THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[RomaShield27]

[RomaShield27]

[Carlo Romano]

Ed, of course, our greatest problem is we all too often have to make the best of a situation with what we have. I agree that Burdisso can be guilty of trying too hard but he does take charge which Mexes doesn't do. He(Mexes) however has that bit of Gallic flair. Quite where Philou's future lies may not be just as obvious as it appeared to be a few weeks ago, if Laurent Blanc isn't seeing him as an automatic selection for les bleus. Yet that said, how can he if the guy isn't playing regular first team football?

As to whom Ranieri may be forgetting, well I haven't, not by a long shot, even though we must remember yesterday's comments were made, given that Vuci and JS are sidelined for the moment.

I've heard every possible argument against my proposed "go for the jugular" 4-2-3-1 Spallettiano lineup below...that it's unbalanced, is far too attacking in an almost kamikaze sense and they're just the obvious points. My reason for fancying this is that I see a need to simply outscore our opposition until we get our collective act together as a unit and stop leaking goals. We're not going to keep a clean sheet right now, it's not going to happen! As we seem to be struggling beyond 65-70 minutes with tiredness, then we make the changes...

At the end of the day, our Signor Claudio wouldn't have what the latinos call the cojones to play this module, so we won't see it, more's the damn pity. That being the case perhaps more objections are really moot points...

With the exception of Julio Sergio when he is able to return, I couldn't see us bettering, in terms of giving our opposition a battering, what I've set up here. Totti now needs Vuci and Ménez to do the leg work so he can create, and if needs must, then go off after about 70 mins...if necessary, Jeremy too could make way for Taddei or even Baptista to keep the momentum going.

There is also James's big pal Simone Perrotta who could come on...






Our mister sees the 4-4-2 as the safe running mode. OK, just until our key men get back and up to speed...then I wish he'd go for it. To show what we could be like!

[vtec]

technically, it's bâle in french, although the circumflex above the 'a' signifies that there once was an 's' in there in antedeluvian times.

[Carlo Romano]

[ASR1927]

Official lineup as per UEFA...
--------------------Lobont
Cassetti-------Mexes-----Burdisso------Riise

Taddei--------Pizarro-----Brighi-----Perrotta

-----------Totti-----------Borriello

[RomaShield27]

So Juan gets the rest, interesting. We probably give away seven peno's with that centre-half pairing. Lets hope Totti can score eight, then. Absolute must win game.

Think we could be doin well to get a solid stream. There is one listed on www.atdhe.net but thats always changing/fecking around showing other games. Madrid v Milan is on Setanta.

[ASR1927]

I actually payed for on on UEFA.com it's only 2.99Euros. I know crazy but the stream doesn't freeze and I can watch it full screen.


I'd prefer to rest Burdisso as well. We need Juan's calming influence outback.

[stefano]

Any word on other streams I don't need to pay for?

[ASR1927]

http://siamosemprenoi.t35.com/

[RomaShield27]

Nice stream Jeff. What the fucks goin on, did they score?

[RomaShield27]

Well didn't see any of that first-half. Dodgy stream to begin with and it got worse. 2-1 down at half-time, whats the fuckin story boys?

EuroSport text commentary here:
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/football/cha ... 84201.html

[The MAN]

1-3 at home to Basel? Are you fucking shitting me?

[RomaShield27]

Yep, thats correct, The Man. Although you wouldn't think it judging by the flurry of replies – thanks lads.

I missed the game – got tired of messing around with shitty streams – but 1-3 at home to Basel is just pathetic. Completely inexcusable. We had a decent team out there, coming off a win the weekend, and its the CL, the showcase of European football which we worked so hard to qualify for, and we lose 1-3 at home. To Basel. And you know what, it doesn't matter if I didn't see that game, that result, for a club like Roma against a club like Basel, is just pathetic and inexcusable. I'm really beginning to think Ranieri has to go.

[ASR1927]

Who could replace him?


Ed we had so many chances in the second half it was frustrating to watch!

