I knew he already had his surgery but with our luck atm, he'll have countless set backs and we'll be stuck with a Favalli-Kaladze pairing for the next half of the season

I've seen him play some pre-season friendlies with the team, I think he's got real potential, imo probably as much as Darmian.

As for the buying young players situation, I think that answer to this problem would be to let Carlo choose the young players that he wants, maybe it would give him more faith in them if he is the one that is choosing them, not the management buying them, giving them to Carlo and basically saying 'this is what we got you now make use of it the best you can'

Fair enough, but you better underestimate Paloschi at your peril. He'll slot into the the top 3 with Gourcuff and Darmian any given Sunday. In due time, of course. In due time!

I honestly hope I'm wrong but I don't see anything truly special in Paloschi.

And that's supposed to be a good thing. There isn't anything terribly special in either Inzaghi or Beckham - they both are regular guys who've worked hard to get where they are (unlike talent houses like R99, Paolo, Baggio, Rui Costa, Van Basten, etc). Paloschi, fingers crossed, will too.

(Fishdoll notes politely that it is now January 3. That's three days into the new year. acid, are you going to subject us to that sig for much longer?)

On a pure skills basis, there's nothing special about Pippo whatsoever. The one thing that makes him unique is an amazing positional sense. Young Alberto has good positional sense plus, well, he can also do things like dribble and pass. Fishdoll and I like him.

Patience, my dear. Excellence cannot be rushed. Anyway, I'm working on a new signature as I write this. Want to get rid of this crap as soon as I can, it was just the New Year's celebrations that put me off it. Stay tuned.


+1. And you're not alone in saying that you like him. I can only wish him a bright future!

No one really answered to my post. Pato does not count? I don't rate both Grimi and Gourcuff that much to make them an example for young players at Milan. And I don't see the coach as a main problem.

Now we know everything better and we sure would develop Viudez and Cardacio. After all, we all know exactly how good they are, what they can offer, how mentally fit the might be and the rest as well, right?

Yeah, yeah,...Ancelotti destroyed the exemptional talents of Grimi, Viudez, Cardacio and especially Gourcuff. Just like he wanted to to with Henry, right?

Henry?

You finally get it!

Carlo & Henry's Juventus days reference.

Yeah, in Carlo's time while he was in charge of Juve. Henry really shone when he joined Arsenal.


My point exactly. See it's not that hard to understand. I can't really say about Henry, Grimi, Viudez or Cardacio, but Gourcuff certainly is on. And a couple of other youngsters right off the bat. There is, of course, the small matter of a player not being talented enough, or peaking late, but a coach should at least be able to say he gave them a fair run/chance.

And no, one match off the bench in 3 months doesn't constitute as a chance. Pity.

Nah, that Henry thing. That was a breakthrough for me and my view of Ancelotti. When people started pointing fingers in Ancelotti as the resposible for the Henry failiure. Gosh!

Anyway, I don't wanna turn this into a Ancelotti debate. I find it interesting we're looking for a young italian defender, and I don't give a damn what happened to the "other guys". Usually when Milan buy italian stuff, especially defensive stuff, it does not stay unpacked.

out of context but After signing Wayne Bridge, Manchester City are ready to set another strike on the transfer market: according to the Daily Mirror, the Citizens have offered over 8 million euros to Arsenal to obtain 27 year old Kolo Touré.

IF 8 million is the figure then we should be really intersted in him i quite like him

Good move in signing Bridge, Garrido is a terrible LB and they went after a proven EPL player. I don't think they could get big names anyways.

They're also after Roque Santa Cruz (£15m) from Blackburn and Scott Parker & Craig Bellamy (Combined £17m) from West Ham. They're all decent enough.

Kolo Toure put in a transfer request sometime last week, which was rejected by Arsenal. So if Milan put in a decent enough offer, I'm sure Arsenal would consider it, and Toure would want to join.

Does Toure have an EU passport?

I don't believe he does.

oh end of topic for us then

+1


I wouldn't compare Milan with other top European teams in that respect. every team has a weak point, ours is our inability to make superstars out of unknown youngsters. since 2000 onwards, who, beside Pato and Kaka, has made it to our first XI as a youngster? Paloschi came very close but he got loaned out


I say, we have a couple of young defenders ourselves; why would we want to look at a Serie B team's defender? it doesn't make any sense to me...


I for one am interested in signing an established defender, whose age is between ~20 and ~30. no more [past it has-beens like Canna], no less [youngsters who won't get more than 10 minutes in a season!]


No, I've already said imo Santacroce is a really good defender. at least better than a 35yo Cannavaro, or a 19yo Serie B defender.


Ancelotti is not the problem anymore, everyone knows he is no Wenger, i.e. not a great coach in that respect. question is, why do we keep buying youngsters?

One thought has occurred to me. The new second assistant at Milan is Fillipo Galli. He's the former berretti and primavera coach - and the guy who coached Young Alberto and Darmian for a couple of years. He seems more than capable of bringing along young talent - perhaps he's the reason we're looking at youngsters.

So Santacroce is the answer? Oh, really,...

Honestly, what's the big difference between Santacroce and a 1 year younger Serie B defender? I mean, I get it he's playing with Napoli and so and so, but you made it look like Santacroce's a star defender in Serie A. He's just overrated up till now.

Firstly, Santacroce is 22, that player was 19. 22-19= 3 not 1.

Secondly, I just named one. I could add Mexes to that too. oh wait, Mexes is overrated.

