THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[arthurfonzarelli]

DP: maybe you should post photos of your cute girlfriends instead.

[DavidP]

taddei is cuter.

also, do you visit the offside often?

edit: im also single right now.

[maro]

To be honest, I should think that anyone who's been following Roma for a while now would take it as a given that, whatever else happened at the ritiro, Rodrigo would be certain to appear in at least one pair of unpleasantly short shorts. He lurrves showing a bit of thigh.

[arthurfonzarelli]

http://www.forzaroma.info/calciomercato ... estaq.html

What do you guys think of co-owning Pastore? I don't think it's feasible. It would work for us but less so for Palermo because they would not have the cash to buy back our half should he turn out to be a dud and would have less negotiating power if it goes to the envelopes.

[DavidP]

[RomaShield27]

When you say "best friends" that just means you haven't gotten up on her yet, right?

Looks like we've signed this Josè Angel Valdes, video and pics of him at Fiumicino:

http://www.forzaroma.info/news-as-roma/ ... romaq.html

[DavidP]

sick, sick man.

[RomaShield27]

Who? Jose Valdes? Bit of a raggedy oul shirt on 'em but I wouldn't say he looks sick.

Fonz, co-owning Pastore doesn't sound too realistic, like you say. But I suppose Zamperini is crazy enough that there is a chance he just may go for such an offer, dependent on no big offers coming in from any other club by the time August roles around, say, and Pastore insists that he is ready to leave. He's said he wants to stay in Italia (which is great), and I can't see either Inter or Milan splashing €40m (or equal value including player exchanges) on him, so, you never know.

with Okaka's agent expressing his disappointing at not been called to pre-season training. He says Okaka is "hurt by the decision by everyone expected it", and discussing his future, he says "surely an outright sale is the only option now", as by not calling him for training they have shown a lack of faith in him.

Also, interesting about Luca Antei, the 19-year-old central-defender from our Primavera. His agent says "right now Luke is the third centre-half available to Luis Enrique", which is true, as the only other centre-half's we have are Juan and Burdisso (who obviously isn't in Brunico). He says he has lots of offers to go on loan to Serie B, but is delighted to be part of the senior set-up for now.

[DavidP]

why can't you see Inter splashing 40m for him? If they sell Sneijder it won't be very unlikely.

[RomaShield27]

Sure, if they sell Sneijder they could conceivably replace him with Pastore. I don't think they will sell him, though, and even if they did they may just keep the money as they already have a 'replacement' in yer man Alvarez.

Good article here about Menez: http://frenchfootballweekly.wordpress.c ... an-abroad/

[ASR1927]

[ASR1927]

From football-italia

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

Roma may have secured one of names from the latest South American wave of exciting attacking talent in signing Erik Lamela, but for a fee heading towards €20m, he remains a 19-year-old now facing a significant adaptation to life in Serie A.

Arguably the peninsula’s biggest signing of the summer so far, Lamela arrives more for the potential he has shown in two seasons with River Plate, than the finished product. Wearing the No 10 shirt for River, Lamela based his play in the Argentina Primera Division from an attacking central-midfield position that pushed into the trequartista role.

Tall but sleight in frame, Lamela’s main strength is a comfort and ability of running with the ball – at players, with pace or in tight areas. Technically gifted, Lamela’s reputation right from his first game has also been as an accurate and consistent threat through set-piece delivery. There is also a composed edge to the footballer in front of goal, with a quick search on YouTube highlighting the extraordinary attempts at converting some otherwise clear-cut chances.

However, in netting just four goals from 36 career appearances in Argentina to match that audacity, it suggests an element of poor decision-making to his play. Where this may be a concern however, an otherwise sharp awareness of space and how to use it has been Lamela’s main success and could be the key attribute to determine his development in Serie A.

Nevertheless, with Luis Enrique planning to adopt a version of his 4-3-3 pattern used with Barcelona B, and having promised Francesco Totti a pivotal role in his attack, Lamela may find his attributes applied – and his chance to develop them – in a new role. With Totti set to determine central offensive creativity, Lamela could be pushed either into a deeper central-midfield role, or for the imbalance between offensive and defensive aspects to the Argentine’s game, out on to the wing.

The interesting point added to this is that his arrival as an exciting, energetic attacking talent with pace and creativity in his feet is reminiscent of the Giallorossi’s 2008 signing of Jeremy Menez, as too is the potential positional re-alignment and high expectations facing the youngster.

Menez’ three years have been a mixture of frustration, promise and poor relations with teammates and Coaches, with the Frenchman more than once linked with a move away from the Olimpico.

The main issue that continues to surround Menez is how best to use his characteristics to their full potential, characteristics very similar to Lamela’s. Neither is likely to line up in a 4-3-2-1, a compromise between them and Totti, given Enrique’s preference for wing-based attack, with the debate over Menez potentially open to including Lamela in light of their Coach’s tactical traits.

Significantly, finding a role at Roma takes a backseat as Lamela misses the first weeks of Roma’s pre-season due to his involvement in the Under-20 World Cup. Enrique’s primary focus in taking charge has been to extend and bring forward his training ritiro with the squad, such is the emphasis and value he places on this preparation work with the players.

Enrique’s coaching with Barcelona B was about attention to detail and application through training, with the front players often separated from the group to work with a different Coach to drill attacking moves over and over until they were second nature movements.

Enrique is a Coach whose focus is the team, and he has regularly stated a preference to minimise the reliance on individual talent through this over-familiarity of in-game teammate patterns.

Lamela’s arrival to Rome this summer is scheduled for during August and whilst this will raise doubts over his fitness preparation, his lack of time with his new teammates may prove more significant, and leave Enrique reluctant to push him into first-team action regardless of his ability with a ball. Perhaps Luciano Moggi’s words on Lamela could be prophetic: “He does what he wants with the ball at his feet, so would be excellent in a circus. How he does on a playing field in Serie A is another matter.”



Of course it never ceases t amaze me why people still go to Moggi for his opinion?!

[pocari_fenrir]

says we sealed the transfer for Jose Angel

http://www.football-italia.net/jul13ee.html

[RomaShield27]

[DavidP]

[ASR1927]

Grazie.

[red]

I see it has now been confirmed that Baldini will join Roma after Euro 2012 Qualifying is done.

[RomaShield27]

Yep, seen that. Nothing that we didn't know before, other then he may be used on a one-off basis as an assistant during the Euro 2012 tournament should Capello want him.

Franco Baldini to leave England job for director's position at Roma
• Baldini to leave his post at end of Euro 2012 qualifying
• Italian could yet be used on one-off basis for tournament

http://www.guardian.co.uk – Thursday 14 July 2011 11.58 BST

[DavidP]

http://www.calcion.eu/skysport.htm

Live stream of TBD's presentation.

New kits:

[RomaShield27]

Official presenation of all things Roma ('Di Benedetto Day', new jerseys) took place today.

Transcript and pics from ForzaRoma .

Article and pics from RomaNews .

Corriere dello Sport article