agreed...i know it's too early, and by no means am i writing him off but if playing time is almost non existant does he look for a loan?
I would look for a transfer. By the time January comes I'll be able to count the amount of games hes played for Milan on one hand. This is a trainwreck.
Can you please expand on your post? Did you expect him to walk into the starting line-up? Do you think that, no matter how hard he tries, he just isn't good enough to ever move up the depth chart at AC Milan? Do you think that he is still developing as a player, and that another year of playing at a lower level club DOES get him to the next level? Do you think that if he only plays 5 games this whole year, he'll be a worse player than he was this last summer? My answers to those questions don't involve "trainwreck" as a description of the situation. I think that if he ever does start at AC Milan, it will take time - probably more than a season. I also think that he's not consistent enough right now to play a big role there. Probably, if you think back to your own evaluation of Gooch in a USMNT shirt, you'd say that he's not been rock solid, mistake free virtually every time - because that is what it takes to win a job at Milan. But if you choose to test yourself at a club like that, you certainly don't walk out only half a season into it. My concern, as with most others here, is the last question, which has to do with how sharp he'll be next summer. I can't argue with that. But the other side of the conversation is that maybe he already has enough game experience, and what he needs now is to be pushed hard by top players for his spot. Yeah, last year would've been a better time to reach for something like this, but you gotta take what you get when you get it. You can argue with his going to Milan in the first place, but now that he's there, I want him to give himself the opportunity to succeed. A move in January, would in that sense, be the failure.
A strong post otherwise, but you seem to be saying that you don't want Gooch to leave in January (if the "trainwreck" scenario continues) because you would consider it a "failure." I don't get this - it seems your concern is that you will be embarassed that another American wasn't good enough for a superclub. I don't think that matter, I just want our guys as sharp as possible this summer.
I guess if these were the only two outcomes possible: 1. Stay at Milan in Jan => less than sharp at the WC 2. Leave Milan in Jan => At his best at the WC Then, yeah, I'd choose #2. Maybe those are the likely scenarios . . . I don't really have a strong opinion on it. To me, the difference between Gooch and, say, Bradley, is experience. A year of playing for Bradley right now is development gold, but for Gooch, maybe there are other factors. What I do have a strong opinion on, is that he's already chosen to join Milan, and that he's going to need more than half a season to break in, if at all. Not that I'd be embarrassed if he didn't make it at a superclub, but choosing to go for it and then not allowing himself enough time and hard work to follow through - especially with what he's risking to do it - then yeah that is a failure. If a season or 2 goes by and it becomes obvious that this isn't his level, then there is no shame in that and hats off for trying.
Yeah, I don't get the panic. Just because he's #4 at Milan (perhaps)........doesn't mean he's actually not improving his game by playing and training with this team. No matter which team Gooch went to at this level (top 5 club in a top 4 league), it was going to be difficult for him to break into the starting XI right away. There are 4-5 good central defenders at all of these clubs. We all thought Milan actually gave him the BEST chance for playing time amongst these CL elite teams. But you've got to earn it. You've got to prove yourself in training every day. And if you do play well, then you'll keep getting playing time. If Nesta was healthy, we all knew that the starters on this squad were going to be Silva and Nesta. And Khaladze is a good veteran who's seen it all. So why is everybody so panicked now? Everybody wanted Gooch to sign with a "big-club," and this is the scenario we got. Isn't this the expected outcome?
Apologies for not following the first two threads but this weekend finally got me worried. He isn't playing and I would guess the preference of an Italian player over an American will continue to hurt his playing time. I wonder if this was Milan's plan all the time. He has a Euro Passport so he wouldn't take up a slot of an international player and they would have coverage at the back. I guess it is good he is making the bench, but only injury will bring him in during the game.
They liked Gooch because he was available on a free, and has a Euro passport. But they wouldn't have signed somebody they didn't think could help them. It's not an Italian versus American thing. After all, their centerback combo is Nesta and Thiago Silva. (No, not the MMA guy). Silva is a Brazilian, who's been capped by them on several occasions. Milan's starting the guys they think gives them the best chance to win right now. Nobody can argue that Nesta, when healthy, isn't one of the best centerbacks in Serie A. Gooch will get his chance, and he must make it count.
the lack of PT now isnt worrisome, it would be the lack of PT come Jan-Mar.... as of right now, all the yanks who were getting PT last season and arent this season is not that great of a concern... its the latter of the season where some should start concerning themselves with rusty players riding pine atm, he's training with a TOP notch side. He'll get his chance soon enough.
anyone know when coppa italia (or whatever italy's version of the FA Cup) starts? i'd at least expect to see gooch get some games in there.
Silva is Brazilian and Kaladze is Georgian. Nesta is the only CB that is Italian but I doubt that nationality has anything to do with Gooch not playing over him. Gooch will just need to be patient and exhibit quality in his training. This aging Milan midfield isn't going to take kindly to passes not exactly on target whether 15 or 50m's.
As has been said, there's no evidence for this and I think such assertions risk taking this thread down a bad (and, it must be said, oft traveled) road.
Sorry not trying to start any issues. Just want to see him get playing time and I will leave it at that.
I thought he was going to stare at Nesta till his head exploded. Could Gooch's stare not be as strong as it once was?
Speaking for myself, I thought signing in a big league was more important than signing with a big club.
MILANELLO - Questi i 21 convocati di Leonardo per la trasferta di Udine: Dida, Roma, Storari, Antonini, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Onyewu, Zambrotta, Abate, Flamini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, Strasser (n.51), Huntelaar, Inzaghi, Pato, Ronaldinho. Giocatori indisponibili: Abbiati, Bonera, Thiago Silva, Ambrosini, Borriello, Di Gennaro. Hey kqql, whats wrong with Thiago Silva?
Gooch actually has a chance to play here, since Kaladze and NEsta just played on the weekend. When is Milan's next cup game?
Milan's Thiago Silva To Miss Three Games Through Injury - Report http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/ital...iago-silva-to-miss-three-games-through-injury
veeeerrrry interesting. if he sees the pitch, let's hope gooch's training time with acm gets him to play better than in preseason.....
Rumors... AC Milan and Juventus linked to shock Gary Cahill bid after talking to Fabio Capello about the Bolton Wanderers ace http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...lking-Fabio-Capello-Bolton-Wanderers-ace.html