This is what happens when you don't invest wisely Milan. Now all we need is for Ambro to decide to leave and Ibra to go to Real.

We'll be battling relegation with class!!

So with all this sudden news coming it, it's suddenly looking like this.

Goal Keepers

1. M. Amelia
30. F. Roma
32. C. Abbiati

Defenders

5. P. Mexès
13. A. Nesta
19. G. Zambrotta
20. I. Abate
25. D. Bonera
33. Thiago Silva
52. M. Sciglio
76. M. Yepes
77. L. Antonini
15. D. Mesbah

Midfielders

4. M. van Bommel
8. G. Gattuso
10. C. Seedorf
14. S. Muntari
16. M. Flamini
18. A. Aquilani
22. A. Nocerino
23. M. Ambrosini
24. R. Strasser
27. K. Boateng
28. U. Emanuelson
37. A. Merkel

Forwards

7. Alexandre Pato
9. F. Inzaghi
11. Z. Ibrahimovic
21. M. López
70. Robinho
92. S. El Shaarawy
99. A. Cassano

If Ibra want's to go to Real and we can earn some money, let it be. I hate the feeling of Milan becoming Ibra's private little castle.

I'm just wondering.... What the f@ck are we going to do?

I mean it's not like Gattuso is super good or anything, but our whole identity is being wiped out. Nesta, Seedorf, Gattuso, Pippo all in the same season? Who the hell are they gonna replace them with? Average players?

Here are our top players now:

Thiago Silva
Mexes
Nocerino
Boateng
Robinho
Ibra
Pato

But please remember, they are only top players on paper. Under Allegri, it's more like this:

Thiago Silva
Nocerino
Boateng
Robinho
Ibra

Considering injury-proneness:

Silva
Nocerino
Robinho
Ibra

Now I believe Robinho to be a top player, but he is truly too weak for Serie A's physical style. He drops sooo many times during a game and loses the ball too many times to really be considered a force for us.

I really see it more like this and I don't think I'm being unreasonable at all:

Silva
Nocerino
Ibra

@Filippo: There is this risk. But I think Ibra is mellowing down a bit. Seeing his gameplay change this season from being a me-me giv-me-the-ball player to someone putting his head down and working for the club has been the only positive for me.

If he demands transfers or positive market movements I don't see this as a problem. Great players do this all the time.

I don't consider Nocerino a top player yet, granted he had a great season, but he still has much to prove.

+1. Completely agree with this. Noce is good...but nowhere near the level of top players who play a similar position in a mid-field three.

He has what to prove? Seriously.... I laugh at people who have considered players like Sergio Ramos or Victor Valdez top players for years now just because they play for top teams. But here we have a players who has ALWAYS been consistent in his career and finally made the move to a big club and showed everyone that he is definitely a top player with his performances. It was not just the goals, I think considering how bad we were, he almost always managed to put in good performances. Pretty much our liveliest player out there. He even out-shone Silva this season and people considered Silva a top player just after one great season with us. So unless you don't consider Silva a top player, I can't agree with your logic there.

But hey, to each his own.

BTW, I definitely consider Cassano a top player, somehow forgot about him. Now let's just see if he will play the full season.

I know a lot of you are reluctant to acknowledge it but a bunch of the senators are decidedly average or worse at this point. I don't think we are going to lose a whole lot in terms of on field presence. Where we could be in trouble is in the locker room. Those are some BIG personalities and it will leave a vacuum. Looking at this optomistically though this is a great opportunity for younger guys to step up and grow. This will be Thiago's defense and I'm eager to see how he handles it with out Nesta's guidance. I'd like to see a couple bosmans and 2-3 solid purchases along with young guys like Merkel, Strasser, and El Sharaawy getting a good look to at least be important back ups. This is a tough stretch but properly handled it can be a great opportunity.

I think we gotta change our coach too. He seems to dislike half the players we have already..

So with a new quality coach (don't ask me who, it's the club's job to find one) Maybe something like this could work:

Abbiati
Top RB Silva Mexes At least consistent LB
Strasser (How come Alex keeps turning players like this into top players @ Man U and we can't?)
Boateng Nocerino
Top AM
Cassano Ibra

Amelia
Abate
Antonini
Bonera
De Sciglio
New Back up CB
New Back up CB
New DM
New CM
New CM
New CM
Pato
El Shaarway
Robinho
Maxi


Man we have a problem in midfield for sure.

