Thursday Milan Musings
By: Gianfranco | March 13th, 2008
To Stadio Olimpico the Rossoneri go on Saturday afternoon for a very pivotal game against a Roma side who is coming in hot. With a dispatching of Real Madrid and a handy win over Napoli Roma are firing on all cylinders and have their eyes squarely on Inter at the top of the table.
Let’s talk about Inter for a moment before I preview Saturday’s game. This team is ripe for the picking, their coach might not be their coach by the time I post this blog, their attack from the midfield is non existent and their defense is in shambles. If this team was going to lose this scudetto race, now is the time.
OK back to the task at hand, Roma is clearly focused on the Champions League and the Scudetto, and have hopefully already overlooked Milan who are in a bit of race of their own, fourth place and that nasty ticking biological clock. But with a few wins strung together catching Fiorentina and even Juve is not out of the question. The problem is the old and tired Milan that played the first half against Empoli, and the last 65 against Arsenal will not lead this squad into the top four.
Carletto is assuring a rested and changed Milan, forgive my skepticism, but I will believe it when I see it. Honestly unless Carletto has a way to assure that everyone would be healthy and rejuvenated both physically and mentally then a new Milan will be hard to come by. What Carletto can do though is mix in guys like Gourcuff, Paloschi and Bonera who are hungry for time and to show that they want a place in the squad next year.
Il Capitano knows the threat that Roma poses and respects them and their style, and I tend to agree. But they have to bring their A-game and if they get three points, but we need them more than they do, so Forza Milan.
MUSINGS…
-Benzema has extended his Lyon contract make his move to the San Siro even more unlikely.
-Ronaldo is back in Milan, and I hope that it is to pack some bags and collect his last few paychecks. This team needs to move on and Ronaldo is not in the plans.
-Ivan Pelizzoli, former Roma netminder, is the new transfer target for Milan. Pelizzoli is currently plying his trade in Russia, and at 27 years old is seasoned enough to make the move worth while. I would much rather prefer Amelia, but this kid looks talented, and if he falls through I still think Carlo Cudicini would make a nice addition.
-Rino is a bit wishy washy on his love for Sheva. First he criticized his leaving, and is again saying he would welcome him back. Many of us believe that Sheva would have to crawl back to be welcomed with open arms, but a he was a proven scoring in the red and black and would be a sight for sore eyes in front of the net.
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Comments
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rino is just doing as the milan’s well oiled pr machine asks him to do… they are preparing for a sheva return… first maldini, then ambro, and now gattuso…
the three captains have spoken… all within the space of one week, all proclaiming the return of the prodigal son… you just know its going to happen… if this were lord of the rings, this would be where you would cue the dramatic music… its a done deal..
Posted from
United States
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Call me pessimistic but you ever get the feeling that we WILL be stuck with Carletto after the summer and the ONLY signing we will see WILL be Sheva? *sigh*
Posted from
United Kingdom -
I can remember the AC Milan that didnt pussyfoot around, whenever we were on the lookout for signings other teams used to let out a groan and bury their heads in their hands (Oh Great! Here comes Milan!)
The CL was once nothing more than a recruiting ground for us, whenever we played in the CL and a player made a name for himself u would instantly find Milan sniffing around them at the end of the season (ala Desailly and Weah) with the players team resigned to losing them.
We used to go crazy to sign any future world class player and were always willing to break the bank (ala Lentini in 92 - we payed such a sum of money for him the Vatican called it “offensive”!) Fans ended up rioting outside their teams stadium coz Milan had just prised away one of there top players.
We just didnt give a fuck about adding new talent! Or how much it cost. (Sorry for the language ladies)
And now?
We are quick to list publicly who we would like to sign (ie highlight potential talent to other teams) and just let someone else swoop in and take them!
Or.
We just sigh players past their peak (ala Shev)
Thanks Galliani, you did a good job in the past, but please take Carletto with you on the way out of Milanello at the end of this season u bald ass!
(Sorry for the rant guys!)
Posted from
United Kingdom -
yah i know exactly how you feel. we use to get the best of the best. how did we get Baggio from juve, no one will ever know. in addition to many others. our last good signing is Kaka, it went downhill from there. Gila we had to haggle for 25 mil.
the thing is we’ve been probably the biggest name in the transfer market linked to players, yet we didnt get anyone.
i have the samething about Sheva. i actually prefer to get only 1 striker, give some chance for Paloschi & Pippo. because if we do get another striker, they wont be happy on the bench, plus we’d deprive Paloschi from game time.
i honestly want Carletto to stay, just give the guy some new blood. after 6 years, i recently started to put my full faith in Carletto, why, i dont know why all the sudden, but i believe he’s good for us.
