This isn't the Ancellotti that managed Parma and Juve is it?...I remember they played very conservative soccer - but this year at Milan he's singing a diff song, I recently read he hopes to play Redondo, Rivaldo, Costa, Schevo & Inzaghi in the same team!...add Seedorf and Serginho to the equation!...at last Milan are returning to their elegant style which belongs on a catwalk.
This has been a source of amusement (and amazement) for me as well. It almost leads me to believe that the conservative way he coached at Juventus was dictated from above. eg "You MUST play Del Piero or Inzaghi even when their form is crap". "David Trezeguet is not ready to be a starter" "Thierry Henry is not a striker, he's a wing", etc etc. But what of Parma? Their chairman/ownership is notoriously not meddlesome, at least publicly. Maybe they just weren't good enough? The strength of that team was certainly the defense with Thuram, Cannavaro, Buffon, but weren't Crespo and Chiesa there as well at that time?
My theory is that after watching his sides come in second for so long, he figured a different approach couldn't hurt. Or maybe Berlusconi/Galliani have their hands in it and are forcing him to play that way? Just a theory.
That's wot I thought - the Chairman must be dictating and being an ex Mlan player it must be easy for Ancellotti to comply...on the other hand Aliens can be quite peruasive!
If Ancelotti's just a puppet, then why would Milan's management suddenly stop dictating "play Tomas Helveg as much as possible ... " and start dictating "put every attacking player on the field at once".
Ancelotti is smarter than given credit for. After watching the debacle of world powers at the last WC (see Argentina, France, Italy, Portugal, etc) he realized that attacking soccer and minimal defense wind trophies (see Brazil). Since he has more horses that the stable can hold,he simply uses them. I think SueB is right on the money, at Juve, he may have had mandates to play so and so (see Bettega). Milan is currently playing the most entertaining club soccer in the globe as their position in the standings fully illustrates. But don't be fooled, Lazio is right there waiting for them to trip and stagger. The "G" man.
Milan has been known for their aggresive but attacking style, I suppose their relationship with negative football wasn't fruitful and the fans weren't happy...so the directive from above was bring in the skillful players and lets see wot happens...Ancelotti played back in the day...so he knows Milans traditions - so maybe the chairman's hand not up his jacksy...but then...
Gaglitm, I agree with you Milan is a very entertaining team to watch. Their change is style from last season has so far been fruitful, both in Serie A and champions league. Too much of a defensive play doesnt win trophies nowadays. The attacking teams are taking over, but actually I also think that Milan's defence has been very good, even though the players are quite adventurous in attack. Their defensive record is admirable, only condede 10 goals in 15 games.