Spoilt for choice

Ancelotti signaled total confidence with his winning line-up against AEK and the players responded in force.

CARLO ANCELOTTI

‘I evaluated the situation and I thought it better to use the rotation system. I don’t want to overwork some of the players and leave others out that are in good shape. Everything worked out well and we are very happy. This is an important weapon. We have players that are the complete package. Like Brocchi, for example, can cover different positions and that’s important for the midfield.

‘We were beaten down all summer and our desire to win again has grown. We want to do even better than in the past.

‘The team get a vote of confidence because they improved on those aspects that created problems against Lazio. Gourcuff demonstrated good timing on the goal. Bonera will play soon as well. The new players are fitting in well. I am really happy Gourcuff is here. He is reliable and has great potential.’


MAURO TASSOTTI

‘Tonight’s game was great, the team are improving. We are really happy with the performance. Milan were precise and that was exactly what we wanted. Gourcuff could become very important to us and that’s why we must pay him a lot of attention.

‘Oliveira knows how to communicate well with Kakà, he moves a lot and looks for the tight passes. He needs to play because he was out for a bit. We are happy with his performance. Paolo has played two games in just a few days; we will see how you does in the upcoming days. We substituted many players and we did well because it helped us to find the necessary motivation. We are truly happy that we can count on every player and that we have the luxury of choice.’

DARIO SIMIC

‘I am happy to have played as a central defender, I really like that position. If you play with Milan, then you must always think about winning. We have new young players and there will be more rotation, but also the new players have the right mindset. We played really well tonight, all the way from keeper to forward. We were more precise than with Lazio.’

CLARENCE SEEDORF

‘Ancelotti has shown that he believes in all of us and the team reacted in the best possible way. I am happy for Gourcuff. We can be satisfied. Yoann is young and very talented. He could give a lot to this side.

We have a long road ahead of us this year, we need everyone and the desire to win.’

KAKA'

’Gourcuff did very well. He fitted in right away and did well. He is strong, strong enough to always play. He is very intelligent. We have started the season well, as opposed to last year, and that is a good thing. We are a happy group, happy to stay on the field.’

I'm glad that Carlo is learning that you need to rotate the squad, for it to be able to play well for the entire season. I hope he continues to use the rotation system, especially since everyone seems to think that Milan will not be able to hold on for the entire season because of the age of the squad.

Finally. Maybe this time Pirlo will be in good form at the end of the season

Hopefully.

I think Carlo will use the rotation system more, since the players who don't normally play gave him confidence that they can still play well and win the game in style.

Last season when Carlo switched things around ie. rotated the squad, qe suffered a lot and even sometime lost the game, and that's why he always sticks to the normal starting 11, but if the players instill him with faith in them then I don't see why he won't use the rotation system

he knows that he should ... but for example what he did against Lecce last season was not rotation ... it was a like a Coppa Italia (for everyone but Inter) or pre-season match!!!!


I was so happy to see Pirlo out of the squad!!!!

i hope you're refering about him getting some rest

Yes you're right, but last night's game was a clear example of how you should rotate your team, and Carlo did that to perfection. The Lecce match was a bit different, we where heading into a crucial CL tie and he decided to rest oll of the usual starters. Last year we still had a very great bench, definately better then the Lecce starting 11, but the problem was that the players on the bench never usually play so they all played bad.



Me too, and in a way I wanted Gila to play because this was a golden opportunity for him to break his duck, but I think Carlo was right to bench him and give him a rest, it was clear on Sunday how much the match against France took out of them, especially Gila and Pirlo, who where practically the only ones against France that where doing anything (Rino also played great)

If we won't get any injuries this season, everything's gonna be fine. We still have a great bench. Players like Simic, Jankulovski, Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gourcuff, Gilardino etc. would be the manager's first choice in any other team. I tell you, we have a great squad. Also, getting rid of players who have won nearly everything like Stam, Rui Costa and Sheva and replacing them with youngsters hungry for trophies like Bonera, Gourcuff and Oliveira is a clever move.

