[milanbuf88]

Problem is that Balo comes with a lot of baggage, in this case money has nothing to do with it

Then why mention that? You just like to ***** about Galliani no matter what he does.

[han2503]

Then why mention that? You just like to ***** about Galliani no matter what he does.

Because it's still a panic buy, only one with a whole different set of drawbacks.

If it came down to it, I'd rather a Zaccardo situation than Balotelli stirring sh!t up in the locker room. Enough said

[milanbuf88]

Because it's still a panic buy, only one with a whole different set of drawbacks.

If it came down to it, I'd rather a Zaccardo situation than Balotelli stirring sh!t up in the locker room. Enough said

I don't think it's a panic buy and I think it's an infinitely better deal than a Zaccardo situation. I don't think we'll ever agree on this though.

[Fillipo Simone]

The thing with Mihajlović is he has balls but not the know-how and the needed reputation to back this up. He likes to throw players into the fire (did it constantly with Serbia) but outcomes are more then questionable and the risk is very high. Now bringing Balotelli into that kind of a grand scheme raises the bar even higher.

[han2503]

I don't think it's a panic buy and I think it's an infinitely better deal than a Zaccardo situation. I don't think we'll ever agree on this though.

So you think having a disruptive clown like Balo in the locker rooms is better than having a Zaccardo?

Both are terrible moves that shouldn't even happen let's begin there. But I'd sill take Zaccardo who leeches a bit of money off the club over Balo any day. We're already stacked in attack, any striker who's name is not Ibra would be pointless.

I seriously cannot understand why we're even bothering with him, just mind boggling at this point

Especially when we still have a huge squad and a midfield that still requires 1 or 2 additions for this team to be competitive.

The thing with Mihajlović is he has balls but not the know-how and the needed reputation to back this up. He likes to throw players into the fire (did it constantly with Serbia) but outcomes are more then questionable and the risk is very high. Now bringing Balotelli into that kind of a grand scheme raises the bar even higher.

At least as a club coach he'll have more time to rectify the situation given how long a season is.

I was hopeful about Ely and Romagnoli, but I did say multiple times about how worried I was with them playing together considering how inexperienced they are.

I think one experienced leader in the centre of defence is always a necessity. Hopefully Mexes is fit for the next game, if not Paletta should start

[William405]

http://football-italia.net/71500/galliani-...lis-last-chance

Read it Han, nothing will change I tell you. These are our targets, let's just accept it.

This post has been edited by William405: Aug 23 2015, 10:15 PM

[Fillipo Simone]

My take on Milan, in some brief and (IMO) important points. Mind one thing - this all me seem to you over-hasted and naive, but I'm sick and tired of waiting, patiently building disillusions and illusions; I've been doing that for over 2 years.

The Transfer Policy and Management
Many of us here knew the first and prime problem of Milan is the management. They simply made so many bad deals, wrong decisions and turns, that it was crucial to break the line. More then once people tried to intervene, but Galliani remains on helm even though the clubs reputation and name sank to new lows (for the Berlusconi era at least). I'm not talking just in terms of Serie A achievements, but also big embarrassments like the US-tour in '14, the whole Albertini issue and us backing up a politically and morally compromised man, etc. etc. Politics may have not been the main issue here, and maybe are secondary to achievements and success in terms of football. But Milan nowadays is more then just a team and a coach, it has a reputation that got tarnished in multiple occasions. It's a bad omen.

The transfer policy changed only in terms of money. Galliani had a good scheme at the beginning, and it's not his fault things went south with deals like Martinez, Kondogbia even Ibrahimović. But the problem always remains - his panic buys, how Han likes to call them. It was Matri, it was Oliveira, Cerci, now it's Soriano-Balotelli. Milan keep on singing "marquee" players that somehow rarely have impact or change very little in the grand scheme of things.

Neglected are the positions Milan clearly has a problem with. Our flanks bar Abate have very little offensive power (even with Abate their capability is highly questionable). Our midfield is filled with redundant players who are either gems for destructive plays (NdJ, Poli, Nocerino) - not bad at all, but not creative enough, or players that either don't have the capacity to be creative (Bonaventura, Poli), cannot be the focal point (Bertolacci) or simply lack even the quality to play in Italy and Serie A (Honda).

The coach problem

What leaves me baffled is that Milan, the very same people that walked with this club trough rough patches in the mid 90's didn't learn squat from their past mistakes, only added a gazillion of new ones. Namely, rookie and unqualified coaches (Tabarez, Morini, Zaccheroni, Terim vs. Leonardo, Allegri, Seedorf, Inzaghi, Mihajlović) are now left all alone out there, with not even intermezzo reactions like Sacchi or Capello got in the 90's. Which would be important.

From moment one appointing Mihajlović was a gamble. We needed a solid, good coach, someone who's actually won something. Ancelotti - came at the moment of crisis, but his reputation and know-how muddled us through the mess into a safe harbor.

What's more shocking is that Galliani actually entrusted Mihajlović a great say in terms of transfers and signings. Romagnoli, Bertolacci and now Soriano and Balo most probably are gambles with record-high prize tags, and Mihajlović is the one agreeing to them, luring them and saying he can manage with them. But can he? His prior records point to a cloud of doubt.

