THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[p_maldini_3]

maybe he's one of his boyfriends.

[SPqR]

[loazzi]

Looks like Gago, Perrotta, Stek and Lamela are all recovered for the derby with Totti the only "?." There are 3 questions that I've been thinking about.

1) If Totti can't go, who does LE put at 3/4ista. Lamela clearly doesn't start. Bojan is a possible option with Osvaldo and Borini in front (and Lamela and Borriello on the bench). Pjanic is also a very likely option as he looked good in that position in his short stint there against Atalanta. I think he is the favorite.

2) With all of the midfielders back and healthy, who starts in the midfield and who even gets convocato? Simplicio was really MOM for me against Atalanta. I think he really earned another start. He fit the tactics very, very well and I can't see benching him after that performance, much less not even calling him up. That leads to my 3rd question...

3) Who are the 18 called up? This seems really tricky to me with or without Totti's availability.

[forzaitalia]

Simplicio is worthy of a start simply for his heroics against Lazio last season!

I really do hope Totti is fit.

[Italiamia]

Italy boss Cesare Prandelli won’t be able to ignore Alessio Cerci for much longer, says former Fiorentina ace Angelo Di Livio. The uncapped Cerci has been in fine form for the Viola this season, but he wasn’t included in Prandelli’s latest squad. “I don’t think that Prandelli can keep his eyes closed when faced with someone like Cerci,” Di Livio told La Nazione. “Cerci may have to adapt himself to Prandelli’s formation, but his performances are above average and he won’t have any problems. “Alessio is Fiorentina’s extra man this season, he’s acquired strength and self-belief in his abilities. He’s the most in-form player in the Italian championship. “He reminds me a little of Bruno Conti. Alessio is more powerful, whereas Bruno had more fantasy.”

Cerci, formerly of Roma, remained at the Stadio Franchi over the summer despite a bid from Manchester City.

[maro]

Sergio Buso: "Il rombo dell'italia non è adatto per De Rossi"
Sabato 08 Ottobre 2011 10:57

Sergio Buso, intervistato ai microfoni della Radio Sportiva, ha parlato della prestazione dell'Italia contro la Serbia: "Grossa prova di maturità, la squadra ha saputo tenere il campo contro una squadra determinata, con un pubblico ostico.

La Serbia ha creato molte occasioni, l'Italia ha corso qualche rischio eccedendo nel fraseggio stretto. Complessivamente bene, è stata molto importante per Prandelli.C'è un centrocampo con i piedi molto buoni, abbiamo sbagliato qualcosa in fase difensiva, ma promuovo la squadra in blocco, anche se il centrocampo a rombo non è adatto alle caratteristiche dei giocatori, soprattutto per De Rossi".

[Italiamia]

sab, 08 ott 09:53:00 2011


Clamorose dichiarazioni di Montolivo al termine del match tra Italia e Serbia. Il giocatore della Fiorentina conferma: "Ho rifiutato il progetto Roma per rimanere a Firenze"

È un Montolivo che non ti aspetti quello che al termine di Serbia-Italia parla della sua situazione a Firenze. Parole che potrebbero aprire nuovi scenari e che finalmente sembrano pronunciate da un capitano. Montolivo in estate ha detto no alla Roma di Luis Enrique. Un progetto, quello nella capitale, che poteva vedere proprio Montolivo tra i grandi protagonisti. "Sì è vero, in estate c'è stato qualcosa con la Roma negli ultimi giorni di mercato. La mia è stata una decisione non facile, ma ho preferito dare il mio contributo alla Fiorentina".

La situazione alla Fiorentina non è certo delle più facili per Montolivo. Tante discussioni all’interno e all’esterno degli spogliatoi con una tifoseria che non ha preso certo bene le dichiarazioni del capitano. Il giocatore continua a dare il proprio contributo ma la sua partenza a gennaio è sempre più probabile.
"Sicuramente la mia non è una situazione facile, ne devo uscire con il carattere. I miei compagni e l'allenatore mi stanno dando una mano, mi sono vicini e io devo pensare a far bene per la Fiorentina perché vogliamo fare un grande campionato".
Nonostante le dichiarazioni post Serbia Montolivo rischia seriamente di lasciare Firenze. Il Milan non ha mai nascosto l’interesse e l’aria in Toscana è ogni giorno più pesante.

Andrea PRETE / Eurosport

[Italiamia]

Poor old Amantino, his life really took a negative turn when he left Roma:

http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Squadre/I ... 7152.shtml

[forzaitalia]

that's crazy.

Thinking more of the football side since his departure, just goes to show the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I did like him when he was here though, from about 2005 to 2007 he was very good, if at times a little frustrating if I remember correct, and chipped in with a lot of goals. His backheel flick against Lazio and then the stepover goal at Lyon spring to mind.

[maro]

edge, how the hell are you? How are things in Egypt?

