-A number of players have seemingly come out of the woodwork to claim their fandom of AC Milan! I don’t buy it, and the reason being is a simple analogy to real life. If I am working for a small company who pays well, and earns well, but a larger more prestigious company has mentioned bringing me on board, it is only natural that I will claim interest of said company so that I can move onto more money and more prestige. Wouldn’t any normal person do the same thing? Footballers are great, they are entertaining, and sometimes admirable, but in the end they are politicians looking for the next payday.

-Speaking of Milan fan transfer targets, Dzeko, like Adebayor before pledge his love for AC Milan. The problem is his love has a 30M price tag, and frankly that is far too much. For me the max payable for Dzeko is 20M, and that is still a bit high, the Bundesliga is notoriously soft for goal scorers, and scoring in Germany is not necessarily a sign of value or skill. The same people who oogled at KJH’s Dutch scoring prowess now have evidence of soft leagues and need to realize that Serie A is different and Dzeko is not guaranteed success, and not worth that big money. Doesn’t anyone else think it is fishy that Obafemi Martins is knocking goals in at Wolfsburg, while he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn in the EPL?

-Milan are unbeaten since the previous International break, and if you can all recall it was around that time that many were calling for the sale of the team by Silvio Berlusconi. Amazing how quickly that discussion died after a couple of wins I am curious to find out if anyone is still in favor of a sale?

-Abbiati is poised to return the net this weekend. I love the AC Milan goalkeeper discussion because there are still a handful of people who prefer Dida, and even some who believe Abbiati is a not a good keeper. I find this humorous because many would agree to the statement that Gigi Buffon is the World’s best, and when Buffon was injured Milan sent Abbiati to Juve to replace him, and kept Nelson Dida. Yes Dida proved his worth, but that ship has sailed and Abbiati is a valuable asset. Keepers get better with age and he is primed to make his return to first team football, and playing for a trip to South Africa as Gigi’s backup. Expect Abbiati to win his spot back and for Storari to be the number two.

Before I fizzle out here and go back to staring at videos and pictures of previous Milan teams to forget the current state of affairs, I want to say that for the first time as a fan of this Club I truly feel hopeless. I actually listened to Dinho fans try and portray this goal, this draw as a positive, well he saved us they said…we are beyond saving. Maybe I have dug myself such a hole I can’t even find a shred of positive light, but I do know that a game like this against Atalanta can only spell problems for the upcoming match against Roma, and worse Napoli whose backs are truly against the wall.

All and all this international break is hot and cold. Time for this team to train and hear more of Leo’s infamous discussion or further sink in the hole it has dug for itself. The nice thing is the usual swarm of Rossoneri players on International duty has slowly declined recently so while good teams best players are away, our players will be training together…think positive right…

The first and most important thing is management. Yes they have let us down, but in their 25 year reign this let down has really only happened once before the era following that led down saw two league titles and two CL’s, so in this regard I still have faith. Sure it may have be done in a more frugal fashion, but this summer’s targets in Dzeko and Cissokho were promising, Fester just couldn’t seal the deal, and he needs to correct that mistake come January and in the upcoming off season. Some of you want a sale, I just want an acceptance of failure and promise to do better, all we need is a Mike Ashley type new owner who furthers this problem and then we will be proper fucked to put it rather plainly. I prefer the evil I know over the evil that could be.

Step two, Leo graciously steps down. By doing so he and the club save face and he can go back to what he does well, scouting. In his place should come either Tassotti or Baresi. Promote from within, in players we formerly trusted and have first-hand knowledge of the youth system. This rebuild will not happen without some help from the primavera and best to put guys in charge who have been at that level to make this happen.

Third, and this one should happen in January, buy GRossi! He immediately brings youth and scoring prowess to a team who desperately needs it, and he may be the answer to the role behind the strikers. He wants Milan and many of us want him, this would bring the fans back on board, and give us a danger man we desperately lack. He would also be a piece of the puzzle that you can build around and assure a bit of future for the club and the Italian heritage it proudly boasted in the past.

Once these three steps have been put in place Leo can know be instrumental in bringing in talent in the 5-10M range under the age of 28. Wingbacks, specifically on the left are of the utmost priority. Soon thereafter a player in the mold of D’Agostino should be brought on board to fill the aging apparently lead filled boots of Andrea Pirlo. It doesn’t have to be the Udinese man, but likely candidates need to have his skill set. An additional striker wouldn’t hurt but if you really stop and think about it, KJH could eventually produce and along with Borriello and Pato, it isn’t all that bad. If KJH is a failure, which I feel like could happen just the same, then unload and start again. Players are out there and we can find them, but the task has to be taken seriously and efficiently. Stop for a moment and consider a team with Storari or Abbiati, Abate, Nesta, Silva, New LB, Flamini, New CM, Ambro/Rino, GRossi, Pato and Borriello it really is not all that bad now is it! So for the love AC MILAN make it happen, it is going to get worse before it gets better, but this rut can’t last forever, it hasn’t in the past and shouldn’t in the future. This club is far to legendary and far to special to many of us, even the management believe it or not, to let it crash and burn like this!

