I think he meant as a protagonist not a spectator

Anyway, I more or less agree with drucurl. the biggest reason Pato hasn't 'unlocked' it all or lacks some characteristics is surely the constant injuries that just wouldn't let him see some consistency, and another important reason is that he's not been playing in a great, harmonious team (at least not before last season). I mean imagine if Messi had to develop under the late-Carlo and Leonardo era... wrong time and place for a raw talent to mature.

Sheva has a very good international record, it's just that he played for Ukraine, not exactly a football powerhouse like Brazil, so you can't really compare.

For me Sheva will alawys be the best of the great striker generation. Not only Ronaldo but also Henry, Raul, Pippo,
Ruud, Del Piero and so on.

About Pato - he can be on that list, he has all the right tools. But he just needs to be healthy and consistent for a long period. Also, he needs to score more in the CL, Sheva for example, always shined in the CL and a third overall scorer there.

I'd add up to the named strikers Kluivert as well. His downfall was drastic, but he was a great great striker.

Lol what epic nonsense

Ronaldo at his prime was probably faster than Pato, who is already much faster than $heva's ever been. An overweight Ronaldo ran the 100m in under 11s at Real...after two massive knee injuries...get real bro!!

Ronaldo also took and scored free kicks, just not that many....because he was too busy scoring during the game with his feet

$heva (at his peak) stronger than Ronaldo?

Ronaldo literally ran through defenders and pushed them aside (goal vs Valencia comes to mind)

Ronaldo WAS a good header of the ball at cruzerio and psv....he more seemed to stop than not be able. I say this because whenever he went for a while without scoring he would score via headers if the opportunity arose.

Also LOL @ $heva being more tactically aware than Ronaldo. Ronaldo's scoring exploits had him at the top of the Brazilian, Dutch, Italian and Spanish league...$heva only did well in Dynamo and Milan and was a Torres-esque flop in England. You don't automatically adjust to new teams, leagues and tactics and flourish if you ain't tactically aware


Anyway the above aside, the most important thing is that being a more complete footballer is not the same as being better or more brilliant.

Look at Messi vs CR7. CR7 is FAR more complete than Messi, especially at taking free kicks, headers, stronger, faster etc...but Messi is more effective even with his smaller skill set because he's better at his specialties than anyone. The same goes for Ronaldo and $heva. I won't for a second deny that $heva was more complete. Like Pirlo I actually really liked him at some point...but Ronaldo could score a goal anywhere in any league for any team in almost any fitness condition.

Ronaldo post 2002 played at less than 80% of his true ability since his breakneck speed was gone and he was merely a fast player...Since then he has only had a % of his right foot to use since after the Lazio Inter game he could no longer close in his right foot completely...To compensate, he improved his distance shooting and heading abilities. Ronaldo back in Brazil was close to 50 lbs overweight and was still scoring. Do you honestly see $heva scoring within these constraints professionally? Not likely

I also want to say that nt being as good as Ronaldo is no insult for $heva. The guy won the golden ball, two scudettos, a CL etc. He was better than most of his contemporaries, most of whom were world class...not like the **** that passes for football these days where Rooney is considered a "white Pele"
When I think of fantastic players like Zamorano, Bierhoff, Morientes, Del Piero (pre injury), Crespo, Raul, RVN, Kluivert, Henry (who was pretty close to $heva and was even better than him at times) Vieri (also world class imho)
And $heva being better than all of 'em you can see that he truly was a special striker. I think Batigol at his peak was slightly better but they were comparable

Naah, we're speaking and mentioning world class strikers. Every single of them had his up and down phases, but in the end, they all were truly great players. I think personal preferences shouldn't be avoided here; it's normal to count in your own feeling, when you look at players that are so close to each other. To me, players like Sheva or before him George Weah will always have a little advantage to Ronaldo or Vieri, because of their Milan years naturally. Vieri and Ronaldo did play for Milan as well, but that wasn't...it.

Pato is a player with untapped potential but who gave us a glimpse of his pace and clinical finishing on Tuesday.

He has shown moments of brilliance but remains raw, even at 22. Time will tell whether polish will smooth off this rough diamond.

As for the Barbara Berlusconi and Chinese thing - he's never come across as all that smart, but as long as he does the job on the pitch it's forgiveable. Yeah, imo the eye gesture was beyond offensive, but I can't see why he'd deliberately insult almost 1.5B people including all the Asian Milan fans. Just him being dumb. And if the Barb thing keeps on going then great. If it ends in tears then I fear his Milan future. Speaking of which...

Probably already posted in transfers, but apparently Chelsea will offer us Torres in January in exchange for Pato and Robinho. Load of nonsense - 2 excellent and sort of in form players for one badly out of form flop who already seems to have had his best days.

