retired_lexi

hi,

I've been playing AC Milan and realised that they have an aging squad.

Hoping if you could help suggest improvements:

Season 08/09

GK (Plan to only change next season)
Dida
Abbiati
Kalac

DL
Kaladze
Jankulovski
Maldini (to tutor youngsters)

DR
Zaccardo
Bonera
Oddo

DC
Ignashevich
NEsta
Simic

DM
Pirlo
Hamsik
Gattuso
Ambrosini
Emerson

AMC
Kaka


AMR
Seedorf
Gourcuff
Brocchi

AML
Ben Arfa

FW/ST
Aaron
Vela
Pato
Inzaghi

The Future (Youngsters)
Toni Kroos - AMC
Lulinha - AMC
Saivet - ST
Aquini - AML, ST
Basso - ST
Joris Delle - GK
Le Tallec - AM/FC
Saunier - DR
G. Torje - AMR
Sakho - DC
Marzoratti - DRC
Piatti - AMC

Two questions:

1) Who do I move to 1st Team (some of these players are young)
2) What positions do I need to buy (I'm thinking AML & AMR)

My transfer kitty 80m pounds. My tactic used is 4-2-3-1.

retired_cslater3779

There is already an AC Milan Thread in this section, check it out and post your thoughts in there !!

retired_jaclynnew1212

Yep, AC Milan does have an ageing squad and requires serious investment to get some young blood in. Anyway,

GK: No immediate attention required here I dont think. Dida is fine (although I'd say different irl!) for now. Abbiati is decent too. But nuture Delle properly so he can be ready asap. I assume your scouts rate him highly.

DL: Get a youngster in for the future. Kaladze is brilliant and will be fine for another year or two. Janku not so sure. Maldini is, like you said, only to tutor. Look at Traore, Insua, Guilherme, Taiwo or Bale. They are all good enough to play in lesser matches right away.

DR: Zaccardo is very good. Get rid of one of the other two. Get someone like Rafinha, De Silvestri, Marvin Angulo in. The first two are very good and can be on rotation with Zaccardo and eventually take over (Zaccardo is a little too slow for me). Behrami is another on you can look at.

DC: You NEED to invest here. Big time! None of them are good enough to be first teamers sadly. Ofcourse, Nesta is bloody legend but he's ageing fast. He should be good enough for a max of 1 more year. Firstly, get Samba in. He's a very good and solid CB. And wont be ridiculously expensive. Breno is another you should look at. Then see who else you can get cheapish. Djourou, Zapata, Albiol, Pique, Garay are just a few names and are all more than good enough to go straight into the first team. See if you can pick up a couple of them. Sell Simic. He's rubbish.

DM: You're fine here for the time being. Hamsik is a great future prospect. Get rid of Emerson & Ambrosini. That'll free up some wages. Might want to look at someone like Sunny, Denilson, Lucas (sold cheap in the second season mostly). But not required immediately as Pirlo & Gattuso will go on for another 2-3 years easily.

AMR: Sell Brocchi. He wont cut it. And he's old. I've never liked Seedorf much either but that's your call. He eats a lot of wages remember. Keep Gourcuff on that wing. He's brilliant there. I had him at Arsenal and he was great for me there. And Torje turns out great. If you still want someone, try to get Belluschi. He's probably moved to someone in England by now. But he's awesome on the right wing. He was keeping Joaquin out of my side ffs!

AML: Ben Arfa is AWESOME! Nice one, getting him. If Marcelo is still at R.Madrid and has the 5.5M release, get him. He's terrific on the left wing. Else, go for Jeremy Menez. GREAT player. Guardado is another but will cost you about 20M. Oh, and Aquino turns out pretty good on the left wing too.

