THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[Italiamia]

I don't blame Borriello. Iglesias does not want any Italian players and the ownership supports this at the moment.

[RomaShield27]

Blame Borriello for what? I think we're doing ok with the balance of Italians and stranieri in this side so far this season. However, that is likely to change, you could argue, what with the management talking of new players arriving who in all likelihood, won't be Italian, and the possible departure of a few like Borriello. That is why I really, really hope Rosi can nail down that right-back spot (his injury came at a real bad time for him), so we can have three Romans in our first-choice 11 at all times.

[Italiamia]

For wanting to leave Roma and return to Milan. I will be watching less and less, Edzo.

[maro]

It was the notion that Pjanic (supposedly) would like to play as trequartista that I thought was particularly interesting. It will be interesting to see where Pjanic, Lamela, and Totti play if the three of them are ever on the pitch together.

[Lupa]

Presumably they'll all play together at some point, and I agree that it will be interesting to see how they are set up. From the little I've seen of Lamela, he doesn't strike me as a trequartista, but that mostly is based on my idea that he seems to be less of a player interested in creating for others. It could be that he is young and keen to make an impression for himself, though. It could also be that I just haven't seen him play enough.

Vocegiallorossa is predicting a 4-3-3 with Pjanic as part of the midfield and Lamela as part of the attack, given that they were in those positions in their respective teams in training.

I miss Totti.

[AS Collie]

[maro]

Is it so much different from those formations we've already seen in which Pjanic was one of the midfield three, Totti the trequartista, and Osvaldo and Bojan or Borriello or Borini the front two? That's what I was thinking, anyway - that, on the face of it, it wouldn't make the side any more attackingly lopsided than some of the line-ups we've already seen and that a player like Lamela can beat his man one-on-one in a way almost none of the other attacking options (Bojan was impressive in this regard against Palermo, but I'd not considered him that kind of player before) can. On the face of it, you'd think it'd be Pjanic as one of the midfield three, Lamela as trequartista, and Totti as one of the front two. And yet Totti's played almost exclusively as the trequartista and that article, for what it's worth, suggests that that's where Pjanic wants to play and of course that's where he did play before he came to us and where a number of punters have said they want to see him. So, with all three players 'natural' trequartiste, it would be very interesting to see who gets nudged forward and who gets tucked back in to the midfield three. That, at any rate, was what I was thinking - I don't have much of an idea who'd play where, but will be interested to see what unfolds.

[Italiamia]

http://www.international.rai.it/giostra/

[Lupa]

Pjanic: Il ruolo? Mi trovo bene sia da trequartista che da centrocampista. Tra l’altro sono contento di aver già fatto tre assist".

I didn't realize he had three assists. Nice of him to point that out.

Projected lineups:

CORRIERE DELLO SPORT

ROMA (4-3-1-2): 24 Stekelenburg; 87 Rosi, 29 Burdisso, 5 Heinze, 3 Josè Angel; 23 Greco, 16 De Rossi, 19 Gago; 15 Pjanic; 8 Lamela, 9 Osvaldo. (18 Curci, 77 Cassetti, 11 Taddei, 20 Perrotta, 30 Simplicio, 14 Bojan, 22 Borriello). All. Luis Enrique

IL MESSAGGERO

ROMA (4-3-1-2): 24 Stekelenburg; 87 Rosi, 29 Burdisso, 5 Heinze, 3 Josè Angel; 23 Greco, 16 De Rossi, 19 Gago; 15 Pjanic; 8 Lamela, 9 Osvaldo. (18 Curci, 77 Cassetti, 11 Taddei, 20 Perrotta, 30 Simplicio, 14 Bojan, 22 Borriello). All. Luis Enrique

LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT

ROMA (4-3-1-2): 24 Stekelenburg; 87 Rosi, 29 Burdisso, 5 Heinze, 3 Josè Angel; 23 Greco, 16 De Rossi, 19 Gago; 15 Pjanic; 14 Bojan, 9 Osvaldo. (18 Curci, 77 Cassetti, 11 Taddei, 20 Perrotta, 30 Simplicio, 8 Lamela, 22 Borriello). All. Luis Enrique

IL TEMPO
.
ROMA (4-3-1-2): 24 Stekelenburg; 87 Rosi, 29 Burdisso, 5 Heinze, 3 Josè Angel; 23 Greco, 16 De Rossi, 19 Gago; 15 Pjanic; 14 Bojan, 9 Osvaldo. (18 Curci, 77 Cassetti, 11 Taddei, 20 Perrotta, 30 Simplicio, 8 Lamela, 22 Borriello). All. Luis Enrique

IL ROMANISTA

ROMA (4-3-1-2): 24 Stekelenburg; 87 Rosi, 29 Burdisso, 5 Heinze, 3 Josè Angel; 23 Greco, 16 De Rossi, 15 Pjanic; 8 Lamela; 14 Bojan, 22 Borriello. (18 Curci, 77 Cassetti, 11 Taddei, 20 Perrotta, 30 Simplicio, 19 Gago, 9 Osvaldo). All. Luis Enrique

All lineups have us with three Romans starting.

[RomaShield27]

Forza the three Romans. Great to see Rosi back, hope he gets right back into it where he left off. He's better at defending than Angel, I think (which isn't really saying much), but he's also a lot better going forward than either Cassetti or Perrotta playing on the right so should give us more balance, and more of an equaling attacking outlet on the right to compliment the left.

Most seem to be suggesting that Lamela will start. I think it'll be the first time we see both he and Pjanic start a game together. It'll be interesting to see if its Lamela as one of the front two, or at trequartista, with Pjanic in the midfield three. It'll be quite attacking if its the latter, with possibly Bojan getting a start as well.

Also, look how short we are the back: Juan and Kjaer out so Cassetti is our only defensive cover available.

[maro]

Or even with Lamela as one of the midfield three and Pjanic in front of him?

[Italiamia]

[SPqR]

Gio, looks like your cousin is in some hot water for driving trashed.

[Italiamia]

[RomaShield27]

Is that Dino Viola in your new avatar/image?

[Italiamia]

[RomaShield27]

lol, I knew you'd bite. I knew who it was, I just wanted to see your reaction. Nice pics.

[RomaShield27]

lol, look at this (official twitter) picture, it looks as if there's a serious divide in the camp, between the 'cool' new boys down this end, and the old, dried up losers at the other end. Borriello is like, "ohhhhh how da feck did I end at this end of the tavolo?"

Some reports that the game may not go ahead tonight due to very heavy rain in Novara, but it should go ahead. No doubt the synthetic pitch helps.

[Italiamia]

[Italiamia]

Edzo, that is wonderful. Thank you very much. It is greatly appreciated.