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> Ageing AC Milan look for one last heave after reprieve

 
misha
post Sep 7 2006, 06:33 PM
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MILAN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Beaten semi-finalists last season and runners-up in 2005, Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan were expected to make some major changes this close-season but it will be a largely familiar side that begins the Champions League campaign.

In many ways Milan are fortunate to have a Champions League campaign at all. Implicated and punished for their part in the Serie A match-fixing scandal, UEFA made no secret of the fact they would have banned Milan from the competition if they could have done so.

After a review of the case they reluctantly allowed Milan to take part, and after beating Red Star Belgrade 3-1 in the third qualifying round, Milan will face Lille, AEK Athens and Anderlecht in the Group phase.


Milan have not been as active in the transfer market as the pundits predicted and their fans expected and in particular there has been little done to deal with the problem of their ageing defence.

Most surprisingly of all Milan have not replaced Andriy Shevchenko, their top scorer over the last seven years who was allowed to move to Chelsea.

There is still plenty of quality and experience in Ancelotti's squad but if they are to go all in the way in Europe this season it will be a case of "one last heave" rather than the dawn of a new era.

The main worry is whether Milan's experienced defence is now over the hill.

Dutchman Jaap Stam has departed leaving fewer options in the centre of the defence

Alessandro Nesta has been plagued by injuries while Georgian Kakha Kaladze has also struggled with fitness of late.

Right-back Cafu is 36, captain Paolo Maldini is 38 years old and Alessandro Costacurta is 40.

Two new faces have been brought into to add cover to the defence. Eyebrows were raised at the signing of 34-year-old former Lazio full back Giuseppe Favalli from Inter but the capture of 25-year-old Daniele Bonera was better appreciated.

The first choice midfield will remain the same. The tigerish Gennaro Gattuso and the classy Andrea Pirlo showed their qualities during Italy's successful World Cup campaign in Germany.


Alongside them Brazilian Kaka and Dutchman Clarence Seedorf will be charged with providing the ammunition for the front pairing of Italy internationals Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino.

The new arrival in midfield is highly rated young French midfielder Joann Gourcuff who arrived from Rennes in the close-season and has impressed in several friendlies.

Milan were linked with several big name strikers following Shevchenko's departure but in the end they opted for the Brazilian Ricardo Oliveira from Real Betis.

Oliveira may not have the box office pull of Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, two of their strikers Milan had been linked with, but he was one of the Primera Liga's top scorers in 2005 with 22 goals

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Jack Sparrow
post Sep 7 2006, 06:45 PM
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Ugh...I hate the Milan is guilty tone of that write-up...Bloody UEFA...
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misha
post Sep 7 2006, 08:47 PM
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There's no way you should be taking odds-on about Inter Milan winning the Scudetto this season - their arch rivals AC Milan are much better value to land the title at 9/4 with Skybet.

It's been anarchic in Italy over the summer, with Serie A imploding after revelations that the league has been rife with corruption during recent months.

Juventus have been hardest hit, with the Bianconeri relegated to Serie B for their sins, while a number of other highly rated sides have been docked points before the new campaign has even begun.

Where does this leave the betting then?

Well, the three main protagonists set to fight it out this term, if the market's got it right, are the Milanese pair, followed by a rapidly improving Roma.

Inter head the betting at around 10/11, but are they likely to make all the running?

In a nutshell, the answer's no, because the way things have panned out in Italy during the close-season, neighbours AC Milan look the better bet.

How, so you'll say, when Carlo Ancelotti's side have been docked eight points prior to kick-off - doesn't that put Inter in the driving seat?

Not necessarily no, because if you look back at last season's league table, it's clear that AC Milan won't find the handicap impossible to overcome - after all, they finished 12 points ahead of Inter then, so why will a minus eight figure automatically stop them this time out?

Originally, when the Italian football authorities, the Calciopoli, announced their decision, the points deduction for the Rossoneri was way higher at 15, and that really would have been a big ask - but eight? That's certainly doable.

There are other reasons to be backing AC Milan too, notably the shedding of ageing Andrei Shevchenko to Chelsea, which has led to Ricardo Oliveira's arrival from Spain - his goal-scoring prowess should stand Kaka and co in good stead for the season ahead.

He'll be working closely with Pippo Inzaghi of course, whose form in the Champions League qualifiers, and in the recent World Cup, suggests this duo could soon become feared across Europe.

We'll see whether rivals Inter ought to be starting as favourites over the next few months of course, but, at this stage, they don't look very appetising.

Yes, they've made some good signings, picking up the likes of Patrick Vieira, but it's still worth bearing in mind that Inter lost twice on their own patch last season, and scored less goals away from home than any other side in the top six.

Unless they can change that sort of form, there's no reason to automatically believe Roberto Mancini's crew will be lifting the Scudetto next May.

It's the same with Roma.

Ok, the Wolves are looking for their fourth league title, and at 9/2, there will be a few takers.

