Fat Bird

Ronaldinho - The fat man moves on

He had to go. Flamengo, Gremio or the MLS. He chose Flamengo. The choice was fairly simple, I think. The deal appeared to be very lucrative for a player well past his prime and it only made sense for him to grab it with both hands. Fortunately, we made some money in the bargain. Who would've thought that Galliani could squeeze a few dollars out of a club by selling them Ronaldinho. Well, that explains why Uncle Fester is the mercato specialist.

With Ronaldinho gone, we could concentrate on building the team to be genuine contenders in Europe and in Italy. And so began the busiest January in years. We brought in 5 players this winter, that's almost half a team! I have already addressed the arrival of Cassano, so let's move onto the other 4.

Van Bommel. The hard dog, a player who specializes in breaking bones and keeping medics on their feet. Fortunately, he does that to players on the opposition and not to himself unlike Pato. I've never been his biggest fan but he brings a lot of steel to a flimsy and fragile midfield. Milan needn't worry if Gattuso picks up a knock or is unavailable. We possibly have the only other 'Rinho' like player in Europe to replace him. The deal is sweet too, he signs for 6 months. This goes to show that he is nothing more than a contingency signing. We need to keep in mind that he is a red card waiting to happen. Referees will never condone his rash style and six months is too little time to develop a rapport with refs like Gattuso has to avoid hitting the showers earlier than the 90th minute. Also the fact that he won't be available in Europe makes his signing purely a move for the Scudetto.

Urby Emanuelson. A left winger by trade, he supposedly can play anywhere down the left. We picked him up for a miserly €1.7 million. He is technically gifted and has been amongst the highly rated properties in Europe for quite sometime now. All of 24, he is a signing for the future expected to make very little impact this season. My biggest concern is the fact he is a left winger and is employed as a left central midfielder. He brings width to this side and the much needed left foot, but will he be able to play narrow when required? Having donned the Ajax colors this season, he too is ineligible for Europe.

Didac Vila. Arguably, for the first time, I don't have much of an idea about a player Milan signed. Hailed as the heir apparent to Capdevilla for the Spain National side and already having represented Spain at the U-21 level, this boy has a future in international football. He has been a regular for Espanyol, which isn't a joke to begin with. Espanyol have received �€4 million in return for the youngster which isn't too much for a highly rated left back, a position in which quality is declining at an alarming rate. A safe bet but Tassoti firmly believes that the kid is largely an unfinished product. Don't expect to see much of him this season.

Nicola Legrottaglie. He is nothing more than an able replacement for Nesta. We have been thin at the back and any player would be a step up over Daniele Bonera. Milan have a history of settling for experience over youth at the back and that tradition continues. Legrottaglie has played at the highest level for years now and brings all that experience even if its for 6 months. Bought for chum change, this signing might be a thrifty purchase. Again, there are doubts over his availability for the Champions League. However, he might not figure much in the first team even in Nesta's absence. Yepes has deputized for the legend superbly this season being a rock in the heart of defense.

All 5 players purchased over the winter aren't available for the knockout rounds of the Champions League. This reflects a clear directive coming from the very top of the Via Turati. The priority is the Scudetto. Berlusconi hasn't necessarily splashed the cash and he doesn't need to with Galliani faithfully occupying the seat beside him. With Inter's resurgence and Napoli unwilling to give up, we are in for the tightest Scudetto race in years.

FantAntanio

Antonio Cassano

Berlusconi is in the mood of gifting his fans. It appears that he has decided to put on the Santa costume this season. His latest gift to the Milanistas goes by the name of Antonio Cassano. He is after all the most talented Italian footballer in the peninsula. Why would we complain? Especially when he arrives as a replacement for Ronaldinho, of whom we are expected to make a profit! Whoever said that ideal worlds are only in novels?

