AC Milan...

[Alpha]

Of Milan's 27-man squad (including Pato), only 9, yes 9 are the right side of 30.

And 2 of those 9 are 29.

Their average age is almost 30.5.

Unreal.

[ivan]

If Milan played in Premiership, they would finish 5th. If they played in CL against England teams, they would beat all of the big four. You'll see against Arsenal, they're gonna destroy gunners

[Joe King]

They have experience which is massive in any competition. They have been playing together as a collective group for a very long time which has helped them reach a few Champions League finals since 2000. Look at the current Arsenal crop, they have played together for a long time and they are reaping the rewards so far.

[wiw]

That's the way they've always done it. It's also the team and system they used last year when they ripped United apart in the CL. Perhaps it's not as stupid as you think. Their league form is woeful this year and could be down to any number of reasons but to blame it on a system that they have played and been VERY successful with over the years is perhaps a bit misguided.

I was under the impression they always played Kaka behind two strikers? Up until last season possibly..I'm not actually sure someone would have to look it up

But comparing the two finals we played in isolation, they went from Scheva and Crespo up top to Inazaghi on his own..

[loco_law]

If Milan played in Premiership, they would finish 5th. If they played in CL against England teams, they would beat all of the big four. You'll see against Arsenal, they're gonna destroy gunners

:whatever::whatever::whatever:

[Nic83]

That's the way they've always done it. It's also the team and system they used last year when they ripped United apart in the CL. Perhaps it's not as stupid as you think. Their league form is woeful this year and could be down to any number of reasons but to blame it on a system that they have played and been VERY successful with over the years is perhaps a bit misguided.

It isn't mate. In their pomp they had Kaka in behind Sheva and Crespo. that's the trio that tore us up in the first half of the 2005 final. And to have no wide men is absolutely ridiculous when most of the opposition they play against in Italy will come and park 11 behind the ball. Kaka is wasted up there this season and this is why he has hardly got near his form of last year...

[Rich]

They do have some width - Maldini and Oddo have got into decent positions, but they're suffering with having no one finishing things and way too many men wallowing in central areas. Plus Ambrosini is crap....

[bazza76]

If Milan played in Premiership, they would finish 5th. If they played in CL against England teams, they would beat all of the big four. You'll see against Arsenal, they're gonna destroy gunners

The above statement is pure guesswork, and judging on current form, is way off the mark, I think we would take them for starters, and Arsenal have a great chance, United would also have a point to prove against them, while the chavs would be a very tough nut to crack with far more energy and power in their side than Milan would have.
To say they would finish 5th aswell..........

[Alpha]

It isn't mate. In their pomp they had Kaka in behind Sheva and Crespo. that's the trio that tore us up in the first half of the 2005 final. And to have no wide men is absolutely ridiculous when most of the opposition they play against in Italy will come and park 11 behind the ball. Kaka is wasted up there this season and this is why he has hardly got near his form of last year...

They've played with a narrow midfield for some time now - always relying on the fullbacks to get forwards.

I agree it worked a lot better with two strikers - Inzaghi is a master of traversing along the back-line and Sheva used to drift too so they would both end up in wide positions, supporting the full-backs.

[MindGuerrillas]

It isn't mate. In their pomp they had Kaka in behind Sheva and Crespo. that's the trio that tore us up in the first half of the 2005 final. And to have no wide men is absolutely ridiculous when most of the opposition they play against in Italy will come and park 11 behind the ball. Kaka is wasted up there this season and this is why he has hardly got near his form of last year...

I wasn't really talking about whether they played with 1 or 2 strikers more the fact that they never played with much in the way of width. Even when they had Shev and Crespo up front with kaka behind they still had a midfield of gattuso, pirlo and seedorf - none of which are what you'd call wingers. The original poster and yourself are blaming their current plight on a lack of width which is something they never had even when at their best. The only width they had then came from the full backs.