Summer mercato 2012

[GeoTav]

This is actually the first year where the old guards, Gattuso, Ambro and Slowdorf have not been playing much and yet, Milan is getting Win after win. This really could be their last at the club. When you look at the midfield now, MVB, Boateng, Urby, Muntari, Nocerino, Aqua and Merkel. Thats 7 midfielders, how many do Milan need?

Among the midfielders you listed ...
- MVB is the only DM, so we need another one, unless we think Strasser can be up to the task for a whole season with both CL and Serie A being our goals ...
- Boateng and Nocerino are sure starters even for next year

That leaves us with Muntari, Emmanuelson, Aquilani and Merkel for one position.

Merkel is young, you can retire him from that list, he would be perfect as a reserve player getting time on the pitch here and there.

Aquilani is often injured, and he will never have one complete season without a major injury (one month or more out) ...

That means there is still a place to take in our starting midfield ...

Muntari is on loan, who knows if he will stay ?
Emmanuelson has showed some improvement in the last weeks (visibly, after ACMILAN1983 and myself criticized him on this topic ... ), but he can't be counted as a starter, we need someone better.

A guy like Asamoah could be this missing player. Armero could actually replace Emmanuelson in our team, he showed he can play as a LB in Serie A, but he also showed that he is very versatile and can play wherever on the pitch (midfield or attack). Perfect squad player.

So if you read between the lines, I wouldn't mind keeping one between Muntari and Emmanuelson and take both Armero and Asamoah. The midfield should be complete this way, unless we suffer a new injury crisis (for the third or fourth year in a row).

Possible roster if it had to happen : MVB (Strasser), Nocerino (Muntari), Asamoah (Aquilani), Boateng (if out, there is Robinho, and Armero or Merkel who can be tested there) + Armero and Merkel. 9 players, including two youngsters,for 4 places, that's good enough to play both Serie A and CL. Less would be suicide.