Thirdly, if Santacroce, who has performed brilliantly in the past 2 seasons and has shown a great promise isn't the answer, so isn't a 19yo Serie B defender.

Fourthly, "what's the big difference between Santacroce and a 1 year younger Serie B defender?" you can't be serious. you just can't... I'm sure this is a joke.

Fifthly, I didn't make Santacroce Serie A's star defender. I named a realistic target. if you think we can get Chiellini, by all means.

Sixthly, exactly what's your problem with Santacroce? [I think I know...]

Seventhly, I'm sure you will all of a sudden become a pro-Santacroce if Milan buys him.

Hey, I'd be happy with Santacroce! I like him and think he's got potential. Is he at Chiellini's level? Don't think so, but in honesty I'm not sure how many players ARE right now (this is Fishdoll's fanboy influence. he thinks Chiellini is probably the best centerback playing right now, certainly the best one in Italy). Yes I'm guilty of making Brazil jokes about him but he's a proven Serie A defender who's done well for his club and who has gotten a call up to the senior side.

I am a little intrigued by the rumor that Milan are following the Serie B kid - that just is out of nowhere.

If you consider that player to be first team quality, then I would be a bit more intrigued than you .. I think, if at all true, then this transfer would be for the primavera and not for the first team. Seeing as Milan has been investing in its primavera ranks for the past two years.

About the next defender, He wont be anywhere near Thiago Silva's age, that is for sure

Yeah I think it's safe to say he will be a +30yo!

Well, if your counting 1+1 then yeah

And what does that mean?

Means it isn't a puzzle to figure out in which age group the club will be looking at for reinforcments. What I'm trying to say is, why not look at things a little bit more positively, as in saying experience instead of 30 year old .. Of course, in the end it doesn't really change much.

At least I didn't say "the next defender won't be around Thiago's age and that's fore sure" at the end of my post



Having TOO many experienced players isn't necessarily good imo. we already have enough experienced players in our squad and we know some of them have motivation issues. and problem isn't that we're looking for experienced players... one doesn't have to be +30yo to be considered an experienced player.

Be careful, no one's ever gone that far before!

WE NEED PLAYERS THAT ARE HUNGRY TO WIN!!!!
i don't really care how we get them, but we need some fire on this team.
lately we are playing at half speed and it is pissing me off bigtime.!

I wish Carlo would just make the right moves to put us back at the top of the table!!!

Don't mess with the Zed.D! All hail the Zed.D!

Okay, my bad...I missed the age difference. Let's make a few answer-assotiations, I feel freely tonight:

Mexes is not overrated, he's good.

Joke? Santacroce? Gosh,..Milan. We're talking about Milan. And defenders. He's good, that Santacroce. Nothing more nothing less at this point. You sound like he's the next Ciro Ferrara. And you just won't convince me.

When Milan follows an italian Serie B defender it must mean something. What's the last time we brought in such a player? That's got nothing to do with Grimi, Gourcuff or anyone else.

I really fail to see the point. At this point or time, Santacorce is still closer to be labeled as "promising defender" or "youngster with great prospect" (which is a bit above the leage that Serie B defender Barusso is) the "top class defender" or just "great".

Realistic target? Right now, the Middle East is a realistic target.

Santacroce is good, but not great. He also has a worrying tendency to pick up reds. I'd still be happy with him, though I doubt Napoli will sell to us.

Anyway...the latest in the Italian press (sportitalia) names Agger and one of Bovo or Carozzieri as the most likely Milan acquisitions.

So, you're really in favor of all three, right dst? So much so that your head explodes at the thought?

Yup .. Hence, it wouldn't be any random 30 year old player, my point exactly

So who do you think it'll be, R7?

Gazzetta and Mediaset seem to think that Milan is ready to make an offer for both Agger and Dossena (a sort of two-for-one special).

It'd be a good move...

agger and dossena would be actully really smart move but i doubt LP will sell 2 defenders

Rafa Benitez is one of the worst managers in the EPL in the transfer market, nothing he does will surprise me.

Benitez does seem to treat his players like pawns, for example the Xabi Alonso fiasco. If he can find alternatives to those two, then he will offload them

Two for one as - Kaladze for the named two?

Take the source for what it's worth, but the Sun tabloid is reporting that Liverpool have said no to Milan's offer for Agger.

According to one of the UK papers (can't remember which sorry - saw it on SSN) Milan are interested in Liverpools Jermain Pennant, who has 6 months left on his current contract.

it will be for summer as he wil be free then but that LP rejecting our bid for agger is bad news

O ! O !


Milan Set To Announce Pennant Move - Reports



Italian media claim that the Rossoneri have wrapped up a deal to bring in the Liverpool man next summer.
The Corriere dello Sport reports this morning that Milan have completed an incredible swoop for Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant and have reached an agreement to sign him next July when his contract with the Reds will run out and the 25-year-old will become a free-agent.




The newspaper considers the move a done deal and reveals that the Rossoneri will soon make it official.

Arsenal snapped up the midfielder from Notts County in 1999 and he was handed his Premier League debut at the age of 16.

He has been with Liverpool since 2006 and turned down moves to Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers over the summer, but the Premier League leaders have decided not to take up the option to invoke a one-year-extension on his current deal and he will be free to walk away in the summer.

Meanwhile, there are reports that Beckham has shaken off his muscular problem and will make his debut in a Diavoli jersey in the game with Hamburg this afternoon.