Mentality and miss-steps
Here we are back again in the loop. I think it was you Danny who said you like Miha's attitude. The problem is, this attitude isn't quite new. In fact, almost all new coaches tried to avoid Mexes at first. But what happened? We pushed inexperienced or not good enough players into the fire and then at the sign of panic pulled back to Mexes as a rescue point. Don't get me wrong, I don't like Mexes very much. But either you get rid of him by selling him, or you keep and play him. By doing the other thing you get this - green young players like Ely and Romagnoli lose immensely confidence with such performances, while experienced players lack harmony and attention. Mexes steps in and they again start being uncomfortable because of the lost chances. Then mistakes happen, nerves step up a notch, and you have a mess.

Han, you speak of improvements. I hardly can find them. Maybe there are basic footballing improvement like corner-marking, movement, etc. But the mentality is what is basic. The lack of effort and the attitude under most evident under Inzaghi, but persistently (more or less evidently) apparent since the days of Max Allegri, still sticks. Now, what I believe is that a truly good coach can eradicate such mentality in one summer, even without new signings. If this wasn't that case then some small and limited clubs with a mediocre midfield wouldn't produce good games; Milan simply doesn't and apparently cannot.

The understanding of the midfield concept, of how a team scores goals and how it attacks. Galliani seems to be stuck in the 80's with thinking that strikers solve that problem by their own. This is not the Serie A of Baggio, Batistuta and Vialli. And by the way, we don't have that kind of quality strikers either. So yes, we need at least 2 sources of creativity. We also need more potent flanks - Antonelli, MDS especially and Abate cannot provide the addition/alternative solution to midfield creativity and dynamo by firing up the flanks. But the main thing we need is a change in mentality. A change in thinking about the squad overall. Seedorf was maybe the closest thing to this, and now look what happened with him.

[acid911]

Great post, Fillipo. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/king.gif) A joy to read, sad as it is. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Same old story again, even with this new investment and selling of stock. The only hope? Maybe these new guys will see of Galliani and get rid of him come next season. Truth be told, we need some saner heads at the top, making all these key decisions.

That's my only hope, because Galliani, with all the good he has done in the past, is well and truly past it.

[acid911]

If this wasn't that case then some small and limited clubs with a mediocre midfield wouldn't produce good games; Milan simply doesn't and apparently cannot.

This is it, in a nutshell. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)

[Danny]

As for your comment in general, for a coach who has been so adamant about not taking any BS, wanting a cancer like Balo in the dressing room for me is completely contradictory to everything he preaches. It is simply just not conducive to the cause you're marching for, simple as that.

Balo is a major mistake

I agree with all of this.

[Danny]

It couldn't get any more depressing than this.

And that was BEFORE you watched the atrocity in Florence.

[X-Offender]

Great post Fillipo, totally agreed with everything.

[Danny]

Somehow I didn't see that post from Pippo.

We don't always agree and I'm not saying everything in it is spot on, but it's a good post and the majority hits the nail on the head.

[milanbuf88]

So you think having a disruptive clown like Balo in the locker rooms is better than having a Zaccardo?

Both are terrible moves that shouldn't even happen let's begin there. But I'd sill take Zaccardo who leeches a bit of money off the club over Balo any day. We're already stacked in attack, any striker who's name is not Ibra would be pointless.

Yes, of course it's better. One can potentially have a game or season changing influence and the other plays worse than a primavera player but costs more. Frankly I think it's idiotic to even compare the two. Balo is clearly a troubled individual but he doesn't single handedly ruin football clubs.

[han2503]

Yes, of course it's better. One can potentially have a game or season changing influence and the other plays worse than a primavera player but costs more. Frankly I think it's idiotic to even compare the two. Balo is clearly a troubled individual but he doesn't single handedly ruin football clubs.

Disagree.

A handful of good games a season simply does not make up for the problems he causes. And he might not ruin clubs he plays for, but he ruins team spirit and harmony. Haven't we already learnt this the hard way?

And they're being compared because they're both panic buys. Players brought in just so Galliani can say he bought someone.

@ Filippo, great post.

I have made a big issue of the midfield. And I think having the regista and trequartista would help a LOT. But I agree that fundamentally it is also an attitude problem. I don't think it's all it is. I think we have a huge hole in midfield that not only leaves our attack without support but most importantly our defence exposed.

Also, if we're not going to even think about fixing this issue than Miha needs to find the best solution possible to at least mitigate some of the problems brought on by playing Bertolacci and Bonaventura at the same time which imo is a mistake. Imo, hate him as much as all you guys do, I think Monto needs to start if we're not getting anyone else. He's the only one capable of at least putting his foot on the ball and taking charge in midfield. That's one of our biggest problems. Valero did what we have no one capable of doing for Fiorentina. and he's not even a player I consider that is all that great but he can take control of a midfield and control tempo for them. Monto is the only one who can do that Bona and Bertolacci just simply run around a lot and make the simple pass or dribble.