Bleacher Report - Articles by peter sevdin

AC Milan's Key Players: They Can Win the CL

peter sevdin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:58:52 -0400

What a turn around from the Rossoneri this season. At the beginning Milan could not score, nor could they keep a clean sheet, despite the best of Nesta's efforts. They were not capable of winning. They were made fun of, derided across Europe, foreseen to end up in Seria B. This Milan side was called the worst one in 25 years. But not anymore. October has seen Milan pull itself out of the abyss and into the top 4 of the Seria A. We have witnessed a Milan stronger than one can remember-one that plays with passion, with heart, and with determination. Three comeback victories in a row, one of those being against Real Madrid inside of the Bernabeu, has proven to the world that this Milan side will not go quietly into the night, or rather, it will not go at all. No longer does Milan play the same lethargic style for which they became known for last season under Carlo Ancelotti. They now play a fast-paced 4-2-1-3, which was once deemed impossible for them. They were thought of as slow and incapable of performing at the highest level, yet they've not only played at the highest level, they've beaten the highest of opposition. And these key players are the reason why...

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Reply to "Berbatov: World of Difference"

peter sevdin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:50:25 -0400

Indeed, there IS a world of difference from when Dimitar Berbatov is and isn't on the pitch.

First off, let's start with the fact that the only game that Manchester United have lost this season was a game that Berbatov didn't start in (vs Burnley).

The only other game that Berbatov hasn't started in (in regards to the league) was vs Arsenal. Both games are showcases for United struggling in attack.

In general, United play much better and more organized attacking football with Berba on the pitch than off. Why? Because no one is better than him at receiving the ball in an advanced position, holding it, and then relaying that forward to someone in a better position.

The game vs Arsenal is a great example of how much Manchester United can miss Berbatov in attack. United simply could not keep possession when going forward, and by the end of the first half were reduced to just booting the ball up the pitch in the hope that somehow Rooney would get it.

The game vs. Besiktas is another example of United struggling when going forward. Remember how frustrated Wayne Rooney was? Then vs Wolfsburg, he proved to be the impetus in attack again with a great performance after coming on for Michael Owen.

What you have to understand is the complexity of being a forward and the numerous ways in which one can be effective playing in that role, not just for himself but for the TEAM. That's what Berbatov does, he plays for the TEAM.

What Berbatov does is create apprehension in the opposition's backline. His mere presence causes defenders to get dragged out of position and open up holes in the defence, thereby letting Rooney and co. to take advantage of the situation.

He usually receives the ball, drags about two or three defenders out of position, opens up a lane for Rooney or someone else, and then plays them in. That's why he had more assists than goals last season.

Do you think it's just by coincidence that Rooney has scored this many goals already this season? No, it's because Berbatov is on the pitch with him, helping the team win. It's plain and simple to see, Manchester United play better because of Berba.

Also, and I've said this before and it still happens this season, his runs don't get answered. The next time you watch a United game, keep your eyes on Berba the entire time and not on the player with the ball at that moment. You'll see the number of times that he's left with his arms in the air, begging for the ball, only for it to never come to him.

Another thing that people (wrongly) blame him for is United having a low tally of goals scored last season, but that wasn't his fault. In fact, believe it or not, it was the fault of the now-departed Cristiano Ronaldo.

He performed out of this world in the two seasons leading up to the '08/'09 season in which Berbatov signed for Manchester United.

In the '05/'06 season Ronaldo had (mind you he was a winger back then): 6 assists, 9 goals

In the '06/'07 season he had: 13 assists, 17 goals

In the '07/'08 season: 7 assists, 31 goals

As you can see, Ronaldo had begun his addiction with scoring goals, and was now pushing into a striker's role more and more. He was no longer content to roam the wings and whip in crosses—he wanted to score goals, and he wanted the attention that came with it.

If you look at Rooney's stats over this same time frame, you'll notice how his number of goals diminishes yet his number of assists increase. This is due to Ronaldo squeezing him out and forcing Rooney to become the provider rather than the scorer.

Sadly, in '08/'09 season (when Berbatov was signed), Ronaldo's ego became overbearing on the entire United forward line, including Rooney. He was limiting both his and Berbatov's potential. He was pushing Rooney out wide and Berbatov deeper than he'd ever been.

And that is why Ferguson finally decided that it was time to cash in on him.

This season, with no Cristiano Ronaldo, with Berbatov and Rooney both playing in their natural positions, the benefits are there for all to see.

Already, Berbatov has 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games (8 if you count substitutions), and his strike-partner Wayne Rooney: 6 goals in 8 games.

This is a vast improvement over last year, in which Rooney managed only 14 goals and Berbatov an even worse tally of just nine in 29+2 substitutions.

I think we can expect much more from Berbatov and Rooney this season, and I'm betting my money on Manchester United to write history by marching to a fourth consecutive Premier League title.

For those who say otherwise, be prepared to be disappointed come May.

Where in the World Was Berbatov?

peter sevdin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:24:19 -0400

Last Saturday, Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-1 rather luckily.

As a Man Utd fan, I am quite happy that they won and were the first to break Arsenal's spree, however the way they did it is not something that a United fan can be proud of.

Quite frankly, for the first 45 minutes, United looked lost. Going forward they could not string a pass together and they looked quite devoid of creativity.

Man Utd also had trouble holding the ball up and allowing the rest of the players to join in the attack.

It seemed to be the CL final all over again.

However, in the end United got a penalty, which they fully deserved by the way (no matter if Rooney could get the ball or not, you take a man down in the box, that is a penalty), and then Diaby for some bizarre reason perfectly headed the ball in for an own-goal.

But that doesn't cover up the fact that in attack, United had trouble with holding the ball up and creating chances, and playing those killer passes, something that they still couldn't do even after the penalty that energized them.

Something that a certain United player would consider his forte.

The omission of Berbatov from the starting line-up in the CL final and then again on Saturday to me was surprising, and not only that but frustrating.

I, as a fan, am frustrated that Berbatov is omitted from almost every big game; imagine what he is feeling.

Back on May 27 he was what United needed and again on Saturday he is exactly what was needed. And had United not won so luckily, I think quite a few other people would have been asking the same question I am, which is "Why didn't he start?"

Against Wigan, he played damn well. It goes to show that if he isn't scoring, he is creating chances for others to score. His creativity is on par with Ronaldinho's, Kaka's, and Ronaldo's.

He is one of the best at holding up the ball, and then playing that perfect, genius, never-before-seen pass that has assisted the rest of the team so many times as evidenced by his stats from last season.

Last season, Ronaldo had 18 goals and seven assists, while Berbatov had 14 goals and 14 assists. Overall, Ronaldo accounted for 25 goals while Berbatov accounted for 28. Clearly, Berbatov is more effective in the final third, even when playing out-of-position.

And if the partnership between Berbatov and Rooney is ever to blossom, then they'll have to spend more time on the pitch together. It looked good against Wigan, but it needs to be tested vs. the bigger teams.

Perhaps Ferguson was trying to surprise Wenger with Giggs, but the element of surprise was not advantageous enough to really justify his selection ahead of Berbatov.

He is a magnificent player who is one of my favorite to watch (which is why I am frustrated), and he isn't given the respect that he's due.

The next time United play one of the big four, I sure hope to see Berbatov on the field and in the starting 11, where he should be.

Alexandre Pato's Skill Angers Siena

peter sevdin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:59:56 -0400

This past Saturday AC Milan opened their season against Siena, whom they had previously demolished 5-1 in the second half of the 08-09 season.

Pato, along with the rest of the squad, played a great game in which he scored a brace to finish the game 2-1 in favor of Milan.

While the Milan players were very pleased with this and their performance, the Siena players were not amused.

They accused Pato of disrespecting them by baiting them and telling them to "come and get it," in regards to the ball.

"OK, he is Brazilian but he can't make fun of us like that," Simone Vergassola told Sky Sport Italia after the game.

"He can do what he wants with his legs, but then if he adds his tongue and signs with his hands to say 'come and get it', then that is too much - it is a lack of respect."

I personally did not see Pato make hand signals or anything of the like, however it's not like the cameras are on him for every second of the match.

What I did see was Pato being continually fouled every time he tried to make a run.

He was cut down intentionally at least 7 times that I counted. Clearly, the Siena defense was becoming frustrated with their inability to put a stop to Pato's dangerous runs.

What's worse, the referee only gave out one yellow card, and that was to Siena's captain Vergassola.

Perhaps if the ref had done a better job of officiating, Pato would not have felt it necessary to take matters into his own hands.

Towards the end of the game, Pato definitly did hold the ball and stay stationary, in a bid to bait the defenders and waste time since Milan were 2-1 up, but that is part of the game.

And as soon as he'd do a little flick to get past them or something of the like, he'd get cut down from behind.

They accuse him of showboating, but I've always believed that if a player has got the skill, he should use it. There's no reason that a player should be inhibited just because the opposition isn't good enough to deal with it.

I think it's wrong that as soon as one player pulls off something fancy or a trick, the opposition players get angry and tell him to stop.

Ultimately, what made the Siena players angry was that Pato made them look like amateurs, and that the score was in favor of AC Milan.

I hope it continues like this.

Is Stiliyan Petrov the Right DMF for Manchester United?

peter sevdin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:20:29 -0400

Manchester United look like a pretty complete squad at the moment.

They've got Van der Sar in between the sticks for at least another season. His performances speak for themselves.

They've got arguably the best CB defence-pairing in the Premier League (and perhaps all of Europe) and one of the best LB's around.

Even with the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez, United have still got two forwards that can give any defence a severe headache in Berbatov and Rooney. Not to mention Michael Owen who, in my humble opinion, is a better striker than Tevez.

All that leaves is the midfield. And that's where some questions need to be answered.

It would appear as though the 4-4-2 will be the formation of choice for Sir Alex Ferguson in the '09-'10 season.

In that case, the starting back four and the forward two shouldn't be in any doubt, but how will the midfield look?

Most fans would say that the midfield should consist of (starting from LM):

Nani------Anderson------Carrick------Valencia

But if that were the case, then the midfield would be bereft of a player capable of disrupting the opposition's play, much like Roy Keane used to.

Nani, Anderson, and Valencia are all attack-minded players and not exactly known for their defending. Carrick, although a great passer of the ball, is not truly capable of breaking down play as is necessary either.

Of course, United has Darren Fletcher who is more adept at doing so, but where would he fit in? Who do you take out to put him in, Anderson or Carrick?

And then there is Owen Hargreaves but he isn't expected back until September/October and who knows if he'll be the same.

What United needs is a player who doesn't demand exorbitant amounts of money or a high transfer fee, nor warrants a first-team place, per se.

But for crunch matches where you need a midfield battler, a player who isn't afraid to get dirty or put in a tackle or two, a player who can put extreme amounts of pressure on the opposition quickly and close down on the ball-carrier, you could do a lot worse than Stiliyan Petrov.

This past season with Aston Villa he has proved that he is a good defensive midfielder.

He isn't exactly of the highest quality or a world-class "galactico" so to speak, but when you need him to put in a hard-working shift he is more than willing to do so.

Not only that, but he is actually pretty good going forward as well.

In fact, back in his Celtic days when he was playing under Martin O'Niell he used to play as a CM in the box-to-box sense and he knocked a good number of goals in, such as this beauty vs Stuttgart.

A little-known fact about him is that as of 2009, he is the tenth most prolific goal-scorer in SPL history (with 55).

Petrov is basically an all-around midfielder that I think Manchester United could benefit from, even if he doesn't feature constantly in the starting XI.

In a sense, he's almost like Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard, although nowhere near their level.

Who knows, perhaps he can strike up some sort of magical partnership with Berbatov and do wonders for Manchester United?

Either that, or he could be completely out of his depth and a utter flop.

Would Pirlo To Chelsea Be a Good Deal For Milan?

peter sevdin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:29:30 -0400

As a Milan fanatic you might not expect to hear these words coming out of my mouth. But sadly, in these times, it truly might be for the best if Milan sold Pirlo.

First off, we have to admit that Pirlo today is not the Pirlo of yesterday, yesterday being about one-and-a-half to two seasons ago. His set pieces have deteriorated over time and his physique has never been of the best.

That used to not matter since Milan always had other players to make up for Pirlo's lack of strength and speed, but today Milan posses none with the exception of Pato and Ignazio Abate.

It used to be that Gennaro Gatusso would make up for Pirlo's lack of defending.

Whenever Pirlo or someone up ahead would lose the ball to another player, Gatusso used to charge them down and make them think twice before they took possession of the ball again.

But even he is showing his human side.

This Milan side needs new blood for a CM, something that Kaka pointed out not too long ago, when he was still a Rossonero.

Kaka suggested that Milan require someone, like Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard, an all-around CM that defends and attacks, a box-to-box player with strength, stamina, and speed.

That's the holy trinity-strength, stamina, and speed. That is what Milan requires most at the moment.

Pirlo cannot provide that which Milan necessitates. He is 30-years-old and is not getting younger. And, this will probably be the last chance Milan has to make a decent amount of money for Pirlo.

Sadly, I am talking about money, because in today's world, how can you not? The bottom line (or the stark reality) is that Milan is in serious need of some funds.

We could go on all day pointing the finger at Berlusconi and Galliani, but at the moment, the only thing that matters is that Milan needs the money.

$20 million Euros could go a long way towards purchasing some much-needed players.

Who knows, maybe Milan will actually learn how to use money to buy players such as Hernanes.

If Pirlo does leave, perhaps this will pave the way for some of the youth to show their quality, such as Abate, who I think should definitely get more playing time based on his preseason form.

Milan would be losing a part of the Rossonero family, but all good things must come to an end at one time, and the player himself has shown interest in leaving.

Perhaps it's time for something new in Milan.

Don't Be Misled By AC Milan's Catastrophic Preseason

peter sevdin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:45:16 -0400

At a quick glance, AC Milan's preseason may seem a little disastrous.

Of the seven preseason friendlies they've had so far, they've only won one (against Seria B team Verase), drawn one, and lost five.

I'd say that's pretty disastrous. However, upon closer examination of the team's hectic schedule and not having any time to prepare or train together, coupled with some of the players they've had to play instead of their regular starters, it's not so bad.

To begin with, Milan had maybe three or four training sessions before they played their first friendly against Verase. That match went quite well, with Milan winning 2-0 and Ronaldinho looking especially impressive.

Just two days later, the Milan squad departed for the US to play the LA Galaxy, and then take part in the World Football Challenge. This is where the plot, and the more importantly fixture, thickens.

In their first game in the United States, AC Milan played a very entertaining 90 minutes vs the Galaxy, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Once again, Ronaldinho was impressive. He looked very sharp on the ball and his physical form was much improved.

Just three days later, Milan played another entertaining friendly vs the Mexican First Division team Club America. This one ended in a 2-1 result with Milan conceding late on due to Onyewu's inexperience. Again, Ronaldinho played very well and impressed.

Two days after that, Milan played against Chelsea. Again, although Milan conceded in the early minutes of the game, they gave a very good account of themselves and actually controlled the game for most of the time; had it not been for Cech, they might have won.

Then just another two days after that, Milan faced Inter, who hadn't had a game for five days and had loads of time to prepare. That was Milan's worst performance yet, going down 2-0. Quite simply, the team looked tired from kick-off to the final whistle.

Three days after that, having flown halfway across the world and still reeling from jet-lag, Milan faced Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena for the Audi Cup.

Milan succumbed 4-1 to the German giants, and looked dead throughout the game, letting them put in three goals in the final 13 minutes. The Milan player's legs just gave out.

And finally, just 24 hours after playing the Germans, the Argentinean club Boca Juniors beat Milon on penalty kicks in a third place playoff.

Milan redeemed themselves somewhat with a fine performance, as they actually were ahead 1-0 until the 88th minute.

Basically, what this illustrates is a Milan team that was physically pushed to the limit and exhausted by their packed schedule.

They played a game every other day, and if you also figure in the travel time, the fatigue that it causes, and the jet-lag, then you start to see a clearer picture as to why Milan were performing so bad.

Another interesting thing to consider is when exactly those goals that Milan conceded were scored. For instance, in the game vs Boca Juniors, Milan was pretty solid defensively until they took off Nesta and replaced him with Onyewu, who almost instantaneously lost his marker in the box and allowed him to head in the winner without even pressuring him.

