[bigmacmtl]

Because nobody can judge how good a player will be in a new team. I presume we bought him as he was young, Italian and did very well at Parma.

We could have signed Torres and he failed miserabley, you just don't know these things. Look at Chelsea, they bought arguabley the best striker in Europe, and he's been a waste of time.

agreed.

when he was at parma he looked as good as pippo in his prime but with much better technique. the guy was scoring over ahead kicks! i remeber watching this amazing game were he scored parmas 4 goals and they won 4-3.

[jbryant1]

Because nobody can judge how good a player will be in a new team. I presume we bought him as he was young, Italian and did very well at Parma.

We could have signed Torres and he failed miserabley, you just don't know these things. Look at Chelsea, they bought arguabley the best striker in Europe, and he's been a waste of time.

Scheva was a greater risk than Gilardino IMO but he has come through for Chelsea in various competitions. He hasn't been the Milan player that was but to go from Italy to the Prem is a big leap tactically and the fact that you don't get the space that you would in Serie A he has struggled to perform. Plus he's 30+ and the prem is the fastest moving league out there its none stop up and down the pitch. This is what I saw when I was at Stamford Bridge watching him go forward.

The issue with Milan and Gilardino is not really taking the original risk which sure anyone might fail, but leaning of bending knee praying that Gilardino is magically going to come around and play like he did in Parma. Its the continued confidence that he is going to come around. Again as I said in the previous post its not that he should not be on the team but he should not be one of our main go to guys for goals unless he earns it. With most teams you perform = your a first choice to play. With Gilardino its we have faith that you will eventually perform = you play regardless if you don't perform because we have faith in you. And really in other words we don't want to look stupid that we invested 20 million euros in you and were wrong. ANy other club would have gotten rid of this guy a long time ago.

[arivanjj]

The issue with Milan and Gilardino is not really taking the original risk which sure anyone might fail, but leaning of bending knee praying that Gilardino is magically going to come around and play like he did in Parma. Its the continued confidence that he is going to come around. Again as I said in the previous post its not that he should not be on the team but he should not be one of our main go to guys for goals unless he earns it. With most teams you perform = your a first choice to play. With Gilardino its we have faith that you will eventually perform = you play regardless if you don't perform because we have faith in you. And really in other words we don't want to look stupid that we invested 20 million euros in you and were wrong. ANy other club would have gotten rid of this guy a long time ago.

great post and couldn't agree more. but you have to know that it's this system of "faith in our players" that has played a big part in the Milan success in past 2 decades and of course every system had it's down turns and Gila has been a down turn. now the management are as usual gonna try to get the best of him... but like you said sooner or later the player has to realize that he can't perform in this team.

[aLbErTo]

that is sad, bonera who is a CB can give us better cross then oddo RB...but that doesn't mean he's good at crossing...it's like 1 of 5(bonera) against 1 of 10(oddo)...

[Zed.D]

Very good question !!
It isn't a matter of either/or ... Sure there is a possibility of missing out on the final and 4th place; which would ultimately cause havoc amongst both the San Siro crowd and the Milan dressing room. Not only that, it might even lead to the end of this current cycle of Milan, whatever goes up must come down.

What Milan accomplished last season was something beyond normal. It was Milan against the world, and at times against it's own fans !

Can it happen again ? Sure it can, we'll see .. The odds are stacking up just like they did last season (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

p.s. But if this same performance continues, then 4th place is not possible. But the CL, I believe Milan can do it (it's for Paolo afterall) and no team holds Milan's current record in that tournament.

The most important thing is to be able to play in the CL next season. I'm optimistic we can do it one way or another, or at least I'm trying to be optimistic.

I think this cycle will come to an end no matter what happens. of course it's more likely to happen if we don't win the CL and don't finish in top four!!

Yes, Inter are our opponents, I only talked about Liverpool in the EPL thread.

This season we are crap but it doesn't scare me so much. I still think we will reach 4th place. The thing is that our future looks black!! We need like 10 players in order to be able to compete for the c'ship next season and that means 14 players should come in considering that some will flop... It's just not possible. And that is sad cause in my view, it means that we won't be able to compete for the scudetto the next season for sure and maybe not even the one after that!

That's when you can bring a few new players each transfer window and you don't, because you think you are good as you are...! I don't think we need 10 new players though, imo five world-class players will do [CB, RB, LB, GK, FW], but of course the more the better...

It's time for us to break the bank after two/three dreadful transfer windows where we almost did nothing positive [aside from signing Pato].

[Rossoneri7]

The most important thing is to be able to play in the CL next season. I'm optimistic we can do it one way or another, or at least I'm trying to be optimistic.

