@kurt: Now this might make you go 'Et tu brute...' but they do have a point. So do you.
Look guys....Gilardino is not the reason our season has sucked. Our season has sucked due to a combination of:
1. 2 seasons of accumulated fatigue in aging/tiring legs
2. Fullbacks who like to think Milan is some episode of Friends where they can make guest appearances on and off.
3. A transfer policy dictated by an over emphasis on the balance books, which meant the team had no depth.
4. The lack of a true player in the hole a fantasista or a mobile striker who can play in closed spaces.
But yes...Gilardino was bought in as the hope of the decade. I'd say Liverpool's anticipation of Torres pales in comparison. Esp because he's Italian and though we love Kaka...Milan have always loved their Italian players a little more. (And admittedly, the love has been returned
)
Gilardino is not able to play in the system that suits the other 10 players in the first eleven the best. Namely as a target man in the box, who can pull defenders off and hold them. Granted that's not his position, but then it's really difficult to change your whole formation to suit him.
The problem with Gila is he does a bit of everything. He's good in the box, but unfortunately, he can't compare to Pippo. He can hold and dribble and shoot a bit, but he's not Sheva. Theoretically he should have been that missing link, but he isn't.
Perhaps the pressure of playing in a club, where any performance below 8 on 10 is grounds for criticism is a bit heavy for him. Let's not forget, his previous two seasons of unquestioned brilliance at Parma were when the team were battling relegation, and he was praised for standing tall among the ruins. Maybe he's that kind of player who needs to be praised all the time. And a big club doesn't do that. Or at least the press doesn't do that to a player in a big club.
Imo..Milan have done their duty, they've tried to make life easier, and tried to give him loads of playing time...but it doesn't work. Yes...it's obvious it's the system that doesn't suit Gila....but it's more sensible to change the player to suit the system than change the whole system to suit a player.
Lastly the easiest thing to do would be to put yourself in the position of a defender for any team.
Having seen Milan play over the three seasons....now if you're a defender for an opposing team, who in the squad would you rather have play against you. Gilardino or Pato?
Gilardino whom you know is going to be hanging around in the box like he's stoned, and can be taken down or Pato who is going to zip around pulling tricks left and right to confuse you, while in the back of your mind, you know there's Inzaghi somewhere around, and Kaka is lurking just outside the penalty area?
Of course I'll tell you what could change things...
The knowledge that while Gila is in the box and you can mark him down, the fact that Ronaldo is just as adept at getting in the box that unlike Kaka, he loves tight spaces. So now where do you go my lovely?
Or when you see Kaka and R10 charging at you like the old medieval knights leaving your poor holding mid for dead, and knowing that there's a bloke in there to add to the already excruciating pain in your butt.
So yes, there are scenarios where Gila could do great, but in his current form/state of mind, you could even play Darren Bent. He's just not the kind of player whom you can place your faith on to win you the match. Not like Kaka or Sheva or even Pippo. Gila you put on the field, and hope against hope only impossible chances go his way, coz he'll f@ck up the easy ones.
Nah, you're okay, and since when did I answer to you? 