Against Chelsea, Kalac should have done a lot better with the seventh minute Drogba goal. Sure, it was a beauty with a lot of power on it, but Kalac had a clear view of the player far out and had loads of time to see it, but his reactions were super-slow.

Then in the game vs Inter, Onyewu again is to blame for the goal in the second minute. He gave up his near post, did Kalac. All I have to say about Kalac is, thank God he is Milan's fourth choice 'keeper, because that man is a catastrophe.

In the game vs Bayern Munich, Milan scored in the 81st min to make it 2-1, only to give up two more goals later on. It's interesting to note that the entire backline was substituted just before that capitulation: Zambrotta (74' Antonini), Nesta (63' Onyewu), Thiago Silva (74' Kaladze), and Favalli (63' Oddo).

What this shows us is that AC Milan's horrible preseason so far is due not because the team isn't good enough, but rather because they were pushed to play a game every two days or so, and had little or no time to train and regain their fitness after nearly two months off.

They were just plain exhausted.

I think it's still too early to say exactly what kind of season Milan will have, but I don't think they'll perform as badly as their preseason form indicates.

With a little more time spent in training and a bit of a break from flying across the world twice in a week, they ought to be fine. I think they'll definitely be in the top three in Italy and I expect a good run in the Champions League.

What do you think?

Alex Ferguson: "We Didn't Use Berbatov the Right Way"

peter sevdin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:47:27 -0400

First of all, if you're still one of those people who thinks that Dimitar Berbatov is shite and an absolute flop, then I would advise you to read this previous story on Bleacher Report.

Yes, I did write it, and no, I'm not just trying to get it read by more people. I just wanted to point out what Alex Ferguson has now admitted to, I wrote about two months ago, and some people back then didn't believe me.

Sir Alex has said, as reported by SkySports, "Last season was a strange one for him [Berbatov] and maybe we didn't use him in the right way."

"We know exactly how to use him now—further up the pitch, playing as a centre-forward...He will improve and I think he will have a terrific season."

Would you look at that? Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he was to blame for some of Berbatov's poor performances by positioning him wrongly on the pitch.

And we all know what the reason for that was—Cristiano Ronaldo.

Now, however, Ronaldo is off in Madrid, and that means Berbatov can play his regular position again, unlike last season, playing as Ferguson states, "further up the pitch."

This in no way makes Ferguson a bad manager, however.

In some places, I've read comments discrediting Ferguson and calling for his retirement as he is supposedly getting "senile" and "forgetting things".

Perhaps Ferguson thought Berbatov could do just as well as in his regular position, all the while, letting Ronaldo do as he wishes and try and be a striker himself?

It worked for Rooney, who has played fantastically on the left even though he's a striker, why shouldn't it work for Berbatov?

But it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that Ferguson has done what real men do, that is admitting his mistakes, and he has sought to fix them.

Now, the team can regain its balance with a traditional winger, and two great strikers playing as such.

Everybody is asking and fretting where all of the goals that came from Ronaldo, will now come from, saying that they need someone new to replace his production, but United already has the players in its squad.

Everybody says there is a gaping hole in the team now, but I don't see anything.

All I see, is a team that has returned to its proper balance.

All I see coming, is another phenomenal season from the kings of the Premier League, Manchester United. Not City, United.

Berlusconi and Ferguson: Shrewd Businessmen

peter sevdin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:05:10 -0400

Everybody knows that Milan started the transfer season in a disastrous fashion this year. They sold Kaka and lost Ancelloti to Chelsea, even though Ancelloti leaving actually might be a good thing.

Milan then proceeded to attempt to buy a great forward by the name of Dzeko, and then another in Fabiano, and they failed.

They failed not because Milan does not have the money or because Silvio Berlusconi is a cheapskate, but rather because the money Milan were offering was the realistic evaluations of the players.

The story of Milan's transfer dealings so far illustrates fiscal intelligence and an unwillingness to partake in the madness that is currently going on.

For instance, Fabiano is a good striker. When given the right supply, as he is when he is playing for the Brazilian national team, you can count on him to score. He isn't anything spectacular, but he'll score when needed.

AC Milan offered €14 million for him, which seems about right for a striker that is 29 years old and just good. Last season, €14-15 million could have bought you a striker of his standards, but I guess since Kaka and Ronaldo went for the big bucks, everybody thinks that their players are worth double what they used to be.

