yehhh i knew there was something not quite right...

You can already buy his #10 shirt in store.acmilan.com.

Somehow I'm not looking forward to this deal. Honda is good, but not that good to make a qualitative jump forward. I don't have the patience with these baby steps anymore. From Aquilani to Montolivo to Honda. Ahhh...

I think Honda is above Aquilani/Montolivo level. And I'm very excited about his signing. We finally have someone who can create something out of nothing.

Amen! +1

Yeah. Pitty he didn't get him


He is. But I fear a similar development to Robinho. I saw him play against Bayern, he did create much, but his finishing was appalling.

Nah, Robinho is a Brazilian. That's so typical of them. Japanese have a different culture. They're hard workers. And Honda has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. He's always been a Milan fan, and having the chance to play for your favourite team at the age of 27 is something people don't get everyday.

Good thing Honda is mostly a midfielder, and Robinho mostly a forward, so...

Honda does have better shot technique, better long shot if anything; good to have as midfielder.

I'm really not going to get very excited about Honda unless I actually see him play a few games for us. I have not seen much of him but from what I've seen I wasn't really that excited.

+1.

.

On the contrary, I never thought highly of him until I saw him play a few times with Japan. Totally won me over.

I've never seen him at all. On paper he looks good but then so have so many players we've signed and they've been terrible.

Yeah, that game against Italy in the Confed Cup was what totally pushed me over on the yay side of the line

According to Sky/Mediaset, we've reached an agreement with Torino for Danilo D'Ambrosio, 25-y-o fullback that can play both positions. Constant is set to leave.

We're also very interested in Hernanes and Parolo. For the former, we could offer Matri + cash, for the latter we could directly swap him with Niang.

Link

If I remember correctly, D'Ambrosio had a great match against us. But honestly, it just looks another half-arsed signing, like the various Mesbah, Acerbi etc.

As for Hernanes, I'd be thrilled. Since we're getting Honda as well, imagine this:



4-2-3-1. That's a scudetto line-up!

If we had Hernanes, I would go with:

Err, isn't that what I just posted?

Yours looks like it has Kaka and Honda playing much wider than I would prefer. And I have Hernanes deployed as deep lying playmaker and you have as an attacking mid.

It won't make much of a difference once the plan is laid in action. Hernanes will obviously attack more, Honda and Kaká will prioritise their sides etc.

Are Mexes and Rami not a very bad idea for a central defense couple? Don't both push a lot, and cover too little? Mexes for sure, and I think Rami does as well.

I don't think that's a problem. Can easily be fixed.

Apparently United are interested in Zapata. I don't know the original source of the rumour, but it was reported by Mediaset. Zapata was asked last night after the game, and he said he doesn't know anything about it.

How?

When you say push, you mean go forward, right? Well, if both of them like to push a lot, you order them not to.

When he says push I think he means they're more aggressive in the way they defend, closing down more. I could be wrong.

can someone please translate this...google doesn't make much sense
http://www.milannews.it/primo-piano/gallia...-il-tiro-131403

Yes, that's their style, and one need a partner who covers well.

I see more prospect in a Zapata-Rami partnership than in a Mexes-Rami partnership.

It's nothing, disregard it.

We're being linked with Villas-Boas at the end of the season.

Link

I like him. He gets a lot of bad press, but he's actually Spurs best manager in terms of winning games since WW2.

But they're pushing it all onto Gareth Bale being present. The fact that 100 MM were spent and his team gets hammered by 5 and 4 goals in a game is no good.

@milanello says the story is completely false.

I dunno, I'm half happy about the link, half mortified.

He had incredible success at Porto, but they have access to world class South Americans on the cheap. He was also an integral part of Mourinho's success at Chelsea.

He just doesn't seem to mix with English clubs.

If he was made our new boss I would certainly give him a chance.

Villas-Boas would be a huge improvement over Allegri. I wouldn't say no to him. Plus he has experience.

You would if he still played Muntari

If the worst thing AVB could achieve was playing Muntari, then I'd be more than OK with it. What's important is that he can give an identity to this team and make us play some decent football for a change. Allegri has been in charge for almost four years now, and we haven't seen any progress at all from him.

Niang will go to Montpellier: loan for six months with right of purchase.

Link

Good.

Great.

Don't disagree.

Sayonara Niang then.

Gourcuff, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, went to France on loan + purchase option too.

Either Niang impresses and won't return, or is nothing special, then we get nothing special back.

Well, Gourcuff turned to be a failure anyway.

Yeah, some talent lack the right attitude.

Excellent.

I constantly read that Inter would sell Kovačić for the right prize. What do you guys think of that?

I'd take him.

Same.

Great talent

But I seriously doubt Inter would let another Seedorf/Pirlo situation happen

Kovacic? Aren't they going to sell Guarin as well?

-

Anyway, according to Mediaset, we've reached an agreement with Cagliari for Nainggolan: co-ownership of Cristante + €5-6 million in cash.

Link

Come on, really? I mean, don't get me wrong, I think Nainggolan is a fantastic player, but do we really need more muscle in that midfield? De Jong, Muntari, Nocerino, Poli and now Nainggolan. The only player with some brain is Montolivo, and even he is very limited in that aspect. Granted, we also have Honda now, but he's more of an attacking player. Why not go after some like, I don't know, Nuri Sahin, just to give an example...

Hmm, if this is true I'm all for it.

You're right, we do have too much muscle, but most of that muscle is f@cking useless.

Muntari is as dumb as a post and an absolute liability, he's supposed to be our "box-to-box" guy but all he does is wonder around next to Balo.

We need a proper box-to-box player especially if we continue with 3 in midfield, we cannot continue as we are with Muntari as part of the 3

Nocerino is simply not good enough, I'd sell either him or Muntari if we do indeed have Nianggolan.

And personally I don't see Poli in the muscle category. He's best at making short quick passes, he's not someone who dictates tempo or tries to go for long balls, he's a different solution to Monto when we want to change things up.

Yeah, Nocerino has to go, especially if we do indeed get Nainggolan. I suppose with the latter we could go for a Monto-DeJong-Nainggolan midfield, and with Honda and Kaká behind Balotelli, I'd say not too shabby!

I would welcome Nainggolan's arrival, especially if it meant getting rid of Muntari or Nocerino.

The co-ownership of Cristante is what has me annoyed!