AC Milan 2007/08 Thread.

TheDude wrote:Cr@p!

You've heard it from me for the first time at least!!!

No, I did not.

I've said the same thing before to you?

I think you misinterpreted my second post, or I wasn't very clear. I meant that it's the first time you have heard it from ME PERSONALLY.

I have to put down the booze...

With Ronaldo fit and desperate to show the world that he still is a danger in attack, Kaka wanting his first Best Player of the year and a good midfield, I really can see Milan be quite an exciting team to follow this season. If only they had a few young defenders. They are my favorites alongside with Roma to win the Scudetto.

I really don’t believe in Inter, sorry Blue (truly one of the nicest posters here) but for me, Inter is just like a damn submarine, it may reach the top sometimes but it was made to sink.

They still have too many old players though.

And why didn't Gourcuff play last night? He's 21/22 now and should really be playing regular football. It seems that he won't be first choice at Milan until he is 32 however.

Mancio's lads will prove you wrong, Juligen.

juligen21 wrote:With Ronaldo fit and desperate to show the world that he still is a danger in attack, Kaka wanting his first Best Player of the year and a good midfield, I really can see Milan be quite an exciting team to follow this season. If only they had a few young defenders. They are my favorites alongside with Roma to win the Scudetto.

I really don’t believe in Inter, sorry Blue (truly one of the nicest posters here) but for me, Inter is just like a damn submarine, it may reach the top sometimes but it was made to sink.

Calidad wrote:They still have too many old players though.

And why didn't Gourcuff play last night? He's 21/22 now and should really be playing regular football. It seems that he won't be first choice at Milan until he is 32 however.

I don't think he'll be first choice this season, but hopefully we should see him play more games this season and see what he can do.

English referee Mike Riley has been assigned to Milan-Benfica.

What's twith Maldini's recent comments saying that certain sections of the San Siro don't cheer for the team any more?

kas wrote:What's twith Maldini's recent comments saying that certain sections of the San Siro don't cheer for the team any more?

Milan ultras went on strike over the allocation of Athens tickets. As protest, they don't vociferously support the team, or some don't even show up.

I think it's temporary. I hope it is because Milan fans are fairly faithful.

Ahh ok, it did surprise me because like you said, Milan have always been well supported and in the past few years things have been quite stable in terms of the relationship between fans and the club.

But yeah, the allocation for Paris in 2006 was also very annoying for Barça socios because Laporta kept a lot for himself, his buddies, and the sponsors.

kas wrote:Ahh ok, it did surprise me because like you said, Milan have always been well supported and in the past few years things have been quite stable in terms of the relationship between fans and the club.

But yeah, the allocation for Paris in 2006 was also very annoying for Barça socios because Laporta kept a lot for himself, his buddies, and the sponsors.

Actually it may have been the Supercup (according to Gazzetta).

Squad to face Parma, 18 players have been called up for tomorrow: GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Kalac; DEFENDERS: Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo; MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Emerson, Gourcuff, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf; STRIKERS: Gilardino, Inzaghi.

Just two strikers, we need a fit Ronaldo.

What Carlo Ancelotti said about the fan situation, he speaks about it as in it is more directed at Gila and Dida.

on the whistling and Paolo Maldini's worries about the fans: "In this moment the situation - the Milan coach said - at San Siro is certainly not very pleasant, we are disappointed that we are missing the support which we consider very important. The final part of last season went so well also thanks to a wonderful atmosphere which surrounded the team. Our Captain said some very true things yesterday, it's important to feel the support of your fans, there's nothing more to add to what Paolo said yesterday. I hope the team and all the players are spurred on in the right way, while for Gilardino it's only a matter of time, he always struggles a little at the start of a season, he will find back his verve and the goals will come later as always. He has no physical problems, but he has to learn to isolate himself mentally during a match and do what he does during the trainings. He scored 35 goals for Milan in these first two seasons, if he can keep this average up we can be satisfied, as I said it's normal for him to struggle at the start."

I hope we starting performing asap and starting winning games. We play Palermo next and only managed to pick up 1 point from them last season!

Miccoli is due a big game

Otherwise, Palermo can line up Cavani alongside Amauri!

So, Ancelotti era finally at an end? Or just really suffering from the lack of a striker?

(also, I asked earlier about this supposed dispute between Kaka and Ancelotti over the former's playing position...any truth in that?)

Milan need fresh blood. I would have thought that would have been obvious to Ancelotti. But he much alike the Italian contingent on here believe in consistency & experience. Seen little of the game today, but they looked very pedestrian.

After our collapse last season, does this prove that it's now near impossible for players to "get themselves up" for yet another season after winning the best trophy there is to win?

