[Rossoneri7]

Something about Bacca doesn't fit this system. Never did. Yet despite it, he's still our top scorer with a one in two ratio this season and the highest shot conversion rate in Serie A, I believe.

He's not Shevchenko not is he Inzaghi, I see where your coming from Danny but you got to admit the standard is definitely higher than Bacca. He is our highest scorer because he is our only proper striker and his shot conversion rate is high because he rarely takes the shot I guess. Regardless, he could be as profilic as can be, he still needs to go (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[X-Offender]

I do love the 'the kid is only 18' fallacy that is being used over and over again. We have a phrase here in the UK:

'If you're good enough, you're old enough'.

People regularly cut Donnarumma slack 'because he's 18', but guess what - he's AC Milan's goalkeeper - his age should NOT be a factor to justify his mistakes and his 'learning'.

He has been given that position not 'because he's 18', but because he's supposed to be good enough.

Well in the past 6 months, he hasn't been - whether he's 18, 28, or 38 doesn't matter. I'd have agreed that 6 months ago he was indeed showing that astonishing promise you allude to - but for me since then he's gone backwards and simply has not developed.

In short, he is no better than he was, and is definitely worse.

I'm not saying he's absolutely rubbish, but he definitely hasn't improved or learned much in the past half year, which is exactly what an 18 year old kid is supposed to do.

Both goals, the first one especially on Sunday, worried me hugely. A world class goalie would have saved that.

'But it's ok, he's only 18'.

Oh well, it's ok we didn't win then! It costs us points and goals, you know.

I think you're exaggerating on every argument you make.

The GK position is not like other positions. It needs more time, hence why most goalkeepers reach a maturity phase much later in their careers than other players.

Donna is still a child, and for someone of that age he has shown great things in leaps and bounds. His biggest flaw and where he needs to improve the most is positioning. Once he grasps that aspect then he can be considered world-class.

Right now he's simply a talented kid that's been overhyped by the media and fans, and that has A LOT to improve upon.

[Danny]

I think you're exaggerating on every argument you make.

Bit harsh!

The GK position is not like other positions. It needs more time, hence why most goalkeepers reach a maturity phase much later in their careers than other players.

Donna is still a child, and for someone of that age he has shown great things in leaps and bounds. His biggest flaw and where he needs to improve the most is positioning. Once he grasps that aspect then he can be considered world-class.

Right now he's simply a talented kid that's been overhyped by the media and fans, and that has A LOT to improve upon.

... isn't that what I said?!

Difference is everyone else is more forgiving of it than I.

This post has been edited by Danny: Apr 16 2017, 09:44 PM

[X-Offender]

Yes, but you are bashing him. I mean, what exactly are you trying to say? That we should bench him and play Storari instead? Or that we should sell him and cash in?

I don't have doubts about Donna, because I believe he'll turn into a fine GK. Patience.

[Danny]

Yes, but you are bashing him.

Not quite. I'm only saying he's not gone forward in 6 months.

I mean, what exactly are you trying to say? That we should bench him and play Storari instead? Or that we should sell him and cash in?

Yup. I'd sell. He'd fetch a boatload of cash to buy a bunch of players including someone who doesn't cost us points. We're not an academy X - he shouldn't be learning his trade in our first team with points on the line.

I don't have doubts about Donna, because I believe he'll turn into a fine GK. Patience.

I don't. I think he peaked 6 months ago and I don't see much development. Right now he isn't impressive.

PS no one has more patience than me - I've waited half a decade for my teams to be good again. Still waiting.

(hopefully you're right on this one rather than me. I'd like to see him improve and realise the potential of last year. But equally we could use the cash)

[han2503]

The positions to be filled are a cb, a fb, two midfielders and two strikers cause Bacca can go bacca himself off.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Agreed

On the other hand, I don'€™t think we need 2 strikers, I'€™d rather get 2 wingers instead. Especially since we'€™re most likely going to end up with Suso only for this position (a crucial one in Montella'€™s system). Niang will most likely be redeemed by Watford (please god) Deulofeu is going back to Barca (I'€™m 99% sure of this after their comments this weekend) and Ocampos is heading back from wherever he came from. That means Suso is our only out and out winger for next season.

On the other hand we have Lapadula for the CF and Cutrone is tearing up the Primavera so he could be promoted is push comes to shove.

My point in that the CF position should be the last on the list of priorities for next summer.

As for the rest, I think we need two midfielders if we'€™re talking about the bare minimum here, I personally think we need 3. Pasalic is on loan and I don'€™t think we should keep him, Mati is on loan as well, Kucka is done, Monto is done as well. Bertolacci needs to be sold and Poli as well, Sosa imo is also a question mark. For me the only guaranteed names for next season in midfield are Bona and Locatelli. I'€™d probably keep Kucka and Sosa for depth but the rest can leave (I think the new management will definitely try to sell 3 of our players and let the loanees move on), so midfield could be threadbare by next summer (hopefully) which means we'€™ll need to invest heavily in this position as well

CB would be the 3rd priority and LB the 4th (there was a journo on twitter who claimed to have spoken to Kolasinac'€™s father, said that they still haven'€™t decided where he'€™ll be playing next season and that Milan is still a definite possibility). So the LB position could be filled on a free if things go well with Kolasinac

I do love the 'the kid is only 18' fallacy that is being used over and over again. We have a phrase here in the UK:

'If you're good enough, you're old enough'.

