THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[DCGweez]

Marquinhos not among starters or subs for todays match.

[maro]

So without Marquinhos we can't even keep a clean sheet against those amateurs? Time to bring back Zeman for a little defensive stability.

[maro]

Nice words from Garcia about both Borriello and Osvaldo this evening. No doubt insisting on their continuing value to the club won't hinder a more productive sale. Still, as I've long said, selling Osvaldo will be an error.

[maro]

Oh, and let me say it again - I bet a gazillion squid that were Osvaldo a Rube player (or a Bilan one, for that matter), Prandelli would have taken him to the Confederations Cup, would have said he was no problem at all within the squad, and would have done his best, if nothing else, to increase his market value for a sale. Such is Prandelli's codice etico.

[Italiamia]

I find it interesting, Tomasso, that you defend the behavior of a juvenile like Osvaldo but continually cast aspersions towards Prandelli without any evidence to support your position. It's all rhetoric and name calling hurled at Prandelli while at the same time you fail to even acknowledge that Osvaldo has a piss poor attitude and is a self confessed pain in the ass.

[DCGweez]

Since when did Maro ever let facts get in the way of his arguments Gio?

Also, this is pretty awesome, two years in a row even if it is total BS.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soc ... k-stadium/

[maro]

So much hostility. Is it because I keep getting things right? You know from time to time I try to get something wrong to cheer you fellas up and yet I just can't quite manage to do it. It's clearly a fatal weakness of mine.

[arthurfonzarelli]

[arthurfonzarelli]

[Italiamia]

[arthurfonzarelli]

[maro]

Fonz, I entirely agree on everything but this, and it's not really a disagreement: I don't think Osvaldo's intelligent; I just think part of his problem is that he's not quite as dumb as most professional footballers. Needless to say, that's not meant as high praise.

gio, that's an interesting argument about race being the cogent factor; I'm inclined to favour fonz's thinking here, but I take the point. Still, if Osvaldo were at Rube and Rube had been looking to sell him over the summer he'd have gone to the Confederations Cup in the hope that he might get a chance to increase his valuation. I mean, if Prandelli loves Italian football and Osvaldo's to go to a foreign club, how can it not be in everyone's interests not to milk the Russians or the Poms for a few more million?

[DCGweez]

I like reading Gio's stuff sometimes. It's so Italian in it's conspiracy theorems

[RomaShield27]

Osvaldo may go to Zenit now as Hulk is reportedly joining Monoco for €60m or something like that. This sport really is fucked (if DDR were to go, I may be done with it all entirely).

Osvaldo is a fine, fine striker, I don't think anyone really doubts that, and its a pity he's had his problems as he really could be an important player for us, especially in RG's plans. Destro will be the main prima-punta, it seems, but with Osvaldo there we look a lot more complete. But, he's had his chance. He's had his chances. How easily people forgot all the misdemeanors he done last season. Even the Coppa finale, were he insulted AA, and stormed off and didn't have the respect to stay with his teammates for the medal presentation. There is no justification for him, regardless of his ability. He should be shown the door as a matter of principal.

[DCGweez]

We seem to go over this a lot. I don't think anyone said that Ozzy is not a good footballer. He's just an asshat. That matters on and off the pitch. For the right price, i'll cry not if he goes. I also am under no illusion that his talent is easily replaced.

[RomaShield27]

July 17, 2013, Friendly, Parco sportivo, Riscone
Scorers: 2' Florenzi, 6' Borriello, 23' Totti, 31' Florenzi, 36' Nockler, 41' Pjanic, 43' Lamela, 53' Osvaldo, 73' Osvaldo, 83' Frediani.

AS ROMA (4-3-3): Lobont (46' J. Sergio); Torosidis (46' Crescenzi), Castan (46' Jedvaj), Burdisso (46' Romagnoli), Balzaretti (46' Dodò); Bradley (46' Marquinho), Pjanic (46' Verre, 78' Frediani), Florenzi (46' Taddei); Lamela (46' Caprari, 78' Ricci F.), Borriello (46' Osvaldo), Totti (46' Tallo).

Substitutes: Skorupski, M. Ricci.

----------

Some revealing stuff in here. Switched to a 4-2-3-1 / positioning of midfielders / where Strootman can play / Totti and Florenzi as attacking midfielders



Wednesday, 17 July 2013 // 7:50 Pm | http://www.romanews.us/?p=8398

AS ROMA vs LOCAL TEAM INTERVIEWS – Read the statements made by the Giallorossi in today’s pre-match and post match against the local team

Pre-match-Half time: FLORENZI

What did Garcia ask you?
“To play as we know, and to move in the middle of the field, without giving points of references. Today it is easy because opponents are not at our level, but we are not at the top of our physical condition. This is the beginning, we hope to do well.”

