[MizNelson]

since i have the luxury of having actual dida fans here lol may i ask what they think of abbiati because i think he's been overachieving all year and although has been in great form, isn't as good as dida. Bias? DEFINITELY

Wait for a member named MizNelson, she'll answer that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif) Of course, I will too, but she's the biggest fan of Dida in these parts of the wood. In fact, she's probably a bigger fan of Dida than a thousand of us combined. LOL. I expect a very detailed answer from her, now that you've bought Abbiati up.

Oh, I will, I will. However, it'll have to wait until later tonight as I have to go back to work. See you then. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[dst]

arsenal could mail us one of wenger's turds and galliani would hold a press conference as to whether we should find a use for it.

I thought that's what just happened.

[Habitant]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Fishdoll +1 cookie to Habitant. Good one.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Zed.D]

(IMG:http://picturescloset.com/gallery2/d/19800-2/Black-Dragon-n_013.jpg)
You really think something like that would help Pato!?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I said help us.

No he won't. The season he leaves Milan will be the duck season. I'm going to kill him!

Not always it's the player's wish to leave Milan, you know... remember what happened in this January's transfer window. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Vincenzo Iaquinta Is Fed Up And Ready To Quit Juventus – Report

How is his aerial abilities?... could he be that big guy Jack's been talking about?

This post has been edited by Zed.D: Feb 19 2009, 12:21 PM

[CrazyMilanFan]

big guy i think coulkd be some one like mario gomes

[Jack Sparrow]

I think Gomez would be too expensive amd hasn't impressed me since Euros. This season hasn't been great either.

We need a target man, but not at the cost of our defence. So I've finalised my set as:

Defense:


LB:

Grosso : A little old, probably won't be too expensive. Azzuri NT. Not the best defensively, but probably a step up to Janku. Also gives a great height advantage. Free Kick/Corner Specialist (Left footed)- (31 years old)

CB:----> HIGH PRIORITY

Mexes: Experienced in Serie A. Would be a strong partner to Nesta. Good technique. Not the most consistent and has his off days. Who his partner is, would play a role I think in making his truly impassable. But can probably lead a defensive line on his own as well. Just not Nesta/Paolo standard though. Still..MY CHOICE - (26 years old)

Agger: Young. CL experience. Would have decent tactical knowledge having played with Rafa. A Viking for 10ie/kurtie to have the hots for (most important plus point). Strong in the air, can start an attack from the back, and has a great long shot. But with Thiago Silva, might be too youthful? Looks the most likely to join Milan.

Kolo Touré: Oldest of the lot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) Pana's favourite. Fast, powerful, good shot. Could be friends with Flamini as well. We know he plays great alongside Senderos. Might improve Phillipe's play. Arsenal fan favourite. Had a transfer request turned down by the club. Would require tapping up/ exorbitant fee. Locke would hate us. (Most important downside). Pana would stop feeling love for Seedorf. (Second important downside)- (28 years old)


Midfield:

Kuffkuff (so that acid's happy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) ): Would demand new formation and tactics. Prolly a 4-2-3-1 if he was in, with 2 DMs . We already own his contract. He knows the working of the club and the players. Has got his confidence back. Best technique amongst all the candidates. Not the best defensively. Might require certain promises, so that we don't screw his career twice. -(22 years old)

Lucho Gonzalez: Tall and good in the air, can also take over from Pirlo/Becks and play in the deep three. Good defensively. My personal favourite tactically. Downside is he's Argentine. But we HAVE played Redondo so...MY CHOICE (28 years old)

Veloso: More of a defensive mid, kinda like Flamini, but will probably go to Arsenal anyway. I think a replacement to Ambro eventually if we get him. (22 years old)

Moutinho: Short kid (downside), but intelligent and imo is the best Seedorf replacement around. But I WILL grant that the 'next Rui' sobriquet has gotten me biased a bit. (22 years old)

<I guess I just miss a Portuguese mid-fielder in the line-up. Same as a Dutch striker. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif) >

Forwards:

<Mostly target men except the first>

Benzema: HUGE talent. Foremost young striker around (who plays for a lesser club). Has said he would prefer one of Milan, Inter, Barca, Madrid. Would build a French base so Kuffkuff and Flamini can have a crêpe
party. Is probably a better choice than Eto'o if we want someone who's technical AND can play as sole striker due to age and physical condition.Plays well on the right side. Decent in the air. Salivating to think of a KaPaRoBen ((IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) ). Would be sh!t f@ckin expensive! Prefers La Liga. Any club who wanted to purchase him currently would need to clear the current lineup to make space. My money's on Milan dropping Benzema's purchase and instead getting the bloke who the other big club puts for sale (Henry/Adriano/Eto'o/Balotelli/Ruud)- (21 years old)

All of the following might cause Borriello to sulk:

Iaquinta: Strong in the air. Decent finisher. Serie A experience. Italian national. Can play on the wings. Not the most technically proficient. Plays for a direct rival, so buying him will either be expensive or impossible. (29 years old)

Zigić: HUGE. I mean HUGE!!! 6ft 8 f@ckin inches. Would looove to see him play alongside Pato/Pippo, just for visual entertainment. Takes long shots, holds up the ball. With Pirlo, Becks, R80 behind him popping in crosses, he would have a party. In good form currently for Santander. No Serie A experience. No BIG club experience. Might not play as well, if he was meant to be a tool for KAka/Ronnie to score-like with Gila. Valencia player, would be the cheapest of the lot to buy. Would be the Senderos equivalent of the strikers. (28 years old)

Drogba: Nothing to say really. 31 years old. Loves Mourinho, but one heck of player. Would also have fun with all the long balls. Expensive. Most expensive after Benzema. (30 years old)



Please note, these are not really the BEST of the BEST. But the ones who we can conceivably land with a straighforward offer.