But frankly, Roma's form last term was questionable to put it mildly.

They failed to win eight of 19 home games in 2005/06, and although they were better on the road than many, Roma still finished way off the pace in the end.

No, we can safely say that all roads lead to AC Milan in Italy this season and, at 9/4, they're a great price to lead their nearest rivals a merry dance during the tussles ahead
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This post has been edited by mishale: Sep 7 2006, 09:06 PM
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han2503
post Sep 7 2006, 08:58 PM
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Thanks for that mishale, I've got to say, I agree with everything this person is saying even the Sheva part.

Let's see if we can really manage to win it this season even if everything seems to be going against us
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gr33k
post Sep 7 2006, 11:18 PM
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At least our CL group is the easiest and maybe we can pull off a few wins in the knockout stages but on paper we do not have the class to compete with Chelsea, Barca and some of the other powers. As for the league I actually do expect us to win it. Perennial underachievers Inter don't look to be on form and even if they are they cannot boast our midfield. Hopefully another scudetto this year and in the next couple of years another star above the crest.
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han2503
post Sep 7 2006, 11:22 PM
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QUOTE (gr33k @ Sep 7 2006, 10:18 PM)
At least our CL group is the easiest and maybe we can pull off a few wins in the knockout stages but on paper we do not have the class to compete with Chelsea, Barca and some of the other powers. As for the league I actually do expect us to win it. Perennial underachievers Inter don't look to be on form and even if they are they cannot boast our midfield. Hopefully another scudetto this year and in the next couple of years another star above the crest.
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Come on, Milan is all about the classy players, we might not have signed some big name super stars this summer but pur team is full of clas, starting from the defence and ending with our attack.
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gr33k
post Sep 7 2006, 11:29 PM
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Ahhh you misunderstood me I used the word class as in skill. Yes we have classy players but many of them are over the hill. Class was used as a substitute for skill, as in our team does not have as much class as Barca, not as much skill in terms of players.
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X-Offender
post Sep 8 2006, 12:54 AM
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QUOTE (gr33k @ Sep 7 2006, 11:29 PM)
Ahhh you misunderstood me I used the word class as in skill. Yes we have classy players but many of them are over the hill. Class was used as a substitute for skill, as in our team does not have as much class as Barca, not as much skill in terms of players.
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I would say Milan have an equal team to Barcelona. If you compare the players one to one, you'll see there's no much big difference. If they have Puyol, we have Nesta. If they have Xavi, we have Pirlo. If they have Deco, we have Seedorf. If they have Ronaldinho, we have Kakà. If they have Eto'o, we have Inzaghi and so on. Don't misunderstand me, Barça have a great team, but sometimes they're highly overrated.
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KillerMax
post Sep 8 2006, 12:56 AM
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QUOTE (X-Offender @ Sep 7 2006, 05:54 PM)
I would say Milan have an equal team to Barcelona. If you compare the players one to one, you'll see there's no much big difference. If they have Puyol, we have Nesta. If they have Xavi, we have Pirlo. If they have Deco, we have Seedorf. If they have Ronaldinho, we have Kakà. If they have Eto'o, we have Inzaghi and so on. Don't misunderstand me, Barça have a great team, but sometimes they're highly overrated.
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Wait, who's Messi's equal? (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)
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X-Offender
post Sep 8 2006, 01:09 AM
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QUOTE (pKillerMax @ Sep 8 2006, 12:56 AM)


Gourcuff? Maybe...
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KillerMax
post Sep 8 2006, 02:15 AM
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QUOTE (X-Offender @ Sep 7 2006, 06:09 PM)
Gourcuff? Maybe...
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Gourcuff is more Iniesta's equal I think. Both extremely talented.
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tongsan
post Sep 8 2006, 02:16 AM
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Even though our defense made me a bit worry....but I still believe we will win the Scudetto & CL...Forza Milan!!!
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tongsan
post Sep 8 2006, 02:17 AM
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QUOTE (mishale @ Sep 8 2006, 01:33 AM)
........ The tigerish Gennaro Gattuso and the classy Andrea Pirlo showed their qualities ............


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I like that line....it's true...very true.

This post has been edited by tongsan: Sep 8 2006, 02:18 AM
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dst
post Sep 8 2006, 09:24 AM
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QUOTE (mishale @ Sep 7 2006, 08:33 PM)
In many ways Milan are fortunate to have a Champions League campaign at all.
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Go FACK Yourself!!!! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

QUOTE (pKillerMax @ Sep 8 2006, 02:56 AM)

Borrrrrrrrieeeeeeeeeelllooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)
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redbabies
post Sep 8 2006, 09:38 AM
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the key to succes is Maldini and only Maldini. If he will be on top form Milan will win everything BELIEVE ME!
He is the spirit of the team, he encourages everybody to play well, also adding to this that this can be his last season in the first-11... He will be the weapon again (I just hope he doesn't have problems with fitness and injuries - in fact Ancelotti should rest him in some not-so-important matches)
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