People regularly cut Donnarumma slack 'because he's 18', but guess what - he's AC Milan's goalkeeper - his age should NOT be a factor to justify his mistakes and his 'learning'.

He has been given that position not 'because he's 18', but because he's supposed to be good enough.

Well in the past 6 months, he hasn't been - whether he's 18, 28, or 38 doesn't matter. I'd have agreed that 6 months ago he was indeed showing that astonishing promise you allude to - but for me since then he's gone backwards and simply has not developed.

In short, he is no better than he was, and is definitely worse.

I'm not saying he's absolutely rubbish, but he definitely hasn't improved or learned much in the past half year, which is exactly what an 18 year old kid is supposed to do.

Both goals, the first one especially on Sunday, worried me hugely. A world class goalie would have saved that.

'But it's ok, he's only 18'.

Oh well, it's ok we didn't win then! It costs us points and goals, you know.

I think you'€™re being harsh on him Danny, it'€™s the same with some of the things I'€™ve read about Calabria over the weekend. I think some people have unrealistic expectations of what a youngster can / should be producing

Donna imo is an amazing talent, one that doesn't come around very often. Will he make mistakes? Yes, I personally don'€™t expect him to be perfect, and I also don’t expect him to make jumps in quality each month like I'€™m playing Fifa. I don'€™t think he'€™s regressed either.

In fact, I used to worry about him playing last season, I still didn’t trust him and there were many moments where I thought he should/could have done better. I think he'€™s cut those down a lot this season and I personally feel rather secure with him as the keeper.

Do I expect mistakes like the ones against Inter to happen? Yes, he's not going to be perfect in each game, I don’t remember Buffon much at this age, but I don’t think he was perfect 100% of the time either. You simply have to be patient with younger players

And sure the "€œhe'€™s just 18"€ argument is being used a lot, but it IS a valid argument, he IS just 18. He'€™s still a baby in footballing terms, but I personally believe that our patience will be rewarded with Donna and he will fulfill his promise.

Something about Bacca doesn't fit this system. Never did. Yet despite it, he's still our top scorer with a one in two ratio this season and the highest shot conversion rate in Serie A, I believe.

Bacca is an old fashioned CF that no top team should even try to rely on. I thought he was pretty good last season, quick and efficient in front of goal

But this season he's just been horrible. He’s lost that changes of pace he seemed to have last season, he'™s missed sitters he never would have last season, his dribbling is just awful and the funny thing is that he continues to try to do it even though he loses the ball each time. Did you ever see Pippo trying to dribble players?

He's caught offside about 15 times per game and most of it is because he's lazy. He doesn’t help out his team mates and his hold up play is non-existent. When Lapadula comes on you instantly see the change in how the attack functions. He instantly gets involved, makes sure to bring the wingers and mids into the play and is just generally smart in how he moves about the pitch. Personally, I think Montella only plays him because the club has their eye on the market and don’t want Bacca'€™s value to go any deeper down the toilet

He's not Shevchenko not is he Inzaghi, I see where your coming from Danny but you got to admit the standard is definitely higher than Bacca. He is our highest scorer because he is our only proper striker and his shot conversion rate is high because he rarely takes the shot I guess. Regardless, he could be as profilic as can be, he still needs to go (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Plus he takes our penalties. 13 goals with nearly half of them being pens for a so called 30m striker is appaling

I think you're exaggerating on every argument you make.

The GK position is not like other positions. It needs more time, hence why most goalkeepers reach a maturity phase much later in their careers than other players.

Donna is still a child, and for someone of that age he has shown great things in leaps and bounds. His biggest flaw and where he needs to improve the most is positioning. Once he grasps that aspect then he can be considered world-class.

Right now he's simply a talented kid that's been overhyped by the media and fans, and that has A LOT to improve upon.

Agreed

Not quite. I'm only saying he's not gone forward in 6 months.



Yup. I'd sell. He'd fetch a boatload of cash to buy a bunch of players including someone who doesn't cost us points. We're not an academy X - he shouldn't be learning his trade in our first team with points on the line.



I don't. I think he peaked 6 months ago and I don't see much development. Right now he isn't impressive.

PS no one has more patience than me - I've waited half a decade for my teams to be good again. Still waiting.

(hopefully you're right on this one rather than me. I'd like to see him improve and realise the potential of last year. But equally we could use the cash)

We don'€™t need the money, and certainly not at the expense of Donna. Selling someone like him is not only a bad thing footballing wise, but it's also a bad move in terms of the stature of the club. It would be a bad statement from us to sell someone like him

[Danny]

The hell's up with your keyboard buddy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Jack Sparrow]

The hell's up with your keyboard buddy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

@Danny:

He's trying to impress our new Chinese overlords with some Chinese characters thrown in there.