Too much football, I say

Nah, they just need a top striker... if they had a Toni there, they would have been doing awesome in all competitions so far.... it was silly not to go for one in the summer. By the time Pato is allowed to play, it might be too late. And Pato is still unproven. Inzaghi and Gila were Cr@p again tonight...

Can you imagine that none of their strikers have yet scored a goal in Serie A??

Calidad wrote:Milan need fresh blood. I would have thought that would have been obvious to Ancelotti. But he much alike the Italian contingent on here believe in consistency & experience. Seen little of the game today, but they looked very pedestrian.

I personally am amazed they still trust in Gilardino. He may have the numbers to back it up, but I've never ever seen him have a good game for Milan. Though I haven't watched much of them.

He was pretty decent in his first season, most people here don't give him credit for that... but he has been pants in 2007, totally useless.

But his overall record for Milan in Serie A is still decent - 30 goals in 63 games

IMO Gila needs to play with another striker... for a big team, he is hardly lone striker material. But Milan at the mo have only 2 strikers and both of them are very similar, so I can understand why they are playing this system. Its more out of lack of choice.

kas wrote:I personally am amazed they still trust in Gilardino. He may have the numbers to back it up, but I've never ever seen him have a good game for Milan. Though I haven't watched much of them.

even if they get ronaldo back or get another striker like toni i still think milan lack something that will make them able to compete in serie a.

I'm excited by the medias speculation that we are linked with Frey and Amauri but its only the medias fabricating a story, Milanello and the clubs heirarchy treat the club too much maybe like a 'family', they will never outcast Dida, he is here to stay unfortunately., even more damning though was the public revelation about the Toni and Buffon deals that Silvio 'veto' in the summer

Very excited about Pato's forthcoming debut, i've been up to Milanello and the San Siro tour recently and a lot of peoples at the club are very very excited about him, Galliani was positively gushing about his abilities to the press conference, but there are clear problems becoming public with Gourcuff's position in the squad. Regarding Sheva, it was allhis wife's fault apparantly, Galliani spoke about Sheva, it was completely his decision to leave rather than the clubs, and he speaks regularly with the heirachy, but his wife was 'insurmountable'!

This weekend we welcome Empoli to San Siro, who unsurprisingly are not repeating their performances of last year! Nesta and Kaladze are injured, so Simic and Bonera will deputise, otherwise we have a full strength midfield and we welcome a re-born Gila in attack

The CLOWN will likely keep his place in goal - the only other alternative is the even worse painted CLOWN KALAC

We need to start picking up some form in the league, its been a truly dreadful start which has virtually cost us any chance of challenging for Lo Scudetto, and i am still seriously worried about the 'family' philosophy of the club being taken too agressively and the lack of squad depth, especially in goalkkepr and defence, if Gila starts to free his mind and overcome the mental barriers then we will be fine with Ronnie and Pato to come in,

For Empoli, well Antonini, Marzoratti, Raggi and Pozzi are the talents - two familiar faces there! We should win, the points need to start counting now!

Dude, look out for young 19 yr old kid Giovinco. Pozzi is a bench player in the current azzurini squad, of which Giovinco is the "kaka". I have seen him play, tiny and featherweight perhaps, but can he play!!

Pirlo wrote:
For Empoli, well Antonini, Marzoratti, Raggi and Pozzi are the talents - two familiar faces there! We should win, the points need to start counting now!

bluenine wrote:Dude, look out for young 19 yr old kid Giovinco. Pozzi is a bench player in the current azzurini squad, of which Giovinco is the "kaka". I have seen him play, tiny and featherweight perhaps, but can he play!!

Pirlo wrote:
For Empoli, well Antonini, Marzoratti, Raggi and Pozzi are the talents - two familiar faces there! We should win, the points need to start counting now!

He's absolutely fantastic potential, he's got the physique to be a really difficult player to handle, and he controlled the Azzurrini in the previous three games, the only problem is his height, he's absolutely tiny! just like Zola!

Last season against Bologna he stood to the attention of mainstream fans with his assist for Trezeguet, Juventus' Primavera group is fantastic though for creative strikers- earlier this year we were told to look out for Davide Chiumiento, he is claimed to be the biggest talent, but look! They have produced Palladino, Paolucci and Volpato.

For me, it was those blasted two goals against Palermo in the Carnevale tournament, but what balance, speed and finishing! Even Barcelona were said to be scout him in Zurich for Empoli's UEFA Cup game!

His physique is the only problem i can see, he is slight although technically balanced, at least his loan away from Juve might stop the more agressive 'next Del Piero' comparisons!

