Could Beckham really play right back?

January 5, 2010

David Beckham has returned for his second loan spell at AC Milan where he has an outside chance of playing right back.

Massimo Oddo is injured while left back Marek Jankulovski has been hit by fitness and form problems so Gianluca Zambrotta has been operating on the left of the defence rather than the right.

Ignazio Abate is a midfielder who has been filling in at the back but has not convinced the Rossoneri faithful.

Could all this prompt Leonardo to put Becks in defence?

The 34-year-old, likely to be on the bench against Genoa on Wednesday, has said he is happy to play anywhere and midfielders like Gennaro Gattuso will be seething if Beckham comes back into the side for just five months and steals their place.

Right back suddenly looks an ideal spot, even if Leonardo almost laughed off the idea late last year.

Beckham has never had great pace but is decent at defending while playing right back would allow him to swing in his famous crosses, which would not be so easy to produce in a narrow three-man midfield.

Of course the main reason Beckham is back at Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy is to try to safeguard his England World Cup squad place.

But what about a starting spot for Fabio Capello’s men in South Africa come June? That seemed unlikely with pacy duo Aaron Lennon and Theo Walcott among those who looked ahead of Beckham in the pecking order for a start on the right wing.

England’s right back position is a different kettle of fish, however. Liverpool’s Glen Johnson is injured and pundits question his defensive ability.

Injury-prone Wes Brown would probably be next in line but he has been playing centre back for Manchester United instead this season and has been exposed of late, especially in the shock home FA Cup defeat to third tier Leeds United on Sunday.

Luke Young has retired from international football, Gary Neville hardly plays anymore. Who else is there?

If Beckham does play right back for Milan and is decent, Capello may have an answer.

PHOTO: AC Milan’s David Beckham arrives at the Milanello training center in Carnago, northern Italy, Dec 28, 2009. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

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Tags: Aaron Lennon, ac milan, Brown, David Beckham, defensive ability, England, england world cup, england world cup squad, fabio capello, gary neville, gennaro gattuso, genoa, glen johnson, Ignazio Abate, kettle of fish, LEEDS, leeds united, leonardo, Liverpool, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, luke young, Manchester, marek, Milan, northern italy, pecking order, South Africa, theo walcott, wes brown, world cup squad, zambrotta

Stalemate gives Milan slight advantage

November 26, 2009

AC Milan and Marseille drew 1-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday to give the Italians a slight edge in the race for the knock-out stages.

With Real Madrid winning 1-0 at home to FC Zurich, they now lead Milan by two points with the French team a further point behind in Group C.

Marseille must beat the Spaniards in France in two weeks to have any chance of progressing but if they do win, Milan will have to beat Zurich in Switzerland or it will be them who crash out.

Milan were left holding on for the point at the end as the visitors hit the woodwork but coach Leonardo said it was a fair result.

“Maybe Marseille had the clearer chances but we also had chances in the second half, it seems to me that a draw was fair,” he said.

“I’m optimistic (about qualification). Marseille had played on Friday and had five days of rest, we only had three.

“They had more energy and that played a role. We wanted to qualify today but we drew, now we have to go to Zurich and play with a lot of concentration.”

The draw meant Milan failed to win any of their three home matches in this competition.

“It’s strange, in the past San Siro has been a fortress but this year we’re struggling,” admitted striker Marco Borriello.

Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, who was a member of the Marseille side that beat Milan in the 1993 Champions League final, was not happy.

“It is not a very good result, because we needed to win,” said Deschamos, who guided Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final.

“Seeing what my team did here, there was every chance we should have won.

“However, the dream is still possible. We have a small chance.”

Milan went ahead on 10 minutes following dreadful defending from Marseille as Mamadou Niang gave the ball away on the halfway line, allowing Borriello to run at Gabriel Heinze and get past the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man with embarrassing ease before slipping the ball under Mandanda.

The lead lasted only six minutes, though, as more lax defending contributed to the restoration of parity.

Niang beat Massimo Oddo far too easily on the left and Alessandro Nesta came across to cover but seemed to pull out of the challenge, allowing Niang to hit a cross that goalkeeper Dida could only palm out to Lucho Gonzalez, who rifled home.

A couple of minutes later Lucho hit a left footer that had Dida sweating as he watched it fly just past the angle of post and bar.

There was more poor defending on 25 minutes as Thiago Silva’s long ball from his own half sent Borriello clear of the defence but Souleymane Diawara just managed to bend his leg around the striker and clip the ball as the Italian went to pull the trigger.

Niang was troubling Milan’s right and late in the half he got down the line but his cut-back was just behind strike-partner Brandao.

The second half was a calm affair until 65 minutes when Brazilian Brandao somehow contrived to miss an open goal.