Ambro and Robinho did the eye gesture too but 'still' it's only in the Pato thread that it gets mentioned and it's Pato who's 'dumb' for doing it. you guys give me a headache.

Pato did it in front of a camera, deliberately showing it to millions of viewers. There's the difference.

Robinho was there beside Pato in front of the TV camera doing the same thing. but that's so not my point and like usual you didn't get it (no disrespect).

What's your point then?

With high expectations comes high scrutiny. We scrutinize Pato the way a father would his favorite son. We can see the unrivaled potential just below the surface and are eager (and sometimes impatient) for him to unlock it. Even though he has been at Milan for what seems like a long time he is still 22. Most players aren't expected to produce like stars until at least their mid twenties. In a world where everything is broken down minute to minute its tough to remind ourselves to have patience. If Pato can stay healthy and stays with Milan we could be talking about him as a true Milan legend years down the road. The tools are definitely there.

Sorry but I can't agree with you guys on the eye gesture thing.

How is it wrong for Pato to do it but OK for Ambro to do it? The location of where they did it really doesn't matter considering Ambro was doing it when a camera was in his face as well.

Just ridiculous to excuse Ambro and even Robinho, Ambro being the worse one since he's the captain and is supposed to be an example for these players. Ambro was clearly the first on doing it FFS. Don't try to justify something someone does while crucifying someone else for doing the exact same thing

Han, I think you and Zeddie are overreacting. Who said anything remotely near a "crucifixion"? It's a disgrace for any player, I just think more people noticed Pato because he did it right in front of a camera that filmed a match seen allover the world, while Ambro did it in a team bus. It's the same, but I understand that people marked Pato, more then Robinho or Ambro.

Even more, out of the three, Pato is the only one who's personal life threats to interfere into his professional career. His childish marriage and partying, then divorcing could be overlooked - he was young and stupid, like a million of other players and people. Then he started dating Barbara Berlusconi, which you sure understand is more then just unwise - in the end it can hurt both the club and the player. Then he made that stupid gesture. I'm not trying to make a case out of him, he clearly ain't Cassano or Balo; but all I wanna say is people notice and remember.

Just like when van Bommel makes even the slightest rough tackle it's almost instantly a yellow card and people who ain't Milan fans start talking about the dirty van Bommel. While in fact at the same time other players make even worse tackles, but stay unnoticed.

I'm very worried about the whole Barbara thing...I hope that if/when it ends, it ends well, but it doesn't seem like this could end well.

Still, I can't say I blame the guy. He knows that worst-case scenario, he gets shipped to another big club, and at present he is, at age 22, "in" with the club owner/prime minister's daughter, who is, in addition to that status, pretty attractive as well...if I were so lucky I don't think that I would show caution either.

http://football-italia.net/sep16f.html

Alexandre Pato has been left impressed by the ability of Milan new boy Stephan El Shaarawy. “He’ll be a better player than me!”

The attacking midfielder, who will only turn 19 in October, joined the Rossoneri this summer from Genoa in a co-ownership deal.

“I really want to play alongside him,” the Brazilian told Milan Channel. “He’s a boy who will do better than me – I’m sure of that.”

Pato may get his wish this weekend as an injury crisis means that the club’s attacking options against Napoli are limited.

Boss Massimiliano Allegri can only count on Pato, Antonio Cassano and El Shaarawy for the San Paolo showdown.

El Shaarawy, an Italian Under-19 international whose father is Egyptian, has only appeared in three Serie A games during his career.

THat is good to hear. Hope to see similar on the pitch as well

This thread is about Pato which is why I am only commenting on him doing that gesture. But clearly Ambro and Robinho have made the same stupid mistake - and proven themselves dumb and ignorant in the process. Footballers aren't generally regarded as the brightest buttons.

As a completely random aside there's a UK band called One Direction, and one of the members got a new hairdo. He is now the spitting image of Pato. Liam I think his name is.

So are you condoning Pato doing it or are you saying 3 wrongs make a right?

I'm just saying it happened weeks ago and Pato was criticized for it enough. why bring it up and bash him for it again?! I'm sure there can be more constructive posts made in this thread!

Bra didn't make it to the milan derby and the duck scores in 42 secs .. Ibra doesn't make it to the derby of Europe and guess what your ducky scores in 24 secs. Its a trend you should keep your eye on my friend

Check part 1, minute 9:17. Great ball control and goal by Pato :

Milanello 16/09/2011

Now that's more like it!

Best. Post. Evarrrr

Xavi is actually onto something when he says this. Ibrahimovic is anarchic.

