THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[DCGweez]

Don't trust your eyes Maro, Socrates and Christ would both say. I know it hurts your eyes. But suffering is strength.

[RomaShield27]

So did we sign any of them new players yet? That Caprari of Pescara looks really good, we should go for him, what you think, DCG?

[DCGweez]

The boys shattered losing out to Iniesta and all. Leave him be.

[Italiamia]

[RomaShield27]

[aba_bab]

Ah boys.. nothing much is new.. been a crazy 18 months or so I tell ya. Gio was right to hate on the public sector workers.. Life was so nice and relaxed back then.

I'm in the motherland for a few weeks now.. and then to Abu Dhabu in a few days, and back to Canada middle of the month I fear.

Shieldy posed the question a few days ago.. how excited am I for the upcoming season... wel not much to be frank. As much as I will enjoy the gung-ho football of Zemen, I can't help but fear we have a mid level coach at best.. but I would be happy to be proven wrong. Maybe if we had rock solid defenders at the back i.e Samual, Mexes, Cicinho, I would have been a bit more confident, but I think its going to be more of the same as last season.. but a little bit better to look at though.

Borini is a litle cunt for wanting to go kill off his career, and I'm disappointed that Bojan left, I liked him most of the time last season, and thought he would be very well suited to Zemen.

[RomaShield27]

Good stuff Aba, good to hear life is keeping you busy. For a while there the lads were thinking you found Cicinho's fall from grace too hard to takeand were a down-and-out crack junky living on the streets of Rio alongside Cici desperate for your next hit. Abu Dhabu/Canada sounds much better.

Borini can feck off, I agree. The little loner twat was never that good, anyway. Any bleedin eijit can adopt the 'english model' and be all hustle and bustle and run around like a man possessed. He had little skill. Bojan's departure is more odd, I thought he was a decent back-up to have, but i guess we must trust Zeman if he didn't want him.

suggests our midfield against could be Tachtsidis-DDR-Florenzi. Tachtsidis as mediano/regista (see Maro's post 30 Aug 2012 10:03 am for more, Ed.), with Florenzi replacing Pjanic to offer us more strength as opposed to technical quality, which I suppose is to counter Inter's tough midfield trio. Pjanic may be bullied out of it. He also suffered a slight thigh strain in training which may be part of it. Marquinho is also in the mix to start but I think he'd also be too lightweight against Guarin and co.

It also says we may see a "heavy trident", with Destro on the right [sic], Totti in the middle and Osvaldo on the left. Lamela dropped, and no start for the impressive Nico Lopez. That front trio of Desto-Totti-Osvaldo haven't played a single minute of competitive football together, but if that is the case it sounds as if Zeman is thinking of taking a more direct approach against Inter, with a more robust midfield and our three main 'central' strikers all starting.

[maro]

I'm pretty sure Bojan was let go because the terms on which he was with us meant he couldn't really be part of a long-term project. I don't think anyone thinks we're likely to want to be coughing up a combined 40 mil to pick him up at the end of the season (that was always a long-shot, even had he started like the proverbial fiery house), which meant any work Zeman did with him, any value added, any development, wasn't likely to accrue to the benefit of the club. Better, then, even if it weakens the squad this season, to give all of Bojan's minutes to Destro, Lamela, Lopez, even Tallo, as the whispers have been on occasion (though whether he will be with the club this time tomorrow remains to be seen). I think Bojan could have been extremely effective for us this season, but in the end he was a hostage to his own contract/transfer situation and Zeman, with Sabreteeny, I should think, decided that this was the best move for the club as a whole, if not immediately for the season to come. Bojan was going to be the sixth choice but not because that was a true measure of his quality.

[RomaShield27]

Good points. I've been thinking of why we let Bojan go – and thats the best explanation I've seen yet. It makes you wonder, though, why did we sign him in the first place? I suppose it was the LE factor, in that we hoped that with LE in charge Bojan would become a key player for us last season, and indeed this season, and he would do well and score lots of goals and then go back to Barca after the two years. Certainly we were never going to sign him outright. I agree that he could have been good for us this season, but like you said, in the end he was a hostage to his own contract/transfer situation. That is the best way of putting it.

Borriello says yes to Genoa: http://www.forzaroma.info/notizie/calci ... i-al-genoa

[DCGweez]

[maro]

Sure, it's a risk. I suspect Zeman and Sabreteeny were both torn; had it been an easy decision it would have happened earlier in the summer. Formally, I imagine it was a complicated move (loaning a loanee), too, and I doubt Bojan would have gone to Pescara (or Malaga, as the case was). I'm not saying it was the right call - I suspect that will be known only sometime next year - but I'm pretty sure those were the terms on which the decision was reached.