Posted from
Canada -
Exactly! Getting Baggio from Juve was the equivalent of taking Totti from Roma, Dino from Barca, Henry (when he was at Arsenal), Rooney from Man U, Zidane from Juve!
Or dare i say it, Ramos from Madrid (that a a hint btw Baldy!)
Posted from
United Kingdom -
yah i know, even geting Pippo was a great signing, although he actually had a fallout in juve.
ramos would be perfect.
i just love to watch the old milan games and specials. i just downlaoded Milan-Madrid 1989 CL Semi Final.
best line up in history. and its not me saying that. world soccer awarded that team as the best team, not counting nationals.
Galli; Tassotti, Costacurta, Baresi, Maldini; Colombo, Rijkaard, Ancelotti, Donadoni; Gullit & Marco Unicooo. all under the command of the legendary Sacchi.
im also against our contemporary soccer thats being played nowadays. i wish we could have the 70’s-80’s and early 90’s soccer. they use to play for one thing, PRIDE. no bullshit, straight forward great passionate soccer. they play for the badge on the front, not the name on the back, or the sponsor.
Posted from
Canada -
come on guys, our last great signing was pato! i am a huge fan of bonera (as a cb) too.
seriously, though, i agree that we just aren’t spending like a competitive club any more. to play with the best, you have to spend like the best, and we have just been falling off the big team map lately. i blame don silvio’s greedy, leech kids for that. i fear that the days of signings like nesta, rui costa, sheva (version 1 from kyiv), weah are behind us. unfortunately, the last player we splooged out a load of cash above the 20 million mark on was gilardino and i can’t wait to see that parasite out of the team now. we really should have snatched toni in favour of this asswipe while he was still available.
Posted from
United States -
Fetyani that team was voted and is still widely regarded as the greatest team to ever set foot on a pitch, and any soccer fan would have a hard time arguing that…
As for the lack of bite in the club, it almost feels as tough they have become complacent and lack the desire to win because in all honestly they are holding the status quo, its the tifosi that have to go ballistic to get some changes. I love Carletto and thank for his service but its time to shake this up a bit and bring in the new blood, new system, BUILD AROUND WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKE THE TEAM A FORCE AGAIN.
Posted from
United States -
Here is a quote from Kaka, and if he is not talking about Emerson then we are going to have a serious problem…
“The day comes when the end of careers arrive - for everyone, even me,” he added. Whom he may have been referring to, we leave for you to speculate.
Posted from
United States -
“If I was Milan I would play a relaxed game, I would not have any doubts over whether I would prefer fourth place or ensure that Inter lost the scudetto,” De Rossi told Roma Channel.
haha.
Posted from
United States -
I’m just fed up with everyone in the milan staff…I can’t believe they are being so ridiculous with all the signing’s lately
Posted from
United States -
i dont care if Kaka is talking about anyone in the team and even sheva. BUT if he just thinks about the name Maldini should be there. i swear ill personally go kick him out, and rest assured every milanista will be there infront of me. maldini 1 game > kaka and anyones whole career.
its a shame and hard to see what our defense went from to. from tassotti, costacurta, maldini, baresi, desailly, stam, etc. to what it is now. if there was a defense religion, Milan’s old defense would be the Gods.
for now, lets just have some faith and believe.
Posted from
Canada -
As great as the ‘89 vintage was there was a much better squad in 93 available to Fabio Capello however the regulations at the time did not permit him to field it at full strength, otherwise no team in history without a shadow of a doubt would have been as strong as this:
Rossi
Tassotti-Costacurta-Baresi-Maldini
Gullit-Rijkaard-Boban-Savicevic
Van Basten - PapinPosted from
United States -
I agree with the notion that Maldini needs to retire. He is still very capable of turning in a good match but the bigger picture is more important. Milan need to turn a chapter in its history and that chapter is the Maldini era.
But this being the Milan of the new millenium, and the whole family retirement benefits philosophy, it will not be surprising if Maldini stays on nor for that matter would it be surprising to see Inzaghi’s grandchildren in a couple of years, when they are able to walk, come visit him in the dugout at the San Siro when he is warming the bench in the first halves.
Posted from
United States -
A, Maldini by no means needs to retire, if you remove the age factor from the equation and ask yourself can we get a left back of his caliber to replace hime/fill in and you have to say no. Everyone says well he is forty. I dont give a shit if he is 80 if he is still consistent and still plays better than most of his leftback counterparts than he can stay on as long as he needs to. The man is the heart and soul of the club and there is no reason why he can or can’t stay on that decision rests soley on him and his ability to play at the highest level…I know, you know, and we all know that when he realizes he can no longer compete at the highest level he will walk away but until then play on Il Capitano, PLAY ON!
