[Fillipo Simone]

As every year I'm making this little calculation. I'm not sure many of you are interested, still...

Don't know why, I can't find last years calculations thread. Anyway, note: bold are calculations for this year, and in brackets last years.

Squad size: 29 playes*

*Strasser, Darmain and Viudez included
**Last years team roster counted also 29 players

Team age average (total): 28,24 (29,62)
____________________________
Goalkeepers: 34,0 (35,6)
Defenders: 28,7 (30,5)
*Midfielders: 26,6 (29,0)
Strikers: 27,4 (25,0)

*Kaka marked as midfielder, Ronaldinho as striker

[mishie]

3-5, or somewhere there abouts. Our defense from when we won the CL in 2003 compared to what we have now..

maybe the last 2 years but the last 5 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
players like this have joined in the last 5 years and i don't consider any of these to be 2nd rate
Jankulovski,Kaka,Pato,Ronaldinho,Bonera,Flamini and Zambrotta not that bad i think. as for the defense i understand your point but players like Costacurta and Maldini how do you replace players like these it's almost impossible and there does seem a bereft availability of world-class defenders and to be honest a total lack of world-class defenders all round.

[kurtsimonw]

maybe the last 2 years but the last 5 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
players like this have joined in the last 5 years and i don't consider any of these to be 2nd rate
Jankulovski,Kaka,Pato,Ronaldinho,Bonera,Flamini and Zambrotta not that bad i think. as for the defense i understand your point but players like Costacurta and Maldini how do you replace players like these it's almost impossible and there does seem a bereft availability of world-class defenders and to be honest a total lack of world-class defenders all round.

In midfield, to be fair, we've done well. We've kept pretty much the same team and replaced Rui Costa with Kaka', then obviously we've added R80 + Flamini, and got rid of Brocchi, so that's been fairly good.

Up front.. we lost Sheva, and Inzaghi isn't what he used to be. We replaced Sheva with Gila, who we then sold, we bring Sheva back who is no longer what he used to be and bought in Pato. I think our forward are worse now than in 2003, personally. Though I'm sure that will change should Pato keep on developing the way we want him to.

Defense is the worst. Jakulovski is a decent player, but not as good as the 2003 Maldini. Stam has been replaced with an aging Maldini in the middle, huge downgrade. Nesta was awesome, now he's always injured and Bonera/Kaladze take his place, Bonera isn't so bad, but I can't say the same for Kakha. Cafu with the current Zambrotta? I'd probably even take current Cafu over Zabrotta, most disappointing signing of the season, in my opinion. Then we had Billy as backup, now we have Senderos. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)