I would think a total transfer budget of 25 million would cover it. Less if Oddo is let go.

I'm assuming we lose the following players:

Paolo, Favster,Emerson.

Not sure about Senderos and Sheva.

This post has been edited by Jack Sparrow: Feb 19 2009, 02:08 PM

[dst]

You surely have the biggest post/words ration in this forum!

Kolo Toure (Agger, Santacroce would be satisfying too) and a LB (haven't thought of it thoroughly yet) for the defense, Gourcuff to replace Seedorf (I'm sure he can play there and do great too) and KaPaRo for the attack! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Jack Sparrow]

I know! Which is why I smirk at kurt's post count. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) I'm the Berbatov to his Bellamy.

[Rossoneri7]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Fillipo Simone]

Note that Gomez's form is back on track and he's started to score like last year. In fact since Babbel took over Stuttgart and him imporved even.

I agree on most options Jack posted. Not sure about Lucho and Žigić, are they really Milan-acceptable? Didn't see both play for about 2 years, so I can't judge on them..

[Jack Sparrow]

Zigic...no way. He's no Drogba..not even close. But you can see what not having Borriello is doing to us. Having Zigic on the pitch, simply would force a change in tactics. Especially against teams like Reggina. They can no longer close down and kick Pato.

It's not like I expect him to take on Inter in the derby and score a hat-trick.

Lucho is untried. But he's pretty good on the pitch, and I think he would adapt the best. In any case, I don't think the mid-field and the strikers require people who are first XI. Anything to avoid the situation against Bremen - a bench full of defenders.

Didn't know about Gomez. His wiki stats weren't flattering. Even then with the cost involved he would HAVE to play. And I don't want to shut Marco out, just yet.

This post has been edited by Jack Sparrow: Feb 19 2009, 04:22 PM

[Zed.D]

Leonardo Favourite To Replace Carlo Ancelotti At Milan – Report

The Brazilian trainee coach is getting ready for an adventure with Milan if Ancelotti is shown the door...

Milan's poor result in Germany against Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup left chief Silvio Berlusconi fuming, leading to speculation that there could be some managerial changes at the club.

La Gazzetta Dello Sport claims that Carlo Ancelotti could be replaced by Leonardo at the end of term if he fails to bring a trophy to the club this season. The Rossoneri seem off course for the Scudetto and they are out of the Coppa Italia. Wednesday's 1-1 draw against Bremen led to new questions over their UEFA Cup chances and there is an air of tension at Milanello.

Berlusconi hit out at the team on Thursday, and reports suggest he is becoming fed up of pouring cash into the club and seeing no reward for it.

Leonardo is currently studying for his coaching badges and he has always stayed close to the club he once played for since hanging up his boots. Another season with no silverware is unimaginable at San Siro.

The finger of blame is being pointed towards the coach. Ancelotti has always stated that he would like to coach another team and his wish may come sooner than expected. Reports suggest a number of major clubs are keen on the Italian tactician and he will not be short of offers if he does leave.

Ancelotti will need to turn things around swiftly. With an 11 point gap between his side and Inter, the Scudetto seems gone. The coach’s job seems to be hanging on the UEFA Cup. Failure in that competition could see the axe fall on the former Juventus man.

I'm not sure Leonardo is the right man... he has no experience at all and looks like a very light person. the last thing this team needs, is a light and inexperienced coach. we need a Mourinho-like disciplinarian. Costacurta looks like the one, but he has no significant experience either... Rijkaard is light too, but at least he has enough experienced, and I think he's got balls to change some things within the team. play the youngsters, bench those who are not good enough anymore or don't give their all (hell, he benched the mighty Dinho at Barca).

Who will eventually replace Carlo doesn't matter right now. the question is, will he be given yet another chance if we finish the season empty handed? (it's very likely considering we're out of the Scudetto race, out of Coppa, and who knows, we could soon be out of UEFA too). can anyone see that happening?

[Jack Sparrow]

I think, and this might piss a lot of people off, that provided we retain CL spot, Carlo will be allowed to see off his contract in its last season. Then either he goes off coaching NTs or he gets pushed into television.

As substitute for Carlo, I'd made a monster post earlier, but I don't know who it will be. It looks very early now to say. I doubt Leonardo would come in. He's very good at his job here at Milan, and at the same time to be a better coach would require to be farmed out somewhere.

I really like MvB, coz he's a coach who's both a disciplinarian and plays good football. The trouble is he's very inexperienced and of course won't come into a team with Seedorf.

If we can appoint Sacchi as director of football, I'd like Juande Ramos. Ramos is a great coach, and Sacchi has Spanish and Italian experience, so he can be the perfect conduit.


But it looks for now like it will be Rijkaard. Anyone know what he's been upto. I mean Mancini has been studying. But what of Frankie? Did he up his coaching know how?

[dst]

I really like MvB, coz he's a coach who's both a disciplinarian and plays good football. The trouble is he's very inexperienced and of course won't come into a team with Seedorf.

Or MvB comes and Seedorf goes then we're all happy. Well, you are not happy but you have rum to comfort you!

[Tennie]

But Fishdoll has stolen the rum. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif)