THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[AS Collie]

Think Juve will be a stretch for Balzaretti. It'd be ideal, but I'd hate to see him rushed back and the talk here is that he'll struggle in that time frame. Fingers crossed on that one though.

[RomaShield27]

Thats it? Your grand return and "i think Juve will be a stretch for Balzaretti... uhuhuuhhh". You may as well say "i tinks we shud relese Totti and signz Messi". What was the first game of the season like in the Olimpico? What is the buzz and the atmosphere like in the city with the return of Zemanlandia? How much are the Yanks charging these days for a beer and a dog in the Sud?

Yeh, the Juve game could be too soon for Balzaretti alright. You don't wanna be risking things with a hamstring injury. We will definitely need him, though. Its odd, in many ways the Balzaretti signing was seen as an unexpected surprise, a nice addition, when he may well prove to be our most important signing of the summer.

[AS Collie]

Yeah, I get what you mean. It wasn't until they confirmed it that I thought about it, and then thought "Balzaretti, nice." He's a strong addition.

I can't say what a beer costs this year yet, Edzo. Sorry. I assume it costs the same. I'll get pished up at the next one for you and report back. Zemanlandia is great; people are happy and because the guy's just so likeable, even a lot of the Laziali seem glad he's back. My local barman is a Lazio fan (not the knuckle-dragging kind, the rare, sound kind) and he seems delighted by it. He couldn't wait to talk about the match against Inter. Maybe he can be turned ...

[RomaShield27]

Local barman Lazio fan, wha now? You're still hanging out with that fella? He was the one who took my Roma scarf and pretended to use it like a cloth to wipe the counter, right? He doesn't realise how close he came to death in that instant, if only the missus wasn't there... If you're a true romanista (I still have my doubts, you know), the next time you go into that bar, you'll go up to him casually and say "ciao, come stai, vorrei..." and then proceed to throw a barstool into his face, then jump the counter and dance on his head. I want to see news reports of this assault.

Strange that Laziali are glad Zeman is back, all the same. I know he has history with them, but I didn't think they'd hold him in such regard.

[AS Collie]

Yeah, I think everyone just feels like he's good for Serie A. I mean, I'm sure he'll be enemy no.1 to them by Christmas, but at the moment there's a lot of good will towards him. As evidenced by that banner in the San Siro. That said, it should go without saying that this good will being expressed by everyone apart from the Juventini is coming from right-minded, balanced human beings. I'd imagine the hard core of the Curva Nord – ie, the unbalanced, sub-human scum - would rather see him dead.

Yer man you met was actually only messing around with you, Ed. He goes to the Lazio games and he likes them, but his main thing is Partizan Belgrade, as he's Serbian. The chap I mentioned, with whom i was sharing a beer last night, is an Italian guy around the corner from me. He's sound, for a pig-fucking fascist bastard.

[RomaShield27]

Oh, excuse me, you have two Laziale barman friends? Well then. Would you like to become the Lazio moderator here...!? Yeh I know he was only messing, the Serbian lad, he seemed like a nice fella alright, although you do need to bring him to the light and get him to support the real team in the city.

[AS Collie]

Edzo, I try every single time I see him

Partizan are playing Inter in the EL, I think, so if he wants to go up to that I might use the time on the train to explain a few truths.

[maro]

I'm going to go and watch Lazio play in a couple of weeks' time.

[AS Collie]

[maro]

Spurs.

[maro]

Presumably Florenzi's an outside shout to fill in at fullback too.

[DCGweez]

[maro]

[DCGweez]

Ah, thanks. I hope he's kept in MF although perhaps we have little choice. I think it forces Marquinho on the field at the start which I don't like, he seems the one player who is effective off the bench and I don't think a Taxi, DDR, Pjanic, Totti setup will be particularly effective under ZZ.

[red]

[RomaShield27]

Romanisti in Nazionale: brilla Osvaldo, ansia per De Rossi. Piris da rivedere
/ sabato 8 settembre 2012 11:11

(di Mirko Porcari) - Gioie e dolori dalla sosta per gli incontri delle Nazionali: la Roma esce dalle sfide internazionali con alcune conferme e diversi punti interrogativi, in attesa del bis in programma la prossima settimana, pochi giorni prima del match casalingo contro il Bologna. Sugli scudi Osvaldo, autore di una bella doppietta contro la Bulgaria, mentre a preoccupare c’è sempre lo stato fisico di Daniele De Rossi.

Pablo Osvaldo
Lui e poco altro: la gara contro i bulgari ha mostrato un’Italia svogliata ed estremamente lontana dal concetto di “squadra” tanto caro a Prandelli. Nella desolazione di gioco e di idee, l’attaccante romanista ha firmato una doppietta che conferma il momento magico che sta vivendo: vinti gli scetticismi che gli hanno impedito di partecipare agli Europei dell’estate scorsa, l’ex bomber dell’Espanyol si appresta a diventare un punto fermo degli azzurri.

Daniele De Rossi
Quando l’abnegazione non paga: l’amore per la maglia della Nazionale rischia di diventare un’arma a doppio taglio, il problema muscolare patito nella ripresa di ieri si somma alla forma fisica non perfetta mostrata alla vigilia. Un’incognita nell’immediato per Prandelli ed una preoccupazione a lungo termine per Zeman, nella speranza che la tempra di Capitano Futuro riesca a rendere meno difficile il percorso verso il pieno recupero.

Mattia Destro
Poco meno di venti minuti ed un paio di occasioni create: bilancio non eccezionale ma con tutta probabilità sarà lui a fare coppia con Osvaldo nella gara contro Malta in programma martedì prossimo. Una notizia che non farà di certo piacere in ottica Roma, soprattutto se si pensa alla squalifica dell’oriundo ed al rischio emergenza per la terza di campionato contro il Bologna.

Ivan Piris
Brutti clienti nella notte di Cordoba: il suo Paraguay ha conosciuto la forza dell’Argentina, trascinata da Leo Messi e da Angel Di Maria in un perentorio 3-1; il terzino ha tentato di arginare il tridente della Selección senza troppa fortuna, rimediando anche un cartellino giallo al 32’ che ne ha condizionato tutta la gara. Da rivedere, insomma, e la sfida contro il Venezuela di martedì prossimo potrebbe essere il giusto banco di prova per capire meglio il neo acquisto romanista.

Miralem Pjanic
Tutto facile per la Bosnia, contro il Liechtenstein finisce 8-1 ed il centrocampista giallorosso trova anche un assist per il gol (uno dei tre) firmato da Dzeko. Poco da analizzare, vista la supremazia della compagine allenata da Safet Susic, ma la buona prova di Pjanic (sostituito al 79’) fa ben sperare in vista della gara contro il Bologna. Martedì prossimo ci sarà la Lituania e difficilmente il Ct si priverà della presenza del centrocampista, un problema in più per Zeman e per la ripresa del campionato giallorosso.

Maarten Stekelenburg
Ha visto la gara contro la Turchia dalla panchina ma il Ct Van Gaal gli ha già promesso un posto da titolare contro l’Ungheria nella sfida di martedì prossimo.

Bogdan Lobont
Spettatore in campo per la sfida contro l’Estonia: la sua Romania ha liquidato la pratica con un secco 0-2, evitando al portiere romanista qualsiasi tipo di intervento; zero tiri salvati e zero azioni pericolose, un bottino magro in una serata soporifera per l’estremo difensore.

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De Rossi (76') and Pablo Osvaldo (90') all played for Italia, with Osvaldo getting two goals and DDR coming off injured. He may be out for a month and miss Juventus. Destro also came on a sub, and may well start alongside Osvaldo in Italia's next game against Malta next week.

Ivan Piris played a full game for Paraguay v Argentina, who won 3-1. Piris got skinned a few times by some midget called Messi, and also got booked, which clearly wouldn't happen so easy in Serie A, but he'll adjust.

Miralem Pjanic played 80 minutes for Bosnia v Liechtenstein, coming through the game without any problems.

Maarten Stekelenburg was a sub Holland win over Turkey, Tim Krul played ahead of him. Krul is playing well for Newcastle at the moment so Stek has a bit of work to do to reclaim his number one spot there. Lobont played a full game for Romania.

[DCGweez]

For those with access to GdS there is a great article on Mazzarri. He's very complimentary to Roma. About Roma he says:

“È riduttivo limitare questo campionato a Napoli e Juventus, ci sono squadre attrezzate per ben figurare fino in fondo. E mi riferisco alla Roma che ritengo un grande collettivo”.

He was asked if Napoli are the Antu-Juve:

"Noi I'anti-Juve? C'e anche la Roma"

[Lupa]

[DCGweez]

[AS Collie]