Benoit Cheyrou slipped Niang in behind substitute Ignazio Abate and his cross picked out Brandao on the edge of the six yard box but with the goal gaping he somehow managed to direct the ball onto the bar.

Ronaldinho almost caught out Mandanda with a cross-cum-shot before Bakari Kone escaped up the other end on the break, but with Brandao unmarked at the back post, his poor control allowed Abate to clear the danger.

From the corner Diawara’s header agonisingly came back off the foot of the post.

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Nesta, benoit cheyrou, Borriello, C. Marseille, champions league final, crash out, didier deschamps, dreadful, France, french team, gabriel heinze, Ignazio Abate, italians, Italy, knock out, leonardo, MADRID, madrid man, Manchester, manchester united, Marseille, Milan, Monaco, niang, real madrid, San, san siro, six minutes, spaniards, Switzerland, thiago silva, woodwork, ZURICH

Late Napoli show stuns Milan as Juve hit five past Samp

October 29, 2009

Napoli scored two goals in injury time to hold 10-man AC Milan to a draw in Serie A on Wednesday and end the seven-time European champions recent winning run.

Juventus went second in the table as they thrashed high-flying Sampdoria, who drop to third, 5-1 in Turin.

But the real drama came in Naples where late goals from Luca Cigarini and German Denis earned Napoli a richly deserved point after Ignazio Abate was sent off four minutes from time.

Having developed a habit of starting slowly this season, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani had promised president, and Italy Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi that they would stop torturing him.

The team seemed to heed the advice and came flying out of the blocks, only to then collapse late on.

After 6min they were already 2-0 ahead as Napoli’s defensive line was ruthlessly exposed.

Filippo Inzaghi ran onto Clarence Seedorf’s chip over the top on 2min before finishing left footed.

And four minutes later he flicked on a long ball for Alex Pato to run onto from a suspiciously offside-looking position before outstripping the defence and finishing with aplomb.

Thereafter, though, it was all about goalkeeper Dida and some profligate shooting from the hosts, in particular Cristian Maggio who failed to beat a stricken Dida from six yards out early in the second period.

But after Abate earned a second yellow card Napoli finally found the finish they had been lacking as Cigarini lashed home a left-foot volley.

And then deep into injury time Denis headed home a cross from the right to send the San Paolo crowd into delirium.

In Turin Juventus rediscovered their form in a stroll against the only team that stood between them and leaders Inter Milan.

Juve leapfrogged Sampdoria into second and just one point behind Inter, who host Palermo on Thursday, thanks to goals from Amauri (two), Giorgio Chiellini, Mauro Camoranesi and David Trezeguet.

Amauri opened the scoring on 26min when the ball fell kindly to him, after his initial header hit team-mate Momo Sissoko, to shoot home.

He then turned provider on 42min as a marauding Chiellini, up from the back, found himself between Sampdoria’s centre-backs when the Brazilian’s deflected cross landed at his feet five yards out.

The game was soon over as Diego sent Sebastian Giovinco free down the left and he picked out Camoranesi to side foot home from the penalty spot.

Camoranesi then sent in a delightful curling cross from the right for Amauri to head home his second as Sampdoria crumbled.

Giampaolo Pazzini pulled a goal back for the visitors before French veteran Trezeguet rounded off the scoring late on.

Newly-promoted Parma moved up to fourth, and a Champions League position, as they beat fellow Serie A newboys Bari 2-0.

AS Roma lost for the third game in a row as they fell 2-1 at Udinese in a game in which both teams had a player sent off.

Lowly Livorno won their second match in a row since new coach Serse Cosmi took over as they beat Atalanta 1-0.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, adriano galliani, alex pato, amauri, aplomb, Bari, clarence seedorf, david trezeguet, defensive line, dida, european champions, filippo inzaghi, foot volley, giorgio chiellini, Ignazio Abate, injury time, inter milan, Italy, mauro camoranesi, Milan, naples, napoli, Paolo, prime minister silvio, ROME, silvio berlusconi, team mate, yellow card

Ronaldinho rescues point for Milan as Juventus crash

October 5, 2009

Substitute Ronaldinho popped up seven minutes from time to salvage a point for AC Milan in a 1-1 draw at 10-man Atalanta on Sunday but that might not be enough to save coach Leonardo from the chop.

Meanwhile, the last unbeaten record in Serie A disappeared as Juventus were beaten 2-0 at Palermo to drop to third in the table.

Milan may have come from behind to earn a draw but their hosts played almost an hour with 10 men and it took the seven-time European champions 45 minutes to break down their lowly opponents with a numerical advantage.

It was also only Milan’s fourth goal in seven league matches in which the struggling giants have managed just two wins.

In Europe and at home they have failed to win in their last four matches, a bleak statistic which has piled the pressure onto Leonardo.

But centre-back Alessandro Nesta insisted the Brazilian boss should not be blamed for the club’s woes.