Your position?
“We changed system switching to 4-2-3-1. No problem, it just needs to apply and things can easily come.”

Post-match: DODO (to Roma Channel)

How are you?
“I am fine and I am happy for playing in the first game and I thank the coach, the staff and everyone who has helped me. Let’s hope for the best this year, my goal is to get prepared well, I am sure we will do better.”

Garcia asks you to play low, is it ideal for you?
“It is ideal and we have the players to do it. We have to prepare well, we must understand his game and we will do very well.”

GARCIA (at press conference)
“I think with regard to the number of goals scored we could have done better, I would have wished that we had not conceded a goal.”

Pjanic as playmaker could be the cornerstone of your play?
“The advantage of Pjanc is that it is a very technical player and can play in any position in midfield, in this case we played against a defensive team and we saw the quality of Pjanic on long balls.”

What about Osvaldo’s performance?
“Dani has played in the second half along with youngsters, but it did not prevent him to score goals, is a high-level scorer and a high-level player, it is better to have big players in our squad than to see them go.”

Totti in the front line?
“I played with three strikers, all of them have the ability to move in the offensive systems and then there are very narrow and strict offensive deliveries . We have seen the quality of his passes and we have seen his importance in the front line.”

Did you ask not to keep the ball for too long?
“It is normal that today we had an important ball possession, it is clear that we are slowly trying to put together our game, we can have inner workings in our midfield, the harmony with the attackers has to better than what we did today.”

Jedvaj?
“Under the defensive aspect it is difficult to judge the defenders today, but today we have seen that Tin is a very fast player and from a technical point shows great security.”

Do you need a centre back able to set up?
“Today Benatia could not play because he had a small muscular problem, we can match youth with experience, not even Marcos could play.”

What is your impression on central midfielders’ performance?
“In a system like the 4-3-3 with two midfielders playing a little forward how we played in a part of first half, these two players had more both defensive and offensive deliveries, to press opponents and to retrieve balls, they must also have the quality to keep the ball and manage the game on our side.”

Marquinhos is a big loss, could he be replaced?
“The evidence is there, Marcos is still with us at this moment, when we have some certain arrivals and departures surely we can talk about it.”

Will you count on Borriello?
“Marco has the gunpowder in his left foot, he is not physically ready, but has a good harmony with Francesco, he is a true marker, clearly we need to complete the three-pronged attack with a striker who give us the speed, like defining Lamela.”

What role will Strootman have?
“Strootman is a high-level player who can play in front of the defence or higher on the left, the advantage of having these types of player is that when they pass the ball they have the will to ask it back, I like his determination and his leadership.”

In the 4-2-3-1 will you ask different movement to the wingers?
“Good question, for me especially in the defensive aspect something will change, wingers have great importance, it was my intention into a different system, I know that Totti can do the attacking midfielder but I also wanted to see Florenzi doing it.”

[Italiamia]

I am really surprised at the outrage about the politics of calcio. If some of you recall, I pointed out the issue with Donadoni starting that geriatric Ambrosini over De Rossi back when he coached Italy. Ambrosini did not even belong in the squad let alone start. Why? Donadoni hails from the Germanized north, was a Milan guy to the core and was actually a teammate of Ambrosini. Same goes for Lippi. Why include the Waterboy in those Italy squads when he really had no business being there and leave Cassano home. I could give numerous other examples of how past coaches favored Milan and the slime that is rubentus. Inter never had many Italians, but how many times did we bitch and moan about Materazzi being included. Then, we all got our proverbial asses handed to us when the man played a significant role in that 2006 world cup team.

Therefore, I don't get the anger. This is the way it is and has been for decades. I think Prandelli, who played for rubentus, but time and again refused offers to coach that team, is not as beholden to the old way of doing things as were prior coaches like Lippi and Trappatoni. Although, it's damn hard to reproach Lippi's 2006 choices because of the outcome. But, I firmly believe Antonio Cassano should have been on that team. To repeat, I still maintain that Osvaldo is a real problem given his past behavior and he should be excluded from time to time as a lesson. But I further believe that the race issue plays a role in the treatment of Barwuah. However, I do not think Italy can succeed without him. Not sure the same can be said of Osvaldo.

[Italiamia]

[p_maldini_3]

[p_maldini_3]

balotelli's been dropped from the italy squad at least 3 times in the past 2 years because of red card issues. i'm not sure why you guys think there is favoritism going on. sure, prandelli does make some bonehead decisions at times, such as dropping criscito from the euro squad over a small matter. but i think it's unfair to balotelli to say that he's not getting dropped because doG painted him, you seem to completely disregard what he brings to the team. not to say osvaldo isn't a good player, but he's no super mario.

prandelli certainly missed osvaldo though, there's no doubt about it. my guess is that it had something to do with the 'mental fitness' of the player, maybe he saw that osvaldo was unfocused and sent him home with that excuse.