AC Milan general spiel

[The MAN]

Thank you Carlo for messing up another game, he did not even fucking rest any player in a midweek game, how hard would it have been to start Dinho over Seedorf and start Flamini in midfield, these are 2 moves that seemed logical. And then we have a certain somebody who gets to start by default even tho he hasnt been here for a fucking month yet. Of course Favalli starting at CB did not surprise me either, so typical of Carlo

This club is going nowhere but down with these assholes, and Carlo is destroying the future too. I do not even care about this season anymore

[jawad]

well, there is no point to point out the problems we have, since it is already known and repeative, ancelotti, seedorf BF..., i do believe the only thing that can save this club is to have a management comes to rescue, i do agree with tec saying that the only thing that will get this management to notice the problems is to actually get relegated, and even when that happens, i won't be sure they will get the message.

[shingai]

Missed the game due to work. I seem to be a good luck charm - with the exception of the Juve game, all the Milan games I've watched this season have seen good performances from most of the 11 for the Rossoneri.

Sometimes its hard for me to get traction from the points angry fans make, since, well, they're coming out of displeasure with results. Especially a team like Milan which normally has the solace of the CL to fight for (which has almost been an excuse for apathetic performances in the Serie A). It's just really hard for me to get an objective take on things. On the one hand, I agree that the current squad has absolutely no long term future, especially on defense. On the other, football is a money business - like it or not - and when you NEED money, you become a slave to it. That's football nowadays. Cling to the "old values" at the risk of becoming irrelevant. The thing is, in order to finance a rapid revamp of a squad (and not end up like Arsenal, with tons of youngsters who are out of their depth come crunch time), you need a sizeable stash. Milan, right now, does not have anywhere near that kind of money - that is the reality that a lot of fans, I think, don't really understand. The reason I say this is that I run several businesses, and if I were to put myself in Silvio's shoes right now, I would find myself doing a lot of the same things. Maybe I wouldn't try to interfere as much with actual squad selection (or at all), but the swoop for Becks and Dinho at cut-rate prices I cannot argue at all with from a business standpoint. I also understand that sometimes the best business decisions can also be extremely unpopular with the rank and file (until down the line they yield good rewards, at which point the rank and file will forget that you were the one that made the decisions in the first place)

I think we all have to be a bit patient. This is an awkward transition for Milan - kind of like an aristocrat who has gone broke and has to marry into a classless noveau riches merchant family to maintain his station in life. Just think for a moment what would happen to Milan if we didn't go after the money...how could we afford to bring in the players to maintain the style of play that we've all grown to love? Without those supremely talented, cerebral players, we don't win the big trophies. Without those trophies, Milan becomes just another club fighting to get a 5 or 6 game CL payday and nothing more.

And you know what, it could be a lot worse. We could be like Chelsea, cowtowing to assholes like Anelka, Deco and Drogba, or like Man Utd, fighting Real Madrid to keep a jackass like CRonaldo. Beckham may not be supremely talented, but at least he's a likeable guy who fits in well with the traditional Milan mentality of loyalty and hard work on the pitch. Dinho...well if he was half as committed as Beckham was he'd be in the same shape that he was 2 years ago. That was a disappointment to me, and it is disappointing every time I see him on the pitch how slow he is. And at times, I can see the frustration in his eyes - he's a much more ornery player than he was before, when everything came so easy. He's never had to work hard to be better by far than everyone else, and now that he has to, he has no idea what to do.

Now perhaps you could argue that there are many alternatives for Berlu to explore beyond his present course, and I would be a fool to say you are wrong about that. But again, Berlu has been at the helm through two crises following the disentigration of Championship level Milan squads, and I mean, the man is a billionaire, so obviously he knows something about running successful businesses. Since there is nothing you can do but boycott the team, you might as well trust him. It's either that or give yourself an ulcer over decisions that you have absolutely no control over. Me, I don't like ulcers, but maybe you guys are simply more hardcore fans that I. I'll respect that.

[San Paolo]

[Mohammad Shukri]

[Mohammad Shukri]

[RobHood]

[p_maldini_3]

yeah he keeps taking pato off, it hardly makes any sense.

kaka' has been playing as a second striker lately, his movement indicates that his position is further up the pitch than usual, but to ask him to become the lonesome attacker at the end of the game? its a bit too fucking rich if you ask me. carlo is making some horrible decisions to date, and lazio won't be an easy opponent.

Maldini and flamini are suspended for the next game, beckham is nursing a small thigh problem. is emerson set for a start??

shingai, well said. its hard to disagree, but at the end of the day, nobody likes change. so we'll be fighting tooth and nail against it, but eventually accept it. mohammed, thats quite a match recap, it definitely interesting to read.

[red]

[vtec]

[RomaShield27]

ANCELOTTI APPLAUDS BECKHAM DISPLAY
www.sportinglife.com – 29/1/09



AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed David Beckham for "another great game" after the England midfielder scored in the 1-1 draw against Genoa last night. Beckham netted a trademark free-kick in the first half, a goal which looked to have handed the Rossoneri three points only for Argentina striker Diego Milito to grab an equaliser with three minutes to go.

Ancelotti said of Beckham: "He has played another great game."

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star was taken off with 19 minutes to go with an abductor injury but Ancelotti is confident he will be fit for Sunday's trip to Lazio.

"We will evaluate David's condition over the next few days," said Ancelotti. "But it doesn't seem anything serious. It's just a muscular injury."

Beckham's display was also lauded by the Italian press. Leading sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport declared him their man of the match, and added: "Beckham almost scored early on, then he found the net with a free-kick. He helps in defence, midfield and in attack.

