THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[maro]

LE pissed me off before the start last night because of his selections - he has this curious inclination to try and play the tactical hero and pull strange formations and selections out of his arse (rotation is a quite different thing, though no doubt also arse-related for one or two of the non-Romanisti in these parts). It reminded me of his treatment of Totti at the beginning of the season. If he genuinely has conviction in his tactics - and I hope he does - then he's got to back his team to go and impose itself even on difficult grounds. Last night smacked of his trying to pull a rabbit from his arse so he could then claim brilliant tactics. Just back the team that's done well and go for that, you muppet.

I totally agree, though, chewna - he should be in the job for at least another couple of years. Stability is the only way to build something serious. And this summer we're in an incomparably different place from where we were last summer. For instance, we're in the infinitely different place of knowing that the side can continue to be built around DDR, no? I'd be interested to know if we'd have signed Gago had DDR signed the extension this time last year. Which isn't a criticism at all of Gago - just a nod to the different kinds of clarity available to the conception of the team and the squad going forward.

[maro]

One other thing I'd say is that it's an indictment of LE and the summer moves how dependent we are on Totti. Gio, your exchange with dino in the Rube thread is laughable - if dino actually watched some football he might be worth engaging with. I know Totti's an incredible player and I love the fact we're still so dependent on him - it vindicates my sense of his genius more and more. Still, it is an indictment of the coach and the transfer moves.

[Italiamia]

I agree that a knee jerk reaction like firing the coach in his first year is not advisable. Although, maybe I am too stupid but I simply do not know what the goal really is at this point. Perhaps the coach just needs his kind of player. If we all recall, this is what was said when Iglesias was hired:

"The reason we chose Enrique is symbolic,” said Walter Sabatini, Roma’s Sporting Director. “Enrique represents an idea of football that we would like to follow, which imposes itself today through Spain and Barcelona…I was looking for someone outside of Italian football. Uncontaminated.”


Enrique: “When Roma got to know me, they got to know me as an offensive coach who likes to attack, who likes good football. The important thing is that the fans come to watch us, that they enjoy themselves. It’s a very attractive way of playing. We will play on the attack. I don’t consider football any other way. We are moving towards a complete change of ideas and identity…I haven’t come here to bring the Barcelona model, but something that is similar to it.”

Baldini on the first half of the season: “We should stop trying to make comparisons with Barcelona,” says General Manager Franco Baldini. “We’re trying to create a team that works with possession, but other sides do that too. We’ll refer to Barcelona when we have quality.”

[Italiamia]

[maro]

Yeah, probably. I'm out of patience, though - you've got to be interesting for me to be prepared to get engaged. Or else I've got to be really seriously idle.

[DCGweez]

Being a Rube fan is like being a ManU fan to me. You're guilty of being a know nothing, front running, idiot until proven innocent.

[maro]

dino's unlikely ever to show you otherwise.

[Italiamia]

[red]

No point in sticking with someone you don't trust just because he's in the job.

There are still huge problems with the shape of Roma's team, so more than just better players is required.

[DCGweez]

You put two quality CBs back there with DDR in front for cover I think the shape will be ok. I'm not tied to it though. But I'm not convinced its the problem. Of course there is no guarantee even given the right pieces that LE will put them together correctly.

Most worrisome for me is that I have yet to see him make personel and tactical changes during a game that I felt stemmed and turned the tied.

[RomaShield27]

We're unlikely to sign two quality centre-backs, though. All indications suggest that we'd only be signing one centre-back, and in all likelihood that would be an up-and-coming defender like Dede and not a top-notch established defender. Dede may well be the next best thing, but it'll still natually take him a little time to adapt to a new environment. And I agree to an extent, centre-back is not the only problem. For LE's possesso paella to truly be successful I think the key are midfielders. Really technical, skilful and good on the ball midfielders who can control the tempo of the game, which I don't think we have.