Same thing with Dzeko.

Milan offered somewhere in the region of €22 million and Borriello/Kaladze which brings that to over €30 million, yet that was not enough for Wolfsburg. They must have thought they had Karim Benzema on their hands or something.

Elsewhere, Inter president Massimo Moratti first stated that if Kaka is worth €67.5 million, then Ibrahimovic is worth €100 million.

Then when Ronaldo was sold for €94 million he said that Kaka and Ronaldo COMBINED are not worth as much as Ibra.

Obviously, these prices thrown down are a result of the ego's of some men and the crazy inflation going on due to the sales of Kaka and Ronaldo and to some degree Benzema.

Ferguson himself said that United bid for Benzema but wouldn't budge over €35 million, which is still a pretty astronomical number, but Real Madrid had no problems with going over that value.

These days players like Sergio Aguero have €60 million on their head, and everybody is saying, "Well if Kaka is worth this much, then my guy is worth twice as much."

That's why I personally like people like Berlusconi and Ferguson, who instead of using the vast sums of money they received from the sales of their two best players, are just going about picking up players in the "bargain bin" who might turn out to be great, keeping a low profile and waiting till everything calms down a bit.

Most of the time, they've been slammed for not shelling out the cash. Milan fans are at Berlusconi's throat to replace Kaka, and most pundits have said that the leaving of Ronaldo leaves a huge hole in United which they cannot fill unless they spend big and get Ribery or someone of equal value.

Obviously, Milan and Man Utd are looking towards the near future, when prices will probably lower due to the crisis which Wenger claims is about to hit football. Regardless, if the crisis will hit, one way or another the prices will lower.

And when they do, that's when the shrewd businessmen such as Berlusconi and Ferguson will come out to play, and that is when they'll have the biggest chequebooks of them all.

AC Milan and the 4-3-3: Match Made in Heaven?

peter sevdin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:34:02 -0400

Sadly, it's more like a match made in hell.

I would love nothing more than to see Milan play a highly-offensive, high-pace game, but we just don't have the players for it. Milan and the 4-3-3 just don't fit together.

First of all, the 4-3-3 is optimized to take advantage of the wings. To take full advantage of the wings, you need wingers. And that's where Milan don't fit in.

Milan have not had an out-and-out winger since Serginho retired at the end of the 2006-07 season. Since then, Ancellotti did not feel that getting another winger was necessary.

Though we did recently retrieve Ignazio Abate, a left winger who was out on loan at Torino, he's still not on the level Milan requires to win the league or the Champions League.

And with no wingers, we clearly cannot play to the strength of the 4-3-3, therefore making that formation completely useless to us.

But wait, that's not all!

Not only do we not have wingers, where in a 4-3-3 would Ronaldinho play? Where would Pato be positioned? Out on the right? And who would play out on the left?

Clearly, to play to Milan's strengths, the best formation would have to be the 4-3-1-2. That would give us the right balance of security and offensive punch.

In a 4-3-1-2, Milan would look something like this (barring any new signings or the coach making illogical decisions):

Abbiati

Zambrotta Nesta Thiago Silva Jankulovski

Gattuso Pirlo Ambrosini

Ronaldinho

Pato Borriello

Of course, we could yet see Luis Fabiano come in and Flamini might take someone's spot, but so far this is probably what it's going to look like next year.

With this formation, the squad will be played to its strengths. Ronaldinho would be playing the position in which he became the best in the world, Pato would not be pushed out wide instead of being played centrally where he is way more effective (remind you of anyone playing for Man Utd?), and Borriello would also be played in his natural position.

Behind them, Pirlo would be doing what he does best—dictating the game—Gattuso would be tackling anyone that crosses into Milan's half of the pitch, as would be Ambrosini.

And behind them, well, let's just hope that Nesta can get back to his best (or at least good enough to take care of business), Thiago Silva turns out to be a great CB, and that Zambrotta and Jankulovski will still have the legs and determination to succeed at the highest level. Because quite frankly, the defense is still a little worrying, but you never know.

If all goes to plan, perhaps this Milan side can bring us lots of joy this coming season!

