Our squad is becoming more and more Italian. Just to think, about 3-4 seasons ago I thought we were on the path to becoming another Inter with the few Italians we had playing. Now, we have the GREAT young Italians. I love this youth revolution, not only for the youth, but for the Italian face-lift. With Saponara, Cristante, and possibly Cerci and Poli, we should have a magnificently Italian team that can compete on all fronts. Poli would compliment Montolivo incredibly well in the mid, Ricky Saponara is a genius, Cristante is the second coming of god himself. and Cerci on his day is unstoppable. Any thoughts on this possibly being our 11 next season?

The open spot for me is a CB partner for Mexes, I feel it will be Zapata, but we also have the youngster Vergara and Civelli coming in. I don't know if we will purchase another.

Either way right now 9 Italians in the starting 11
-----------------------------Abbiaiti
Abate--------------CB-----------------Mexes------------De Sciglio

-------------------Montolivo----------Poli

------------------------------Ricky
----------Cerci---------------------------------------SES
-------------------------------Balo

That creativity in midfield

I really want Ogbonna to partner Mexes, and I wouldn't mind if we get either of Cerci or Ilicic on right.

The only bad thing about Ilicic is that he is incredibly slooooow. If we got him he should play centrally.

First of all , we all know the formation is 4-3-3 , not 4-2-3-1.

Saponara is yet to play a single game for us.
Poli isn't official .
Cerci isn't official.
Cristante will probably be a sub if he joins the first team.
Vergara is primavera material as of now and Civeli.. i haven't seen him play , though the prospect of a 29 year old defender from Ligue 1 probably on the free too , can't possibly be exciting. In fact , last free player which arrived from the french league for free was Traore and i am willing to become religious before i see another free scrub like Traore from the french league wear the Rossonero shirt again

Whilst Poli will be a regular figure in the lineup , if he joins , i can't say the same for Saponara . I admit it , i would enjoy it much to watch Niang warm the bench next season . Sapo has the talent to succeed , no doubt about that , but there are so many things that must happen in order for him to become 11 material.

If there's need for moar Italians , then probably Milan has to give focus and continue the investment on the younger teams and hope a few gems pop up from our own ranks . Current crop of quality Italian players is quite limited . Cerci is all he can be already. A few improvements in his game because of better teammates wouldn't mean much. If Cerci is really the best Milan can do in the right wing , then keep Robinho ffs.

As for the CB, well i don't trust Zapata that much , but he'll play next season alright. These days , CBs like Benatia and Ogbonna are our best choices really , unless we look outside of Italy. This season i did change my opinion on Ogbonna , he's solid alright and within a proper lineup , he'll become a great defender. I would like him in Milan yeah. Given our budget however , i wouldn't get my hopes up. If Ogbonna is going to be our biggest transfer of the season , i say fk him , Zapata-Mesex ftw

I have a feeling that the club is going to make a great signing this summer and it won't be a CB alright , but only if we achieve mathematical qualification to the group stages of the CL. I can already imagine Galliani : "Mr.X will arrive only if we make the CL"

Milantildeath wrote:The only bad thing about Ilicic is that he is incredibly slooooow. If we got him he should play centrally.

Ilicic is too fkn slow , agreed . We have a lot of speed and he would only limit that . In the 4-3-3 , the one next to Montolivo must be faster , for many reasons but mostly because he'll be the false 10 , if it's going to be a player of quality that is ..

In a 4-2-3-1 , it's a must alright , you need speed .

I know the 4-3-3 is what has been installed, but they do not vary much. For me, Saponara has the ability to be the man to link Midfield to attack. I've been watching him all season. He has made Tavano and Maccarone look like superstars, when they are as goofy as it gets when it comes to footballing.

Milantildeath wrote:I know the 4-3-3 is what has been installed, but they do not vary much. For me, Saponara has the ability to be the man to link Midfield to attack. I've been watching him all season. He has made Tavano and Maccarone look like superstars, when they are as goofy as it gets when it comes to footballing.