Please visit the USA page at the World Cup Blog for the aftermath of this AMAZING day.

Formation wise, many of you here and across the Offside crucified the Don for his 4-3-3, not a sole has done the same for Lippi, HYPOCRITES. Not to mention no one noticed that he took arguably the same set of players as the Don, save a few here and there, HYPOCRITES. Anyone can see that Italy are loaded with creative around the box type strikers like a GRossi, and midfield hardmen like Palombo, why not employ Spalletti’s 4-2-3-1?? Now if you read this blog you know how hard it is for me to credit those Roma tossers, but again this is for the good of the team and to fit the personnel. We as club fans need cohesion, and frankly, a new boss. But we all know Lippi won’t use it, it isn’t his formation, he won’t employ anything that is prevalent in Serie A, because he is stubborn, sure a World Champ, but a stubborn bastard to boot.

Finally I am going to end with a lambasting of players that may cause my lambasting in return, but the following players were awful in this tournament: DDR, Toni, Camo, Dossena, Captain Canna, Montolivo, Pepe, and FabQuags…Rino was recovering and Pirlo was inconsistent, his best game against a ten men USA, but they too are not far from this shit list. Now Roma fans will cry, and some Fiorentina fans who still love Luca and think Montolivo is producing will bitch as well, but go back and look at those games and then we can discuss. DDR was horrific in all three games, his goal was pure luck, and his play was phantasmal. Montolivo was much the same, but for me Toni takes the cakes as the World’s worse fall from grace, save Ronaldinho. He is finished!! If he is going to play in WC10 so are the Azzurri…

Abbiati – B+

The Milan netminder suffered a season ending injury but up until that injury he was comfortably managing the space between the sticks. In fact there were many standout performances from Abbiati this season and his passion and fire were welcomed. He impressed throughout the league and many even believed he would be the second keeper at the Confederations Cup, but the injury ended that discussion and gave his would be place back to Amelia. He has solidified a place for this Milan team and should be the incumbent at the start of next season.

Dida – A

The man exceeded all expectations, but I never want to see him again.

Zambrotta – B

Yes he has lost a step, but his contribution and consistency cannot go unnoticed. He played week in and week out on the right and left, and next to Maldini was a fixture in the Milan defense. Early in the season he was asked to push forward but with the inclusion of Beckham he played a more defensive role which in turn allowed him to stay fresh and finish strong. He will be a year older come September but his place on the team is his to lose, and having his veteran presence will be a plus.

Senderos – C+

He gave me fits when he played, I couldn’t understand why on Earth he was being given starts in big games, but as he played more and more his presence was less of a nuisance and more of a begrudging consistency. Was he good? Not really, but he was serviceable and in a season where we lacked any form of real CB presence the big goofball really came in handy. He was on loan, and you won’t hear many complaints from me if he leaves, but I can’t help but say thank you for the contribution.

Favalli – B+

This was a tough one. When he injured Abbiati I almost lost my mind, I wanted him cut and banned from the pitch, but when you looked down the roster and noticed no healthy CB’s Favalli took it upon himself to become the stalwart CB next to Maldini and for that I cannot thank him enough. His time on this club should come to an end, but I am scared to think where we would have been without him this season. Many of you may rate him lower, but stop and think how many times you cursed him and then again for how many times you were left pleasantly surprised.

Maldini – A+

Was there any doubt! What should have been a swansong and a say goodbye season for Maldini turned into a dogfight and his contribution seemed to be needed more than ever. Sure he had moments that showed his many years, like most of the defense, but he had moments of brilliance that left me wondering could he go another season? His track down of strikers like Lavezzi, his Zidane style pirouette, and his never ending push forward against Roma was really the best sendoff we could give a living legend. As he leaves he vacates the captaincy with no real heir apparent, and the void will be greater than I have come to grasp at the moment.

Janks – B

He just wasn’t his same venomous self on the flank and his defense continues to decline. He played well in a midfield role when asked to move up, but even then he was average at best. LB is a postion that lacks depth on the squad and Janks should be pressured for his starting role as the summer wears on.