“These are two points dropped. We put our heart into this match but if it seemed as if we weren’t trying it’s because we’re not working well. We’re not managing to cover all areas of the pitch,” he said.

“It’s a difficult moment but we’re right behind Leonardo. You win and you lose all together. It’s not one single person’s failure.”

Atalanta deservedly took the lead on 21 minutes as Simone Padoin’s cross from the right caused confusion in the Milan backline.

Centre-backs Nesta and Giuseppe Favalli were both drawn to Cristiano Doni at the neat post, leaving Simone Tiribocchi free behind them as Ignazio Abate had failed to cover from right-back.

When Doni missed the ball it fell to Tiribocchi, who had time to pick his spot and beat Marco Storari in the Milan goal.

Serbian midfielder Ivan Radovanovic then made the hosts’ hopes of holding out for victory look decidedly tougher as he was sent off six minutes before the break for a needless second booking, pulling Pato’s shirt when the forward was practically on the halfway line.

Milan were expected to come out firing after the break as Leonardo replaced French midfielder Mathieu Flamini with Ronaldinho.

The former European champions did fashion an early chance as Thomas Manfredini over-committed himself in trying to reach an Andrea Pirlo cross leaving Pato free to shoot from 10 yards but Consigli came to the rescue, making a point blank stop.

Atalanta then survived a double scare 17 minutes from time.

Following a slick Milan passing move, Consigli saved well from Ronaldinho before Pato’s volleyed follow-up bounced into the ground and over the goalkeeper, only to come back off the bar.

Milan played much of the second half just in front of Atalanta’s penalty box and the 10 men finally cracked on 83 minutes when Nesta lifted the ball over the backline and Ronaldinho volleyed home in one brilliant movement.

Juve could have gone top if they had won in Sicily but that never looked likely in a game in which they were clearly second-best.

First half goals from Brazilians Edison Cavani and Simplicio within five minutes of each other gave Palermo a deserved 2-0 lead at the break after dominating the first half.

Juve’s Brazilian playmaker Diego came closest for the visitors, hitting the woodwork with a free-kick.

Sampdoria failed to take back top spot from Inter Milan, who beat Udinese 2-1 on Saturday, as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Parma.

Francesco Totti scored a brace in AS Roma’s 2-1 victory over Napoli that saw him move level with former Argentina, Roma and Fiorentina striker Gabriel Batistuta in eighth place on the all-time top Serie A goalscorers list.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Nesta, andrea pirlo, Argentina, atalanta, backline, chop, Diego, doni, Edison, Europe, francesco totti, Gabriel Batistuta, Giuseppe Favalli, Ignazio Abate, ivan radovanovic, leonardo, Marco Storari, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, napoli, nesta, numerical advantage, Palermo, Roma, ROME, salvage, Simone Padoin, Simone Tiribocchi, six minutes, statistic, storari, Thomas Manfredini, unbeaten record, woes

Italian FA suspends seven Torino players

May 27, 2009

Torino will have to do without seven of their players in next Sunday’s crucial Serie A game with AS Roma. The seven were suspended for their involvement in a large fight following the match with Genoa.

Worst off are Angelo Ogbonna and Marco Pisano, who apart from this game, will also have to miss the first three games of next season.

Aimo Diana, Cesara Pratali and Rolando Bianchi are banned for two games, and Blerim Dzermaili and Ignazio Abate are each suspended for one match.

Torino are currently in the relegation zone and will have to earn at least one point more than 17th-placed Bologna if they want to spend another season at the highest level.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda

Tags: aimo diana, Angelo Ogbonna, blerim, Bologna, Diana, game, genoa, Ignazio Abate, marco pisano, match, relegation zone, rolando bianchi, Roma, roorda, Serie A, three games, torino, two games

Lazio stumble again but end losing run

February 14, 2009

ROME (AFP) – Lazio were far from convincing as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Torino at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

The point did at least end a run of four straight defeats for Delio Rossi’s team after Sebastiano Siviglia equalised for the hosts following Ignazio Abate’s first-half opener.

The draw means Lazio’s hopes of qualifying for Europe through their league finish are fast fading, although they are through to the semi-finals of the Italian Cup and could earn a UEFA Cup spot through that competition.

Abate opened the scoring on 36 minutes with a shot from distance after French midfielder Olivier Dabo had lost the ball in midfield.

But 15 minutes from time Siviglia headed home a cross from Stefano Mauri to salvage a share of the spoils.

In an otherwise uninspiring match, the biggest drama came a few minutes into the second half when referee Massimiliano Saccani was knocked flat by a fierce shot by Lazio’s Aleksandar Kolarov.

Saccani stayed motionless on the turf for a couple of minutes before getting up to continue with the match.

Torino stayed third from bottom after a fifth draw in a row.

Written by: AFP