- All I know is I prefer Nesta-Silva to Silva-Mexes
- 2-3 solid purchases? We haven't bought 2 proven stars with big fees in quite some time in a single season. Already Galliani makes noises about 'we're fine as we are since we already have stars'.
- I have little faith in our youngsters except for SES and De Sciglio to become genuine first XI material

It just hit me now, everyone who has left...they were all Carlo's men. His boys. Everyone who has left has thanked him or will and respects him.

So now for the first time in many years we see a Milan coach finally being given the chance to build his own team in his philosophy. Allegri is pretty intelligent so I'm sure he is aware of the opportunity + pressure on him.

I once read that it takes 3 years for a coach to call the team his own. I also read Allegri's interview when he said it would take 2 years for Milan to be CL contenders proper.

That would make this upcoming season the most important one of Allegri's management career for Milan, since at the end of it
1. This is HIS team, strengths, weaknesses, behaviour everything.
2. We ought to be genuine CL contender material starting 2013-14.




You nuked our entire f@cking midfield!! LOL!

Forgot to add Ambro to the bench, but between Flamini, Muntari, Merkel and Emanuelson, I really wanna keep none...

Maybe Flamini?

Still, do you really feel better with those names on the bench? I know it makes almost no difference to me.

Yeah...sure...but to fill up your blanks, we're looking at maybe 3 great transfer seasons back to back.

dp

I'm not against the senators leaving but I do agree that it will be a major culture shock losing them all at once...its a little scary. Really wish Nesta would've stayed one more year.

You are so creepy man...

Official: Yepes renews deal to 2013

I can't find it in our official website

I'm ok with this. Decent 4th choice CB for when we have injuries or a busy schedule.

Can't say that I'm not happy about these developments. We've been constantly moaning about our senators being given one extension after another. Now things are finally moving on. I understand how you all feel uneasy about them leaving all at once, but it's time to change. I'm confident the management will replace them with worthy substitutes. Nesta and van Bommel are the most difficult to replace, the others can be easily substituted with less-appealing names. So, I'm thinking:

Nesta -> quality CB (hopefully Ogbonna, who can be a perfect second choice to Mexes and Thiago);
Zambrotta -> De Sciglio (no problem there, I trust De Sciglio much more than Zambro nowadays);
Yepes -> Acerbi (fair trade);
Van Bommel -> quality DM (my wish is Strootman);
Gattuso -> Flamini (I read Allegri chose the Frenchman out of the two);
Seedorf -> Montolivo (again, fair trade. Montolivo is clearly the better player nowadays);
Inzaghi -> El Shaarawy (even though Pippo can't be considered a valid asset anymore).

So yeah, we basically need a quality CB to replace Nesta and a quality DM to replace van Bommel. This, by also considering the fact that we need a quality LB and possibly a creative AM (even though, by Allegri's system, Boateng holds a firm spot in that position). Finally, if we could also sign Tevez instead of Pato/Robinho, I think we'd be perfectly fit.

This all confirmed? Zambrotta, Seedorf and MVB all definitely leaving?

Del Piero on Twitter: "Sandro, Rino, Pippo, Clarence: friends and/or opponents, but never foes. I'm happy to have played with and against you. I have a high esteem for you, guys. Ale".

What a legend!

Oh, and the fact that we got Traoré and Flamini is renewing, does that mean we won't re-sign Muntari?

It just gets worse.

To be honest the thought of a Milan without Nesta, Pippo, Seedorf, Gattuso and Zambro frightens me, as much as I wanted some of them to leave.

Ambro must stay no questions asked.


Good post. I think we're more worried about that presence. Pippo never played this season. Gattuso never made any difference. Seedorf did so little, etc etc. it's not like they were important players on the field. Nesta was, MvB was, but that's it.


I'd be more than content if we managed to make El Sha and De Sci XI material.

Maybe I'm desperate right now but I'd sign him just to piss Juve off.

This summer I'd like to see a few new players who can replace ANYBODY in this picture


At present all we can manage is Silva replacing Maldini and possibly (however remote) Pato replacing Kaka....I wonder if we will ever get such a classy, skilled AND talented bunch ever again

I'm sure there are quite a few players who can replace Oddo there. Don't you?

I hear ya, but he won't come. It's like Maldini going to Juventus after playing 25 years for us. Hate to say this (sorry, Captain) but not everyone is Pirlo. Yeah, I know he decided what's best for him, but ultimately he went to a club that finished 7th, had no Europe whatsoever, and was our biggest domestic rivals, just to piss us off.

When a guy like him could have gone anywhere in the world, or to a place like Napoli, Udinese, or Lazio for the sake of respect. He'd have been the top most name there as well, the biggest fish in the pond.