He needs the whole team playing for him..and then he can really be a miracle worker. Working as one unit is difficult...unless the occasion demands it.

I say this...the 4-3-1-2 with a Ibra-Pippo combo will be devastating. Just get the ball into the final third...the rest will take care of themselves.

Now this has nothing to do with Pato..but whatever!

Pippo is a quasi-retired player.

Good to know

Well, there's little to say about that.

Yep, almost nothing.

I thought this was clear to the whole world for some time now?

Have you been drinking again?

cool

Are there any audiophiles out there who can tell me what headphones Pato is wearing?

Are they those massively hyped "Beats by Dr.Dre"? Anyone have those?

yes they are the very over hyped beats by dre which are worth about a quarter of what people pay for them. but hey, gotta be down with D.R.E! haha

Alexandre Pato vs Napoli [Photos]

People need to lay the f**k off Pato
Yes he was complete RUBBISH and was ridiculously nervous all game (see Nesta).

However he TRIED a LOT of stuff that he hadn't tried before. I honestly thought he sacrificed these in order to be the excellent finisher that he is today.

I can't forgive him disrupting EVERY attacking move with his wayward passing but I firmly believe that in these sorts of transitions things might have to get worse before they get better. Taking on those three defenders with a dribble move is something I haven't seen him do with sny sort of purpose or regularity since Ancelotti's days.

Allegri knows his true potential and WILL turn him into a monster (I hope)

You keep mentioning him dribbling past the Napoli defenders once or twice, but what does that even matter? He was completely off the game last night, playing for himself and without determination. Like Fillippo said, at least Seedorf has the excuse of being too old, but what is Pato's justification? He's 22, he should be running up and down, trying to incite his teammates and acting like a leader. He is the star of this team after Ibra, yet he rarely shows it on the field.

Baby steps.
Without Seedorf being 100% and no iBra we're pretty **** at penetrating the defense centrally. His being able to take more than two defenders on is MOST welcome. Obviously we can't expect the world from him if he moves from being an out-and-out striker to a Baggio-esque "9.5" in one match and vs a tough team like Napoli but he showed CLEAR signs of potential to be that guy.

Do I think this ability should have been more developed? Well yes since when he just came and played under Carlo he was probably at this same level. However he's played in a vast array of attacking positions and hasn't quite had the successes playing outside of his true role.

Do I think he was utter rubbish vs Napoli? Sure! You betchya! BUT I'm also seeing the silver lining

Offended you ha?

Very. But anyways, if there is a striker I rate after Ronaldo, it's the guy you mentioned.

You gotta understand where I'm coming from. When Sheva was at the top of his game, Ronaldo was so unbelievably popular that no one even knew who this eastern European, non-Brazilian, non-samba, non-shemale-doing son of a **** even was... When I was in Iran, everyone and I mean everyone was all Ronaldo and Rivaldo... Shevchenko who...? And I was seeing them both play week in week out and even though I would look at Ronaldo's feet and what they were capable of in awe... I always found Sheva better... The way he would connect with his teammates, the way he made his runs, the way he faced off defenders... I mean with Ronaldo, as soon as he had the ball at his feet, the defenders would have a brain fart before they could figure out what to do with him... But with Sheva...? They just had no f@cking idea where they were gonna get it next... He was frightening from every aspect. I remember some goals he scored I didn't even know was possible. It appealed to me a lot more than Ronaldo's trickery. And I always made a point of stating this very unpopular opinion because all the football fan I met were so unbelievably ignorant about Milan and Sheva... I joined this forum because I hardly meet Milan fans anywhere...

2007-2008
May 18th 2008 Milan-Udinese 4-1
Pato: 1 goal

2008-2009
December 21st 2008 Milan-Udinese 5-1
Pato: 2 goals

2009-2010
February 12th 2010 Milan-Udinese 3-2
Pato: 1 goal

2010-2011
January 9th 2011 Milan-Udinese 4-4
Pato: 2 goals

That's 6 goals in 4 games, quite impressive. Hopefully he keeps up the tradition.

I couldn't resist posting this :

What can you do, the boy is made of glass

It's a shame. 2 or 3 years ago he had all the predispositions to be the next great thing. Now he has almost every predisposition to fail.

Galliani: "This morning I had a meeting with coach, trainer and doctors to understand why Pato in 2008 and 2009 had no problem, and now he does."

You gave him pills to grow muscular mass, that's why he has problem now. And I predict El Shaarawy will have same problems too.

Confirmed: Pato out for 4 weeks

Well I was expecting 3, this is a week extra. I just hope he gets back and hits form before the return leg of the Barcelona tie. We will have problems before that, for sure, in the league, Pharoah or no Pharoah.