Antonini – D

Expectations were high, performances were not. His game against Udinese early in the season left me salivating, but he progressively got worse, lost confidence, and fell out of favor. An “injury” claimed the remainder of his season but at his age he needs to start producing. His pace is great, and his attacking skills are solid, but his defense needs work if he wants to earn a starting role. Carletto had a short leash for youngsters and Luca was no exception.

Flamini – C+

Harsh, maybe, but it was a tail of two halves for the versatile Frenchman. His first half was a flat out F, he couldn’t work his way into a game and his challenges were worse than a young Rino. His second half saved his blushes and Milan’s. He stepped in for injured players played RB and all the midfield spots and was a real asset down the stretch. He would prefer to not play RB, and if the transfer window goes according to plan he won’t have to next season, but he has certainly earned himself starting consideration for the new season.

Becks – B-

It is no secret, I like Becks. When he first came on in January he was pivotal in many of Milan’s wins in the resurgent new year. He linked well with Pato and was comfortable on the flank, but as the minutes piled up David’s play declined. At times he was clinical and others he was lethargic, his contribution cannot be denied and he provided a spark when Milan needed it most. His monetary gesture to stay on at Milan was booed by some, but personally I applaud it. Beck’s was screwed by the Galaxy and MLS and put in a position to fail and ultimately eliminate him from national team contention, the man’s heart belongs with his country and he clearly wants to make that squad and he proved that, cheers to Becks. I won’t fight for his return, but I surely appreciate his time with the club.

Pirlo – C

Injuries, struggles, and inconsistency summed up his season. He was off the pitch for Milan’s seven straight early in the season, but was on it for the late run. He is a different player with Rino alongside him and didn’t get to show it this year. Flamini provided some of that buddy system flair, but in the end Pirlo is still struggling. His talent and skill can’t be denied but finding it is that much more of a challenge. On a good day he is dynamic and changes the game, on a bad day he is phantom, he needs to be more involved in the attack and on team littered with ball hogging attackers and a long baller in Becks he seemed to lack a real responsibility on the pitch.

Rino – A

An injury ended one of the best starts to a season I can ever remember from the hard man. He was everywhere, and in Pirlo’s absence it even seemed like he was learning to pass the ball like his pal, but the injury was devastating and it took Milan time to recover. Rino however seemed to recover even faster and seeing him in the final game of the season brought a smile to my face. He is the heart and soul of this team and my pick for Captain, and he was missed when he was gone.

Ambrosini – B

Ambro is the pillar of consistency for me. He is not flashy and at times he can even be a bit raw, but his constant movement, solid positioning, and passion make him a great player. He really stepped it up emotionally in the absence of Gattuso and his play down the stretch really helped Milan and his goals were a welcome addition when strikers seemed to forget how to find the net. I remember him losing his mind against Roma and getting a red card and I was disappointed in him, but as I look back at it he was honoring his Captain and proved yet again why he is important to this team.

Seedorf – D

His performance against Inter in the first derby is the only thing keeping this guy from an F. His play has drastically declined and his arrogance has made it hard to support him. Yes he was a better fit at times as his role was more suited to the players around him, but that is no excuse for slow play, poor passes, and general mistakes that really reflected his decline. Clarence thank you for the memories, but your time here has passed.

Ronaldinho – C

Seven goals early on were a huge plus, but the rest was forgettable. Was he out of shape? Did Carletto spite him? Does he not get along with Ricky? These are all questions we have debated ad nauseam here but in the end the proof is on the pitch, and the play speaks for itself. He seems to have lost that drive to goal that made him so dangerous and his game needs a bit of an overhaul if he wants to be successful in Italy, I personally don’t know if he is the type of person with the self drive to recover, many of you believe he is, but he is the only that can save his career at this point be it at Milan or anywhere else.

Kaka – C+

Not Ricky’s best season. Injuries were a factor and lack of cohesion with Ronaldinho may have been as well, and don’t discount the Man City distraction either. In the end though when he put his foot on the gas he was still the man we all know and love, but those flashes were far less than we are accustomed to. *When I wrote this Ricky was still a Rossonero, and now that he is gone I feel there is more that needs to be added…my first inclination is that management pushed him out, and this apparent commitment to Ronaldinho is the nail in the coffin for me and for Kaka, I believe we are making a mistake here, and yes his play has declined, and yes he is injured more than ever before, but pinning our hopes on an apparent “has been” is far more risky than sticking with Ricky…good luck in Madrid*

Borriello – C-

I thought we had a dynamic duo with him and Pato but injuries made that a pipedream. His lack of contribution hurts and we still don’t know what he can or can’t do for this team. Heres hoping to a quality return, but it has to be fruitful to make this wait worthwhile.

