Andrea Pirlo - The New Grandpa Pat?

[Blue Since 76]

just what we need for our assault on the title - another midfielder who can't move. I've seen Subbuteo teams that are quicker than us.

And yes, he can pass. However, he can't if he gets crunched everytime he receives the ball

[Bridge'srightfoot]

We would be signing a 32 year old on the way down and asking him to adjust to the demands of a league which is twice as quick and physical as the one he plays in.

[Ted Hughes]

Please let Andrea walk as usually in so comfortable serie A grounds for the afterglow of his carrer!
I know everything of him as an AC Milan fan and believe me, Pirlo isn't the correct solution for our next midfield!
His brain run fast but his legs are even slower than Grandpa Vieira's.
Charlie Adam or Scott Parker: both should be fantastic for next season!

That's what I said right at the start of the topic too; he would struggle to adapt to the Prem's pace. But, if he did, then he could be good backup, surely not the main solution to our problems.

I agree that he could be too slow but I've no problem with us signing him & finding out provided he's just signed as part of the squad. My worry would be if the gamble failed & Bob continued to play him anyway, rather than moving him straight back out at Christmas.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

The best deep lying playmaker in the world. The people raising his age are showing their ignorance because his game was never about physical attributes which would be affected by age. (not to mention that hes only 31 anyway). His vision and passing are world class and hes one of the best for these thats ever played in the game.

He's having problems with fitness and injury right now which could limit his appearances but for when he does play it'll be a lucky team that gets him.

Was interesting to watch world cup 2010 and how abject Italy were in their first two games and for the first half against Slovakia. Suddenly Pirlo (who was struggling with injury) is brought on and its a different team, Italy become rampant and are very unlucky to not get the result they needed from that game.
Think AC Milan are the same, they're a very ordinary team without him. Pirlo could really make the attacking city players click and become a fearsome attacking force.

Excellent post Smurfbomber, especially the reference to the Slovakia game. The way that Pirlo plays brings back memories of City's 1971/72 season when 'Uncle Joe' signed a 31 year old winger called Freddie Hill who had played most of his football at Bolton. I couldn't, for the life of me see why we had signed him because he had slowed down and lost most of the wing trickery he'd had as a younger player. However, Uncle Joe used him as a squad member, largely for back up BUT, cannily, as a deeper lying playmaker (or 'schemer' as we used to call them in those days).

In one eventful game in January 1972 against Wolves, at Maine Road, City were leading 3-2 at half time but were hanging on, with Mike Summerbee struggling towards half time with an ankle injury. Just after half time, Buzzer had to come off and Freddie Hill replaced him and, immediately,he was calling for the ball and, from central midfield, he began to orchestrate all of City's attacking play; spraying the ball about, playing one-twos, probing and always making himself available. All of the nail biting we'd been going through dissipated and City went on the rampage to win the game 5-2.

It was a veritable master class in midfield playmaking and very similar to the way Pirlo changed the Slovakia game against Italy.

In my opinion, Pirlo could go on for quite a few years yet, by his very style of play and he would be a perfect foil for David Silva. I'd sign him up like a shot.

[patrickblue]

Great player, but I can't help but wonder if he has some hidden defensive abilities that Mancini wants to develop further

I can't help but think your humour is wasted in this thread, as indeed is Bridges right foot's

[Beefymcfc]

If Mancio wants him, it won't be for City - surely!

[Bridge'srightfoot]

We really don't need him. We have too many slow midfield players. It's a bit much asking a 32 year old on the decline to adapt to the Premier league which is far more intense physically than the league he plays in. You simply don't get time on the ball here as you do in Seria A.

[Beefymcfc]

We really don't need him. We have too many slow midfield players. It's a bit much asking a 32 year old on the decline to adapt to the Premier league which is far more intense physically than the league he plays in. You simply don't get time on the ball here as you do in Seria A.

Nail - Head. Month - Sunday's.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

We really don't need him. We have too many slow midfield players. It's a bit much asking a 32 year old on the decline to adapt to the Premier league which is far more intense physically than the league he plays in. You simply don't get time on the ball here as you do in Seria A.

Nail - Head. Month - Sunday's.

Yup, he may be good in Italy where he has 10-15 seconds to pick out a pass but you simply don't get that in England. Even teams like Wigan and Birmingham are on you like a rash when you have the ball and its all about quick pass and move.
Signign Pirlo would be a mistake and if any other manager did it he'd be slated for signing a has been.

[halnone]

We really don't need him. We have too many slow midfield players. It's a bit much asking a 32 year old on the decline to adapt to the Premier league which is far more intense physically than the league he plays in. You simply don't get time on the ball here as you do in Seria A.

Nail - Head. Month - Sunday's.

Yup, he may be good in Italy where he has 10-15 seconds to pick out a pass but you simply don't get that in England. Even teams like Wigan and Birmingham are on you like a rash when you have the ball and its all about quick pass and move.
Signign Pirlo would be a mistake and if any other manager did it he'd be slated for signing a has been.

I disagree. You don't win almost everything there is to win by being shite. He's definitely better than any of our back up play makers (Do we even have another play maker besides Silva?)

[Ted Hughes]

The best deep lying playmaker in the world. The people raising his age are showing their ignorance because his game was never about physical attributes which would be affected by age. (not to mention that hes only 31 anyway). His vision and passing are world class and hes one of the best for these thats ever played in the game.

He's having problems with fitness and injury right now which could limit his appearances but for when he does play it'll be a lucky team that gets him.

Was interesting to watch world cup 2010 and how abject Italy were in their first two games and for the first half against Slovakia. Suddenly Pirlo (who was struggling with injury) is brought on and its a different team, Italy become rampant and are very unlucky to not get the result they needed from that game.
Think AC Milan are the same, they're a very ordinary team without him. Pirlo could really make the attacking city players click and become a fearsome attacking force.

Excellent post Smurfbomber, especially the reference to the Slovakia game. The way that Pirlo plays brings back memories of City's 1971/72 season when 'Uncle Joe' signed a 31 year old winger called Freddie Hill who had played most of his football at Bolton. I couldn't, for the life of me see why we had signed him because he had slowed down and lost most of the wing trickery he'd had as a younger player. However, Uncle Joe used him as a squad member, largely for back up BUT, cannily, as a deeper lying playmaker (or 'schemer' as we used to call them in those days).

In one eventful game in January 1972 against Wolves, at Maine Road, City were leading 3-2 at half time but were hanging on, with Mike Summerbee struggling towards half time with an ankle injury. Just after half time, Buzzer had to come off and Freddie Hill replaced him and, immediately,he was calling for the ball and, from central midfield, he began to orchestrate all of City's attacking play; spraying the ball about, playing one-twos, probing and always making himself available. All of the nail biting we'd been going through dissipated and City went on the rampage to win the game 5-2.

It was a veritable master class in midfield playmaking and very similar to the way Pirlo changed the Slovakia game against Italy.

In my opinion, Pirlo could go on for quite a few years yet, by his very style of play and he would be a perfect foil for David Silva. I'd sign him up like a shot.

This can't be true because A: football hadn't been invented then & B: English people are thick at tactics & don't understand anything about passing the ball in midfield etc. Indeed the very idea that we could have used a deep lying playmaker in the 70's without having an Italian or Spaniard or other overseas geezer to tell us how to do it is quite ridiculous.