I think this cycle will come to an end no matter what happens. of course it's more likely to happen if we don't win the CL and don't finish in top four!!

The cycle ends, when Milan finishes in the UEFA spot and doesn't reach Moscow. Meaning Ancelotti is out the door, the team will break up, and who knows what the next coach will do ... i.e. Risky.

But in all honesty, Milan will reach Moscow as it will reach 4th place. It's a no brainier really.

And Moscow ... As time passes by I think the team is even more motivated to make emends for the lost momentum in the league. Trying to be optimistic wont solve anything (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) It is bound to happen (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[redbabies]

To be honest, what worries me more than this defeat is the form of Pato.

He was amazing the in debut, but in the last 2 matches he never did a single good pass, drible, or any other move that is worth mentioning.

I dont wanna critisize him since he's so young and have more than a decade in front of him but he didn't show a single good thing in the last 2 matches. I'm more worried about his form reather than about that missed oppurtunity, which also happened exaclty to R99 in his debut or 2nd match for Milan last season - it can happen to anyone, not a big deal!!!

I just hope he becomes more of a S7, coz I fear the O7 a lot!

[Zed.D]

The cycle ends, when Milan finishes in the UEFA spot and doesn't reach Moscow. Meaning Ancelotti is out the door, the team will break up, and who knows what the next coach will do ... i.e. Risky.

But in all honesty, Milan will reach Moscow as it will reach 4th place. It's a no brainier really.

And Moscow ... As time passes by I think the team is even more motivated to make emends for the lost momentum in the league. Trying to be optimistic wont solve anything (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) It is bound to happen (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

I gotta make a confession.
I prefer we play like this in the league but win the CL every season until we surpass Real's record (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/goodheart.gif) ! then focus on the league. because no matter how crappy you are in the league, if you win the CL, you'll still be considered the best; because you have conquered the whole Europe, not just Italy, and that's why Inter suck! it's not possible to be a real contender in both at the same time. especially for Milan with lots of old players and a thin squad.

This post has been edited by zdrossoneri: Jan 24 2008, 10:28 AM

[Zed.D]

DP.

This post has been edited by zdrossoneri: Jan 24 2008, 10:26 AM

[Rossoneri7]

Well, I never really expected Milan to be consistent in the league. I knew from the start of the campaign that this is the road Milan will take, and that the team will focus on the CWC and the CL.


But the thing that irritates me is the way Milan played in the 2nd half. I have never seen Milan like this before (if it was a coppa match I'd understand) ... That 2nd half, I really have no words.


About ur confession (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ... The board want that too. Silvio Berlusconi wants this team to be recognized around the world and europe. Now that it is #1 in the world, the only way to keep that spot is to win in europe. Let's get the 8th, then we'll talk about Real (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[kurtsimonw]

But in all honesty, Milan will reach Moscow as it will reach 4th place. It's a no brainier really.

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I'm sure many people would take you up on this bet. You say we WILL reach the European Cup Final AND finish in the top 4? I don't see how you're so confident about that.

[Zed.D]

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)   (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I'm sure many people would take you up on this bet. You say we WILL reach the European Cup Final AND finish in the top 4? I don't see how you're so confident about that.

Maybe because nobody expected us to finish in top 4 in the league AND win the CL last season...

Compared to last season we are not at any disadvantages imo. especially in attack we have Ronaldo [and Pato]...

[dst]

it's not possible to be a real contender in both at the same time. especially for Milan with lots of old players and a thin squad.

Oh it is possible. Of course not with one good XI and crappy substitutes... Milan never were going to win this current title race not because we did not want to but because we couldn't! The management did not want to spend money for whatever reason yet they know that this squad cannot win the scudetto. They were never going to exhaust the team in the title race... CL was all we could win this season and we knew this from day one. It's just sad that they let Milan become a one-competition team.

[Rossoneri7]

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)   (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I'm sure many people would take you up on this bet. You say we WILL reach the European Cup Final AND finish in the top 4? I don't see how you're so confident about that.

U don't need to (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Portman]

I gotta make a confession.
I prefer we play like this in the league but win the CL every season until we surpass Real's record (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/goodheart.gif) ! then focus on the league. because no matter how crappy you are in the league, if you win the CL, you'll still be considered the best; because you have conquered the whole Europe, not just Italy, and that's why Inter suck! it's not possible to be a real contender in both at the same time. especially for Milan with lots of old players and a thin squad.

I'd prefer the Serie A title to the CL one at this moment. I truly miss that italian badge in our shirt.

And I honestly think that no team will ever surpass Real Madrid in CL titles.