Mediaset's saying Milan could sell Gourcuff in order to get Becks.

Mediaset's saying Milan could sell Gourcuff in order to get Becks.

--------Emerson------
--Andy P----Spice Boy--
-------Kuffkuff----------
----------------Kaka (as SS)
-------Pato/Borriello-------


@Filippo: Peter Sellers??!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Birdie Num Nums! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Becks good and all but noway is he worth 15-20 mill as the reports are suggesting. If he wanna stay he better pay half of it.

A brilliant David Beckham dragged Milan back into Scudetto contention during the 3-0 win at Lazio, while Juventus’ and Ricardo Quaresma’s problems continued. Carlo Garganese analyses the weekend’s Serie A action…


These are not necessarily my thoughts, but when Fabio Caressa, the famous Italian football commentating expert, describes David Beckham as “one of the best midfielders in world football currently”, you sit up and take notice.

There can be few who predicted Beckham to have such a stunning impact on Serie A. Even Adriano Galliani, who loves to grinningly boast about how he “told everyone so, and they didn’t want to listen”, surely did not dream up a better beginning.

Beckham’s performance against Lazio last night was nothing short of sensational. It was world class. ‘Golden Balls’ provided the assists for the first two goals of Pato and Massimo Ambrosini, he created another disallowed Pato effort, while he also put Kaka clean through on goal when the Brazilian hit the post.

Beckham has never been a classical playmaker during his career, but last night he was exactly that. The 33-year-old did not relinquish the ball all evening long, and his short, long and, in particular, his mid-range passing was out of this world. Everything he touched turned to ‘gold’. His confidence shone through when he attempted the old Beckham-Scholes corner routine with Andrea Pirlo, a player he is forging a fine understanding with in midfield.

I must confess that I was initially puzzled as to just how Beckham could fit into this Milan line-up, but the balance he has helped bring, not only to the midfield but the team as a whole, has seen the Rossoneri flourish. Pirlo is now back to his best again, there is width down the right, and Beckham has also, somewhat surprisingly, established tactical and defensive stability. Milan should be doing everything in their power to ensure the ex-Real Madrid man makes his loan move permanent, while England and Fabio Capello should be exerting their influence too because this is a re-born Beckham.

Milan are undoubtedly the form team in Italy at the moment, and if they continue as they are, they will surely challenge for the Scudetto, even if they do still trail leaders Inter by six points.

The Nerazzurri are not playing at all well in 2009, and this was confirmed yesterday afternoon when they had to come from behind just to earn a 1-1 home draw against struggling Torino. The team is really missing a touch of fantasy and creativity in midfield, and Jose Mourinho seems to have as good as given up on his two big summer signings – Amantino Mancini and Ricardo Quaresma – who were supposed to bring the squad exactly that.

Quaresma, who is surely up there with the worst transfer flops of all time, has even been left off the Champions League squad list, fuelling rumours that he will join Tottenham Hotspur on-loan today, in a strange swap deal involving the rather ‘ordinary’ Jermaine Jenas.

Juventus, meanwhile, are in a mini-crisis, and have dropped down to third after a shocking 3-2 home defeat against Cagliari. Like Inter, the Bianconeri are in desperate need of a midfield playmaker. Every man and his dog cried out for Alessio Secco to sign one last summer but, instead, the much-maligned director opted for Christian Poulsen who, so far, has also been a resounding failure.

The Juventus defence is starting to look increasingly vulnerable when up against pacy forward lines. Last Wednesday, Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella caused all kinds of problems as Udinese won 2-1 at the Stadio Friuli, while on Saturday evening it was Cagliari’s Jeda and Alessandro Matri who did the damage. With Giorgio Chiellini ruled out for a month, and possibly missing the big Champions League tie against Chelsea, most Juve fans will have more than a few reasons to worry.

A special mention must go out to Cagliari though, who have won four on the trot in Serie A to move up to seventh in the table, just six points off a Champions League place. The islanders have put a combined seven past Juventus and Lazio away, while they started 2009 with a 1-1 draw at Inter, a game they should have won. This is a side who lost their first five games of the season, something that makes their current standing even more miraculous. Brazilian forward Jeda is possibly the most in-form player in Italy at present.

Genoa tightened their grip on fourth place with a late win over Palermo, while Roma and Napoli faltered as they drew 2-2 against Reggina and Udinese respectively. Fiorentina, whose match at Bologna was postponed yesterday due to snow, will try again this afternoon to close to within two points of the final Champions League slot.

With the transfer deadline closing on Monday at 1900 CET, it remains to be seen what last minute deals will be conjured up. One thing is for sure though, and that is David Beckham has been the signing of the January transfer window so far…

It was too much to expect him to take on Rino's role in the right, even though he's Flattusso (sounds like flatulence don't it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ). But if Flamini plays in the centre, I'm not sure if we can deal with wingers as effectively. But that's another discussion.