[Lupa]

Yeah, I think it's a good point that we might as well develop players we intend to have rather than one we'd be sending back at the end of the year. I hope he doesn't light it up for Milan, though. Why couldn't we have gotten them to take Borriello back, too?

[DCGweez]

[DCGweez]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/nam ... 94?cc=5901

[RomaShield27]

Ah, so the mercato madness is finally over. Now we can all get back to discussing what we all really come here to discuss: why Maro is such a puff and shags sheep. Glad we got rid of Borriello (although it is only on loan again, right?). I guess Perrotta is staying, if not being in favour at the moment (although he is injured I think), and even Julio Sergio is still with us, as we couldn't get rid of him (€1.4m-a-season contract means we can't release him). With Goicoechea's arrival that means we now have four senior goalkeepers, on top of Svedkauskas in the primavera.

Happy with the mercato overall, though, some very nice signings, and I guess for the defence we are going to have to put our faith in youth and in Romagnoli/Marcos. I'd still be a little concerned about right-back, I think, as Piris may take some time to settle (and indeed there's talk of Taddei starting there against Inter). Balazaretti can play there, yes, but then we're short at left back (er, Taddei again, until Dodo can sort himself out).

SQUAD LIST FOR INTER V ROMA
/ 09/01/2012

Coach Zdenek Zeman has announced the matchday squad for tomorrow’s game against Inter.

1 Lobont
3 Marquinhos
5 Castan
7 Marquinho
8 Lamela
9 Osvaldo
10 Totti
11 Taddei
15 Pjanic
16 De Rossi
17 Lopez
22 Destro
23 Piris
24 Stekelenburg
26 Tallo
29 Burdisso
42 Balzaretti
46 Romagnoli
48 Florenzi
55 Svedkauskas
77 Tachtsidis

Zeman conferenza stampa from this morning:

http://www.forzaroma.info/notizie/news- ... randi-cose

[RomaShield27]

Jeez, well dont all post at the same time, then. Where's everyone at, huh? Looking forward to the big game tomorrow?

This is for Giovanni, he's gonna love this. Only 10 Italians in our current squad (and that includes Antei, Guberti and Perrotta – three who are out of the picture at present for different reasons), which is the lowest in our history (at least i think thats what it means? – "Un record in senso negativo, mai così pochi in 85 anni di storia").

We have seven Brazilians (eight was the maximum we've had, in 2008), so the Brazilian influence is back once again. For the first time ever we also have a representative of Paraguay, Lithuania and some weird place called the United States.

Roma, mai così pochi italiani in rosa. 13 le nazioni rappresentate
/ sabato 1 settembre 2012 15:04

(di Alessio Nardo) In realtà sarebbero addirittura sei: Balzaretti, De Rossi, Destro, Florenzi, Romagnoli e Totti. Ma se ci sforziamo di aggiungere tre fuori rosa (Antei, Guberti e Perrotta) ed un “naturalizzato” (l’argentino Osvaldo) diventano dieci i calciatori italiani presenti nell’organico della Roma per la stagione 2012-2013. Un record in senso negativo, mai così pochi in 85 anni di storia.

Le nazioni rappresentate sono tredici con il Brasile, dopo l’Italia, a farla da padrone. Sette i calciatori verdeoro (Castàn, Dodò, Marquinho, Marquinhos, Taddei, Lucca e l’emarginato Julio Sergio). Il record storico è di otto presenze e appartiene alle stagioni 2008-2009 e 2010-2011. Solo due gli argentini (Burdisso e Lamela), mentre la Roma torna ad avere due calciatori uruguagi (Nico Lopez e il portiere Goicoechea) dopo cinquantadue anni: l’ultima (ed unica) volta nel campionato 1960-1961, con Juan Alberto Schiaffino e Alcides Ghiggia.

Un esponente a testa per Romania (Lobont), Bosnia (Pjanic), Olanda (Stekelenburg), Grecia (Tachtsidis), Francia (l’oggetto misterioso Nego) e Costa d’Avorio (Tallo). Per la prima volta saranno rappresentate anche Paraguay (Piris), Stati Uniti (Bradley) e Lituania (Svedkauskas).

