[Rossoneri7]

If you believe the Italian media then Milan are officially in a crisis. Struggling terribly in Serie A with no wins in five Serie A games – what has happened to the Champions of Europe? Goal.com wants to know what you think…

Last season Milan finished the Serie A campaign in fourth place, a monumental 36 points behind city-rivals and Scudetto-winners Inter. In any normal year there would have been an outcry that Milan could possibly finish so far off the pace. 

However all talk of the Rossoneri’s shortcomings seemed to disappear as soon as they lifted the Champions League in Athens in May. Of course the season had now been a hugely successful one – Milan had won the most prestigious club trophy in European football and what’s more they had done it in style after some sensational performances against Bayern Munich and Manchester United en route to the final.

Therefore Milan went into the summer transfer market with an arrogant aura that they were the Champions of Europe and did not need to change something that was not broken. The Rossoneri’s only notable purchases were 31-year-old ‘has-been’ Emerson from Real Madrid and the 18-year-old Alexandre Pato who, despite his description as a wonderkid, is only eligible to play for the Rossoneri from January onwards. 

The result of this transfer strategy is that Milan now sit in 11th position in Serie A, already seven points behind leaders Inter after just six games. Furthermore Carlo Ancelotti’s men have failed to win in the league since the opening day of the season and they were dreadfully poor during the 1-1 draw with Catania at the weekend. 

Critics in Italy all have their theories as to why things have gone wrong. One explanation is that Milan are simply too old. Out of the first choice starting-11, six are over 30 and only two are below the age of 29, Andrea Pirlo, who is 28, and Kaka, who is 25. The argument is that a team with so many old players simply cannot cope with the rigours of playing twice a week. 

The second explanation is that Milan need to buy a striker. The Rossoneri have scored just five goals in their last five Serie A games, with two of these being penalties. This record is simply not good enough. What is even crazier is that Milan currently have just three senior strikers on their books. 

Filippo Inzaghi can still be brilliant, but at 34, he cannot be expected to play 40 games a season and his best years are certainly behind him. Alberto Gilardino, to put it simply, is just not good enough to play for such a prestigious club. He is by no means a bad player, but he does not posses the technical ability or the striker intelligence to succeed. Then of course there is Ronaldo, who is either injured or overweight, and despite his undoubted genius, at 31 he hardly represents the future. 

So this makes Milan’s decision not to invest during the summer in a proven striker all the more bamboozling. According to ex-Milan player Oscar Damiani, Milan passed up the opportunity to sign Luca Toni, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and David Trezeguet in the summer, three genuine world-class strikers. The fact that Toni only moved to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £9m makes this decision even harder to understand. 

The simplicity of it all is that, in my opinion, Milan are probably only one world-class striker away from having a truly awesome team. The defence is sound, and the midfield of Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Ambrosini and Kaka is undoubtedly the best in European club football. Finally the Rossoneri possess the best player in the world in the absolutely outstanding Kaka. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devilsmiley.gif)  

However all of this is wasted because Milan do not have a striker to finish the job. If either Toni, Trezeguet or Van Nistelrooy were playing up front for Milan, they would have scored about eight goals this season already. The sheer brilliance of the midfield means that chances will always be created, as was the case in the defeat to Palermo last week. 

However this does not explain why, despite their dreadful form in the league over the past year, Milan are still the number one team in Europe when it comes to the Champions League. This topic requires a lot more analysis than I can offer here but the statistics talk for themselves. In the past five years, Milan have won the trophy twice and reached the final, semi-final and quarter-final on one occasion each. 

This is an incredible record, unrivalled in recent years. Milan were simply magnificent in winning the competition last season and they have also began in imperious form this time around with a dominant 2-1 victory over Benfica a fortnight ago. So why do Milan continue to perform in Europe but struggle so badly in Serie A? 

Are they, as many Italian critics say, prioritising the Champions League too much? Carlo Ancelotti has openly admitted that he prefers success in Europe to success at home. Or is the slow, passing game that Milan play so delightfully against foreign opposition just not suited to Serie A? Have Milan just been unlucky so far this season in the league? 

Goal.com


This post has been edited by Rossoneri7: Oct 2 2007, 02:11 AM

[Rossoneri7]

I believe he is right in that Milan have the best team in Europe, and are only lacking a world class striker.

The reason I have been calm throughout the shortcoming of the team, is because we truly have a great team, and had Ronaldo been playing we would have been in the top four, if not 1st place (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

As I have been saying, in the long run, Milan will get back all the lost points and finish off in the top four ... There is no question about that.

