THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[maro]

Two answers - first, I think Lamela and Pjanic can play together down the right; this is particularly true if the right fullback gets beyond them both, as Maicon surely will look to and Torosidis did last season too, and if the striker is a player who attacks space. For me they'd form a fair technical and mobile partnership, keeping the ball tidily and moving it quickly and allowing others to run beyond them with confidence. Secondly, I wonder how many games Totti will play this season and next - surely he must start to falter? Whether with injuries or sharpness? In which case, if a side with Totti, Pjanic, and Lamela is one with one too many, surely a side with only Pjanic (and, say, Florenzi and Gervinho down the flanks) is one with one too few?

On a sort of related note, there are quite strong rumours that Manure are in for Oezil for 35 mil. This is sort of what I had in mind when I proposed that unless Lamela becomes truly world class, he's never going to command much more than 35 mil. There are too many excellent players in that upper 'second' tier - Mata, Di Maria, Silva, Sanchez (and add whoever you like - some might include Kagawa and Cazorla, others Pastore and Lavezzi, others Schurrle and Goetze etc. etc.). Lamela will have to be a step above those guys - and he may be, but he's got a way to go to confirm that - for him to command an even bigger fee.

I hope he stays. But then I hoped Osvaldo would stay - and Chivu and Mexes and Mancini and Cassano and Samuel.

[romawi]

Yeah, I was working with the assumption that Totti wouldn't falter. I don't think he's shown too many signs of slowing down last season, but you never know. Pjanic and Lamela without Totti would work well if we have the right amount of runners, but when Totti is also in the lineup then one of Pjanic or Lamela would have to be dropped. That's why I was thinking that along that front three, Lamela would be behind both Gervinho and Florenzi (who's more likely to start as a forward rather than a midfielder at this point) in the pecking order, as both of those compliment the combination of Totti and Pjanic more so than a player like Lamela would.

[romawi]

As for the fee, I think it's a good deal for Roma. Yes, he could be worth more in the coming years, but I don't think that he's worth 35 at this point. He's vastly overrated by Romanisti as to what he is right now. Huge potential? Absolutely. World class as some are saying? Not even close.

[maro]

Yeah, you may well be right - I certainly think Garcia likes genuine profondita' from his wide players (or that, at least, is what I've gathered). On the other hand, with Destro, Strootman, Maicon, and Balzaretti, you might just get enough runners stretching things to allow the others space in which to link up. I think he prefers a Gervinho to a Lamela in the wide position (though quite where that leaves Totti is a different question); I just struggle to believe that you can't build a system around the quality of Lamela, Pjanic, Totti.

[maro]

I don't know - I think he might be pretty special. For one thing he has real pace; then he also has a good work-rate, genuine technical quality, and I like the way he plays with his head up. Used properly, I think he could be a devastating trequartista. I'm not sure he's best used as a wide player in a 4-3-3, but he's certainly also got us goals from there.

[RomaShield27]

/ Domenica 25 Agosto 2013 10:26

ANTON FILIPPO FERRARI
La stagione del riscatto. Quello che parte questa sera allo stadio Armando Picchi di Livorno sarà un campionato particolare per Daniele De Rossi. Un campionato in cui vuole riscattare l’ultima stagione che, come ha ammesso, è stata la peggiore della sua carriera, passata interamente con indosso la maglia della squadra per cui tifa. La stessa maglia che indosserà questa sera e con cui quindi disputerà la dodicesima stagione in serie A. Un campionato che, per il secondo anno consecutivo, viene approcciato da Daniele dopo settimane, mesi di voci di mercato sul suo conto. Lo scorso anno si parlava di un forte interessamento del Manchester City («Sì, è vero lo volevo», ha confermato qualche giorno fa l’allora allenatore del City, Roberto Mancini, in un’intervista a Il Messaggero). Un tentativo che, però, non è andato a buon fine.

De Rossi, infatti, alla fine decise di rimanere a Roma. Stessa decisione presa questa estate. Anche se questa volta il rischio che Daniele cambiasse maglia è stato decisamente più concreto. Complici le numerose calunnie ricevute negli ultimi anni da parte dell’ambiente giallorosso e non solo. Calunnie che hanno fatto male al centrocampista ma su cui alla fine, evidentemente, ha prevalso l’amore per questi colori. Un amore viscerale che gli è sempre stato riconosciuto dalla stragrande maggioranza dei tifosi della Roma. Quelli che vanno allo stadio. Quelli che non lo hanno mai contestato, anzi: l’hanno sempre sostenuto anche quando le prestazioni in campo non erano delle migliori. Applausi che ha ricevuto anche durante l’Open day. Forse proprio questa fiducia, questo amore incondizionato nei suoi confronti è stato determinante per far sì che decidesse di rimanere nella Capitale per affrontare l’ennesima stagione in giallorosso.