So do you think Gourcuff will leave? Or will he get more opportunities. He's a huge talent, and I'm surprised, if not alarmed by his lack of regular football.

Calidad wrote:So do you think Gourcuff will leave? Or will he get more opportunities. He's a huge talent, and I'm surprised, if not alarmed by his lack of regular football.

He's not happy at the lack of oppurtunities and has publicly expressed this, and another negative for him was the management deciding to sign Emerson when Galliani publicly announced that they wouldn't and would allow Gourcuff playing time to develop.

He's nearly 22, if he's good enough then i can't understand why he's not picked unless positionally there is a problem - he's too slight to be played deeper at the moment, physically he doesn't offer what Ambrosini or Seedorf can say, and his decision-making at times has been strange, he doesn't seem to read team movement fluently yet, but players all take diffeent times and ages to develop and mature, i personally hope he stays and shows the mental character to fight for his place and prove Galliani wrong, but the signs so far is that Gourcuff is frustrated and Galliani has virtually admitted that they may let him go.

A lot of problems for Milan, where to start?

As is knowledge now, we had both Buffon and Toni signed in the summer only for Berlusconi and Galliani to cancel the deals, instead preferring to stay loyal (as is the Milan way) to Dida and Gilardino. Strange then that Galliani personally assured Gourcuff that he was guaranteed first-team football, only to sign Emerson after denying all approaches for the player.

Ancelotti - how much is he really to blame? He is forced to play a certain tactic because of injury and lack of squad depth, the question i'd really like answered is how much of an influence he has in transfer policy and how much the upper sporting technical staff sign the players and make them at his disposal to work with. Yesterday we saw he still has the tactical flexibility to attempt new ways, but unfortunately not the right personell to impliment his plans to their best effect.

Certain players at the club are simply not mentally strong enough to cope with the mantle and pressure that comes for playing for one of the world's most high profile teams - Gilardino, Dida are the two obvious examples. Other players - Brocchi, Simic, Kalac etc are simply not good enough and quite frank an embarrasment.

I had maintained the entire of last season and summer that we need significant squad strength to challenge for Serie A, this will be yet another season of domestic uncompetetiveness. Buffon or Frey would be a dream, some new talent at centre-back, say Gamberini or Barzagli, and a top top striker to replace Shevchenko - Ronaldo has fitness and regularity problems, Inzaghi is not a regular and that is not the best way to make use of his talents at 32 years, Gilardino is not mentally strong enough, Pato is undoubtedly a great prospect but young and we are yet to see how he can adapt on a proper match.

Bascially, in summary our problems amount to too much over zealous loyalty to players and staff and a stale atmosphere, although sometimes it is good to have regularity and loyalty, but not if it hinders preogression.
The club failed to sign top depth for the squad, to miss out on Buffon and Toni is a disgrace and there is no excuse.

And now, to yesterdays match. Unfortunately since my return i have yet to see us win at San Siro this season, we sat high up yesterday just next to the curva and it was virtually empty and the atmosphere was quite appalling except when Empoli scored and for the next five minutes we had a rousing rendition of 'Ale Milan' but it was a very hostile toward the team at the end and the usual abuse toward Gilardino when he returned to missing a clear goal. I got home quite late because of some delays, so not the best day out, at least i didn't have to be in work until midday today!

Empoli were quite simply excellent, they supressed space in behind their fullbacks and pressed our two wing-backs high up the pitch to stop them regularly hitting the touchline, they doubled and pressed our offensive midfielders, and funneled the team centrally to congest the midfield, when they broke they really spread play and drew the centre backs out, again with the goal it showed that as with last season this Milan side has defensive problems with crosses and the relationship between the defence is not well co-ordinated. Pirlo, Oddo and Seedorf were our best players, Seedorf's movemement and his delay to create space and time for his passes were absolutely fantastic, Oddo put in some great crosses too, maybe with better luck the referee should have given us at least one penalty - there were clear fouls on Inzaghi and Pirlo, but like with all referees for Milan this season - esp. with Palermo and Fiorentina we have not got the best luck.
Creatively we were fine but there was no end product, Gila and Inzaghi are too similar and neither has confidence at the moment, we lack the strength and options of a bulkier target man - although Ancelotti tried to adress this by playing Ambrosini up front for the last period, Gourcuff looked agressive and probed, but there was no real impact from him.

At the whistle there were boos and jeers for the players and Ancelotti, it si a frustrating time for the club and the fans, we are now 11th and in real danger of missing out on a champions league place because Inter, Roma, Fiorentina are certainly better than us at the moment, Juventus have had a fantastic start to the season and we are really strugggling to gain any sort of domestic rhythm. I give Ancelotti until the Winter Break, (but as we saw last year this may be no indicator!) if the fortunes are not turned then we should act and bring in Mourinho and make several new signings.

