Alberto Aquilani

[fLame]

Merkel is one of them.

Merkel can be a good backup and a player for the future. Barca just showed this week why you can't rely on youth in big matches.

No way Merkel can step in to replace Seedorf, even current Seedorf.

[Gabriel426]

How can youth gain exp., if they never play? Merkel certainly got the talents to be part of the first 11 in Milan at this moment.

As for youth in big matches, Cahill never played in any so call big matches in his career and played great in both ties. Beside, it is not like Merkel will be playing with a whole bunch of youth in CL, injuries aside, Milan will probably still have Muntari, Nocerino, MVB, Boetang, Ambro, Silva, Nesta, Ibra, Cassano and others.

[ACM2023]

I guess it is all about the quality of the "young" player. Kaka wasted no time becoming the leader on the team; and, Ancelotti wasted no time giving him the chance. Kaka was played in the FIRST game he arrived.

but I do agree with Gabriel that young players NEED to play to gain experience, and often, there is a price to pay. The room for young players to make mistake is getting smaller and smaller in big teams.

[Gabriel426]

The thing with young players is that, they need to play to get better and learn while at the same time they will make mistakes just like every other players on the team. Bonera and Mexes still make mistakes and how long have those two been playing? But there are other players who can help them coupe with those mistakes or just recover for them on the pitch and teach them off the pitch.

The key to grooming these young players is to play to their strengths and give them more responibilities as their game grows. From the games I seen Merkel played, I see that he is someone who can pass the ball and dribble for better position, while not someone who press, run and press some more. No point telling him to do that b/c if thing don't go well, he will lose confidence and might be dropped.

I think a mistake where managers tend to do often is that when they see a talented youngsters, not only do they throw them in the sqaud and expect them to lead, they also ask them to do stuff that is not their strength.

Kaka is a great example, as Carlo just told him to dribble and run when he was on the pitch in the first season. He did just that. Pato is another example, as Carlo just told Pato to use his speed whenever he can.

[ACMILAN1983]

Merkel can be a good backup and a player for the future. Barca just showed this week why you can't rely on youth in big matches.

No way Merkel can step in to replace Seedorf, even current Seedorf.

Actually I don't see how Merkel would be any worse than the current Seedorf. He needs a chance as part of the first team squad to develop too.

[Stitch]

and all this is connectected with aquilani exactly how?

[Gabriel426]

I think both Aqua and Slowdorf will held a press conference like Pep and explain that they are leaving Milan b/c they achieved what they set out to......

[Beppe]

More and more rumours say he will stay.

[Gabriel426]

It will suck big time if he stays, since Milan already got a better version in Monty.

[Beppe]

I would be more than happy if he stayed. He's better than Montolivo IMO. And to be fair, we need both, there will be enough games and injuries so both will get much playing time.