The Rumour Commode XXXV: Champions Edition

[MilanBG]

Look, if anything with Pioli we're doing exactly that: sticking to a gameplan, no matter who plays. That's what the last two years have shown. Obviously you're loosing some quality without starters, but the plan remains the same, even with a badly played December.

Now you don't seem to have gotten my point yet. The problem with missing so many players over such a long stretch is not only loosing the quality, but that you're constantly running every element in your team into the ground. What does that mean? It means you're loosing fitness. You're loosing finesse. You're loosing lucidity. Your legs are tired. Your movements are slow. Your focus is off. Your concentration lacks. You're not playing like you should. You're doing silly mistakes you never would if you were at least decently recovered or fit. Just look at all the goals we gifted in December.

I didn't play football on the same high levels as you probably did but I played table-tennis for 15 years on quite some high levels and I experienced the very same issues: the moment I wasn't fit or rested well - or overplayed at tournaments that stretched from the early hours in the morning until the last sunrays in the evening - I began to commit extremely dumb errors I never would otherwise. I ruined matches for silly things, played the opponent into his hands, he didn't have to put much quality on the table because I was committing the errors for him.

Sounds familiar? Yes. That's basically been our December. And knowing extremely well where our lads were coming from fitness wise for me it's clear as daylight why the team was playing garbage it wasn't in the first few months of the season. My own experiences with that are probably why I can relate so much to what I've seen. Maybe you made other experiences and that's why your POV is completely different. But tbh I'm confused you didn't while you're saying you did play on quite some high levels .

I mean c'mon: If you look closely we've been basically in a constant injury crisis since November 2020. That being said, sure, other than me Milan players are professional athletes with a whole team around them checking their fitness. That's exactly why they could sustain playing with half the team for a couple of weeks, maybe even more back then. But it's obvious that they couldn't sustain this kind of increased workload forever. Hence the collapse in March/April.

The same happened again this year. We actually already started the season with reduced squad, but sustained the increase of workload per player until October. When the international break occurred we hoped to get our elements back, but in fact we even lost more of them than ever before. Our lads sustained that for a couple of more weeks but eventually collapsed as I've always preached and tried to prepare people for it to happen back then.

Again, I'm not saying that missing players is bad because we lack quality and can't commit to a gameplan anymore (Piolismo). I never did if you read my posts carefully. What I'm saying is that even professional sport athletes can't sustain the amount of workload that comes with constantly playing with half as many elements as the opponents (statistically, as I said in the other post). Hence why at a certain point the team will collapse, break down, will be less reactive, psychologically more fragile, prone to easy mistakes they'd never do, inevitably resulting in ruining the gameplan.

Just look at Tonali in December to make a point, runned into the ground, not the same player we saw early in the season, and now, after proper rest and rebuilding, against Roma, he probably played the best game for Milan ever. Coincidence? I don't think so. Imagine that for each player on the field. For all 11 of them.

The added quality of the starting players is only the icing on the top.

I agree with what you are saying. Overplaying, lost focus, tired legs, etc. are big factors and can happen to anyone, including the top level athletes, but what I am saying is that were not even trying. Not working out because of fatigue, injuries or other factors is one thing, but not trying to play football is something very different.

 

[Kmoney]

lol Pioli compared Leao to Henry some folk here won't respond well to that

I know this doesn’t fit our setup with Theo also being so attacking on that flank, but we need to find a way to give Leao a role with fewer defensive responsibilities so he can stay forward in the defensive phase and act as a focal point for counter attacks.

With Ibra as the CF, it’s hard to do this as we’ll then have 2 passengers. With a new CF, I hope this is something we can work into our pressing/defensive shape. A fresher Leao positioned higher up the pitch would do so much more for us than a tired Leao who is constantly running back into his own half

 

[joyrider]

Lega Serie A have called for an emergency meeting today to evaluate possible new measures amid the rising COVID-19 situation

@Milaneye

 

[MilanBG]

Lega Serie A have called for an emergency meeting today to evaluate possible new measures amid the rising COVID-19 situation

@Milaneye

Wow... a week too late. Hopefully they make some adequate decisions

Some rumors that the stadiums will be closed again

 

[Pingu]

Wow... a week too late. Hopefully they make some adequate decisions

Some rumors that the stadiums will be closed again

Yep, better late than never though... I suppose.

 

[Alo88]

I agree with what you are saying. Overplaying, lost focus, tired legs, etc. are big factors and can happen to anyone, including the top level athletes, but what I am saying is that were not even trying. Not working out because of fatigue, injuries or other factors is one thing, but not trying to play football is something very different.

Fair, I disagree completely but okay, let's rest this case .

 

[Alo88]

Lega Serie A have called for an emergency meeting today to evaluate possible new measures amid the rising COVID-19 situation

@Milaneye

This is so ridiculous. What was so important or crucial two, three days ago when everyone was calling for it for more than obvious reasons but Lega was like "nah, we'll continue" and now, all of a sudden "oh hey, maybe we should rethink it".

What a farce.

Only in Italy. Only in Italy...

 

[Pingu]

 

[R.Akbar]

lol Pioli compared Leao to Henry some folk here won't respond well to that

With more composure, he can be someone significant. Not Messi/CR7/R9/Maradona tier, but Griezmann/Henry/Kaka tier.