Sheva – F

Not going to get into here, but this was a failure, and his career seems to really have crumbled. Frankly I want to forget this season even happened and continue to remember him wearing the number seven.

Pippo – B

He scores, and he does so in bunches but when his playing and not scoring he is a liability. His role this season was perfect, and as it continues to decrease I hope he can continue to provide goals in a pinch, but he seems to be a ball of nerves from the get go, it will be interesting what the summer brings for the the greatest poacher the World has ever seen.

Pato – B+

Inconsistency keeps this grade where it is. He is class, and his goal against Fiorentina proved that again and again. His performance in the draw against Roma was stellar, but his mistakes are glaring and his tendency to force the issue can be a bit frustrating. He is young and will continue to progress so this mark is more of a jump off point than anything else, Pato will continue to grow and Milan will reap the benefits.

So there you have it, sorry it was such a long time coming. I hope many of you can relate and share your thoughts as well as we close the chapter of “my” Milan and enter was is turnining out to be the most nerve wrecking summer on record.

-The Dzeko deal appears to have hit a snag, though it seems Wolfsburg are shopping for strikers. Price is probably an issue, but at this point this deal seems far from complete. Many of you rate Dzeko highly, I am lukewarm on him as a player, and we all know scoring in one league doesn’t always translate to others. Luca Toni, outside of the Bundesliga (national team), can’t seem to hit the broad side of barn, which leads to me believe the Bundesliga presents more concrete scoring chances which leads to more goals. Again, Dzeko may be great, only time will tell that, but if we are going to invest time, money, and effort to sign him, I can’t help but think we can do better. Problem is save splashing a ton of cash, I don’t see where better is at the moment, and again Italian would be preferred. As you can see I am at a bit of an impasse here as well.

-Paloschi will remain at Parma for another season. I like Alberto, but he just doesn’t seem fit to carry torch at AC Milan. He is smallish in stature and his ball skills are not great, but boy can the kid finish. He reminds of Pippo, and plays a bit like him as well, but at the moment that is not the type of player this club is really looking for or needs. Another year on loan will do him well, and his value may increase with a good season in Serie A. I would be more surprised if Paloschi was brought home than sold, but again that is just my opinion on that matter, and I am sure feelings are different on the teen.

-Guiseppe Rossi is easily becoming the hottest thing since sliced bread after his past nine days in the National Team blue. His goals have been sublime, and his work with Pirlo last night makes me wonder why on Earth Milan isn’t burning down Villareal for a transfer. The kid is a proclaimed Milan fan, and his return to Italy will be good for him and the league. What I saw last night was a player who could easily fill the void left by Kaka, with a more penalty area friendly style of play that Milan could really use. He seems equally comfortable with or without the ball, and his willingness to shoot is a plus. I am sold, and sooner than later so will GRossi, the question is where?

-Last night’s performance from Pirlo was top class. Yes he was playing against ten man, but for the majority of the match the US seemed to be in control and was operating quite nicely around the World Champs, kudos to them for playing tough when many people believed they couldn’t. As the game wore on and the US wore off, Pirlo really began to shine, his move on the final goal was beautiful and the pass was even better. Many of you have asked why he doesn’t play that way at Milan, and the answer is simple, he doesn’t see the ball in the same type of areas or play with the same type of personnel. At Milan he operates in his own half, whereas with Italy he can move forward and become more a part of the attack. Milan seems to prefer the ball at the foot of Seedorf, Dinho, and, last season at least, Kaka this may change now with Leo at the helm, but for Pirlo to be successful he needs to more of a Xavi style playmaker than a long pass hucker, and that was evident last night. It also helps that Lippi employs big target style strikers which force defenders deep into their area and make space for Pirlo to come forward, at Milan even Pato comes back to half to begin running at defenses. Hence the need for a target man!!! Seeing Pirlo in such form was AWESOME, can that form be found at Milan with Leo at the helm is the real question? My fear is that we may never know, as Pirlo has the eye of Carletto, and after last night possibly a few more clubs to boot.

