ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - AC MILAN - Reflections of a Cluttered Mind

Posted by Matteo Bonetti on 11/16/2009

Sunday's without the Serie A are lonely, cold, and oh so bitter. I find myself mindlessly flicking through the vast array of channels available on my satellite, desperately trying to find another sport that can somehow compare to the religion that I call Calcio. Living in Miami, I've grown accustomed to watching soccer as I eat my breakfast. My Sunday's are devoted to the Serie A. I watch the morning games on Rai International, which also does a great job of broadcasting every single goal in real time. Then, the "afternoon" game (which is nighttime in Italy) is at 2:45pm, and La Domenica Sportiva airs at 10:30pm. That's about six hours of soccer I digest every Sunday, so you can imagine the emptiness I feel inside waking up to College Football. The withdrawal symptoms yesterday were horrible.

On Saturday, Italy played the Netherlands in an international friendly. Three Milan players total on both sides gave me enough motivation to sit through the game, and anytime the Italian midfield is composed of players from Cagliari, Livorno, and Sampdoria, it's enough to guarantee an enthralling adventure. Jokes aside, I wrote in one of my earlier columns that Livorno midfielder Antonio Candreva played like Cristiano Ronaldo against Milan. Well as it turns out, he is really good. Candreva would be a great addition to our midfield and would instantly add youth and versatility. Unfortunately, somewhere in Spain Florentino Perez is preparing a bid of £125 million.

A dozen minutes into the game, Van Persie gets carted off the field with an injury which can only mean one thing: the immortal Klaas-Jan Huntelaar starts warming up on the sidelines. Chiellini and Cannavaro instantly breathe a sigh of relief. Eager to prove a point against an entire country, Huntelaar enters the game illegally and is immediately signaled off by the referee to stand on the sidelines for a few seconds more. His climactic entrance is countered by his anticlimactic performance on the pitch. As much as I was hoping he would finally score a goal, (even if it has to be against my own nation) his subpar play further reminded me as to why I devoted an entire column towards him.

Random Notes

- Have you always wanted to visit the San Siro, but a tight budget has prevented you from making the trip of a lifetime? Well, dreams can become a reality. I'm Adriano Galliani and I'm inviting YOU.... Unfortunately an infomercial is about all Milan still has to do to try and draw back fans to the San Siro. There's nothing more depressing than seeing our stadium sitting at half capacity, so Milan has decided to cut down on ticket prices and hope that their old fans will come knocking. Note to Milan management: Are you at all surprised that you lost around 16,000 regular fans from last year? Selling one of the worlds best players just to reduce Berlusconi's deficits probably won't sit well with the fans who want to see (and expect) the best product when it comes to Milan. Even if Leonardo stressed that Ronaldinho would be Kaka's immediate replacement, do you know who was brought back to be Kaka's "natural" replacement? Davide Di Gennaro, who isn't a bad player by any means, but he's certainly not someone that will sell you tickets. Ironically, Di Gennaro's only goal for Reggina was against Milan, and can be seen here

- Huntelaar is now being linked with Tottenham in an exchange for Roman Pavluychenko. Anytime you can switch an overrated Dutch striker for an overrated Russian striker, you have to make that move. (This will never happen, mark my words) Since when does Milan collect Tottenham's cast aways? If he couldn't cut it with a mid-tier Premiership squad, why would anyone think he'd suddenly find his scoring touch playing in the worlds most defensively sound league? This baffles me.
Note: With this paragraph, I've just angered three more communities. Sorry Tottenham supporters, Premiership followers and Pavluychenko fans.

- The transfer window is opening in a month. If you were Milan management, who would you buy? Who would you sell? And why?

What I would do: Find a way to purchase Fiorentina's young Lorenzo De Silvestri. He's an extremely gifted attacking fullback who fits Leonardo's philosophy and would solve our problems at right back for the next decade. Our main weakness right now is on the defensive flanks. Whenever people like Oddo and Antonini are prominently involved, something is wrong. As great as Zambrotta has been throughout his career, he probably only has another mediocre year left in the tank.

Please check out my other columns as well and leave your feedback. Bookmark this page. Make it your Milan bible.

Comments

Posted by Bjorlie on 11/16/2009

I love the prem league but dislike tottenham. So milan should avoid them at all cost and for sure buy a serious strike partner for Pato or maybe move King Ronny up with Pato. I think milan has got the right idea with getting someone from the prem league. They just need to get someone who will give results guaranteed, Pav cannot do that. How ever I do think robinho would be great or milan should look back to madrid. Higuain and Aguero are both great players and very real possibilities. the only problem is that milan have become vary stingy much to their own demise. all I really know is that what ever they do milan must spend a lot more money.

