Welcome.

Physically I guess he's ready. now it's a matter of getting more minutes on the pitch.



Because last time he shaved his head he played great football it's a good omen!

Which kid, exactly.

Darmian

Of course. I was just toying with zd about Pato! Hehe! Oh, and it's more than about time for Darmian. Wonder why he's not played regularly, what with our constant defensive lapses and injury crisis? Big mystery of life, I guess.

I hold hope out that we'll see more of him in the new year. Maybe I'm nuts (or still drunk from New Years) but....

Fingers crossed. Then again, I think it'll be after Paolo retires, this season or the next. But I've been wrong before, and by golly I hope I'm wrong again. The injuries to Sanderos should have been reason enough, but yeah.

Perticone did really well for Livorno at the weekend (vote of 6) and Offredi continues to do well for Pro Sesto (vote of 6.5).

The primavera play Atalanta today. There's a note on acmilan.com stating that 'first team players Darmian and Cardacio will be playing with the primavera' in the game.

The primavera beat Mantova's primavera today 2-0. Goals scored by Scapuzzi (a striker, 2nd youngest player on the squad at 17; there's 1 16 year old defender) and Ruggeri on a penalty. Found that last a bit interesting as Ruggeri is a defender and they're not normally designated takers of penalties. I think he's the primavera captain this year though. Maybe that's why. Both boys are local, from Milan and the Como area respectively.

EDIT: I just checked and the Giovanissimi C are still unbeaten in first place in their age group and still have conceded only one goal. This is the team on which a young Christian Maldini plays.

Here's how some of the former Primavera players did over the weekend:

Alberto Paloschi (Parma): Voto 6.5 (Serie B.)

Ignazio Abate (Torino): Voto 6.5

Romano Perticone (Livorno): Voto 6.5 (Serie B.)

Willy Aubameyang (Avellino): Voto 6 (Serie B.)

Daniel Offredi (Pro Sesto): Voto 6.5 (Serie C. note: they gave him this rating even though he conceded 4 goals. must have been a really bad defense for him not to be blamed for that.)

Simone Malacarne (Pizzighettone) : Voto 6 (Serie C)

Offredi needs to be dragged out, into Serie B or something. He's been doing well enough. Paloschi, seems to be having a series of average-good performances. I don't see him benching Pippo at this rate. The same for Abate. Damn...there doesn't look to be anyone who's gonna crack the first team.

That's rather unfortunate, but I guess true.

I love his emotion...and his pippo-esque celebration

I was discussing with a friend over at a community on Live journal about Albertino and this is what she had to say about his celebration:
y'know, wee alberto is still searching for his signature celebration. I suggest him look no further cuz nobody can pull the pippo face off like him

Hah. Indeed not. He really does imitate Pippo to perfection in goal celebrations.

Young Alberto really did well Saturday for Parma, scoring one of their goals and getting a rating of 7 for the match.

Ignazio Abate also did well on Sunday against the cugini - got a 7 for that mach.

Davide di Gennaro played well too, for Reggina in their game. Got a 6.5.

Good to hear this. Me want more Paloschi goals!

It is. I must say, I've expected him to do better then he did so far, but I guess it is a bit too much for now.

Here's how some of the kids on loan did:

Davide Di Gennaro (Reggina): Voto 7

Ignazio Abate (Torino): Voto 7

Luca Antonelli (Parma): Voto 5.5

Alberto Paloschi (Parma): Voto 6

Daniel Offredi (Pro Sesto): Voto 6.5

EDIT: The Giovanissimi C (the team Christian Maldini plays on) finally conceded a goal Saturday. But they won 5-1 anyway and are in first place in their division.

Albertazzi and Darmian were called up to play for the U20s in the 4 nations tournament (this is a tournament that takes place each year) against Austria.

Thanks Tennie

I wish Serie A would introduce the EPL rule of not allowing players out on loan to play against their parent club. It gets very annoying when players you own score against yo and cost you points!

I agree Kurt...it hurt to see Di Gennaro score his goal.

We should be happy for Di Gennaro, maybe someone higher up isnt a complete imbecile and noticed his good display. He just may be given a chance now

We always knew, Di Gennaro was outrageously talented. I think his coach (Galli?) said he was the most talented of all the primavera. Much much more than Paloschi. But his work rate wasn't so good supposedly.

As hurt as I was, I was very happy for Di Gennaro and his goal. He proved that our babies (youth team) can score even if it seems the management doesn't realize that.

The Primavera are participating in the Viareggio Cup tournament, a big tournament of youth teams with clubs from around the world.

They're playing the primavera from UNAM Pumas (from Mexico) today. At the half, Milan lead 1-0, with the goal by Angelilli.

@Ro: I wouldn't let this perturb me too much. We've had Pozzi score against us as well. Doesn't mean he's Milan quality.