Ok, I got ignored.

Clarity please:

Has it been confirmed that Zambrotta, Nesta, Pippo, Gattuso, Van Bommel and Seedorf will all be leaving for certain?

Yes. The biggest source being the Silva interview and the ADP tweet. Officially only Sandro and Rino have confirmed.

I watched Santos vs. Bolivar last night. Ganso was the man of the match. This guy easily has the potential to become the world's best AM. Galliani should send Robinho back to Santos and get Ganso instead. Tomorrow !

Proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyWnDBOAJdc&feature=g-u-u

omg a youtube clip!!
He's surely>>>>>>>Maradonna

Exactly. For all his time here, and all his sobering up, I still can't believe why we signed Robinho, and how he still gets a chance to play, let alone start. The guy pretty much lacks that special something, that final polish for him to be playing at a club like Milan. Just not the quality, look up any of his criminal misses, domestically and Europe.

Huntelaar missed one shot by a few inches against United, and people were onto him, and this guys misses the easiest of chances by the dozen, and everyone is quiet. Pack him up and send him back to Brazil, and get Ganso at any cost. Also try and lure Hernanes if we can. I'm not saying this just like this, I watch and follow both players, and they exhibit that panache, that extra refined creative spark that we can put to great use.

Hernanes, Ganso and Cassano, and our creativity problems will be history. Along with Boateng, Pato and Ibra.

Yes. Nesta, Gattuso and Inzaghi are official. Zambrotta and Seedorf are 99% certain, and Van Bommel is very likely to sign for PSV on Monday.



I believe he said he had seen the match, so his opinion is not based on that YouTube clip alone. Try not to be so dense next time.

Ancelotti: "Pato? We talked about it in January. I believe the argument will be discusses again in June"

Link

I would be pleased if we signed Ganso. Especially for someone like Robinho who, as acid said seems to be lacking that killer instinct. Pato has it and so does Ibra, and Id rather have someone younger than Robinho with the potential to grow into something special. Hernanes would also be amazing, but that would mean no Strootman. I would prefer Hernanes, but to get both would be beating a dead horse. I say we go for Criscito, Ogbonna, Monto on the free, Ganso for Robinho and Strootman for van Bommel.
I also think that Rossi would be an amazing transfer, both for some stability, and to rebuild a core. I believe he said that he wants to make a move to Italy, and at some point he said that he was a Milanfan? He could be a potential playmaker as well as a SS which we could use.
Finally, Rino Pippo, Gianluca, Seedorf, and Sandro, Thank You for so many years of so much beautiful football. You were the guys I have looked up to and grown up on, and I wish you the best in all walks of life. Red & Black Legends are not soon forgotten, hopefully the next generation can accomplish half of what you have with a quarter of the class. I would be pleased. Thank You
It stings losing all of my favortie players in one clean sweep..

1) was kidding
2) Ganso has had massive injuries of late and the physical characteristics of Pirlo making him a "must play" with $h!tlegri
3) Wasn't I supposed to be on your ignore list?
You DO me

Been a while since I've done this but +∞ Great post with some very good points.

Class acts all round! s

The fact that he's awfully injured and will miss many months gives me some hope. otherwise we'd have stood no chance.

Montolivo deal confirmed.
Van Bommel confirmed that he is leaving too.

In terms of a new player, Monto is not the worst start we could have had.

He can step up just like Nocerino,let's see.

Definately not, but this has basically been known since last summer. But if they don't plan on getting anyone else in the creative mold, than Monto is certainly not enough, either sign Aqui permanently or they need to get someone else. We're being linked to Ganso again so maybe there's some truth in that. And he won't cost as much as was being mentioned last season since he basically dropped off the map after that last injury.

With Monto and that Traore guy who we have no way of knowing if he's decent or just completely rubbish. We still need to upgrade that midfield by at least 3 players now taking into consideration all of the departures.

Another creator, a top class DM and a good CM would also be good. Someone versatile, in the mold of Muntari but he must know how to play football, unlike Muntari...

I think the management has no choice but to sign aquilani at the moment...unless they find another "freebie".

As Defense midfielders,we've got Traore,Flamini,Monto,Ambrosini,Strasser.Not so bad,Montolivo is verstile so that should do us good.But,I don't really see the need for a DM,Montolivo can be just that.
We need Ganso,and another creator,with good technique,vision etc...Enough of the defensive midfielders,I'm honestly sick of our midfield not being able to string 2 passes!

Strootman?

What about him?