Determinante è stato anche Rudi Garcia con cui, a differenza di Zeman, ha un ottimo rapporto. I due, infatti, si stimano e hanno rispettiva fiducia nei loro mezzi. Fiducia che Daniele vuole ricambiare sul campo. A partire già da stasera contro il Livorno. Una partita che rimanda alla memoria quella del 9 settembre del 2006 quando la Roma di Spalletti iniziava il campionato 2006-07 proprio contro i toscani. Non al Picchi, però, ma allo stadio Olimpico. In quell’occasione il centrocampista giallorosso segnò il gol del vantaggio (la partita finì 2-0, gol di Mancini). Sempre al Livorno Daniele segnò la stagione successiva ma in terra toscana: la partita (giocata il 9 dicembre) finì 1-1 (pareggio di Tristan). Livorno è stata anche la città e la squadra in cui ha giocato per un periodo il padre, Alberto De Rossi. Basta fare un piccola ricerca su google per vedere una foto che ritrae Daniele bambino al fianco del padre in divisa amaranto. Insomma, con il Livorno De Rossi ha più di qualche legame. Magari sarà di buon auspicio.

[DCGweez]

[DCGweez]

With all that said, I'll now go back to how i was with Roma for many years. Enjoy seeing perhaps some good football and be excited for our home grown talent. I hope to see Florenzi flourish, Caprari get some time and DDR/Totti. It's all that i've ever really been able to count on with this club.

The rest i'm truly sick of.

[maro]

[DCGweez]

Gotze was artificially suppressed or it's safe to say he'd have been well over 40 given that BVB were furious he left for 37 mill. Fernandihno was 40 and Rodriguez 45.

So if and it's a big IF that it's 35 million that is at best 15% below market value. If it's the 29million that is now being floated you're talking near 30% below market value. Some of that going back to River Plate (Rumored anyway). That is a massive problem given the idea of "selling our way to the top" requires buying low and selling high. (Read PSV's DS' comments regarding the Strootman purchase price.)

But as you know the financial side is just half the problem. The other part is the inability to attract talent of the same calibre.

anyway, not much point in continuing this, i don't suppose it matters. Like I said, i'm much better off thinking like the fan of a minnow. Every time i dare to dream of a competitive Roma this sort of stuff happens.

[RomaShield27]

http://romajournal.com/2013/08/25/seaso ... nal-staff/

[Lupa]

From a lengthy article about replacing Osvaldo and Lamela



Bad choice of publication name ...
http://www.bsports.com/statsinsights/fo ... and-lamela

[RomaShield27]

ROMA (4-3-3): De Sanctis; Maicon, Benatia, Castan, Balzaretti; Bradley, De Rossi, Pjanic; Florenzi, Borriello, Totti

A disp. Lobont, Skorupski, Burdisso, Romagnoli, Torosidis, Dodò, Taddei, Marquinho, Lamela, Tallo, Caprari, Gervinho

Borriello starting ahead of Lamela. That tells a lot, really. Not sure if I'll even bother watching this.

[maro]

Borriello's a centreforward, no? Isn't he starting ahead of Destro (and Osvaldo)? While Totti and Florenzi are starting ahead of Lamela and Gervinho? Personally, I think starting Borriello smacks of nothing so much as tactical clarity: players are being played in their (perceived) positions. I mean, after all, isn't Borriello no less likely to leave than Lamela?

[Lupa]

I would have guessed it looks like Florenzi starting in Lamela's place.

[DCGweez]

Must be saving Caprari's legs for hte big matches.

[RomaShield27]

Position wise that makes sense, but I can't see how a player of Lamela's quality would be left out were it not for this proposed transfer to Spurs. I love Florenzi, and he is quite versatile and will come in useful in other positions like wing-forward, but surely Lamela would start ahead of him otherwise. Also, I wonder if we'll see more of Totti in the middle this season, as the days go by and the legs get sorer and he nears 37. With Destro's injury problems, we are short there for sure (Borriello / Tallo / maybe Gervinho there? / and Totti?).

[maro]

1. If Maicon is a giocatore finito then Rosi, Piris, itunes, Cote etc. were, surely, giocatori mai cominciati.
2. With Bradley and Florenzi for Strootman and Lamela, the 11 lacks technical quality - which is interesting, Chewna, given our exchange earlier.
3. A pretty cautious first 45, with clear instructions to the midfield three not to commit too far beyond the ball, making for a lack of numbers in the box.
4. Still, pretty solid to dominate play and not really give anything away on the break - and away from home.
5. Borriello seems determined to get a red so he doesn't have to play the next couple of games.
6. There's not really a clear pattern of play, though I suppose that means Garcia's not quite as dogmatic as his predecessors.

[RomaShield27]

7. Lamela is on the bench cos our management are intent on cashing in on him on order to provide more cash for marketing in North America, as latest twitter figures reveal we're only 4th in the Italian soccar clubs' twitter table.

[maro]

7. Oh, and it was interesting how pretty much all of our creative attacking moments came from those little balls 'round the corner' which change the 'plane' of attack - something of which I very much approve.