In fact another reason, why I'm not all too keen about this is that Di Gennaro has only made it to the first team coz Reggina's dealing with a lot of injuries. I believe it is the same with Paloschi and the whole Lucarelli mess. So I'm still undecided and I'm guessing they'd be better off where they are for now.

I don't think Paloschi is the Pippo equivalent of Pato - a teen prodigy. Nor do I think Di Gennaro has it in him yet to replace any of our treqqies.

agreed, perfect statement. Personally if i was in galliani's place, I would rather paloschi on the bench than sheva. He could sub or even play some games to give pato rest.

Meh.

FT: Milan 1 - 1 Pumas. Romagnoli conceded a penalty in the 89th minute.

100% with you on this!

^^

That I'll agree with. I don't even know why Sheva was brought back. I think even Kuffkuff played more than him when he was with us.

I'll need a rain check on that last statement, but I agree with you 100%. I'm afraid the time of Shevchenko has come and gone, he'll never be anywhere the same player he was before. Whether because of not getting a place in the XI or because he's caught up with age.

Italy's U20s beat Austria today, 2-1. Both Darmian and Albertazzi played - Darmian for the full 90 and Albertazzi a big chunk of the game -- though he did come off injured. Darmian will go to the Primavera camp for the Viareggio tournament and Albertazz may join him, depending on the extent of his injury.

what was the injury like? foot, thigh etc?

His scrotum was punctured.



*Runs to the hills*

Dunno, CMF. I checked and body parts aren't mentioned, just that it's a 'muscular problem' (presumably somewhere in a leg).

I'm tellin ya..it is what it is...

Gosh, Darmian is busy these days. Played yesterday for the U20s (he's captain) and playing today in the Viareggio tournament for the Primavera.

It's a pity he's not being given a chance with the first team.

The few times that I've seen him play for the first team he seems pretty good. I would like to see more of him, hopefully we will and he won't be loaned out until he's 27 like Antonini.

Much as I wish things were different, Ro, I don't think either of us should hold our breath to see Darmian or any other Primavera being given a chance. Seems more fashionable to buy kids the same age from Brazil (Mattioni, for what it's worth, plays the same position as Darmian - though dst and I quibble over whether Darmian's better as a cb or a rb).

The primavera lost the second match in Torneo di Viareggio (or Coppa Canevale) against Vicenza. The Primavera took the lead in the 18th minute by a shot from Strasser but Vicenza equalaized and took the lead in the second half.


Milan - Vicenza 1 - 2

Perucchini;
Darmian, Romagnoli, Colombo, Ruggeri;
Strasser, De Vito, Novinic;
Osuji, Doukara, Furlan.

Subs: IN- Angelilli, Gianola and Scapuzzi OUT- Furlan, Doukara och De Vito.

The Primavera share the last place in the group with Pumas. They both got 1 point while Vicenza and Cesena got 4 points. Milan will play Cesena on saturday.

Here's how some of the kids on loan did at the weekend.

Ignazio Abate (Torino): (Voto 7)

Davide Di Gennaro (Reggina): (Voto 6)

Alberto Paloschi (Parma): (Voto 6)

Daniel Offredi (Pro Sesto): (Voto 6)

Kingsley Umunegbu (Portosummaga): (Voto 6.5)

Emanuele Orlandi (Carpenedolo): (Voto 6)

week in week out abate is doing really well i think it would be really bad move if we dont call him back we need a verstile player like him

I wouldnt really call him versatile (right sided player and Trequartista) but i do agree that he deserves a shot with us. You cant be a star for the Azzurini by being average. However, Carlo will never play him, so staying at Toro for another year may not be bad (for him)

I still haven't found out how good his defending is.. is he like Janku, good in attack, rather average in defense? can he be play as a RB?

Don't think he's as good as Janku in defence. He's a winger.

Janku is a fairly bad defender and Abate does not seem much better, at least he did not whenever I watched him play. I don't think he can play at RB.

+1

But then again, I'm terrible in judging young wingers abilities to play as fullbacks. And Milan on the other hand made a half-decent job with Janku and a really decent with Serginho. I know he wasn't the god of LB's, but he was class..what a pitty he had to fight Ro Carlos in the NT.

Serginho was bad defensively too and I remember crying about his incompetence at the back but his runs upfront more than made up for this. Janku is nowhere near him offensively.

Carlos was much better than Serginho in my view.

The Primavera beat Atalanta's primavera 2-0 (goals by Ikande and Pasini) to qualify for the primavera coppa italia semifinals.

Also of note, the Giovanissimi C (where Christian Maldini plays) continues to win and not concede goals. They're still in first place in their division.

Too bad we can't get any specifics of the players...is it truly a new golden generation?

No real idea, Jack. All I can ever find about the Giovanissimi is the results and (I think next month maybe) the odd article in Forza Milan.