I agree with most of the things you said, but Simic? He's not even a good sub, sorry...

Ditto. Agree with eveything but Simic.

Oh c'mon, he's not that bad. People are too harsh on him. Don't forget he used to be in the first line-up at Inter, and also at Milan in his first season. He's a decent player IMHO.

As Han already said, his passing is worst than terrible most of the time and I seriously don't see a place for such player in Milan's starting 11...

Yes I did say he is terrible at passing the ball, But he is still solid and a good back-up. I think he should stay

So is Kaladze ... neither can play without Nesta beside them ...

You would choose Kaladze over Simic any day

me??? how can you tell???
hell yeah I would but that's just because he's alrady played with Nesta a lot ... otherwise I think he's just a mediocre defender!!!


edit: who once scored a beautiful goal again the Merda!!!

Yes Kaladze does need Nesta for him to feel assured, but he is still better then Simic and he has MUCH better passing skills

yes I can recall ... that nightmarish night when he had to play along with Billy against Barcelona ... really great passes ... amazingly well placed through balls ... for Eto'o and co. that is!!!!!

He can't take the ball to the midfield for God's sake - well he can ... with dangerously inaccurate long balls - ... all he does is lessen down Nesta's job, that's all IMO !!!

When he plays next to Nesta he never makes those sorts of mistakes. Nesta just makes him feel more relaxed and assured and he knows that if he messes up Nesta is there to cover his @ss, and that's why he doesn't make mistakes, because there is no pressure. But when he played next to Billy he knew that most of the responsabilty was being put on him and the pressure might just have gotten to him, that's why he makes that bad passes

well I don't care!!!!!
all I know is what I see; he makes one grave mistake in every single game he plays!!!!

Now you are exaggerating it too much. I agree with you that Nesta is the one that is usually covering his @ss, but he is not as bad as you make him out to be, infact he is a good defender and last season proved that

I know that Portugal loves Kaladze very much

No I mean what I wrote abobe; he does that ... sometimes we pay for it, sometimes we don't ... he may had had a better evolution as a CB if we had allowed to him to play there in the first place but we didn't and now he looks good with Nesta but he's mediocre in essence!!!

I'm not going to bash him right now. No reasons for that... him and Carletto. Specially the 2nd one who until now made the correct choices for each match this season. I'm glad with that.

We have a long season ahead of us. You will get your chance to bash them both

Can't wait.

You got something defective in you portugal... lol

I hope he won't!!!!

yeah Carlo does rotate more this year but he is still not using Jankulovski.

Why did we pay so much for him if we are not gonna use him.

Even Favalli gets more playtime than poor Janku.

Jankulovski > Favalli

I'm on my knees day and night praying that he will!!!!

I guess we all are on our knees!!

He's alot younger than Serginho and Favalli so it would be best to start using.

please Carlo give Janku the chance to shine(praying for the football gods )

dst u liar..u like Serginho don't you?? U just don't wanna be left out to dry on the forum if u do say it

well you know who I am ... so you know I have to like him but shhhhhhhhh...

Berloscuni said Brocchi and Janku are our future full backs... Now I don't know what he means by "future", but if he is implying that we are not going to replace Cafu, then that would be just messed up!

future as in 10 years later? ... man, we really need them to start playing more often ..

A bit to harsh I would say...how would you imagine a Milan sub? Do you think someone much better would like to sit most of the season on the bench? Surely not someone like Gallas?? It has to be a mediocre defender, allways ready to fill a place when needed and to do a decent job. And that is Å imić really capable of. And if he hadn`t been pushed over and over again to the RB position, he maybe would correct his passing errors.

uuum.... i thought u said ur god
who r u praying to??

He is self-obesessed. Don't bother with him.

well I do not like to intervene in your life my people but at the same time I can't just sit around doing nothing!!!