Polarizing Performances

THIS mercato drama got me sick. In the last two weeks we’ve been linked from Schweinsteiger to any mammal with two feet and a couple of eyes.  In my desperate attemp to try to focus on anything but Mr X, I found my salvation in today’s Primavera play-off against Roma. Hoping to get confirmation on what I saw from the youth squad against Inter, I found myself a little disappointed with our ragazzi performance today. However, I think it’s worth to summarize both the good and the bad from our most promising players.

As mentioned before in the match review, the first half was far from impressive from the rossoneri. They did picked up some pace and will in the second half, and beside from a close attempt by Andrea Ganz and a header by Albertazzi, our younsgters weren’t as dangerous  as the giallorossi. It hurts to say it, but the best team won.

This performance was far far away from the one I saw against Inter, and the whole season for that matter. Against Inter our ragazzi played with a lot of energy and confidence and the game was less one sided than today. We looked superior for most part of the game and some of our youngsters characteristics came to our eyes.

Primavera: Roma 1-0 AC Milan
The Belgian press is certain: Witsel close to Milan

Something was clear for most of them : they are still too young, not mature enough and they lack experience. This goes from players like Albertazzi to Merkel. All of them showed they still miss something to become great.

But enough already and lets begin with their characteristics.

Defense :

Michelangelo Albertazzi : he might be one of the most promising defenders in our squad, and while his marking, his pace and his physique are good, he really needs to work on his focus. He gets lost at times when the other team builds up their attack fast enough but it’s nothing that Tassoti can’t correct.

Andrea De Vito : his qualities for a left back (of his age of course) are pretty good. He has an incredible stamina and good technique, as well as good tactical skills(meaning he knows when to push forward and doesn’t leaves his side too exposed) . However, he arrives a little late to the mark, and he has been outrun enough times for me to say he lacks speed and pace.

Rodrigo Ely : this one is an interesting prospect. He has a good offensive mentality for a CB and helps to build some plays from the back. He was caught misplaced a few times but he is pretty young and it’s nothing that experience itself can’t correct. He is one to follow in my opinion.

Midfield :

Simone Calvano : overall complete DMF, rough around the edges but I see a lot of Van Bommel in him. Good technique, strong and tactically fit. He needs some time to achieve his potential since that position most of the time needs experience to bear its fruits.

Marco Fossati : one of the names that will probably enter the first squad ranks next year. A good midfield, with good vision and pace. Can play in different positions and works hard. I thought that bringing Verdi to the first team would be better but Fossati is more centered, he’s more mature and fits Allegri’s style better. He needs some experience though.

Alexander Merkel : we have all seen that Merkel is good and talented young player. And although he didn’t play particularly well against Roma, I still believe that he should be kept and invest some time and effort in him.

Luca Santonocito : another round up midfielder. He has good technique and good awareness. However his weakness lies in his lack if agressivity and his physical form. A little muscle wouldn’t hurt.

Rodney Strasser : we’ve all seen Strasser’s abilities. He has good stamina and decent technique. In my opinion he is a little like Gattuso since he lacks some spark or imagination unlike our german intern.

Forwards :

Giacomo Beretta : to some it would seem that he is too slow, and although I agree that he lacks speed, I think he has pace and technique. He is a very slick forward for his height and his finishing is really good. It is a shame he’s going to Genoa. I was really hoping to see him play next year in Milan. Maybe in the future, who knows.

Simone Verdi : this ragazzo to me is the most interesting. There’s no doubt hat he is the most talented player on the whole youth squad. He has speed, pace, technique, endurance and creativity. There’s no doubt that he’ll be one of the greatest gems of our youth squad in the following years. However, he’s still too young. He lacks a lot of maturity. He sometimes keeps the ball too long, or he doesn’t always plays for the team (sometimes). This led me to think two things : one that he needs to mature and two that I understand now why Allegri hasn’t brought him to the first squad yet.

Anyways, these are our most impressive younger players, and even though there’s a few more I didn’t review, I know that probably most of the mentioned above won’t live up to the hype, and won’t ever play for our first squad, or they won’t do it for long.

Quite a shame if you ask me, I’d love to see all of them become part of our senior squad, but everybody knows that football is not only a sport but a business as well, and “in business nothing is personal”, so no matter if people grow fond of the Merkels or the Berettas of our squad, if they don’t cut to our standards, they’ll be looking for a new home.

It’s up to them now and for now all we can do is support them.

You can follow me on twitter @Fr_Vasquez.