh Real, what have you done!!

BoBo Vieri wrote:

kas wrote:Gattuso-Emerson-Pirlo-Seedorf is the best starting midfield in Europe?


I must not understand football.

you forgot Kaka aswell.

And yes you must not understand, that midfield is simply awesome and perfectly balanced.

yeh exactly! plus Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattuso and Kaka have played together for a long time (4/5 seasons) and i dont think anyone has the chemistry of these 4.

Hope you are right, but I just don't have a good feeling about this.... Real selling Emerson/Cannavaro to Milan was my worst nightmare, coz these guys will blend right into the Milan strategy!

kas wrote:I don't think it's a given that Emerson will play like his Juve days. First, Milan have a different system to Juve. 2nd, he'll be behind his teammates in fitness/match sharpness (he's hardly played any friendlies). Also, we don't really know if he's past it or just had a bad year at Madrid, even though common sense indicates the latter.

Jury's still out IMO, I wouldn't worry as much as you just yet.

You cant blame Real for selling Emerson .. Schuster sees Diarra + Gago in his plans.

Emerson will be a good (grand-)father figure for Pato at least, that's for sure.

Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

Milan's midfield is solid, with the arrival of Emerson, they will be tough to beat in Europe more than ever, especially how most teams are very cautious.

Chelsea Vs Milan could be a game to put you to sleep

Only thing is that playing five in midfield will limit their attacking edge, Ronaldo will have to play upfront by himself with Kaka dropping off, which isn't ideal.

Although if Kaka and Seedorf provide the through balls, Ronaldo will surely latch on to one of them and score.

I think the Milan team will do well in Europe, but surely having so many old players will mean they cant mount both a domestic and international challenge. Last season they could afford to rest many players before the CL matches, but if they are fighting for the title, they wont be able to do that.

Good point, Rez. Thats my only hope, that they will start tiring. But unfortunately, the CL only starts getting strenous post Jan, and then Milan will have Pato, and might make a few moves in the winter window.

Rez wrote:I think the Milan team will do well in Europe, but surely having so many old players will mean they cant mount both a domestic and international challange. Last season they could afford to rest many players before the CL matches, but if they are fighting for the title, they wont be able to do that.

From what I have seen, Chelsea & ManU play 5 man midfields... so do Barca, unless they plan to play Eto'o & Henry together.

toon h wrote:Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

bluenine wrote:Good point, Rez. Thats my only hope, that they will start tiring. But unfortunately, the CL only starts getting strenous post Jan, and then Milan will have Pato, and might make a few moves in the winter window.

Rez wrote:I think the Milan team will do well in Europe, but surely having so many old players will mean they cant mount both a domestic and international challange. Last season they could afford to rest many players before the CL matches, but if they are fighting for the title, they wont be able to do that.

True, but wont Pato play instead of Gilardino or Emerson.

I also dont believe Ronaldo will play more than 25 league games next season and the rest of the older players wont be able to play 30 league games and 12 CL games at full intensity.

I think Milan will have to focus all their energy into one competition and looking at Inters squad, they would be best advised to focus on the CL.

bluenine wrote:From what I have seen, Chelsea & ManU play 5 man midfields... so do Barca, unless they plan to play Eto'o & Henry together.

toon h wrote:Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

Well personally I'd rather -

Deco, Xavi, Marquez, Messi & Ronaldinhio

Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Ronaldo & Rooney

Ballack, Lampard, Essien, J Cole & Malouda

bluenine wrote:From what I have seen, Chelsea & ManU play 5 man midfields... so do Barca, unless they plan to play Eto'o & Henry together.

toon h wrote:Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

Chelsea play Drogba and Sheva if everyone is fit.

United will play Rooney and Tevez/Saha if everyone is fit.

I wouldnt really class Ronaldinho and Messi as midfielders, more support strikers or wing forwards, because they have virtually no defensive responsibilty and regularly interchange positions with Eto.

Anyhow Milan do not use wingers, so its difficult to compare their midfield with teams, who use wingers in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation. As we found out last season Milans midfield is exceptional.

Parks lives wrote:

bluenine wrote:From what I have seen, Chelsea & ManU play 5 man midfields... so do Barca, unless they plan to play Eto'o & Henry together.

toon h wrote:Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

Well personally I'd rather -

Toure, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi & Ronaldinhio

Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Ronaldo & Rooney

Ballack, Mikel, Essien, Robben & Malouda

Chelsea and Barcas midfield is frightening, apart from Carrick ours is very strong.

Toure---Hargreaves--Essien----Gattuso

Xavi----Carrick-------Mikel-----Pirlo

Iniesta--Scholes------Ballack---Emerson

Messi---Ronaldo------Malouda--Seedorf

R'dinho--Rooney------Robben---Kaka


If you could combine all 4 teams, I would play this;

---------Essien---Scholes*---------

Ronaldo-------kaka------Ronaldinho

What a team that would be.

* I would put Pirlo in Scholes, but he isnt aggressive enough.

Marquez plays midfield now??

The closest one to Milan's midfield is Yaya-Xavi-Messi-Deco-Ronaldinho, much more attacking hence equally lethal... personally I think Chelsea midfield is as talented as Milan's, but Lampard and Ballack just don't click together, hence as a unit it is weaker.

Parks lives wrote:

bluenine wrote:From what I have seen, Chelsea & ManU play 5 man midfields... so do Barca, unless they plan to play Eto'o & Henry together.

toon h wrote:Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

Well personally I'd rather -

Deco, Xavi, Marquez, Messi & Ronaldinhio

Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Ronaldo & Rooney

Ballack, Lampard, Essien, J Cole & Malouda

bluenine wrote:From what I have seen, Chelsea & ManU play 5 man midfields... so do Barca, unless they plan to play Eto'o & Henry together.

toon h wrote:Milan's midfield maybe better than Chelsea/Man U/Barça/RM etc because you put 5 players in it. Other teams all play with 3 or 4 midfield players. They only play one up front so their midfield should be something special.

I would say Barca play with a three man midfield, Messi and Dinho don't exactly defend. And when Saha was fit we was with two strikers, im sure will be when Tevez and Rooney are fit also.