The Current State of AC Milan and a Look into the Future

peter sevdin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:00:05 -0400

Kaka has left, Paolo Maldini has retired, Carlo Ancelloti left for Chelsea, and now it seems as though Andrea Pirlo might leave as well, not to mention Alexandre Pato. Things do not appear so rosy for Milan at first glance.

And yet, Milan is in better shape than it might seem at first glance. Take a closer look, and you'll discover a team that might just surprise everyone in the up-and-coming Champions League season.

Most people, mainly fans of the EPL, have written off AC Milan (just like the rest of the Italian contingent participating in the Champions League) already. They like to point out that with Kaka gone, Milan has lost their best player who supposedly up until now had been dragging them up a steep, steep mountain.

Kaka, although my favorite player and a player of immense skill, nigh irreplaceable skill, does not signify the utter downfall of Milan and the entire apocalyptic breakdown of the Italian league.

With all the hype today concentrated on just single players of a certain team such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi and how much they themselves alone can do for an entire team, people have begun to forget the fact that football is above all, a team sport.

No player can play all 11 positons on the pitch. Cristiano would never have been able to achieve the dizzying heights he did without Man United, neither could Messi without Barcelona, and neither could have Kaka without Milan.

Because although these players can do unbelievable things with the ball at their feet, what happens when they don't have possession? Because for all their attacking prowess, they aren't exactly known for their abilities to win back possession. And that's where the rest of the team comes in.

Plus, if anybody has the ability to replace him, it has to be Ronaldinho who is already on the squad. He started his Milan career in a great fashion, only to get injured and then completely ignored by Ancellotti.

Now, he will have his last chance to show the world that he can still be a nightmare for defenders, and you can bet your bottom dollar that he'll take it.

Age is another factor for Milan. Currently, Milan stands as one of the oldest teams in Europe, and that has led to it being dubbed a "retirement home" for has-been stars. And to a certain extent that is true, the team's average age is a little too far over 30, however, players like Pirlo (age 30) are still some of the best in their respective positions.

Granted, Pirlo did have a drop in form but some would argue that he has regained it at the Confederations Cup and although he may not be back to his absolute best, he has played great.

Alessandro Nesta used to be widely considered as the best CB in the world previous to his back injuries, and although he made just one lonely substitute appearance for the entire '08-'09 season (last game of that season vs. Fiorentina), he still looked the part and hopefully he can still play the part.

Fillipo Inzaghi, as if by some divine magic, still has the ability to bang in the goals at the ripe, old age of 35 (it's beyond me how he does it, he seems to be the luckiest striker ever).

Gennaro Gattusois the battling midfielder who is the spirit of Milan and even if he is out of form, just the presence of him on the pitch inspires the players around him.

However, there are some players that need to go such as Clarence Seedorf and Giussepe Favalli, they can be reserve players, but in no way should they be part of the starting eleven anymore.

To sum it up, age is just a number—it doesn't matter how old a player is, just as long as he can play good. He can be 21 or 35, if he can contribute to a team than it shouldn't matter. And certain players on Milan's roster that are over 30, can still bring the heat.

Furthermore, AC Milan have a host of young talent who are more than likely going to be making appearances next season, seeing as Milan haven't been that active on the transfer scene.

One youngster has already made his way into the starting 11 and featured prominently for Milan last season—Alexandre Pato. He is the future of the club, tipped to become World Player of the Year in a few years time, and with the form he's in it seems pretty likely. He could be just what Milan need to fill the gap left by Kaka's departure in attack.

Defense is where the new blood is needed most, and that's also where it is coming in. Thiago Silva, age 24, is likely to partner Nesta at CB next year. Matteo Darmian is also a promising prospect, age 19.

Ignazio Abate has recently come back from Torino where he was on loan, and he adds a nice new feature for Milan since he plays as a left winger; Milan hasn't had an out-and-out winger since Serginho.

The last thing to adress is the acquisition of new players and the question of whether or not the current players have the hunger to succeed. First of all, I know I'll probably get grilled for this, but I don't think that Berlusconi and Galliani should leave Milan.

Berlusconi is the man who invested so heavily in Milan in the first place. When he first bought the club, it was flirting with relegation. In a few short years time, he had transformed it into the juggernaut that it was throughout the late '80s to the early part of this decade.