[RomaShield27]

I don't know, Jeff. But I'm tired of the excuses. Tired of the inconsistency, the odd team selections, the bizarre formations, the negativity, the constant changes and the rumours of unrest.

I mean, just say it aloud. A 1-3 home defeat in the Champions League to Basel. Just inexcusable.

[ASR1927]

Football Italia - the Italian football website for English-speaking football fans

Roma wasted dozens of scoring opportunities in their shock 3-1 home defeat to Swiss side Basel. This result, and Cluj's 3-2 defeat at Bayern Munich, leaves them rock bottom of Group E.

The Giallorossi are still trying to find a sense of consistency and welcomed struggling Basel amid an injury crisis. Daniele De Rossi, Mirko Vucinic, Jeremy Menez, Adriano and goalkeeper Julio Sergio were all out of action, while Philippe Mexes was picked ahead of Juan.

Basel had a bright start and after some shots were charged down in the box, took the lead. Stocker knocked down a Shaqiri cross for Alexander Frei outside the area, who hit a powerful and accurate first time left-foot strike between Bogdan Lobont and the near post.

Roma tried to fight back, but nobody was able to get the final touch to a Rodrigo Taddei ball across the face of goal.

The equaliser came with Borriello, although much of the credit goes to Francesco Totti. An absolutely inspired first-time pass from the wide left edge of the centre-circle sent Borriello clear on goal and he drew out the goalkeeper to chip into an empty net.

Borriello was incorrectly flagged offside in a dangerous position, then Totti's angled drive flashed across the face of goal to skim the base of the far post.

Basel did get the ball in the back of the net, but it was correctly ruled offside when Frei tapped in Stocker's low cross.

That was just a warning, as Inkoom sprung the offside trap by getting in front of a slow Simone Perrotta down the right flank and smashing a powerful finish past Lobont.

After the restart Totti again shaved a coat of paint off the upright with a splendid snapshot from distance that had left Costanzo rooted to the spot.

Borriello wasted a promising counter-attack when he went for goal himself and blasted off target.

There was chaos just shy of the hour mark with a series of chances. Taddei came so close, as his fierce angled drive from near the byline cracked against the base of the far post. It came back out to David Pizarro, who fired over the bar.

Taddei threatened again when he latched on to a poor clearance from distance only to drill centrally with his weaker left foot. It was turning into a siege and the ball was nodded back across the six yard box by Totti where both Nicolas Burdisso and Perrotta came sliding in unable to get the decisive tap-in.

A Totti strike was charged down for a corner and Costanzo captured Borriello's effort, but Basel also threatened when Huggel's header from a corner skimmed the far post.

Matteo Brighi's free header from a Julio Baptista cross was over the bar, as the midfielder really should've done better.

Borriello was held back as he ran towards the box, but even after shaking off his marker was unable to get a decent finish away.

Totti's floated free kick found the head of Philippe Mexes, but it only skimmed the crossbar. In the final minute a free kick was touched on for Totti's screamer, which stung the palms of goalkeeper Costanzo.

Instead, it was Basel who added a third to their tally deep into stoppages. Substitute Cabral skipped through four Giallorossi jerseys and their ineffectual challenges to delicately finish past Lobont.

[pocari_fenrir]

[Giacomo]

I was not that suprised by the result, by our performance in the first half, yes, but not the result. Basel are champions of Switzerland and they could easily have won last season in the Olimpico in the EL group game too. It is not as suprising result as has been said.

[RomaShield27]

The Champions of Switzerland...? You mean they are the best team in all of the Switzerland? Oh wow, I forgot about that. Lets be serious here for a second. This is Champions League football, the best of the best, the competition were we aspire to be every season, among Europe's elite. Basel are a decent young side, but they are no where near that level. And yet we think we are? Burdisso said it yesterday, that he believes we're in the top 10 teams in Europe. It is hoped we can go far every season, but losing at home to the mighty Basel is not worthy of such accolades. It is deluding ourselves to think that is just an unfortunate result and that these things can happen. A club with our supposed stature simply should not be losing such a Champions League home fixture, regardless of the 100 excuses Ranieri or anyone else comes up with.