QUOTE
Form is temporary
Filippo Inzaghi seems to have found his shooting boots amongst the heap of discarded strikers in the Milan changing room, but could he distract the Rossoneri from their necessary efforts to strengthen the squad.
In my mind there can be no question that Milan need to make big changes this summer. While a new goalkeeper and a stronger defence are a must, so is a new striker to lead the line. Too often this season the bulk of responsibility for scoring goals has fallen on the shoulders of players who have other things they should be worrying about. Kaka, for example, should not be their main source, he is the added touch of genius and purpose that can break a deadlock and create the space and opportunities for others. Yes, he has the ability to score, but he should not be their only means of rippling the net.
That brings us to their current striking options. Ronaldo is unfortunately too injury prone to be relied on as the main man, Alexandre Pato is still young and it would be unfair to heap all that responsibility on to a teenager in his first 12 months in Italy, while Alberto Gilardino’s place at Milan now seems completely untenable. Whether the situation Gila has found himself in is right or wrong, or regardless of who is to blame, that does not change the fact that his time as a reliable threat for the Diavolo is over.
Where does that leave Carlo Ancelotti then? While he obviously has a lot of good strikers at his disposable, does he have any that could really be called great at the moment? The answer is no, regardless of Inzaghi’s recent revival. While his rediscovered eye for goal, which has seen him hit the back of the net eight times in their last four games, has helped them return to form and could even fire them to a victory over Inter in the derby and a top-four finish, where was he when they really needed him in the other eight months of the season?
The answer is that he was nowhere to be found. He may be scoring now, but it would be a mistake to let that fact cloud the memory that tells you he only managed three Serie A goals in the previous 18 months! I can already see the way this summer could go at San Siro. The claims that they already have a host of good strikers at Milan, the insistence that Ronaldo will return, Pato will develop and Gila and Pippo will find their scoring touch. We heard it all before last summer and then again in January. Where did it leave them then – struggling to qualify for the Champions League with a home record that has their fans’ pride in tatters.
It would be all too easy for Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani to repeat their mistakes of the last year, but hopefully they have learnt from the previous hesitation. This season we have seen a San Siro filled with a chorus of booing fans for the first time in some considerable time. Whether that demoralising sound is there to stay could well depend on Milan’s strength of resolve and determination to do what must be done this summer, regardless of how difficult it may be to a club so centred around sentimentality for its heroes.
James Sugrue
Filippo Inzaghi seems to have found his shooting boots amongst the heap of discarded strikers in the Milan changing room, but could he distract the Rossoneri from their necessary efforts to strengthen the squad.
In my mind there can be no question that Milan need to make big changes this summer. While a new goalkeeper and a stronger defence are a must, so is a new striker to lead the line. Too often this season the bulk of responsibility for scoring goals has fallen on the shoulders of players who have other things they should be worrying about. Kaka, for example, should not be their main source, he is the added touch of genius and purpose that can break a deadlock and create the space and opportunities for others. Yes, he has the ability to score, but he should not be their only means of rippling the net.
That brings us to their current striking options. Ronaldo is unfortunately too injury prone to be relied on as the main man, Alexandre Pato is still young and it would be unfair to heap all that responsibility on to a teenager in his first 12 months in Italy, while Alberto Gilardino’s place at Milan now seems completely untenable. Whether the situation Gila has found himself in is right or wrong, or regardless of who is to blame, that does not change the fact that his time as a reliable threat for the Diavolo is over.
Where does that leave Carlo Ancelotti then? While he obviously has a lot of good strikers at his disposable, does he have any that could really be called great at the moment? The answer is no, regardless of Inzaghi’s recent revival. While his rediscovered eye for goal, which has seen him hit the back of the net eight times in their last four games, has helped them return to form and could even fire them to a victory over Inter in the derby and a top-four finish, where was he when they really needed him in the other eight months of the season?
The answer is that he was nowhere to be found. He may be scoring now, but it would be a mistake to let that fact cloud the memory that tells you he only managed three Serie A goals in the previous 18 months! I can already see the way this summer could go at San Siro. The claims that they already have a host of good strikers at Milan, the insistence that Ronaldo will return, Pato will develop and Gila and Pippo will find their scoring touch. We heard it all before last summer and then again in January. Where did it leave them then – struggling to qualify for the Champions League with a home record that has their fans’ pride in tatters.
It would be all too easy for Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani to repeat their mistakes of the last year, but hopefully they have learnt from the previous hesitation. This season we have seen a San Siro filled with a chorus of booing fans for the first time in some considerable time. Whether that demoralising sound is there to stay could well depend on Milan’s strength of resolve and determination to do what must be done this summer, regardless of how difficult it may be to a club so centred around sentimentality for its heroes.
James Sugrue
Anyway, good read. And I agree with what he says about a new striker. The thing is Inzaghi is a touch player, and if he's on form, he can do things others only dream about. But we'd do good with someone with the characteristics of Ronaldo/Sheva - someone who is not injured and not touching his 30s. 
