If there is money to spend it should not be used on Dm/Cm in my opinion. Strasser and Merkel should be given playing time throughout this season. In the forward department, Verdi, Barreta and Zigoni should be given the chance (probably depending on injuries), so no purchases required there unless someone leaves. We seriously could use some cover at LB, and if Kaka is available we should pull out all the stops to bring him home.

With some Serie A/Coppa/CL games this season many of the younger guys should come on leaps and bounds, if we can get through this season with a decent Serie A finish with youngsters getting time on the pitch it will set us up for next season and the future. Our policy needs to change and it needs to change now! I make the exception for Kaka if it were possible to bring him back, due to revenue his signing would bring in, the moral of the fans if he came back, the attitude and example he can show to the younger players, and the plain simple fact that he is the best AM in the 4-3-1-2 formation.

I hope that we dont waste money this season and rather try and build.

vnata, you and I apparenlty have a very different view on what a box to box mid is and therefore on what a trequartista is. And on where Seedorf has been fielded for the last decade. I'm not going to get into it with you other than to say that I think you're wrong.

As for Criscito, there's very very little chance a Juve youth player would ever come to Milan in my opinion. I know the gobbi fans of my acquaintance actually all want him back and believe that move would be more likely.

I'm with you on that Tennie. Never ever have i heard (even in his younger days) Clarence referred to as a box to box midfielder.

I just read on a Porthsmouth website that the deal for Kevin Prince Boateng could be done by Friday. Now I trully hope that it is true. Source might not be reliable but her it is anyway
Link

While you guys have opinions on this, It is a well known fact that Clarence seedorf is a natural Attacking Midfielder. He has played all over the place in his career, AM, Winger, creative CM.


But he is not a box to box mid. He is not a player with the same characteristics as Gerrard, a well known box to box midfielder. We have no players on our team with those characteristics.


Furthermore, the concept of box to box mid doesn't exist in italy. In Italy they have a trequarista and a Defensive mid or deep lying play maker. In England, where the term originates from such positions don't exist.



X--X--X--X


Box to box mid originated from the fact that one of the CM in the flat 4-4-2 (most used formation in the world and especially england) would constantly be moving on transition from defense to attack providing support on both aspects of the field as the area between the circle half way line and the box on both sides of the field would often remain empty.

The other CM would play a supportive role or defensive role. He would join in the attack later on but his role would mainly be a stationary. Either creative or defensive. In livepools case: Gerrard Box to Box mid, xabi alonso stationary creative mid.



In Italy most teams play:

-----X----
--X----X---
-----X-------


or:

---x---x---x
-------x-----



Therefore the position doesn't exist as there already is a person there supporting the attack and a person supporting the defence.

This post has been edited by Bluesummers: Aug 4 2010, 10:56 PM

Just paper talk i think it's only quoting the mail who in turn aren't directly quoting anyone just "reports"
i agree with the last comment in that article...he isn't Milan quality i don't wish him here anyway.

+1

I would have to veto Boateng. Thanks but no thanks Genoa. I get a horrible feeling from the guy. I'll cite this as part of my reasoning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DmZPb4ja64...feature=related

in my opinion, all of these names for positions with strict definitions of what that player does are sometimes too specific. over the course of a match, the roles of players vary depending on what a match specifically requires of them. throughout his career here, seedorf has played in the central midfield, providing a creative link between defense to attack. he was not strictly an attacker.

This purpose, of linking defense with attack, can be performed by many different players with different characteristics. Boateng has different characteristics to seedorf, and likely would never slot in behind two attackers. but he could play in that linking role in midfield, contributing from box-to-box.

So that term, I admittedly use loosely.

despite that tackle i still don't think he's technically good enough to play for a team like Milan.

Inter-Juve-Milan battle for Bastos - link

News:

Boateng edges closer to milan. Reported price 6m. Contract is 1.5 until 2014.



Hleb is off the list as sevilla are almost done signing him.


Dos santos only possible if Huntelaar is willing to switch to spurs.




milannews.it

--X--

-X--X-

---X--


The position your referring to is called Central supportive Midfielder. Seedorf has played this in his career at milan and it is certainly not box to box.


The position can range in a variety of areas. If we were the LCM, at any time he could play LM/LB/LW. Its a supporting role so you will see him all over the field and that is what your probably talking about. However, in this position the player is excellent in one aspect and not the other, while box to box is excellent in all aspects.

Seedorf can't defend, but he can attack quite well. Therefore, he can't be a box to box mid.




A box to box mid is this:





A box to box midfielder, wouldn't survive in Italy due to the fact that players have individual role and must be good at what they do. In other words, multiability players won't do as good as players who specialize in one area.


due to the tactical style of play that Italy has, you will have as you call one player who creates and one player who destroys. Pirlo the princess and gattuso the ugly body guard.



I hope you understand a little bit better why people won't agree with you on calling seedorf a box to box mid.


In regards to the rest of your post, I agree with it. Boateng would be a great signing. Def provides some pace and stamina to our game.


Ps: On the exert its a little misleading on Lampard as he no longer plays that role under ancelotti. In mourinho's 4-3-3 he used to along with essien and they had 1 stationary CM.

This post has been edited by Bluesummers: Aug 5 2010, 08:22 AM

Straight out of the UEFA coaching manual Blue well done lol

Yeah, Gerrard no longer plays that way, either. He has some defensive ability but they don't want him tracking back all that much, epecially since they have(had?) Mascherano back there. Its age and strategy related, same thing as Fat Frank.

Essien is really the model box to box guy these days. First player I think of when you say box to box. Weapon on both defense and attack, motor always running.