True, we have the craziest line of loons in our attack. Some journalists call the Milanello a mad house, perhaps with good reason. Robinho, Ibrahimovic and Cassano have explosive pasts and now they are under one roof. Fireworks will be expected. But I choose to look at the fireworks on the pitch instead. Cassano's combination with Ibrahimovic seems like a lip smacking delight that would have defenders wetting their pants. Milan's attack has not looked this strong in the last 5-6 years. Arguably, with Cassano in our ranks, we possess the strongest attack in club football. We will win in Italy, no doubt about that. How this shapes our destiny in Europe, only time will tell.

Casano's versatility will be key for us. He can play behind the two strikers or as a second striker. He brings creativity to the team and also could replace Robinho when the Brazilian begins his misfiring bouts. He is also decent with the dead ball and has an imaginative vision at long range passing. He will add a lot to the team than the threat of lunacy which most conservative purists are fearing. He comes at a meager fee, somewhere around 2 million euros. A steal if one can put it that way. An honorable mention must go to Galliani for picking up scraps like no other director in Europe. He has mastered the act. First Ibrahimovic and now Cassano; true genius.

On a wayward note, Milan did travel to Dubai and played Al Ahli in a friendly beating the Arab side 2-1. Seedorf was splendid and so was Beretta. The young forward showed glimpses of being the missing piece in the forward puzzle and could be called up to replace Ibrahimovic when the Swede tires. Is he the one to don the No. 9 that Inzaghi has left hanging at the locker? Now that Toni is gone to Juventus, what other options do we have?

Prince of Poaching

Filippo Inzaghi

Inzaghi is 37 and is on the table, nursing his wounds and reminiscing the days of the old as the Milan management are preparing a prince to accept the crown from the aging king. Names are rattled on a daily basis and the chaos is nothing short of a media racket. From Balotelli to Grameiro, it wouldn't be a long shot to suggest that the papers have covered the globe in search of the next number 9.

But who is the right forward to don the role of the poacher? Do we need a poacher? Inzaghi's choice remains Alberto Paloschi. The king has spoken but the subjects disagree and so do I. Paloschi is a promising talent, but he is nothing quite like the player he can become. Not yet. Our need is immediate. Let us consider the options.

Santa Cruz might be the ideal fit given the similarities and the price constraints but he would be a short term option given his age. Also would he like to warm the bench and play second fiddle at another club? Fabiano is simply on another level and a player of such calibre wouldn't find room in the first team. Balotelli is a hot head and a risky investment. He is yet to mature as a footballer and until then, his capture might unleash a sense of madness in the club. Pazzini would be a fantastic signing but the striker is at his peak at the moment and would not welcome a role on the bench which is but certain with an irreplaceable Ibrahimovic in the team. Rossi is a childhood fan but he is a second striker and not a central striker. This leaves us with my personal favorite, Alexander Matri.

This young forward has climbed the ladder of success taking his baby steps at our very own youth academy. He always showed promise whilst we always showed our youngsters the door. Matri has matured into a cultured goalscorer for the Sardinians and has been a boon for Cagliari. He is a near-perfect replacement for Inzaghi as a central striker and is sneaky in the box too. He would be familiar with the surroundings and wouldn't take too long to settle down. Matri is an immensely underrated striker, plainly because he is unconventional. His goals are usually straightforward but not spectacular. He became the striker he is under Allegri, the same man who holds the reigns of Milan today. This appears to be a match made in heaven. Matri also provides the option of being the player who can be the front man as Ibrahimovic could play off him. The Italian is great in the air and has an admirable scoring rate. For a young striker, i.e. all of 26, he shows immense composure in front of goal. He has a fairly impressive record in the Serie A and has already scored 8 goals this season for a struggling Cagliari side. Matri would give us an additional touch of quality that would take us to another level. Stopping this line of attack would be a task that most defenses in Europe would sweat over.

A major drawback would be the price tag. Cellino won't let him go for cheap, however that is where Mr. Galliani's expertise comes in handy. Inzaghi is one of a kind and if the scouts are out there searching for an exact replacement, they might find it easier to discover the remains of Isaac Newton in Cambodia. But Inzaghi's injury and Pato's love for the meds has caused the club to flip the notes once again. Ring the cashier and bring the Italian back home. I think we have found our prince.