TUTTE LE NAZIONI RAPPRESENTATE
10. ITALIA (Antei, Balzaretti, De Rossi, Destro, Florenzi, Guberti, Osvaldo, Perrotta, Romagnoli, Totti)
7. BRASILE (Castàn, Dodò, Julio Sergio, Lucca, Marquinho, Marquinhos, Taddei)
2. URUGUAY (Goicoechea, Nico Lopez)
2. ARGENTINA (Burdisso, Lamela)
1. STATI UNITI (Bradley)
1. ROMANIA (Lobont)
1. FRANCIA (Nego)
1. PARAGUAY (Piris)
1. BOSNIA (Pjanic)
1. OLANDA (Stekelenburg)
1. LITUANIA (Svedkauskas)
1. GRECIA (Tachtsidis)
1. COSTA D’AVORIO (Tallo)

[DCGweez]

[aba_bab]

Hmm.. some good points on the Bojan that I hadn't thought of. But I would have thought if Bojan was successful this year, we would be interested in buying him only if the ridiculous terms of the deal were substantially reduced. I never for once thought we would buy him for the original terms of the deal, unless ofcourse he decided to suddenly bloom into another messi.

On a sidenote, I'm so fed up of fucking Udinese blowing Serie A's spots in the Champions League. I can't for the life of me understand why on earth they just won't for once, keep a successful team intact and try and take the next step up in terms of actually trying to play in the Champions League proper, and even trying to win a game of two.

I'm away from home gentlemen, I've got all the links for the streams saved on my computer back home. Can anybody please post a few links for toniht so that I may try and catch the game?

[RomaShield27]

Check the first few links in , Aba, Atdhe usually always have them. Fairly big game too so should be lots of good streams available. I'm off to watch the Dubs against Mayo in the GAA semi-final today, hopefully back home in time for our match tonight, if not I'll be watching in the pub. Hope we can pull it off, should be a cracker.

Looks like its a close call between Florenzi and Pjanic to start:

Inter-Roma: le probabili formazioni dei quotidiani. Ballottaggio Pjanic-Florenzi
/ domenica 2 settembre 2012 10:25

Questi i probabili schieramenti del big match di San Siro (ore 20.45) riportati dai principali quotidiani nazionali:

IL TEMPO
INTER (4-3-1-2): 12 Castellazzi; 4 Zanetti, 23 Ranocchia, 25 Samuel, 31 Pereira; 14 Guarin, 21 Gargano, 19 Cambiasso; 10 Sneijder; 8 Palacio, 22 Milito. All.: Stramaccioni
ROMA (4-3-3): 24 Stekelenburg; 23 Piris, 29 Burdisso, 5 Castan, 42 Balzaretti; 48 Florenzi, 16 De Rossi, 15 Pjanic; 22 Destro, 9 Osvaldo, 10 Totti. All.: Zeman

IL ROMANISTA
INTER (4-3-2-1): 12 Castellazzi; 4 Zanetti, 6 Silvestre, 23 Ranocchia, 31 Pereira; 14 Guarin, 21 Gargano, 19 Cambiasso; 10 Sneijder, 8 Palacio; 22 Milito. All.: Stramaccioni
ROMA (4-3-3): 24 Stekelenburg; 23 Piris, 29 Burdisso, 5 Castan, 42 Balzaretti; 16 De Rossi, 77 Tachtsidis, 15 Pjanic; 22 Destro, 9 Osvaldo, 10 Totti. All.: Zeman

IL MESSAGGERO
INTER (4-3-1-2): 12 Castellazzi; 4 Zanetti, 6 Silvestre, 23 Ranocchia, 31 Pereira; 14 Guarin, 21 Gargano, 19 Cambiasso; 10 Sneijder; 8 Palacio, 22 Milito. All.: Stramaccioni
ROMA (4-3-3): 24 Stekelenburg; 23 Piris, 29 Burdisso, 5 Castan, 42 Balzaretti; 16 De Rossi, 77 Tachtsidis, 48 Florenzi; 22 Destro, 9 Osvaldo, 10 Totti. All.: Zeman

IL CORRIERE DELLO SPORT
INTER (4-3-1-2): 12 Castellazzi; 4 Zanetti, 6 Silvestre, 23 Ranocchia, 55 Nagatomo; 14 Guarin, 21 Gargano, 19 Cambiasso; 10 Sneijder; 22 Milito, 99 Cassano. All.: Stramaccioni
ROMA (4-3-3): 24 Stekelenburg; 23 Piris, 29 Burdisso, 5 Castan, 42 Balzaretti; 16 De Rossi, 77 Tachtsidis, 48 Florenzi; 22 Destro, 9 Osvaldo, 10 Totti. All.: Zeman

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Highlights of the Primavera's 4-1 win over Reggina yesteday.



And lots of pics of the first team watching them:

http://www.corrieredellosport.it/foto/c ... +Primavera

[DCGweez]

I'll be interested to see if Pjanic starts. You have to wonder if a line up without Totti solves a lot of problems.

I still believe Totti to be one of the best players on the team. I'm just not sure that the team is at it's best with him in the starting 11 from the get.