THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[RomaShield27]

Ah man, that was a frustrating game (i watched it late). We certainly should have won it. We almost could have lost it.

We needed to dominate more and convert when we were in the ascendancy. We controlled the game for the most part, clearly playing the much better football, yet after going ahead 2-1 sat back too much and allowed them back into it. I’m not sure why we did, perhaps we thought we could just pick them off on the counter, but yet it wasn’t that type of game were we needed to sit back as Milan just aren’t good enough going forward, so we should have kept the tempo going and push on to kill the game off.

Gervinho was probably poor in that regard, wasting too many good opportunities and all the space he was given. It was probably Dodo’s best game in a Roma jersey. A threat going forward and he was able to also to that other thing – defending its called. Although he could have stood up more instead of jumping in for Muntari's goal. Bradley was very good I thought, working very hard and making great runs, he just loses concentration toward the end when he’s knackered (he's also a defensive player). Strootman was a monster and dominated in every regard. Benatia was very good as well, as was Burdisso when he came on. We probably could have done with Florenzi on sooner.

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Thought there were flashbacks to the Arsenal Gervinho in that game. Still looked dangerous when dribbling, but failed to produce anything when required to actually kick the ball.

And it was Benatia who was meant to be marking Zapata when he scored, so that would prevent him getting a positive rating from me.

[p_maldini_3]

benatia is a beast. he's the perfect mix of athleticism and power. diamond in the rough?

[RomaShield27]

Yeah Benatia lost Zapata for that goal which wasn't great, but it wasn't well defended on the front post either when we allowed an easy flick on which always causes your defence problems. Aside from that though he was as solid as always. Its no exaggeration to say he's the best centre-half in Serie A right now, and you could even make a case for the best in Europe. He was a good defender at Udinese, but I think we're all a bit surprised at just how well he's adapted in our defence and become the leader we were lacking.

I have to say, I'm amazed at the abuse Michael Bradley is getting for his performance last night. I thought he had a very fine game. Do people think he suddenly morphed into the Bald Algerian when he is going forward with the ball? I hate the way in football people judge players performances solely based upon a chance they missed in front of goal, or a wrong pass they gave for a goal chance. That isn't Bradley's strongpoint and we know that. What about his work rate and closing down all the way through the game? What about him having the energy and determination to sprint into the box for that Maicon cross which he badly headed wide? He was all over Milan's midfield and worked extremely hard, you could see he was visibly bollixed at the end when he lost possession a couple of times, but some of the abuse he is getting is crazy.

[DCGweez]

There were some dodgy times and Roma didn't look like they had any sort of real urgency until the final 2-3 minutes of extra time.

I almost regret making jokes about this in the past because frankly it's becoming a real issue. We had 3 penalty shouts yesterday and only one was called because it simply had to be called and even then the result was a PK and a yellow.

Both De Rossi's pull down and Bradley's knockdown were both rather apparent and completely waived off. Neither of them on their own were so egregious as to be awful no calls, even combined they weren't horrifically bad officiating. Taken in the context of the entire season it's a troubling pattern that has emerged.

Had we gotten half the calls we've deserved and a quarter of the calls that were 50-50 we'd be 1 point back easy...

I'm not kidding when i say that were that Juve they might have finished 4-2 and 11 vs 8.

[RomaShield27]

I disagree completely. I hate this mentality of blaming the officials for things that didn't go our way. The fact is if we had of won this game like we should have, then no one would be talking about referees.

Further, I thought Rocchi had a fine game. There were lots of tough calls in that game: the Gervinho penalty he got spot on – foul inside the box and a yellow, not a red, for the keeper; Bradley's effort on goal which didn't cross the line; Burdisso non-handball; all of the yellow cards were warranted. Milan were furious but they were just taking their own inabilities to play out on the ref, as is normal. Kaka was perhaps fortunate not to get a second-yellow for protesting, but you could argue the ref used a bit of common sense there too. And I don't think the incidents involving DDR or Bradley were remotely close enough to warrant a peno, and if they were given, there ones you be a bit embarrassed to get.

All in all, blaming the officials for everything is a very Italian thing to do, and all teams have their say about "without this incident" or "if we got this peno" then we'd be top of the table or whatever. The fact is the officials have it very hard in Serie A, even harder than most other leagues in the way that they are scrutinised and analysised with moviolas and the papers and the media. Yet no one gives them any credit at all when they get things right.

