[Fillipo Simone]

Another big match to come. A few notes:

- Milan won their last 3 matches in Serie A while Juve lost 2 out of the last 3.

- Milan is stronger while away; Juventus isn't that good on home soil.

- Zambrotta should be back so Milan will have more fullback options avaible.

[CHU-LIP]

To han:

I agreed about Cassano. Seedorf is capable of doing good things like giving a good pass (a potential assist), or scoring a very rare goal. But besides that, even in a game where he gives an assist, he still played awful (most of) that game. He keeps losing possession which is a very bad thing for a midfielder. This season Seedorf is getting more awful with the day. Earlier this season he was not as bad as nowadays. I believe Seedorf has become finished this season. When we still had Ronaldinho I preferred Seedorf over him, because Ronaldinho was a bad player then for us also. While Seedorf back then was still capable of playing good games. But after Ronaldinho's departure Seedorf plays every game bad, even the ones he gave assists. (Dinho's preformances made Seedorf look good.)

And it's not about age. Yepes I rate as a good central defender, for example. I'm very delighted with him. So I don't prefer Merkel over Seedorf because of age, but Merkel plays better than Seedorf this season, and Merkel is the one who gets better with the day (and needs to play to become a very good midfielder - the potential is there) while Seedorf only will get worse. I have more faith in Merkel, and see several reasons why he should play over Seedorf. In my opinion you should not play old players over prospects when they are not obvious better, and when it comes to Seedorf and Merkel, Seedorf is actually worse than Merkel. Think long-term, but in case playing Merkel is even short-term smarter than playing Seedorf.

Flamini is an useful midfielder, I agree there. Just don't think he's a great ace. About the mental aspect. I think you are being very unfair and wrong when it comes to Abate and Gattuso, or you just misunderstood. Okay, all three are really giving their best on the field, so when it comes to that all are great mentally. But what I meant with Flamini is that he makes a lot of unnecessary flaws what has to do with concentration (a mentally aspect). That with Gattuso, that was one game, an accident. That's an exception, normally he isn't like that. So therefore you are being very unfair with him. Though not long ago I thought Flamini did well this season, he is doing not so well anymore. My opinion is not based on the Spurs game. I didn't think he played bad that game actually.

This post has been edited by CHU-LIP: Mar 5 2011, 04:48 PM

[han2503]

To han:

I agreed about Cassano. Seedorf is capable of doing good things like giving a good pass (a potential assist), or scoring a very rare goal. But besides that, even in a game where he gives an assist, he still played awful (most of) that game. He keeps losing possession which is a very bad thing for a midfielder. This season Seedorf is getting more awful with the day. Earlier this season he was not as bad as nowadays. I believe Seedorf has become finished this season. When we still had Ronaldinho I preferred Seedorf over him, because Ronaldinho was a bad player then for us also. While Seedorf back then was still capable of playing good games. But after Ronaldinho's departure Seedorf plays every game bad, even the ones he gave assists. (Dinho's preformances made Seedorf look good.)

Seedorf was like so horrible against Spurs that it pained me, but to say that he's terrible now as opposed to just a few short months ago is not a valid argument, he had terrible games just a few short months ago as well, he had terrible games when he was still in his 20s that is Seedorf, always has been. what you're saying about Ronaldinho making Seedorf look good is a very weak argument as to why you wanted Seedorf playing at all costs when Ronaldinho could still potentially play, you just didn't want Dinho anywhere near the pitch so you argued avidly giving multiple reasons might I add, as to why Seedorf should be starting ahead of him, even though in reality the difference between the 2 has always been marginal at best and not the vast ocean you speak of.

And it's not about age. Yepes I rate as a good central defender, for example. I'm very delighted with him. So I don't prefer Merkel over Seedorf because of age, but Merkel plays better than Seedorf this season, and Merkel is the one who gets better with the day (and needs to play to become a very good midfielder - the potential is there) while Seedorf only will get worse. I have more faith in Merkel, and see several reasons why he should play over Seedorf. In my opinion you should not play old players over prospects when they are not obvious better, and when it comes to Seedorf and Merkel, Seedorf is actually worse than Merkel. Think long-term, but in case playing Merkel is even short-term smarter than playing Seedorf.

I've seen Merkel lose the ball practically in our own box, as well as the other multiple times he loses it in a given game, sure he's a prospect while Seedorf is at his twilight, but you have to assess a game when choosing, and Merkel is still not good enough for the big games, sure Seedorf let us down against Spurs but he could have just as eaily turned it on and had a blinder, the usual Seedorf. I think you're beeing just as unfair to Seedorf as you say I'm being to Abate and Rino. You've always wanted the young player on ahead of he experienced one, personally I don't care either way, because I know for a fact that Merkel won't be a Milan player in the future, just like all the others before him, he's nothing special, and risking games for the sake of helping a player develop which will not even benefit Milan in the long term is useless to me.

And I wouldn't go as far as saying Merkel is better then Seedorf, Merkel is greener then green at this point in time, he's so hesitant with everything he does, he turns into a liability when opposing teams get physical, at leat with Seedorf you know no one will be trying to push him around the way Merkel regularly does.

Flamini is an useful midfielder, I agree there. Just don't think he's a great ace. About the mental aspect. I think you are being very unfair and wrong when it comes to Abate and Gattuso, or you just misunderstood. Okay, all three are really giving their best on the field, so when it comes to that all are great mentally. But what I meant with Flamini is that he makes a lot of unnecessary flaws what has to do with concentration (a mentally aspect). That with Gattuso, that was one game, an accident. That's an exception, normally he isn't like that. So therefore you are being very unfair with him. Though not long ago I thought Flamini did well this season, he is doing not so well anymore. My opinion is not based on the Spurs game. I didn't think he played bad that game actually.

Well you said mentally, Flamini's playing flaws really don't have anything to do with that, that is why I was so quick to point out Rino and Abate's mental flaws as well as a counter point. Sure Flamini usually lunges in without thinking, but again, the same could be said for Rino, Ambro MvB, Boateng, etc. We've all seens them commit terrible fouls over the years, Flamini still has that EPL mentality of running at full speed all the time so his tackled tend to look worse then they are. Still, aside from the tackling all the other qualities he offers on the pitch cannot be overlooked, he gives us speed, and helps the midfield push up, something we lack a lot. He has flaws, but every player does, but I still wouldn't go as far as saying that he's disappointing or making me lose faith in him because of such an issue.

Compared to last season and the number of cards he's been shown, I would say that he's made a vast improvement this season.