So tomorrow starts the International Champions Cup in Valencia vs Valencia ( 2pm est USA). Just figured I'd start a thread on the preseason tournaments. I have tickets in row 3 behind the goal right next to the tunnel for the game in Miami BUT its only for the Tuesday match 5th/7th place game. So I am in a conundrum. If Milan wins tomorrow I miss out, but if they lose than I get to literally be feet from them in 2 weeks. Just me being selfish but o well. Lets see how it turns out. Forza Milan, eh kinda...
not if we play another second half like we did against valencia. i just watched the replay, and we were total shit the second half.
Watching the Audi cup match against City...Milan are begging for mercy, City running all over us. Zaccardo looks completely helpless. Constant thinks he's a forward. Amelia has no chance. Haha, just now il faraone bags a brace! Anyway, the difference in quality is incredible. City with €100 million of new players on the pitch. The boys on holiday can't get back soon enough!
After seeing the starting lineup it was tough to expect a positive result. It's obvious that Milan does not care about winning this tournament. Also, it shows that our bench is pretty bad. Ya, they can be added into a starting lineup and won't be exposed but a back line of a 19 yr old Vergara, Zaccardo,Antonini,Constant vs one of best teams in world is rough. Add a midfield of Muntari/Traore/De Jong with no creativity did you expect much? It is nice to see who can play and who can't hold their own. Pre season games have shown that Poli is contending for a starting spot, Petagna is a workhorse up top and De Jong is back to regular form. Those are promising signs
Exactly. With Balo and Monto out there, we have a whole different match. Not to mention De Sciglio and Mexès. Our bench is pretty thin like you said. Traore and Zaccardo should not play hardly ever. I'd like to see a decent CB, another mid (Honda), and either Diamanti or Eriksen, maybe Cerci. I would be very happy if Galliani could pry Xabi Alonso from Madrid in the final hours, just a dream though. I am also anxious to see Saponara. Milan really need someone to link play to the attack. De Jong was forced to play regista and destroyer at times.
the ICC game in indy tonight is chelsea v. inter. a lot of my buddies are going, but i'm not... because i don't want to start my trip to vegas tomorrow with a brutal double hangover caused by too much booze and by paying to watch inter play.
Traore/Zaccardo should be practice players. I'd rather have Cristante/Vergara play instead. Very disappointed in the lack of "will/desire" in the games. Man City/Bayern played there A games and put on performances where as we looked embarrassing. At the end of the day, its preseason BUT it still makes us look bad. We playing Chelsea on Sunday in which I think we gonna lose because we don't have any desire to win so tactics aren't part of the game, and our back ups aren't good enough to beat Chelsea back ups. I think a Mexes/Zapata partnership is good BUT our backups are horrendous. I have high hopes for Vergara BUT he's so young and raw that he needs time. I would like nothing more than a back up quality CB instead of Zaccardo/Silvestre. I think in midfield we are good as we are, as Traore won't see the field BUT def an attacking option would be nice. Sapanora seems to be that guy but he's out. Sign Honda and a CB and take a loan veteran guy to round it all off.
So I was able to get into Milans practice today, heres some things. - Balotelli is always laughing and having fun. Throughout the hour practice, he was no chalant and relaxed and loose. -Balotelli's shot, is ridiculous. He was taking shots from 25-30 yrds out that were rockets going in the goal. Anything inside the box had so much power that if on target gonna be difficult for goalies to stop. The guy is freakishly good. -SES is technically as good as the next guy. Juggling,moves, just anything he does with the ball can be compared to anybody out there. -Allegri is very into practices, either joining in or setting up passes or starting off drills. He's a hands on coach. Just a cool observation. Also, he seemed to yell at Balo a lot during the training, but in a good way. Makes me think that Allegri has a positive relationship with Balo. Its friendly and cordial, but also Allegri got on him a few times. -They had a trainer working especially with Petanga all training. It rly looked like they were pushing him to a full training. Also, the guy physically is a monster and has a great shot. I think we have a gem in Petanga. -Boateng was no where to be seen. I know he's in Miami, but he wasn't at practice. Even guys hurt or carrying knocks did light workouts but he wasn't there. I dont know if that means anything, but my guess is hes on a plane heading to Germany. -I was lucky to get up close to them after and got about 12 signatures on my jersey. Antonini,Amelia,Allegri,Urby,Nocerino,Zapata,Muntari,Niang,Petagna, De Jong, Montolivo, and Constant. Balo waved and SES was a guy away but dipped before he signed the shirt. Either way, it was one of the coolest experiences of my life.
I thought he looked real good in the first half against chelsea. he was making moves and good passes. it looks like he was playing with a lot more confidence than he did in the second half of last season. did you see the video of max taking free kicks against gabriel in the spring? that was great. the kid is a monster. hopefully he grows into a useful player. i hope he's on the way out. he doesn't provide anything for this team.
SES in person with the ball was a spectacle. I think he's moving well in preseason and really think him and Balotelli are going to be a force in wreckon with for years to come. Max was very involved. I remember seeing the video of him taking PKs vs Gabriel and thought it was fun to see, but seeing it first hand, he was very involved in the training. Passing the ball in drills, talking to players, it gave me a new look to Allegri. He would joke around, than yell,but it was just interesting to watch it all go down rather his Dai Dai Dai chant on the sidelines during games. Petanga surpised me. Hes a lot bigger than I thought and has a powerful shot. As soon as he adapts to the "pro" game and gets comfortable, I think he's gonna be good. Him and Niang are def guys who we should groom with the team rather than loan out. Its tough to say I want Boateng to leave. He doesn't add goals as a fwd/winger, he doesn't create plays as trequartista, and he doesn't play in midfield where I think he should. Basically he's useless out there. I'd understand if he did a lot of dirty work like De Jong and doesnt show up on stats, but hes not even a "hustler". He wants to be the #10 with finesse, but he's more of a box to box guy. I mean, I'd love for him to stay, but if we can sell and replace with Ljajic and Honda, than I think its no brainer...
Terzi sul campo. NickyViola Currently winning 2-0 against the LA Galaxy in the third place match. Balotelli/Niang with the goals.
Shit, Balotelli looks injured. Galliani left the press box to check on Mario! They're saying it's just cramps..