And you are aware that we have accumulated only 12 points in 13 games? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

No we don't. We are all in denial. You don't exist. You are just a figment of our imaginations forcing us to think deep,dark thoughts! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)

Yeah, we both suck. Happy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

So, apparently a mini-revolution will take place in January. Aside from Rami and Honda, who we've already signed, we're interested in Burdisso, Santon, Kucka and Lodi. A few players will leave, including Zaccardo, Constant, Nocerino and Saponara. The fates of Balotelli and El Shaarawy are still an enigma.

Link

Burdisso and Lodi are crap, we shouldn't even consider signing them. With Mexes, Rami, Zapata, Silvestre and Bonera we should be fine in defense for this season.

This post has been edited by X-Offender: Nov 14 2013, 03:16 PM

Santon is very good, but the other names are just so similar to the signings that have helped us get in this mess in the first place. We're not going to make the CL with mid-table quality Serie A players.

Only 2 of them are half good enough to be Milan defenders. Silvestre is barely squad, Bonera is squad, Zapata is in atrocious form, and Mexes, while he's been ok this season has been off his best. My optimism allows me to suggest Rami might be decent.

The word 'fine' covers nothing about any area of the park currently or in the near future.

I don't think there are any remote chances of us making the CL for next season regardless of who we sign.



Mexes and Rami are more than fine, Zapata is in bad form but last season proves that he's a good defender, and Silvestre has done well in those few games he's played. Yeah, I think 'fine' is the right word to use in this situation. Not good, not great, but fine.

No, I'd stop at fine for those two at the most generous and no more. We're used to Maldini, Silva and Nesta, by comparison these two are absolutely pathetic.

Mexes has had a decent career but nothing more. He's achieved little at club level since Auxerre, has had a generous 30 caps or so for his country, and suffers dubious temperament. He's fine. Just about.

Rami we don't know about. The majority of us barely even knew who he was. And his career is debatable. He's only fine if he turns out to be.



It also 'proved' Constant was a good left back.
This season may be showing what these players really are?
After all, the team's appalling form hasn't affected every player.



Silvestre has done well? He scored a goal, yes, but we lost 3-2 in Parma! Our defence has actually been even worse with him in it than not.

Honestly, I think you're trying to find something positive, and I don't actually blame you. But no Milanista proud of the club's name can truly look at our central defence other than f*cking abominable at every level.

Unless you are going to use the Allegri excuse, which I don't 100% dispute, but his poor management does not make Mexes try to punch Chiellini, or Zapata just get plain beaten in the air by Toni. Or let him go completely.

Nah, our defence, while last year ok, has this year run out of puff and is requiring an overhaul of a quality higher than Rami. I don't deny Adil's career isn't rubbish, but it's just not Silva. Barely even bronze imo.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Nice one, Dan!

But you do realise that in the second half of last season, with the same players, we conceded the least amount of goals in all Serie A. I don't think the players per se are the real problem here. Roma has conceded only 3 goals so far, but last season they leaked goals from left to right. And they had pretty much the same players. It's more the fact that the team doesn't work as a unit which influences the defence as well.

From November to May we were the best team in Serie A, and the reason for that was because our midfield and attack, especially from Balo's arrival onwards, managed to keep the defence fairly protected.

It's telling that Juve's Buffon save per game ratio from November to May is almost identical to Abbiati's (1.41 saves compared to 1.56). Inter's Handanovic, by comparison, is at 2.2.

In other words Inter's defence got far more highly pressured than Juve or Milan's.

Meaning our midfield and attack, especially Balo, did a very good job of reducing the pressure by quite simply keeping the ball away from it, to nearly the same level as Juve - proven because Abbiati had to make considerably less saves than Handanovic.

It's the tactic Barca use - they keep the ball so much up field their defence is barely tested. So the fact it's awful hardly matters. And it's why Bayern utterly destroyed them last season.

*takes a bow*

I mean in the future seasons too. We need some real quality.

That's one (correct) way of looking at it. Another way of putting is that our defenders felt comfortable, thus leading to as few mistakes and blunders as possible. Moreover, we were coming from a positive strike of results, which boosted team morale and confidence. That's what I mean by the team working as a unit. Despite playing some ugly football, we still managed to grab positive results in most games. Right now, none of that is working. The defence is doing crap, but the attack is not doing any better, either. And in midfield, apart from De Jong and Poli, nearly everyone else is under-performing.



And a good coach. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Agreed. There's very little that doesn't need an upgrade. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)