Some would like to dread on the current situation and make it seem like the team is sinking and wont recover, but I believe otherwise.

This post has been edited by Rossoneri7: Oct 2 2007, 02:17 AM

[KillerMax]

We are one world class striker away from being a better team. That's all there is to it.

[Rossoneri7]

We are one world class striker away from being a better team. That's all there is to it.

Thank you .. Sums it up really.

[vito_online]

Last year when Milan wasn't able to score a goal, our defense was better.

This year we always have the problem in attack but it's not a big change, but defense could be the difficult sector this season....

This post has been edited by vito_online: Oct 2 2007, 10:55 AM

[Zed.D]

I agree with what this article says. only I think we are one striker away from being a competitive team "this season". that means we must really BUY some decent players in the summer. I hope that is the case. because Maldini, Cafu, Serginho, Favalli and some others as well will be gone. we cannot have Digaos and Grimis and Boneras as their replacements!

[KillerMax]

I agree with what this article says. only I think we are one striker away from being a competitive team "this season". that means we must really BUY some decent players in the summer. I hope that is the case. because Maldini, Cafu, Serginho, Favalli and some others as well will be gone. we cannot have Digaos and Grimis and Boneras as their replacements!

Bonera is a great player. He only lacks experience, which he is gonna get a lot of this season. Starting tomorrow.

[han2503]

I believe he is right in that Milan have the best team in Europe, and are only lacking a world class striker.

The reason I have been calm throughout the shortcoming of the team, is because we truly have a great team, and had Ronaldo been playing we would have been in the top four, if not 1st place (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

As I have been saying, in the long run, Milan will get back all the lost points and finish off in the top four ... There is no question about that.

Some would like to dread on the current situation and make it seem like the team is sinking and wont recover, but I believe otherwise.

Correction Milan have probably the best 11 next to Barca, but as a squad Milan are only the first 11, and then there is a HUGE drop in quality.

Fact is we need to replace these guys in the summer, and we can't continue to do what wer always do, like we get rid of Cafu, Serginho and Favalli and replace them with equally old and over the hill players, imo that is why we are in this situation right now. If we had instead of gotten Favalli and renewed contracts with guys like Cafu and Sergio just bought younger, talented, driven players we wouldn't have half these problems imo

[Rossoneri7]

Correction Milan have probably the best 11 next to Barca, but as a squad Milan are only the first 11, and then there is a HUGE drop in quality.

Fact is we need to replace these guys in the summer, and we can't continue to do what wer always do, like we get rid of Cafu, Serginho and Favalli and replace them with equally old and over the hill players, imo that is why we are in this situation right now. If we had instead of gotten Favalli and renewed contracts with guys like Cafu and Sergio just bought younger, talented, driven players we wouldn't have half these problems imo

Yes, but that is for next yr not this year ... I know that (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

About the first XI, duhh .... but in all honesty we have more than anyteam in Europe. I mean, the understanding and cohesion between our players at this level is something unmatched!!

[han2503]

Yes, but that is for next yr not this year ... I know that (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

About the first XI, duhh .... but in all honesty we have more than anyteam in Europe. I mean, the understanding and cohesion between our players at this level is something unmatched!!

Yes, but still you are souly talking about the first 11, after that, nothing really, when have we shown any cohesion what so ever when Carlo has rotated the team.

As said before, our first 11 is up there with the best, but other then that, we don't have a good enough squad especially to compete for 5 trophies like we're supposed to be doing this season.

For example Carlo rested Oddo and Janku at the weekend against Catania and we weren't able to do anything on the wings all game long. That's the drop in quality I'm talking about

This post has been edited by han2503: Oct 2 2007, 10:38 PM

[Rossoneri7]

Yes, but still you are souly talking about the first 11, after that, nothing really, when have we shown any cohesion what so ever when Carlo has rotated the team.

As said before, our first 11 is up there with the best, but other then that, we don't have a good enough squad especially to compete for 5 trophies like we're supposed to be doing this season.

For example Carlo rested Oddo and Janku at the weekend against Catania and we weren't able to do anything on the wings all game long. That's the drop in quality I'm talking about

Ok ... u have to keep certain things in mind:

- The team is competing to win no more than 2 competitions atm. Not 5, and the league the team will get up, dust itself and head to the top in no time.

- We lack depth, I know !! Why is everyone repeating this, it is obvious for God's sake. But the first XI is the strongest in Europe and the world IMO.

- Most importantly, please drop the notion that we lack this and we lack that, as this talk doesn't serve for anything now. For better or for worse, give this team credit for the impossible objectives that they have come to accomplish.