Having said all that, Rube remain despicable cheating cnuts who have embraced and perfected winning by cheating.

[p_maldini_3]

http://www.milannews.it/rassegna-stampa ... ile-131326

Gazzetta: Rocchi, direzione ineccepibile
17.12.2013 11:00 di Matteo Bursi articolo letto 14876 volte
Fonte: La Gazzetta dello Sport
© foto di www.imagephotoagency.it

Tutto corretto, secondo La Gazzetta dello Sport. La direzione di gara del signor Rocchi non ha lacune. Giusta - secondo la ricostruzione della rosea - la decisione di assegnare il rigore alla Roma e contestualmente ammonire Gabriel (e non espellerlo). Corretta l'interpretazione sull'occasione di Bradley, Bonera salva prima che la palla oltrepassi la linea. Al 39' c'è un presunto mani di Burdisso in area, ma l'ex Inter a ben vedere tocca di petto.

[p_maldini_3]

i think the one mistake rocchi made was not giving maicon a yellow for kicking emanuelson with the ball nowhere near him. then kaka' gets the yellow less than a minute later and that's why we threw some vitriol at him.

and don't forget how dodo barged through the back of kaka' in the box. the ref was looking at the ball and was right in front of kaka' so he didn't have the proper angle to see him go through kaka', but the linesmen should've seen it.

anyhow, it all balances out in the end.

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[RomaShield27]

True, Maicon did foul Emanuelson which wasn't given, I seen that on the replay. I guess that does explain why the Milan players were mad. There was still the sense they were taking their own frustrations out on the ref, though. Nice piece supporting him.

Has Barzagli been that good, Red? I haven't seen a lot of him this season except for the few big games, but i didnt think he's been as impressive as previous seasons.

[DCGweez]

Again, not talking about yesterdays result, talking about a pattern that is troubling. I'd say i'm being paranoid but unfortunately i'm not that naive as today's events in Italy further illustrate.

[RomaShield27]

True, I'm being an optimist about it, believing that the game in Italy is now clean (or as clean as can be), and so believe such conspiracy theory ideas are not really to be believed in and just down to human error, but I guess like you said todays news doesn't shine too brightly on that view. Perhaps we are being noisy upstarts from the south once again challenging the dominance of the north and so are being put back in our place by any and every means necessary, I dunno.

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Could some of you kindly Romanisti remind me of what Menez was like for you are your general views on him?

[RomaShield27]

Menez? Basically he was the kind of footballer you hate to have on your team but were willing to put up with. Extremely talented and could do great things, but a total prat. You kinda thought he might mature and cop on a bit one of the days, but eventually realised he wouldn't. Very moody and moany with a face you'd like to punch. But for all that, a very skilful wide player, similar to Cerci in a ways, who can beat his man easy and get in great positions. I presume Juve are after him?

http://www.romanews.us/2013/12/20/rudi- ... nia-match/

Full Garcia conferenza stampa from this morning, he says we won't sell any players in January, and maybe buy. Totti may not start v Catania as he still lacks full-match fitness.

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[maro]

I was sad to see Menez go, red. He was very inconsistent and a bit light-weight, but he had more natural talent than most who've played for Roma in the past 15 years. I too thought he was more likely to make it as a central player than a wide one and used to chunter on about seeing him in the middle in a 4-2-3-1. He left, apparently, because he wanted to return to Paris rather than because we were desperate to be rid of him. It's hard to believe he'll come good at this stage, but he's a gifted player. Totti always used to big him up. I'd say he has most of the strengths and weaknesses of Vucinic - without the goals but with a few fewer poor decisions. His biggest problem for Spalletti was that, like Vooch, he always wanted the ball to feet and wasn't prepared to make enough runs in behind.

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Well Juve certainly have no shortage of runners in their team so that wouldn't be an issue.

Although more talented, I believe he has too much in common with Elia (remember him?) for Juve to sign another player of that type, even if he would be free.

[DCGweez]

New setup today:

A (4-2-3-1) De Sanctis;Maicon, Benatia, Castan, Dodò; Bradley, Pjanic; Ljajic, Totti, Gervinho; Destro