[RomaShield27]

Interview with Di Benedetto from LAROMA24.IT at the 'Leaders in Football' thingy:



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50 years ago today (11 October, 1961) Roma won its only European trophy: the Fairs Cup. We beat Birmingham City 4-2 on aggregate over two legs. Here's captain Giacomo Losi with the trophy (credit to DonSimon for spotting it):



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Totti is still a major doubt for the Derby, a decision will be made tomorrow on if he'll be available. All he's able to manage now is some physio in the pool (whilst watching some TV, or so it looks). Pjanic is likely to replace him as trequartista. Steakburger, Gago and Perrotta are all fine. Lamela is also training normally but is unlikely to feature at the weekend. Here is Totti at Trigoria today:



More pics of training today .

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Check out the last few posts in the thread, some pretty spectacular pieces of artwork added there.

[DCGweez]

Anyone know with the security policies if I'll have a hard time purchasing a ticket to a Roma game at Olimpico with a US passport but has my City of Birth as Rome?

[RomaShield27]

[DCGweez]

Ok thanks for the info.

[RomaShield27]

What game you planning on going to see?

[RomaShield27]

De Rossi: Il mio rinnovo non deve essere un assillo

Il centrocampista della Roma: «Il derby? A 21-22 anni lo vivevo male e non facevo buone partite, ora la tendenza è cambiata e ho grande tranquillità

http://www.corrieredellosport.it – Martedì 11 Ottobre 2011



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Some rather stark words from DDR on his future: "Regardless of what happens with my contract and my future, the most important thing is the future of Roma. if I don't sign with Roma, they could spend those money to buy more important and stronger players what's important is Roma's project"

So Totti is out of the Derby, big blow. The OfficialASRoma twitter thingy said he will be holding a press conference on Thursday at 12 pm.

Some rather odd gifs off Bojan and a puppy:
http://spainchampions.tumblr.com/post/1 ... perra-nina

Oh, apparently Bojan and Messi are distant cousins. Here's 'proof':
http://yfrog.com/z/kh56tmwj

Cool new Ermes79 video uploaded yesterday about our win over Atalanta (just hit mute)

[RomaShield27]

Good to see Osvaldo make his senior debut for Italia last night. He may still have a few doubters but he's shown with his recent form and run of goals that he is deserving of his place in the squad given the few injuries. He might not be a regular in the squad once the likes of Pazzini and Balotelli and others come back into the frame, but its a good start for his Azzurri career and if he keeps playing well for us and keeps banging them in he may a permanent fixture in the squad. It would be good to have a regular Roma Azzurri striker once again.

And I have to say I don't really understand the criticism of his call up from a nationality standpoint. It all stinks of a political agenda from those who would use it to his advantage. The man not only represented the Azzurrini in the past, but he holds dual-nationality since he moved to Italia as a teenager, he grew up in Italy, has Italian ancestry, and even has an Italian wife and Italian children. If other European countries had such a furor and made such a fuss over nationalities then the likes of Germany and France wouldn't be able to field 11 players from their current squads.

[Lupa]

I don't recall as big a fuss when Motta was called up (Thiago, that is) and he had actually represented Brazil as a youth. This may be a one shot deal for Osvaldo, but he certainly appeared to enjoy himself.

Ermes appears to have a sense of humour as I didn't mute the video and realized that the song is by Enrique.

It doesn't look good for Totti as far as appearing in the derby. I wonder if we'll see Lamela at some point in the game.

Bojan has been making a lot of noise in this international break. He's said, among other things, that he won't go back to Barcelona as long as Guardiola is there, Roman fans have made him feel at home in Roma, and that the Roma Lazio derby is more (important or passionate? I forget which) than El Classico. It's nice that he has praise for his new situation and all but I worry about a young guy who is badmouthing his original team, or at least the coach. Barca is pretty loaded with talent up front. I wish him all the best in a Roma jersey, of course.

[RomaShield27]

I don't consider Barca-Real a 'Derby', anyway, so I don't think it can really be compared to Roma-Lazio. I think he's just a youngfella chatting away a little and maybe a few things he said were taken out of context, but nothing mad dramatic. Guardiola is likely to leave Barca in a couple of years anyway I'd say (he always only signs short-term contracts), so the possibility of him going back exists. Not to mention I don't think he'll be worth the €40m or whatever it is we'll have to pay to keep him. I wonder if there's anyway around that, say, if we don't want to pay such a silly fee and Barca don't want him back? Say let him return to Barca after the two years and then we make a new bid of, say, €15-20m, or whatever a fairer reflection of his market value would be? I dunno.

Ha, I didn't know who that song was by. Thats a good one. I doubt we'll see Lamela, its a big game to throw him straight into, but who knows, maybe on the bench.

[ASR1927]

Here's an interesting chart that show the percentages of support for different teams in Italy. Roma comes in 5th at 7.4 million. A certain team that wears blue and white doesn't even chart on their own! They are lumped in with Altra squadra lol even less than Bologna! I guess they didn't count goats in the survey.

http://www.demos.it/2010/img/14232m.gif