Posted from
United States -
Ya Gian! Forza Maldini!
Until the man starts making constant serious mistakes or comes out and says he’s in pain after every game, play on, man, play on.
Posted from
Canada -
Oh, and I’m headed to the good ol’ US of A for the weekend, taping the game, and avoiding the internet til Sunday, so see you all later!
Posted from
Canada -
Gian, sentimentality is one thing and he is fit for now, but he doesn’t stay fit for long. The last few years he has been injured for long periods during a season. And when he comes back some of the balance of the team at times has been disturbed because we all want him to play in the first team. The other guys need to have the responsibility to step up and become legends too. That ain’t happening with Maldini around let me tell ya.
I wouldn’t care if Maldini kept playing till he dies but much of Milan’s policy in recent years has to do with not wanting rid of players past their best for loyalty reasons. Maldini is the ultimate symbol of this continuity.
Plus he is not consistent these days. He has his off times and Milan has or should have been punished for some lapses this season.
Posted from
United States -
If Milan were to say that Maldini is staying but Inzaghi and some of the other deadwood is on their way out. Fine by me. I would love Maldini to stay another season. But, mark my word, Maldini stays and the rest are staying too for another season.
Posted from
United States -
I want the Pirlo’s, Kaka’s and Nestas to show their leadership and inspire the rest when the chips are down. With Maldini around they know that Mr Milan is around and they don’t take the responsibility on their own shoulders.
Look at the Empoli game, the poor bastard has to do a Baresi run up the middle to make it happen when the others were pussy footing around.
Posted from
United States -
thats the stupidest reason ive ever heard to make somebody retire.
because his aura will degenerate the other ‘leaders’ in the team to nonexistence?
the biggest load of BS ive ever heard.
Maldini would make the XI in ANY TEAM today. regardless of his age. age has nothing to do with anything.
carlo knows how to bench Maldini, he’s done it before. if he sees his quality is waning, which it is not, he won’t hesitate to bench him.
Posted from
United States -
Basically what shehan so eloquently stated. FORZA PAOLO PER SEMPRE.
The Milan head honchos have fed us a load of crap in the last two years transfer-wise. But my ever so optimistic self feels a long needed revolution about to happen this summer. What can we do but hope and believe, yeah?
We know what we have to do against Roma, as much as I like them and hope some miracle happens that lets them take the scudetto (ie. By us demolishing Inter in the derby).
Completely unrelated, but screwed over am I? So, I live in Chicago, and as shehan probably already knows, The U-20 Brazilian and Argentinian National Teams are coming at the end of this month to play. However, my choir got invited to go to China and sing for this pre-Olympic salute thingy. Which is really badass and I’m very excited. But we return on the same day of the match…2 hours afterwards. I wanted to watch my Duckie live! *Sigh* Okay, rant over, just needed to get that out of my system.
Much love to the team and my fellow Rossoneri here. Here’s hoping for a victory. Forza Milan!
Posted from
United States -
haha yes hana, i was aware of that too.
but the thing is that pato has been called up by the brazil team who has a game on march 26th in LONDON.
i dont think he will be joining up with the u20 team for the clash, as he will obviously be with the regular team.
its still an interesting prospect to go to. i might end up going to their training.
hana, did you go see milan when they came to chicago in 2005? july 28th to be exact. i met all the players at the training
and shook hands with il capitano! best moment of my life so far.Posted from
United States -
“but the thing is that pato has been called up by the brazil team who has a game on march 26th in LONDON.”
As usual, I miss a very valid point.
Thanks for the heads up shehan, makes me feel much better. But you’re right, still should be an interesting clash. Whenever kickass matches come to Chicago, I somehow am out doing something. You remember late last year how there was that friendly between Brazil and the US at Soldier Field? Kaka’ was playing too. Grr. 
And no, I didn’t see Milan come here! Go figure this happened a couple months before I even became a Milan fan. How stellar it must have been though for you =) Here’s to hoping they tour in the near future again.
Posted from
United States -
i agree with shehan and gianfranco in that in no way should we be kicking our legendary capitano out if he wants to play. of course, he won’t be able to play every game, and he won’t always be a first choice in the games he will be able to play, but the respect that man does in the dressing room is irreplaceable. without him, we would probably be a degenerate team like inter, full of individual egoes. as long as we still get the reinforcements we need, i am all for him staying.
Posted from
United States
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