Sad little stat: only twice in the last 50 years have Roma suffered more defeats in Serie A than they have this season: in '63-64 and '04-05.

[AS Collie]

04-05 was a joke. But remember that 05-06, Spalletti's first season, was topsy-turvy too. If we win our remaining games, we'll only be 4 points adrift of that season's total.

Let's see what happens next season. Pjanic, Lamela, Bojan (maybe ...), Angel and Borini will all be a little older and more developed, and Marquinho will be more settled. Hopefully the defensive problems will be resolved, and we should see more cohesion.

[RomaShield27]

lol, Panucci gone from Palermo already:

Panucci resigns at Palermo
/ Tuesday April 24 2012

Palermo have confirmed that new director Christian Panucci has left the club after resigning from his post. The former defender was only brought to the outfit last month and was unveiled to the media on March 20. Following a disagreement with President Maurizio Zamparini, the ex-Italian international has decided to step down as technical director. The move was widely expected after reports of a disagreement emerged this morning.

[AS Collie]

Fuckin hell. But that was a match made in hell.

[RomaShield27]

LE conferenza stampa this morning (pics and audio) :

http://www.vocegiallorossa.it/?action=r ... izia=35673

Football Italia piece on it:

http://www.football-italia.net/18032/bl ... ss-enrique

"When the club says they no longer have faith in me then I’ll go. If the fans in general criticise me then I’ll go. If you criticise me then I won’t leave."

[DCGweez]

I saw that stat from Horncastle. Awful. Just awful.

I really wish we would get Spaletti back but it ain't gonna happen.

Baldini sat with LE today and said all these troubles and setbacks were foreseen prior to the hiring (Translation: LE ain't goin nowhere.)

[RomaShield27]

And here is that Baldini conferenza stampa with video:

http://www.romanews.eu/2012/04/24/baldi ... atta-foto/

Of course the management have to stick with LE and say all those things now, and I suppose if they believe in him and the project then thats fine. I can't help but wonder if there are any seeds of doubt among the management at the club, though. If he is to stay, then fair enough, give him another season, but the only way I can see him going is if, like he said himself, we continue to perform badly and the pressure from the fans gets too much for him to take, then he'll walk away.

[romaromaroma]

He deserves to stay, he doesnt deserve whats he getting of hate.
Around everybody wanted us to fail, and even within roma fans themselves people wanted him to fail badly.The fact we are foreign owned, with foreign manager.We had the league against us this year, lost the count on the amount of times we got fucked by the ref with pk's and red cards.This year will be our lowest amount of pk shot, most amount of pk conceded, most amount of red cards etc etc.
I feel sorry for the man, he was given bunch of young players who can turn into potential superstars.but he wasnt given any established players bar stek & osvaldo.People found likes of Borini, Lamela, Angel, Marquinho the day we signed them.Nobody knew who were they.Yet they are expected to be the world's best we signed!

[DCGweez]

Lamela was asked to sign for Barca at 13. Borini played for Chelsea and Barca tried to sign Jose Angel. These are not unknown players.

He was given more than almost every other Manager of the last 10 years.

Like I said, I'm indifferent at this point but I'd love to know how many games that we have out scored our opponent after the 20th minute (once the game settles and the coach makes adjustments). I suspect we would be in the bottom half near relegation. Seems to me you can pretty well tell if we will win in the first 20 minutes of a game.

[romaromaroma]

They are unknown players, you went to read those stuff after we signed them. You didnt knew borini played for chesea reserves, or lamela was wanted by barca at 13.You didnt knew all that, until we got them.

The amount of young players scouted today to be the next big thing is very very big.
It doesnt mean they are all superstars, or will turn into something special.This is the point you miss.
We didnt sign established players, period.Rather we risked money on players who might turn into sthg. And gave LE one heck of a job.


I remind you early 2000 , we signed fabio junior for 19 million dollar from brazil.He turned into big time flop.