We'll see what happens now - Shakhtar and Roma, two very tough opponents and we need the confidence and the wins!

Good post, Pirlo. I have been saying the same thing....

Buffon and Toni is the exact difference between this Milan and a Milan which could have been alongside Inter at the top of the table.

The other silly decision has been to sell Foggia... if you do not plan to buy big players, then you should keep hold of your talented youngsters. Foggia should have been given on loan, not sold.

Pirlo wrote:A lot of problems for Milan, where to start?

As is knowledge now, we had both Buffon and Toni signed in the summer only for Berlusconi and Galliani to cancel the deals, instead preferring to stay loyal (as is the Milan way) to Dida and Gilardino. Strange then that Galliani personally assured Gourcuff that he was guaranteed first-team football, only to sign Emerson after denying all approaches for the player.

Ancelotti - how much is he really to blame? He is forced to play a certain tactic because of injury and lack of squad depth, the question i'd really like answered is how much of an influence he has in transfer policy and how much the upper sporting technical staff sign the players and make them at his disposal to work with. Yesterday we saw he still has the tactical flexibility to attempt new ways, but unfortunately not the right personell to impliment his plans to their best effect.

Certain players at the club are simply not mentally strong enough to cope with the mantle and pressure that comes for playing for one of the world's most high profile teams - Gilardino, Dida are the two obvious examples. Other players - Brocchi, Simic, Kalac etc are simply not good enough and quite frank an embarrasment.

I had maintained the entire of last season and summer that we need significant squad strength to challenge for Serie A, this will be yet another season of domestic uncompetetiveness. Buffon or Frey would be a dream, some new talent at centre-back, say Gamberini or Barzagli, and a top top striker to replace Shevchenko - Ronaldo has fitness and regularity problems, Inzaghi is not a regular and that is not the best way to make use of his talents at 32 years, Gilardino is not mentally strong enough, Pato is undoubtedly a great prospect but young and we are yet to see how he can adapt on a proper match.

Bascially, in summary our problems amount to too much over zealous loyalty to players and staff and a stale atmosphere, although sometimes it is good to have regularity and loyalty, but not if it hinders preogression.
The club failed to sign top depth for the squad, to miss out on Buffon and Toni is a disgrace and there is no excuse.

And now, to yesterdays match. Unfortunately since my return i have yet to see us win at San Siro this season, we sat high up yesterday just next to the curva and it was virtually empty and the atmosphere was quite appalling except when Empoli scored and for the next five minutes we had a rousing rendition of 'Ale Milan' but it was a very hostile toward the team at the end and the usual abuse toward Gilardino when he returned to missing a clear goal. I got home quite late because of some delays, so not the best day out, at least i didn't have to be in work until midday today!

Empoli were quite simply excellent, they supressed space in behind their fullbacks and pressed our two wing-backs high up the pitch to stop them regularly hitting the touchline, they doubled and pressed our offensive midfielders, and funneled the team centrally to congest the midfield, when they broke they really spread play and drew the centre backs out, again with the goal it showed that as with last season this Milan side has defensive problems with crosses and the relationship between the defence is not well co-ordinated. Pirlo, Oddo and Seedorf were our best players, Seedorf's movemement and his delay to create space and time for his passes were absolutely fantastic, Oddo put in some great crosses too, maybe with better luck the referee should have given us at least one penalty - there were clear fouls on Inzaghi and Pirlo, but like with all referees for Milan this season - esp. with Palermo and Fiorentina we have not got the best luck.
Creatively we were fine but there was no end product, Gila and Inzaghi are too similar and neither has confidence at the moment, we lack the strength and options of a bulkier target man - although Ancelotti tried to adress this by playing Ambrosini up front for the last period, Gourcuff looked agressive and probed, but there was no real impact from him.

At the whistle there were boos and jeers for the players and Ancelotti, it si a frustrating time for the club and the fans, we are now 11th and in real danger of missing out on a champions league place because Inter, Roma, Fiorentina are certainly better than us at the moment, Juventus have had a fantastic start to the season and we are really strugggling to gain any sort of domestic rhythm. I give Ancelotti until the Winter Break, (but as we saw last year this may be no indicator!) if the fortunes are not turned then we should act and bring in Mourinho and make several new signings.

We'll see what happens now - Shakhtar and Roma, two very tough opponents and we need the confidence and the wins!

Mourinho?
Nice post , I asked about Gourcuff in the Serie A thread but this is a better place what type of player is he and why cant he get a game for you regularly.