"If all (Milan's players) battled like he does, Milan probably would not be looking up at Juve and Inter."

The Corriere della Sera newspaper believes Beckham's performance would have impressed watching England boss - and former Milan coach - Fabio Capello.

"There were two winners last night, Beckham and Milito," the Milan-based newspaper said. "Both scored, a valid way to convince Capello and (Argentina coach Diego) Maradona to open the doors to their respective national teams."

Beckham's future has been the subject of much debate over recent days with the player thought to be considering an attempt to turn his loan switch from the Los Angeles Galaxy into a permanent deal. The MLS club have announced they would not consider letting Beckham go and expect him to return to California on March 9 while Milan are content to let the 33-year-old decide.

Ancelotti added: "We all like him, but it's difficult to talk about his future now. "Its up to him to decide if he wants to stay. He knows how much we appreciate him here. "We would be happy if he remains, but he must resolve the problem with his club."

The draw against Genoa means Milan are eight points behind cityd two adrift of second-placed Juventus. "We are disappointed," said Ancelotti.

"We played really well and we deserved the victory. Its a pity because the team has been doing well. But the season continues and we still have the opportunity to battle for the Scudetto."

[red]

[Mohammad Shukri]

vtec...
i think Carletto should have brave enough to talk to ronnie about playing as kaka supporter not playing along side kaka and pato...
i dont see why ronnie cant play as what seedorf have been doing fo us,support kaka's butt by making good pass and link up play that will see us becoming more creative at attack....

at least ronnie is better than seedorf who have the most miss pass in the game....
ronnie provide excellent passed that even the opponent dont see it coming....

later....

[shingai]

I just have this feeling that Carlo's heart isn't in it the way it was in his first few years. He just doesn't have the same hunger to win - his game management is getting sloppy. Compare how someone on a tight budget spends money vs someone sitting on more cash than they can spend. Losing just doesn't carry as much pressure for him as it used to. If Milan were in this same scenario 5 years ago - before all the CL glory - you bet Carlo would be managing with a fire under his ass! And back then, remember, he had a reputation as a loser (coach). Now, he has nothing to prove, he's won the "ultimate trophy" twice, been to the final thrice, and has been crowned World Club Champion. This job no longer has any challenge for him. The only thing saving him is the latent talent on the squad - despite being "over the hill" the squad is still capable of scoring 4 or 5 against any other club in the league...it's still a squad good enough to win the league. The catch is, many of the squad players are in the same mental boat as Carlo (ie Seedorf, who Carlo seems to live vicariously through on the pitch, Pirlo, and Dinho) - they've won more big trophies than most players dream of even playing for, they need a new challenge. But they're so comfortable on the Milan paycheck that they don't really want to leave either. So we're stuck with an undermotivated, underperforming team.
Which is again, another reason why a consummate professional like Beckham may help inject some work-rate into the side - despite his accomplishments, wealth, and success, he works hard day in and day out. Maybe this team needs that more than they need a "talented young guy" -- assuming the team's aspiration is to win the Schudetto this year

[vtec]

[RobHood]

Beckham will do what the initial Ronaldinho buzz did; it does nothing for team motivation in the long run. With players like Maldini and Gattuso in the squad, I don't see what Backham adds in that respect. But you guys are absolutely right about the lack of motivation of certain players, Seedorf being the prime example. And having won all the trophies you could isn't an excuse at all...we haven't won the league for 5 years and that should be motivation enough; hell, wearing the shirt should be motivation enough.

Pato keeps the defense on their toes the whole time; with Dinho, they can afford to play higher up the pitch and help their midfield in pressuring ours which is what has been happening. We maintain possession but cannot do anything with it if not for Pato and Kaka, which makes the substitution all the more baffling.

[Mohammad Shukri]

this problem of not enjoying the time when we watch Milan game will always haunted us...
until Berlosconi do something to rectify our poor form...

it's not that we dont have a winning mentality but the players we have sometimes juct cant deliver.....

later....

[shingai]

[p_maldini_3]

i think player motivation [or lack thereof] is a bigger issue than we think it is. i remember after the game vs. fiorentina carlo in his post-match comments was like (paraphrasing here) 'the team was relying on kaka' and pato too much up front, not supporting them'. and then we've also seen ronaldinho earlier in the season telling the midfielders to press higher up the pitch. i think this goes to show that the players are losing the desire to be at the top. i also remember that during one of our low-points in the season, kaka' apparently gave a speech at halftime during one of the games saying that the names on our back won't be enough to win this game. we have to get out, grit our teeth and work for the win.

in essence, the team is playing very arrogantly. the badge, the colors, the name on the back, those will only get you so far in a match. and the players are slowly losing motivation. i don't think its all of them, but pirlo and seedorf are certainly 2 culprits. they are also the engines of our midfield, and they are vital in our strategies. seedorf has been blowing hot and cold all season, i dont think carlo has the cajones to bench seedorf like he did ronaldinho. i think we should let seedorf go to the Premiershit where he'll have to work his ass off again, and we should hope that gourcuff returns to milan.

but over the past few seasons, we are slowly integrating younger players into our team. pato is an obvious example, even though we paid quite a bit for him. then we'll have thiago silva next season, we also have mattioni, as well as cardacio and viudez. i know we have a columbian defender named hurtado on trial with us. the management is slowly getting caught up in this youth policy hysteria that has started to grip football.

its a step in the right direction, but first and foremost we need that box-to-box midfielder that can run past the ball to help our strikers unlock defenses. until then, we'll just look good holding onto the ball with no means of scoring...

[RobHood]