Reuters Soccer Blog
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Are AC Milan now Serie A favourites?
As the dust settles after the end of the transfer window, Italian soccer fans are gradually coming to terms with a possible shift in power at the top.
No one is outwardly saying it, but whispers and hints abound. AC Milan may finally have a squad capable off wrestling the title off Inter Milan after five long years.
Owner Silvio Berlusconi decided to loosen the purse strings and recruiting Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho has seriously spiced up Milan’s front line, at a time when Inter decided not to invest at all and rely on last term’s treble winners minus Mario Balotelli.
It is easy to see former Inter man Ibra fitting straight into Milan’s system in the middle of a front three also containing Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato. I reckon Robinho has been bought from Manchester City to be a reserve for either Ronaldinho or Pato, who’ve had their injury problems of late.
Besides Robinho’s troubles at City, the only downside to Milan’s transfer business which I can see is that the decision to let strikers Marco Borriello and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar leave for AS Roma and Schalke means there is only 37-year-old Filippo Inzaghi remaining as a substitute target man in case anything happens to Ibrahimovic.
Inter are probably in a similar situation though with only Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito and Goran Pandev recognised as established forwards in their squad and if they all start then what options are there for the bench?
Should Leonardo listen to Berlusconi about Ronaldinho?
After putting Leonardo in charge of AC Milan, owner Silvio Berlusconi has been trying to help the novice coach get to grips with the job with advice on how to tease the best from Ronaldinho.
The Italian premier, who has again denied he is considering selling a stake in the club, thinks Ronaldinho can be Milan’s “Usain Bolt” and fill the gap left by his Brazilian compatriot Kaka if he is used as a second striker rather than an playmaker.
Although Berlusconi has been careful with his transfer spending, and Milan could struggle again this term judging by the 4-0 derby hammering by Inter, he knows a thing or two about soccer and might have a point about Ronaldinho.
Leonardo is using his fellow Brazilian in the hole behind two strikers, probably his best position if he were in peak condition as it exploits his ability to conjure up chances for others and gives him room for his individual charges towards goal.
But he has not looked 100 percent fit for some time, so those wonderful runs are thin on the ground and the midfielders are having to do overtime because he does not chase back.
Using Ronaldinho as a striker might restore the team’s balance and lower the physical demands on him, simply because he would be nearer to goal and have less galloping to do. Being closer to the danger zone could lead to more goals too, which would bolster his fragile confidence.
Leonardo could pair him with powerful centre forward Marco Borriello or a goal poacher such as Filippo Inzaghi or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Alternatively he could make up a front line with in-form Alexandre Pato — a partnership that would be potentially unmarkable.
I’m sorry to disappoint all the hopefuls, but Ronaldinho is never going to be the same player who won 2 FIFA Player of the Year awards. It’s sad to say it, but the money and the fame was too much. There’s no more drive, no more desire or motivation. He’s won just about everything. The least he could do is try to be professional about it, which I think he’s doing, but the rest of the AC Milan team is just not good enough to help him make this a winning club after the departure of Kaka. Most players are either old (Gattuso, Ambrosini, Nesta, Pirlo), or inexperienced at this level (Pato, T. Silva), or just simply do no cut it as an elite player for one of Europe’s biggest clubs (Borriello, Flamini). Berlusconi is getting what he asked for, Ronaldinho plus 65 million Euros in his pockets, so he should be quiet and deal with the situation.
Madrid’s millions prompt anger in Milan
While new Real Madrid signing Cristiano Ronaldo was being presented in front of a packed and excited Bernabeu, another great European club was dealing with an influx of fans but for a very different reason.
Hundreds of AC Milan ultras turned up at the first day of pre-season training to protest against the sale of Kaka to Real and the lack of major signings to replace him and Paolo Maldini (whose heir as skipper is Massimo Ambrosini…)
They chanted slogans and unfurled banners calling on owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to put his hands in his pockets, one placard even ordered him to sell the club.
Milan hit back by pointing out they have been the most successful club in world football during Berlusconi’s 23-year reign. They said Madrid’s spending in the last month is a freak occurrence which no other club would be able to sustain in current times.
Season ticket sales at Milan have dropped 20 percent for next season given Kaka and David Beckham (for now) have gone, Ronaldinho is nowhere near the player he was and only promising youngsters and Brazilian defender Thiago Silva have been brought in.
Can Milan, third in Serie A last term, really compete this season at home and abroad or will Berlusconi come under even more pressure?
I too am not a Milan fan but like the others it is a team I admire and the sale of Kaka without a plan to replace the huge gap in quality that there now exists was wrong. Real would have waited for Kaka until Milan were ready. Which by the looks of it they were not, they just saw the € sign and said yes. Telling the fans that they shoud be happy with what the club has achieved so far was a poor response. These fans are proud of their club, Milan have a mystique that other clubs cannot emulate and this sale, ironically, has cheapened the brand!
Oh yes, it’s very premature especially as Milan’s new frontline havent played a match together yet. They also always say “dont go back” and second comings never work. Ibra hasnt gone back to the same club but it’s the same country and stadium and you wonder if he can shine again. Mind you, he won 5 straight scudettos before while at Juve and Inter… Fun pontificating though