Blog: Summer despair
Milan were recently hammered 5-0 by Chelsea and Serafino Ingardia believes there is something very wrong with the Rossoneri
We all know that exhibition games don’t count for much. As they say in Italy, summer football is highly unreliable and when the season gets started everything changes rapidly. If it wasn’t so Inter would have probably won many more trophies in the past few decades as the Nerazzurri were always regarded as the regina d’estate.

It is true though that some memorable defeats cannot be forgotten and there must be something about this 5-0 Chelsea scoppola which must have alarmed Milan this time around. Vice-President Adriano Galliani held an emergency summit with Carlo Ancelotti to discuss matters and make sure things were going the right way.

To a certain extent this could be seen as a sign of weakness. After all, Galliani can’t really change his thinking just because of a friendly – or can he? Especially as they fielded an unusual formation which saw Massimo Ambrosini and Andrea Pirlo in attack. However, they will have to deal with those problems for quite a while since Ronaldinho and Pato are representing Brazil at the Olympics, while Marco Borriello, Filippo Inzaghi and Kaka are out injured leaving Alberto Paloschi as the only striker available in the squad.

So if the former European champions have to make some changes they have no time to waste, as there is less than a month left before the end of the transfer window. Meanwhile, the fans are fully aware that there is something not quite right about their team.

Mathieu Flamini, Gianluca Zambrotta and Ronaldinho were valid captures, but what about a replacement for Alessandro Nesta and Kakha Kaladze? Or is Ancelotti still expecting Paolo Maldini to perform miracles all through the season? Three average goalkeepers fighting for a shirt also represents a big question mark in the Rossoneri minds.

At some point during the past season Didier Drogba was Milan’s main target, but then nothing. The Rossoneri sold their only real striker Alberto Gilardino to Fiorentina, so where is the substitute who is going to net 15-20 goals next season? For instance, they could have asked the Viola for an exchange with Alessandro Gamberini which could have solved some troubles in defence at least.

Expecting their former reject Borriello to become the Capocannoniere in his first ‘real’ season would be unfair and the same goes for Pato. There is always Inzaghi, but Super Pippo is unfortunately heading towards retirement.
Have your say on this issue. Email us at: fieditorial@channel4.com
Milan are an All-Star cast of ageing champions. Over the past four seasons it has been apparent that the attitude of the squad towards Serie A was to qualify for the Champions League and anything more was a bonus. In doing so the old legs were saved for the assault on the Champions League which the players and board coveted so highly.

This has proved relatively successful (bar that game against Liverpool), but saw Silvio get complacent in terms of investment to replace his ageing guard. The average age of the Milan squad is quite startlingly high – it is poignant to think that Ronaldinho at 28 will contribute to bringing down this average.

Experience is one thing, but Milan have taken this too far. I am sure that on their day with all the old heroes rolling back the years they are still a match for anyone. Over the course of a season, even in the slower paced Italian League, I fear they’re physical inadequacies will ultimately be their downfall.

Alex Ferguson’s comments on the age of the Chelsea squad caused controversy recently – what does that say of Milan! I feel if Milan were in the faster paced Premiership changes would have had to come sooner, but the reality is still that Milan face a rebuild of epic proportions and they are some years late in starting.
ML

I would like to say I agree 100 per cent with the blog. Milan last season were very lucky to even secure a UEFA Cup place, but they really need to update their goalkeeper and a few defenders and a striker or two. If they fail to do this over the summer then I think this time round they will be lucky to to finish in mid-table.

It's a shame to see one Milan club doing well as Inter definetly are the No 1 Milan club at the moment and if the 5-0 with Chelsea was a shock, imagine what the Milan derby could be like with Adriano, Ibrahimovic, Mancini, Cambiasso, etc, all in form.

Milan invested in midfield which wasn't needed and although Ronaldinho has signed for them, one man doesn't make them champions. My view is they now have too many midfielders who will argue over a first team place. While this is happening there is a struggle to field strikers and a defence that leaks more than a tap and with goalkeepers who couldn't catch a cold!
Romalat

Serafino Ingardia is correct in suggesting that a club like Milan should be prepared for all competitions, but what must be put into perspective is that we have five world class forwards injured or returning from injury or in China and this is a pre-season competition.

Even so, included in that fantastic five is Kaka (who would prefer to play as trequartista) and then Inzaghi who Serafino quite rightly said is winding down a superb career. Borriello needs an experienced partner to give him confidence (when he’s back from injury that is!), Ronaldinho will still need games to get fully fit when he’s back from Beijing, and then we have Pato who is quite rightly thought of as a amazing prospect but someone that we will probably rely on too much in the coming months.

Galliani was right to act now rather than later, although where was the bid for Ferrari as a replacement for Kaladze/Nesta/Maldini? And where is our long term replacement for Sheva – could Sheva be the short term answer to his own question? I would not mind if Sheva returned as he would provide top-level experience and would be perfect for Pato to learn from.