But if he doesnt have it,
well...... things could get really ugly with complacent footballers

 

[taura]

 

[R.Akbar]

This is so ridiculous. What was so important or crucial two, three days ago when everyone was calling for it for more than obvious reasons but Lega was like "nah, we'll continue" and now, all of a sudden "oh hey, maybe we should rethink it".

What a farce.

Only in Italy. Only in Italy...

Nobody wants to stop, it's just that they need to act

 

[General]

This is so ridiculous. What was so important or crucial two, three days ago when everyone was calling for it for more than obvious reasons but Lega was like "nah, we'll continue" and now, all of a sudden "oh hey, maybe we should rethink it".

What a farce.

Only in Italy. Only in Italy...

Simple answer

last min decisions cost more $

also, which clubs want to close stadiums and lose match day rev for more than 3 seconds???

I see posts about postponing a match but this opens the door to losing out on revenue clubs need to stay afloat.

 

[Hitchens]

Who knew we had an absolute elite table tennis player in our midst!

 

[Ronin]

About Leão:
Rafael is getting closer to his optimal form but still needs time. I think Leão has to keep working with determination. If he does so, he could become an important player in Europe and the world.
Leão reminds me of Henry. I believe that Leão has to believe in himself and work hard on his mentality. Talent alone is not enough to make you think about reaching the top. Rafael knows very well that he has to work a certain way.

Everytime he is asked about Leao he says he still needs to work + Ibra's comments... and you guys don't want to believe he's lazy. Talent is there, but hold your horses on proclaiming him a Ballon D'or candidate just yet. He did well last game though, credit where it's due.

I think he does better when playing for 1 half only, for some reason he doesn't have the focus/stamina for full 90mins. Let's hope Rebic gets back and they rotate + Salad seems to have become a legit LW option.

 

[Nevermore]

no stadium money again

 

[Ronin]

Man, this guy has such a lovable face / disposition. I'm glad we have a genuinely likeable human being as coach, besides his tactical / managerial skill. Much better than a cunt like Conte

 

[Alo88]

Simple answer

last min decisions cost more $

also, which clubs want to close stadiums and lose match day rev for more than 3 seconds???

I see posts about postponing a match but this opens the door to losing out on revenue clubs need to stay afloat.

Jup, from the reports emerged so far it seems that the clubs are pushing to continue playing, no matter the cases. Still, only in Italy you have the law taking inconsistent decisions about a matter (ASLs) while the body responsible for sports puts himself above (Lega Serie A). It's a circus I've only seen in Italy so far.

But I don't agree about last minute decision. It's not 2020 anymore where a pandemic took everyone by surprise. By now there should be clear procedures and guidelines equal to everyone whether it's appropriate to play or not. It cannot be that teams with 8 cases aren't allowed to play but teams with 10 are, or that the ASL orders three Napoli players to go into isolation while they are already on the teambus headed to Torino.

Sarri said it quite right the other day: Either take the stand "it's like a flue, who has no fever plays" or "it's a deadly virus, we should act accordingly and postpone the games".

Right now it's just a farce.

 

[Alo88]

Who knew we had an absolute elite table tennis player in our midst!

Not the most common sport. My father won the Swiss Championship when he was a Teenager. So it was clear to me that I would pick the same sport. Unfortunately I didn't come even close to his successes .

Obviously compared to other countries Switzerland is very far behind tho .

BTW, there's an Anime called Ping Pong The Animation. The Dialoges are over the top as per usual in Animes, but everything else is very accurate actually even if for outsiders it would look over the top too, but that's how table tennis actually is like and feels like to play.

This scene for example. The tournament with the hall full of tables. The coaches watching. The players watching and carefully observating possible opponents. The thoughts during a match when you analize the opponents material and technique (wood, rubber, style of play), looking for weaknesses or strengths... The way the spin of the ball is animated, the service, the backhands, the counters... This is all very accurate and not over the top at all.

 

[Mario]

Is anyone else worried Marotta might snatch up Kessie? Kinda made peace w him leaving, but just dont go to Inter

With Brozo staying too we'll gift them a top midfield for the next 4-5 years at least, fuck that

 

[Nevermore]

Is anyone else worried Marotta might snatch up Kessie? Kinda made peace w him leaving, but just dont go to Inter

With Brozo staying too we'll gift them a top midfield for the next 4-5 years at least, fuck that

I care more about who we get as a replacement

 

[Alo88]

Is anyone else worried Marotta might snatch up Kessie? Kinda made peace w him leaving, but just dont go to Inter

With Brozo staying too we'll gift them a top midfield for the next 4-5 years at least, fuck that

If Kessie does that he'd Really know no shame, especially after what he said in Summer. Tbh not that worried he would actually go to Inter at this moment but it wouldn't be the first time he disappointed me.

 

[AC_Wesley]

Ive seen too many names come by lately. Just wake me up when we sign someone

 

[VultureSheva]

Well deserved.

 

[AC_Wesley]

Too bad about the background though

 

[VultureSheva]

 

[Ryo]

Vlahovic December Player of the Month.
Waiting for a Milan player to take it in January.

 

[Kuroha]

There's still someone out there actually believing that Elliot is broke

 

[Kuroha]

Meanwhile, Manu Kone is one of the players that broke my heart when we missed on him

 

[Tantalis]

Ping pong was a good live action film too.

 

[ROSSONERI7]

I said yesterday that we’ll get 3 new cb links to the dozen already there. I didn’t expect them to come all at once.
With that said, we’ll get another 3-5 new names before we sign a cb.

I think Pablo Mari is the perfect example of what Maldini doesn’t want.