Strike It

Strike It

There is a strong need for someone to lead our attack. The dodgy kneed Kaka has shown over the last couple of seasons, that he is not upto the task. Pato's brave attempts this season has given us some hope, but he cant be relied on completely either. He is only 19 and his inexperience shouts aloud. Shevchenko has enjoyed his vacation in Italy, and after experiencing a season of nostalgia will be surely returning to the Blues at the end of the season. Inzaghi is 35, and will most probably be on crutches soon. Borrielo is already on crutches and has given me no reason to have faith on his fitness going by the standards he has set this season. As for the last option, Ronaldinho, he has forgotton the concept of running altogether.

There lies a bit of promise in the form of the returning Yoann Gourcuff. But where he will be slotted, or will he be slotted at all are questions that remain to be answered. Galliani has said that the club wont sign big names in the coming season, but this man can hardly be trusted.

So, what do we need? We need a striker for starters as I have already made obvious from the first paragraph. We need a target man with a lot of strength, with a lot of skill, with a lot of quality and with considerable amount of experience.

Lets start with the strikers we have already been linked with. Adebayor. He is one of the most over-rated strikers in the world, and its a blessing in disguise he dint accompany Flamini here last season. At a ridiculous 30 million euros price tag, he defines inflation in the footballing world. I would have engaged in discussing his fitness concerns, if only I was more confident of his technical ability. Kanoute from Sevilla is another on the list, and the former Spurs man would be an ideal fit, considering our desperate need for a target man. But he is 31. And even if he is performing well in the league, i wouldn't want him primarily due to his age. I would however be over-joyed with the signing of his striking partner Luis Fabiono. With a potential strong Brazilian connect up front, he could form a lethal partnership with Pato. Moving on, I would have loved Rossi, but his style of play clashes with that of Pato, it wouldn't be an ideal purchase. If only we had signed Samuel Eto'o, who currently is by far the best striker in the world. If all had gone well, and if Milan had signed him instead of the unnecessary Ronaldinho, things would have been different, and better. Negredo who is enjoying an outstanding season with Almeria can be shortlisted, but the lack of experience can prove to be costly. I have dreamt of Villa in Rossoneri colors, but considering the new policy at Lombardy, it would most likely remain a dream. However, from Spain, my choice of striker is one who goes by the name of Jaan Klass Huntelaar. This Dutchman has quality and skill in abundance and with another fellow countryman returning to action next season, Huntelaar might end up warming the bench. He has an eye for goal, an appetite for the same, and is a young, reputed target man.

England now. EPL touted by many as the best league in the world probably has justified its hype by the quality of strikers it nurtures. Ranging from Torres to Rooney, from Defoe to Heskey, there is skill all over the country. But only a few can play for Milan. Ruling out the impossibilities, it does become hard to think of someone who can be compatible to the system of play at Milan. The first name that comes to my mind is Drogba. No, I dont think he is impossible. With the necessary motivation, he might be inclined to switch to the San Siro, and considering Chelsea's business sense, he wont be as expensive as Adebayor. With Arsenal's Champions League possibilities in question for next season, Robin Van Persie should be prioritised. Robinho's troubles at City dont seem to end and he might just leave come season end. Amr Zaki has shown that he has the ability to perform in one of the most demanding leagues in the world. But does he have what it takes to play for the one of the biggest clubs in the world? Well, that remains to be seen. The chances are that Tevez might be available, but I am not sure how compatible he will be with Pato upfront. Roque Santa Cruz is someone I would look at sincerely, but one look at the demand for the former Munich man, you will most definitely fathom numbers that would send Galliani reeling. My pick of the lot, Drogba. Reasons are known, but to put it simply, he is a world class striker.

Italy. Home to some of the best strikers in the world. And ironically out of reach for the most successful club in the world. Here I can think of several strikers. Lets start with the Turin duo. Iaquinta and Trezeguet. Both have the desired attributes. And with Trezeguet falling apart with Ranieri, he is the more likely to leave. Amauri would have been my favorite, but by now, Gigli would have tagged him as an untouchable. And I dont think he would behave like Berlusconi did in the winter, so there is no point trying. Iaquinta would be more favorable, according to me. He has waited in the shadows, and when called upon, has shot into fame. He was in blazing form for Udinese, and he seems to be enjoying a similar stint with the Old Lady. Speaking of Udinese, Di Natale and Quagliarella also can be options, but considering the project that Udinese are building, they wont come cheap. There were rumors linking us to Julio Cruz and due to my sheer distaste to the rumor I wont dwell further on it. Lavezzi would be wonderful, but again, the project with its attributed side effects apply. Milito, Mascara and Pazzini have been reborn this season, and are performing sensationally. But my interests lingers on the 'talentino'. Cassano has all the quality in the world. His age also seems to be a benefit. The only problems are that he isn't a target man and more importantly, his temper. Can Milan handle it? Honorable mentions must be made for Pandev, Rocchi and Di Vaio. None of these will ever be linked, and that I am quite sure of. I dint mention a certain name, who from the Serie A, is my favorite, quite obviously after 'Ibracadabra'. His name is Sergio Floccari and he plays for Atalanta. Del Neri has received much praise for the performance delivered by this Italian striker, with his name echoing across the continent with hungry giants sniffing already. If we do manage to bag him, we can be proud of it for awhile. And with a young Italian, it will help is in the long run. Refer 6+5.

The lesser leagues also do possess options. Hugo Almeida, Hulk, Pogrebnyak are players who are enjoying their football and have created a name for themselves. Ibisevic, Grafite and Helmes have been running riot in the Bundesliga. Podolski also might be available, but Roma are behaving a bit aggressive about him, so its better to lay off. Highly rated Gignac has been setting France on fire. Horau and Cavenaghi aren't far behind. In an ideal world, I wouldn't have looked beyond Benzema, but considering he is amongst the 3 most wanted strikers in the world, I will simply concentrate on a striker we were linked with last season. Mario Gomez. Yes he disappointed at the Euros. But there is no denying his quality and his strenght. He had a fantastic spell with Stuttgart last season, and things aren't very different this season. With his attributes and at a cost that will well suit our budget, he can be a superb alternative to the big boys.

A striker is meant to score. You may feel like slapping me for stating this sentence, but the importance of it is beyond measure for a club like ours. After Sheva departed, we have lacked a striker who can bang in 20-25 goals a season for us. Its high time, we switched on our spotlights on the areas that need mending, rather than on Beckham's jersey. By the way, Leonardo is scouting for 2 very highly rated Brazilian kids, namely Neymar and Keirrison. Lets wait and see how that develops.