If you think so.. I suppose it will be down to the coach next season. Here's something strange , Allegri's thesis is all about having a 10 in his ideal formation . Yet , here it is , 4-3-3. Saponara can't be a false 10 in the 3 of the midfield because he's not that kind of player.

I think , if he's able to establish himself next season ,there's the possibility we could change formation. But here's something to think about , if Poli came , where would he play ? Obviously nowhere ,would warm the bench if that happens. And that's not going to happen for Saponara , no matter how talented as of now.

Having that said , if Poli doesn't come and dat quality player next to Montolivo is going to be Boateng , then yeah , the 4-2-3-1 would be sweet

I'd like to keep going with the 4-3-3 for the foreseeable future. I don't know after that , because El Sharaawy and Saponara are players for the 4-2-3-1. As of now though , Robinho , Niang , Poli Flamini all are going to have issues with that. I know Allegri preffers formations with a #10 , but he wasn't an idiot when he changed from that to 4-3-3. He had valid reasons to do so.

Anyway. When Saponara becomes a regular , we can talk about it lol

For CB we have Salamon too. He should get a bigger chance next season and there was some hype when we signed him. Let's see if he can live up to that.

This is really exciting though. I have not been this pumped up for a while. I just hope Berlusconi does not ruin it by sacking Allegri and replacing him with Seedorf or some other rookie. Next season could be the breakthrough season for our team and could finally pull us out of the "depression" we have been going through since 07/08.

I think Saponara has all the qualities to be the trequartista in a 4-2-3-1. Especially since our wingers track back so much. SES plays left back half the game, and if we get Cerci he works incredibly hard when not in possession. I'm not worried about covering. Look at Bayern, Muller is in that spot and they do quite well. I think of Saponara as more of a midfielder than Muller. Also, Saponara has played as a Mezz'ala for the u-21 national team and done great there. It's a possibility that we could play all three in the mid with Montolivo as the Regista, Poli and Saponara as Mezz'ala.

How is that a that a good thing ?! No matter how you look at it , our blueprint for success was always having a mixed XI ...

pUsHa wrote:How is that a that a good thing ?! No matter how you look at it , our blueprint for success was always having a mixed XI ...

Sacchi's Milan had 8 Italians in the starting XI. (Dutch: Van Basten, Rijkaard, Gullit)

Rocco's Milan same. If you don't count oriundi then only one foreigner

Rocco's 2nd Milan had only 2 foreigners (Swedish: Hamrin German: Schnellinger)

Capello's Milan was also high majority of Italians. Boban, Savicevic, Desailly then later Weah were the foreigner.

Ancelotti's Milan we all can remember. Majority Italian always. Seedorf, Sheva, Rui Costa (then Kaka) and in defence Kaladze/Janku/Stam.

Let us not count our chickens before they hatch, we have acquired only Saponara thus far and he must still adjust to life in Serie A. Some players are instantly ready, others require time, there is no need to put so much pressure on a very young man so soon. As for Poli and Cerci, they are not yet Milan players.

Gold7 has reported that we have already purchased Poli and Cerci!!! Please let this be true!!!

On another subject having more Italians has always been good for Milan. Like M99 said, just look at history. The majority were Italian with select foreigners to who fit in.

lol cerci

We need quality Italian players , not just Italian players. There's a difference. It's not the nationality on their papers that made those teams , it was overall quality. Of course the native players feel even more closer to the team and they are fundamental for constracting a core within the roster , yet they must be quality first of all.

For Poli i wouldn't think twice , but Cerci.. i guess , if he was set to join Milan , he would be our best winger at the right side , though i feel Galliani would preffer to keep Robinho first than sign Cerci. So , if Cerci does come Robinho is gone , imo.

Dante wrote:We need quality Italian players , not just Italian players. There's a difference. It's not the nationality on their papers that made those teams , it was overall quality. Of course the native players feel even more closer to the team and they are fundamental for constracting a core within the roster , yet they must be quality first of all.