Posted by Mac on 11/17/2009

I like reports coming out that Milan have supposedly signed or are trying to sign young players. I think its a good move in the right direction, however I also see the need to invest in proven players. I think a versatile player like Phillip Lahm, Juan Vargas, or Adriano (of Sevilla) would do wonders at the back for Milan. We are also in need of a player who can play further forward on the wings. As for that, I think there is a wealth of players on the market that would slot in nicely on either side. I'm curious to see Di Gennaro play. Would he play on the wing, or perhaps where Seedorf is currenty operating? It was a shame to see Gourcuff go and I don't think a drastic overhaul is necessary, but it would be nice to see some of the Summer's money go somewhere. In regards to your Random Note, a trip to the San Siro right now is a pipe dream. Hopefully that dream can come true soon....I am curious as to who you think the Diavoli should go for in the winter.

Posted by Matteo Bonetti on 11/17/2009

Mac:

Di Gennaro operates mainly as a supporting striker or attacking midfielder. He's a very technical, crafty player who doesn't score a lot of goals but creates chances for others and is a good dribbler who often beats his man one on one.

Posted by Fulvio Manini on 11/17/2009

Hi Matteo,
I completely understand your emptiness when not having your weekly shot of calcio. Now imagine poor me in Singapore being overdosed with EPL football almost every day and only once in a while being able to see my beloved Milan in the early morning hours arghhh.
Now I agree with you that instead of exchanging Hunter with Pavlyuchenko, Milan should focus on regenerating the defense and we badly need a couple of younger full backs, with some experience at high level. Lahm would definitely be a good choice or guys like Sagna and Clichy who are young skilled and very fast, but I don't think Arsene will let them go. De Silvestri would be a good Italian buy. We probably need another skilled midfielder to give Pirlo some rest, someone like Hernanes from Brasil would be good. Up front we are good with Dinho, Pato, Inzaghi, Borriello and the arrival of Adiyah.

Posted by Rayan Malik on 11/17/2009

Isin't Dominic Adiyiah going to be brought in as cover for Pato/Ronaldinho...?
That should be a good move, for the present and the future considring this lad was the top scorer in the recently concluded under 19 world cup.
I lie the idea of Edin Dzeko upfront as a replacement for Huntelaar. Have seen some Wolfsburg games this season and he is good in the air and a solid penalty-box finisher, the qualities we for that particular role.
Also, bring back Paloschi over the summer. He would be the long-term replacement for Inzaghi.

We make these changes and our attacking aide should be set for thenext few years considering we are yet to throw Di Gennaro into the mix.

Posted by Hari Narayanan on 11/18/2009

Matteo. you must write more often. ive been checking my bookmark every damn day 2 see if youve written anything..
FORZA MILAN

Posted by Anonymous on 11/18/2009

With regards to the January transfer window I agree wholeheartedly with you we could certainly use some young and athletic additions to the defensive flanks. Zambro & Oddo are vastly but they rarely beat the full back and get to the by line and we need our full backs to be stretching out the game to allow more space for the front 3 and Clarence.Oddo cannot cross to safe his life!!! I would also like for us to get a big physically imposing regista like yaya toure as apparently he is unhappy at barca. The kid could be the second coming of marcel desailly and would protect the back four better than pirlo would. He is also versatile enough to play at centre back which would give us alternatives in that position. I know you feel that we have plenty of cover in that defensive midfield position i.e. max, rino & flamini but I think he could be employed in that pirlo role as he is physically imposing and technically sound with a good range of passing.He could also revolutionize our pressing

Posted by Francesco on 11/19/2009

"Eager to prove a point against an entire country, Huntelaar enters the game illegally and is immediately signaled off by the referee to stand on the sidelines for a few seconds more. His climactic entrance is countered by his anticlimactic performance on the pitch."

I laughed for a few good minutes reading this. Hilarious.

Posted by Zacchini on 11/22/2009

Huntelaar.....LOL!!!!
that guys is garbage, he was the first to go in my fifa 10 manager mode. We need a strong replacement up front and Dzeko is an awesome option, the whole luis fabiano debacle from the summer really pissed me off, maybe we can make good in the january window. Anyways FORZA MILAN FORZA ROSSONERI!!!

Posted by Anonymous on 11/23/2009

I believe that its high time Milan focused on getting some new exciting young players on board, cuz the entire squad is getting older day by day and for god sake people, you dont expect Pirlo to be swinging in free kicks and corners even when he is 50 or that Nesta will be in defense for ever....

kick out unwanted players... and find good replacements for existing stars... that shud be leonardo's policy now...

Posted by Anonymous on 12/01/2009

I really think that Lahm would be a great buy. He can play as a leftback and a rightback. And he isn' too old either.

On the other hand Huntelaar just scored his first two goals for Milan. Maybe he'll catch fire and be a great forward in Milan?

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