ST: I'd say you need a little more experience here. Pato, Aaron & Vela are all great but not ready yet. Pipo is too darned slow and old. And also, two great strikers upfront will win you games on their own. If you want the 3 you have to blossom and want to give them games, then I'd say go for an 'older' ST who can help you for a couple of years atleast. Thierry Henry is sometimes available for only 15M or so in season 2 from Barca. If he is, get him. He'll be great to tutor the youngsters (Saivet esp). And he'll score you plenty for a 2 years or so. Anelka is another option. Might want to look at Fred, Aguero, Van Persie, Briand and a host of others if you want them for the longer term. Send alteast 2 of Vela, Saivet, Pato & Aaron out on loan where they'll get first team opportunities.


With a 80M budget, you should easily be able to get the required players. You have some great furture prospects but unfortunately I doubt they'll mature before your golden oldies are almost useless.

Anyway, from you current squad, I'd play:

GK : Dida/Abbiati
DL : Kaladze/Jankulovski
DR : Zaccardo/Oddo
DC : Nesta
DC : Ignashevich/Simic
DM : Gattuso (defensive)
DM : Pirlo (attacking)
AMC: Kaka (maybe set as playmaker, not sure)
AML: Ben Arfa/Jankulovski
AMR: Gourcuff/Seedorf
ST : Inzaghi/Pato/Vela

Hope thats some help. :thup:

retired_lexi

hi Hulk,

That was some super input. You pretty described my 1st Team in Season 1 exception of Oddo being DR.

My plans:

GK: No change for this season.

DL: No change

DR: Brough in Zaccardo

DC: Will check out Zapata & Samba.If any will bring in Breno next season (due to the 1 foreigner per season ruling)

DMC: Brough in Hamsek

AMC: Will rotate in Kroos and Lulinha/Piatti to bed them in.

AML: Need to buy. Will check out Menez.

AMR: Need to buy. Will check out Belushi.

ST: Was actually planning to gamble my season on Vela and Aaron.

Any other suggestions on AML and AMR.

retired_Brian 121

mate use the milan thread their is a lot of milan fans their and we will give u the best advice from our own experience.

retired_Brian 121

just read through this properly were is Gilardino?

retired_jaclynnew1212

Well for AML, I cannot recommend Marcelo enough. If he's still got the release, just get him and he will not disappoint. I think almost anyone will vouch for that. He plays much better as AML than LB. If not, then I forgot to mention one of the best FM08 players - Matias Fernandez. The guy is just phenomenol. You'll never go wrong with him. He'll get you goals & assists aplenty! Shouldnt cost more than 20M in season 2. Still a bargain. Trust me, unless you're looking to buy Silva from Valencia, you cant do better than Fernandez or Marcelo on the left wing imo.

For AMR, its not so easy I suppose. Messi & Ronaldo are the best two obviously but they'll be out of the price range I think. So besides Belluschi, try any of these guys:
Franck Ribery
Jesus Navas
Joaquin
Ryan Babel
Asamoah Gyan
Fabio Quagliarella (excellent buy as he can play as ST too and help you out there if needed)
Gonzalo Higuain
Valon Behrami (also great because he can play RB too and is excellent there)
Ricardo Quaresma

Most of them will cost you between 10-20M I'd think. But they are all quality players.

Also, think about getting an additional striker in. Its a big gamble you're taking trusting 3 youngsters who're nowhere near their prime. Good luck. :thup:

retired_Brian 121

rosina would be class on the left i have him or even Dimitri Payet from st. ettiene i have him and he is class young to.

retired_viviee

Totally agree with Marcelo for AML, one of the best in the game for that postion IMO (not to good at LB though)

Also would agree on Quaresma = Class, i have him at milan, last season from RW, 21 goals, 27 assits.

retired_lexi

Sold Gilardino for 20m to Valencia. Wasnt doin well for me at all.

Was thinking of breaking the bank and bidding for messi but gonna b hard to convince in only the 2nd season.

Also how is Silva as AML. Ive read he's better at AMC.

Now I'll have to start tinkering for a 2-3 season striker (on the basis the other guys are 2 young). Any suggestions.