For Poli i wouldn't think twice , but Cerci.. i guess , if he was set to join Milan , he would be our best winger at the right side , though i feel Galliani would preffer to keep Robinho first than sign Cerci. So , if Cerci does come Robinho is gone , imo.

i agree totally.. quality ahead of this nationality pride.

milan should welcome players based purely on talents and quality than this nationality pride thing..

because ac milan has always been successful under the compliments of both national and international talents... dutch legends, brrazilian legends, norwegian legends u name it...

i dont want to see ac milan totally 80% - 90% italian..

cerci has done great things... but i wouldnt pick up even in market... i dont want our club to pick up one season wonder players..

if any players consistently proves himself over the season ... he is always welcome in our club...

just have to see nocerino...

The most successful Milan sides have always had 6 or more Italians in the starting line-up

JespSwe wrote:cerci has done great things... but i wouldnt pick up even in market... i dont want our club to pick up one season wonder players..

if any players consistently proves himself over the season ... he is always welcome in our club...

just have to see nocerino...

Exactly what was said about El Shaarawy before we got him as well.....

Also if you watch Cerci with quality players, like the Italian national team. He is brilliant. He came on against Brazil and was devastating to the Brazil defense. I think he can do great things with Milan, he has all the quality to do so. His only problem is consistency. On his day he looks exactly like Arjen Robben.

Milantildeath wrote:The most successful Milan sides have always had 6 or more Italians in the starting line-up

i honor the past, and i respect italian legends... but i dont only look at italian players and say the reason why we were successful all the time was because of italian players...

i look overall..

thats why i am saying... talents from dutch and brazilians blends well with italians.. thats whhat i want to see... i m pretty sure thats everybody wants to see.

we dont want milan to go 100% italian..

i understand where ur motives comes from.. cause ur italian i dont blame that.

milan always respects talents regardness of nationality... which i like..

we dont want our club becoming inter... but we dont want to see our club becoming juve either...

milan is milan! we have our own identity hence we shouldn't be following anyone's suit

Good thing about having a strong Italian presence is for the big stage in the CL against other big nations teams. Nationalism can be powerful like dat.

But in general, you dont want to see a tired Ambrosini in midfield if its only gonna mean making the fans nervous for a potential red card every time he steps on the pitch!

I just wish to see a Milan rule implemented FOREVER about always trying to play good balls through the middle by having technical players. You dont have to break the bank to get a Valero to partner Montolivo ffs (just an example)

Milantildeath wrote:

JespSwe wrote:cerci has done great things... but i wouldnt pick up even in market... i dont want our club to pick up one season wonder players..

if any players consistently proves himself over the season ... he is always welcome in our club...

just have to see nocerino...

Exactly what was said about El Shaarawy before we got him as well.....

Also if you watch Cerci with quality players, like the Italian national team. He is brilliant. He came on against Brazil and was devastating to the Brazil defense. I think he can do great things with Milan, he has all the quality to do so. His only problem is consistency. On his day he looks exactly like Arjen Robben.

do we want anymore players to just wait for their day to come??? cos we already have so many players like that... their form is like just waiting for a grass to grow...

Eivindo wrote:Good thing about having a strong Italian presence is for the big stage in the CL against other big nations teams. Nationalism can be powerful like dat.

But in general, you dont want to see a tired Ambrosini in midfield if its only gonna mean making the fans nervous for a potential red card every time he steps on the pitch!

I just wish to see a Milan rule implemented FOREVER about always trying to play good balls through the middle by having technical players. You dont have to break the bank to get a Valero to partner Montolivo ffs (just an example)

technical players are what i am dying for man... this club atm desperately needs some energy and creativity and vision...

its all physical firepower in the midfield.. right now... which sucks donkey balls.. with all due respect

Cerci given the right situation can be very lethal, he has showed that with the national team. With Milan, he will be playing with quality players every single game.