Galliani has also been instrumental in acquiring key players such as Kaka. These men gave us Milan fans the golden age of Milan and I trust them still, trust them to keep us on the right track. As for buying new players, we have to be realistic.

I know everybody likes to play fantasy manager, saying "Oh, we should get Benzema, and Ribery, and David Villa, and Sergio Ramos, and Vidic, etc.", but that just isn't possible. You have to look at who we can actually get, and the team is making those moves for the right players.

Dzeko is a confirmed target and he is exactly what we need. We nearly got Aly Cissoko but medical issues have halted talks. The club is making the right, REALISTIC moves and the fans should show a little patience and faith.

Also, I believe the current players do want to win, especially Ronaldinho. It hurts him to not be in the national team, and seeing as this is a World Cup year, you can expect him to give it his all.

Plus, the way the team and the players are talked about these days, the way they're being insulted, I think this will in the end only serve to motivate them to prove everyone wrong.

There's a sense of wounded pride about the team, and they want to restore their place in the upper echelon of European clubs. These players have tasted success before and they haven't forgotten how sweet it is.

I'm not saying that this Milan side will win everything next season, or that they'll blow all the opposition away, but if they sign two or three more players and address the issue of defense, then they could be a very competitive team that goes some way towards dispelling the notion that the Seria A is no longer a quality league.

Let this be a warning to any team that underestimates the danger of AC Milan.

Dimitar Berbatov: Flop or Not?

peter sevdin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:51:22 -0400

Dimitar Berbatov has been discussed and debated about to death this season, and for the most part, he has been unfairly written off as a flop all too often. I, for one, disagree with this premature conclusion.

On the contrary, I think he has performed quite well, and if anything, the leaving of Cristiano Ronaldo will benefit him and Rooney more than anyone else, as this coming season should see him prove all of his doubters wrong.

The biggest reason Berbatov is mistaken for a flop is because of his humble stat of 14 goals scored throughout the season. However, if you were to consider the fact that he was played out of his natural position for the entirety of the season, then it doesn't look so bad.

What made Dimitar Berbatov such a nightmare for defenders while he was at White Hart Lane was the fact the he was playing as the tip of the spear, as the striker leading the line. He was told to go out and just put the ball in the back of the net.

However, in his first season at Manchester United, Berbatov has been utilized as a CF and has been playing much deeper than he has in the past.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who I have a deep respect for, has been bending over this entire season just to accommodate Ronaldo, and it is because of this that he has pushed Rooney out wide on the left flank and dropped Berbatov deeper back, because he knows Ronaldo likes to cut into the center and shoot as many times as he possibly can, and on occasion he has employed him as a striker.

Fourteen goals for Berbatov, playing as deep as he did and being squeezed out by Ronaldo, is not half bad.

Furthermore, last season Berbatov had the second highest number of assists in the league, second only to Van Persie, and this is due to the fact that he was benched the last couple of weeks (up until then he was top of the league in assists).

This means that Berbatov excelled in a role that was completely new to him, and his creative genius cannot be underestimated. Who can forget the assist for Ronaldo's goal in the West Ham game?

This brings me to another point—Berbatov has created more than enough opportunities for his teammates to score, however, his teammates are not returning the favor. Berbatov doubled Ronaldo's number of assists made this season. DOUBLED.

Ronaldo is supposed to be a winger, he is supposed to be one of the best crossers of the ball in the world, but how many times have we seen that happen this season? No too many if you go by the stats.

And it's not just Ronaldo. All too often I have seen Berbatov make runs into the box, arm held up high, screaming for the ball, yet Carrick, or Rooney, or whoever's on the ball at the time either doesn't see him, or he does not want to answer his pleas.

Berbatov is an immense talent, a genius that has been misused by Ferguson. I can only hope that with the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, both Rooney and Berbatov will be able to play their natural positions up top and set the world alight.

I really think that they can form the best and most fearsome strike partnership in the EPL, if not all of Europe. With Rooney's bulldozer and tireless style of play and Berbatov's magic and creative genius, it seems as though the two complement each other and I think we can expect much from the both of them.

Those that are writing Man United off for next season, do so at their own peril. Just as those who have written off Dimitar Berbatov, do so at their own peril.