What makes me all the more upset is the complete loss of identity of AC Milan. Yes many of us were sick of the XMAS tree, me included, but that damn formation provided results. We also knew damn well that Carletto was all for two strikers if Borriello hadn’t gotten hurt, and now we are left with a guy who hasn’t even opened his mouth about tactis other than throwing out the potential for a 4-3-3. Nardo, you are not Pep Guardiola, there will be no Guardiola effect, and playing a 4-3-3 in Italy with this team will likely get you canned faster than the ever famous Oscar Washington Tabarez. Milan is not Barcelona, they lack the pace, skill, and players to play that way or that style, and I am not implying that Milan will want to play that way, but this whole be like Pep, be like Barca trend is wearing thin on me. What’s next are they going to promote Dida or Clarence the minute they retire in an effort to channel some of the young coach magic!? Pep worked extensively with the Barca youth setup, played under great coaches, and had a profound effect on Barca and Cataluña as a whole, Nardo has done none of that. So forget those comparisons right away. My greatest concern with our lack of tactical identity is the fact that no one will want to come to Milan. How can you attract a guy like Eto, Adebayor or Dzeko when they don’t know if the will be alone, with a partner, or in a group of a three!? Will a wingback like Criscito want to come to Milan if they are employing a 4-3-3 with stay at home backs? As you can see the scenarios and questions are numerous, and the answers are still quite a ways off.

On the brighter side, I am willing to give Leo a chance, despite not being my first choice, or really even my last, he does have a keen eye for talent, and hopefully he can attract some solid youngsters to the team. My preference will always be to do so on the boot because Milan is and always has been home to some of the best Italian players. Alarmingly that trend is no longer the case, though I would never have believed Milan would lose a Brazilian under Leonardo, and would never expect Pato to go now that he is Coach, but stranger things have happened. My biggest fear is losing both Pirlo and Rino to Chelsea which would leave the Rossoneri presence on the National Team to almost nothing, a feat that really has not happened in my lifetime, and leaves me feeling pretty bad when I think about it.

As you can tell my mood is a blend of disbelief and discouragement. I had written a season recap with player grades that will eventually see the light of day, but at this point all I can really do is sit and wait for something to happen. I feel like recapping this season is almost like recapping Milan as I know, and by doing so I will put a finality on it that I don’t believe I am ready for. I will say that I wish the best of luck to Pirlo, Rino, and Zambro as they make their way to the Confederations Cup. The US game is a treat for any Italian-American and a bit of retribution for the lost to Brazil earlier in the year would be nice, but the special game for me will be Egypt. Egypt beat an Ivory Coast team in last year’s African Cup of Nations that looked unstoppable, curios to see these guys in action. I look forward to reading all your thoughts on Leonardo and what we can expect and will recap the season when I am ready to put a stamp on Milan as many of us once knew it.

“MILAN – From next season, Kakà will play in Real Madrid. A. C. Milan thanked Kakà, the man and the great champion for his decisive contribution to the many victories we achieved in the six years of his commitment to the rossonero. The loss technique, while serious, can be remedied. It will be very difficult to fill the void that will be left by the man Kakà, a shining example of commitment and professionalism. A. C. Milan, on behalf of the managers, players and supporters of the rossoneri, makes him the most cordial and affectionate wishes for the continuation of his sporting career.”

I have so many emotions going right now I am not sure whether to say thanks for the memories or good riddance! We sold the 2007 player of the year to hang our hat on an older more out of shape player of the year from 06!??!?!?! Only time will tell how this move pans out but for the moment we can sit and remember what Kaka has done for us and Serie A, and where his sale leaves a team, a league, and a country…

I will be back tomorrow with something more substantial…

True to form the tinkerman’s starting lineup is hard to predict, and with just as many injuries to the back line as us it is hard to tell who Juventus will send in to contain the reborn Pippo and Ricky Kaka. A disjointed locker room may also see some faces relegated to the bench while offensively Juventus have their lost their way and goals have come but without urgency or precision. Due to Nedved’s suspension we will be treated to Giovinco who just a few weeks ago scored an outside of the foot goal that I still remember as spectacular, a player very capable despite what appears to be a lack of faith at times from his coach. Rossoneri midfielders Ambro and Becks as well as the defense will have their work cut out for them against the pacy little man, and cannot forget the likes of Amauri and Juventus’s answer to Maldini in ADP. A clash of true club icons that we will see for the very last time…

As for Milan, it seems Carletto will stick to what works, the classic XMAS tree with Pippo as the star. Can you argue considering the results? Dida appears to have recovered from back pains and Zambro and Janks will run the flanks while Favalli and Maldini will hold down the center. Ambro should continue his good form, and if Pirlo can play and spray passes as he did last week, Juventus will find it very hard to contain a what has become a very potent in the last few weeks. Even David Beckham understands the magnitude of a game against Juventus as he claims this is a fixture he has been waiting for since joining Milan and I hope he can deliver on his excitement.