Galliani and Ancelotti do not need to rush into anything but there does need to be more action in terms of the long term needs of the club. Drogba is not the answer, nor is Eto’o or Adebayor as in my view the ego of each player far outweighs their talent.

Milan need to find young blood in important positions to replace the likes of Maldini, Nesta, Inzaghi etc before they retire so that the new players can learn from these champions.
Jaime Robins

Many of Milan’s aging squad are fast approaching or are already on the wrong side of 30. Serafino Ingardia raises Milan’s failure to replace Gilardino as problematic. Milan’s flawed dealings in the transfer market go back a lot further than their most recent summer transfer dealings.

A good starting point would be the sale of Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea and the club’s failure to sign an adequate replacement. In the summer Shevchenko departed for Chelsea, Gourcuff and Oliveira were signed and neither player came close to making an impact at Milan.

Milan’s management continue to bolster their attacking ranks with the likes of Pato and Ronaldinho, but scoring three goals is of little use when your opponents can score four. Defensively, Milan have been a shambles for a number of seasons. Starting from Dida and Kalac in goal to the inconsistent Bonera and injury prone Nesta.

I understand that speaking out against Maldini is not looked upon favourably by followers of Italian football, but has it ever occurred to the club’s management that prolonging Maldini’s career may be affecting the long term development of the team in that they have not found an adequate replacement and will not do so until Maldini finally retires from football?

But in reality none of the above matters. After all, Milan are world class. They only missed out on the Scudetto in season 2006-07 because of point deductions and last season they made a friendly tournament in the World Club Cup their main priority. They really did not care about winning Serie A.

Milan can still turn on the style when it is required as the current squad is perfect and their players can do no wrong. Come this time next year, we will see what creative excuse the club’s clueless management can spin for another poor season in which they have failed to win anything. I hope Milan enjoy playing in the UEFA Cup because they thoroughly deserve it. Thank you for keeping us entertained! Forza Inter!
George Lesses, Adelaide, Australia

Sheesh you seem more against Milan than anybody I've seen post on that ridiculous goal.com site... that's where you got this article right? Why can't you add any of your own commentary?

Edit: Oh wait. This is from Channel4.com right? I've seen some rather biased articles on that site... especially blogs. Again you don't cite where you got it from. It's just more ridiculous dribble from someone who is clueless on our history. Milan has had its tough times, but we always get back to glory. FAct.

This post has been edited by Giancarlo: Aug 8 2008, 04:40 AM

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Ah yes this clueless management had the most active transfer season. If you think I'm wrong try and dispute me. I'll post the facts. We got plenty of youth this transfer season too... we only got one player over 30 (and he's still very useful).

It's just more anti-Berlusconi rubbish. Berlusconi has got this club unprecedented glory. To say we win nothing lol? What was the last six years? The author of the article is a fool.'

And Forza Inter huh? LOL. Tell me the next time Inter wins the CL. Oh wait they never have. The last time they won it was called the European Cup back in 1965 when LBJ was president.

This post has been edited by Giancarlo: Aug 8 2008, 04:46 AM

Yeah and last time they won it people had black and white televisions! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Inter is a club with loser attitude, remember the Liverpool home and away matches in the last CL? The only reason they won recently in the league was either through cheating or the Ibra dude.

I was like reading the article just waiting for the "Forza Inter". The whole article is written from the perspective of a loser. Inter nearly threw away the Scudetto last season if everyone forgets. And they have a defense more injured than our own. Most of their defense is simply out.

And I'm sure we can all remember the points they got through 1-0 dubious penalty kick wins... if the refereeing was fair, Roma would have won the scudetto last season.

I guess that makes the rest of that annoying nonsense self-explanatory.

+1

Thanks to Giancarlo and Reaper, R7 and I can have a well deserved rest. Welcome to the brotherhood dudes!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/king.gif) Great posts. I loooove the passion. Stick it to the man!!

This post has been edited by Jack Sparrow: Aug 8 2008, 06:13 AM

Aye Aye Cap'n (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pirate1.gif)

This post has been edited by GrinReaper: Aug 8 2008, 06:21 AM

But the world of Milanfan.com needs you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) What say, Captain?

There's too many of you positive guys on here now, fight to the death should sort out the problem I reckon. Otherwise it's gonna be like reading one of those lovey-dovey womens books! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

lol yea yeah more beakfest going on. keep judging eventhough we haven't been cocky or bragging or saying that we think we are the sh*t. sigh it seems ronaldinho transfer has really got people pissed off haha.

Yeah it indeed has pissed off some people. Especially Inter fans. They may have got Mourinho, but Mourinho can't kick a ball. We got the guy with the magic feet. Even if he lacks some pace (right now that is), he still has all his tricks up his sleeves.

^^^

The force is strong in you....keep at it young padawan.