Btw, I disagree with your on Gigio. I believe it's about time we show patience with youth. Selling off talent because they take time to mature is the kind of thinking that resulted in us losing out on Darmian, Aubameyang(though this one is a special case) etc etc.

My opinion is his sudden growth in his initial stages led you to believe it was going to be a similar state of growth. But then you're looking at the best goalkeeper in the world in <3 years - So when he's 21. In which case Danny this isn't a 150MM transfer, we're talking the Leo Messi of goalkeepers.

For me, name any other side in positions 4->10 in their league who's got a better GK than Milan does with Gigio. I don't see anyone except De Gea, so that's the end of that. Gigio stays.

BTW, on the topic of Deulofeu I think he's almost certainly leaving. I'm curious for your thoughts on Samir Nasri. I like him because I think he can be our ideal Bonaventura like player. Can play in the front three or the mid three. He's also been immense for Sevilla this season.

[Danny]

Darmian, the stunning RB who's been such a hit in England, you mean (!)

As for Gigio; that was very unlike you, to be hysterical with an opinion. If I am guilty of underplaying his gravity, you're guilty of the opposite.

[han2503]

The hell's up with your keyboard buddy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Mine?

My post looks fine to me, but I'm at work and using a proxy so it could be messing up my posts. But it looks fine to me from my end

@Danny:

He's trying to impress our new Chinese overlords with some Chinese characters thrown in there.

Btw, I disagree with your on Gigio. I believe it's about time we show patience with youth. Selling off talent because they take time to mature is the kind of thinking that resulted in us losing out on Darmian, Aubameyang(though this one is a special case) etc etc.

My opinion is his sudden growth in his initial stages led you to believe it was going to be a similar state of growth. But then you're looking at the best goalkeeper in the world in <3 years - So when he's 21. In which case Danny this isn't a 150MM transfer, we're talking the Leo Messi of goalkeepers.

For me, name any other side in positions 4->10 in their league who's got a better GK than Milan does with Gigio. I don't see anyone except De Gea, so that's the end of that. Gigio stays.

BTW, on the topic of Deulofeu I think he's almost certainly leaving. I'm curious for your thoughts on Samir Nasri. I like him because I think he can be our ideal Bonaventura like player. Can play in the front three or the mid three. He's also been immense for Sevilla this season.

Nasri? Haven't heard of him in a while. But for me, he's a definate no, and screams of the B & G era of desperation

[Danny]

Nasri is a player of great potential back in the day but a wasted talent and unprofessional and that's why he's on loan now at Sevilla rather than being a permanent fixture at City.

[Rossoneri7]

So Morals and Cesc seem to be the preliminary names for this summer. Think it's a step in the right direction. But I'm gonna hold out for a big name signing when our fixture list involves the CL. Then only can we attract Milan quality ... been a while since I used that word (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

[han2503]

So Morals and Cesc seem to be the preliminary names for this summer. Think it's a step in the right direction. But I'm gonna hold out for a big name signing when our fixture list involves the CL. Then only can we attract Milan quality ... been a while since I used that word (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

Who's Morals?

And Cesc is a statement signing in and of himself imo. Sure he's sitting at Chelsea, but he's been great for them whenever he's played, he just doesn't fit Conte's system, which I personally find strange for a coach who was able to revive Pirlo's career.

That being said, if this agreement between club and player is true, it would be a massive coupe for us, and their loss would definitely be our gain. He can easily give us 3 to 4 years of top level football.

[Danny]

Cesc and Pirlo are subtly different. Pirlo is a deep lying regista, picking out the pass and orchestrating things from deep. I don't like the word metronome but that's the label given him.

Cesc is far more mobile - he is stronger, more physical, and while he picks out the pass too, he gets more advanced than Pirlo. Or tries to. While he is not quite a trequartista, he's probably closer to that than being a regista.

So it's not hugely shocking that a team filled with attacking and creative talent struggles to accommodate Cesc.

Mind you, there are rumours Inter are trying to lure Conte back to Italy.

[Forza Milan!]

Relating to Donna, I would not worry too much about an occasional mistake or two at his age (have we already forgotten Dida?). Not worried about the fact that he has not matured in the last 6 months (will worry if there are no changes in the next year or two). However, if a large enough offer materializes, most likely Raiola will put pressure on him to leave, so we may not have much of a choice.

As for other potential transfers, all we have right now is speculation, so I will wait to see what actually happens. Soon enough, we will get to see how good our new management really is. 150M (assuming that's what we have to spend) is not that much money these days, especially if we start going after big names (for example, I believe Morata is in the 100M range). Salaries will be a concern as well (we have already seen what can happen if you are not careful). As a result, there needs to be some balance. Perhaps a big name or maybe two, but also some wise choices. FWIW, I think Cesc would be good to have, as he will bring quality and (hopefully) will not be that expensive.