THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[romawi]

[maro]

I dunno - not give away a shite second goal from a set-piece and continue probing away? He'd stacked the team with ball-players, hadn't he, sacrificing a forward who likes to attack space for one who likes the ball to feet. Given how deep Rube defended (predictably), it would be hard to say he got that wrong. I think it was set up to be a tight game with few chances (Rube made it that way). He needed a bit more quality from his players on the ball and a bit more quality from the defence.

[maro]

He probably also showed a certain tactical naivety in not knowing that Rube would be allowed to hack fuck out of our players with impunity - making a ball-playing strategy less likely to work. After all, it's easier to close down space when you know if you get beaten you can always clatter the guy or pull his shirt or trip him up and then set up and start again.

[romawi]

Lol got it. My question wasn't meant as a criticism of Garcia but more as a general attempt at understanding of what a team might try as solution in that type of situation. Also, a much better explanation than the simple, "Conte got it right, and Garcia got it wrong" that I've read elsewhere.

[RomaShield27]

It would have a made a huge difference if Destro had of started. Building up to the game I and many others were hoping Florenzi started, to give us more defensive cover, but it turned out the opposite – with Juve defending so deep and us having so much of the ball, it should have been Destro who started. We didn't create many chances because we had no proper prima-punta to make runs in behind, it would have made a huge difference, especially compared to Ljajic who was practically anonymous.

[red]

Once Juve's gameplan became apparent I found it difficult to see how Roma could hurt Juve.

I think part of the problem did lie with not having a genuine centre forward on the pitch. While there wasn't going to be space for someone to run in behind the defence he could at least have spent a fair bit of time standing as far forward as possible to try and keep Bonucci and Chiellini deep as much of the time as possible and hope that that would result in Totti - albeit in very limited space - only really having Pirlo playing directly against him. As it was, with no centre forward, Juve's centre halves were able to be very aggressive in stepping forward to make sure Totti was either crowded out or forced deep enough that he was unlikely to do any damage.

Having a centre forward on may also have given Roma at least an outside chance of scoring from a cross. Roma's 4-3-3 gave them the advantage in wide areas, but there was never any prospect of that advantage being driven home when Roma were highly unlikely to pose a threat from a crossed ball. Even if Destro/Borriello weren't going to score from a cross, they might at least have put Juve under enough pressure that the cross wouldn't have been cleared properly and could have fallen to a Roma midfielder in a good postion.

Not specific to the Juve game, but I really don't like the balance of the Roma team when they don't have an off-the-ball runner in their front three.

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[red]

Nainggolan's a really good signing for Roma.

Was amazing he stayed at Cagliari so long given how good a player he is.

Everyone with the cash should have been interested, so it is interesting that Roma - arguably the team who need him least in Italy aside from Juve - are the ones who went and got him.

He'd have been a great signing for Napoli as a significant upgrade on Behrami, for instance, and could have been huge as an injection of muscle into the Fiorentina midfield (and Milan and Inter are shit, so he obviously would have improved them).

Don't feel as though Roma have signed all that many highly sought-after players from within Italy in recent times.

[maro]

I thought about sending chewna in the direction of your post in the Rube fred, red. I couldn't bring myself to do it as a matter of principle, though I think you were right on the money. As on Niggernoolan. I suppose if we move on one of our three over the summer it'll be business as usual, but if we don't it's a big step for the club. And now talk also of Sanabria?

[DCGweez]

It happened a lot when we played Totti as a false 9 under Spalletti. I agree with much of what was said, I'd only add that they took our width away rather easily as well.

It was shocking to me how easily Totti (in the hole) and our width were taken away. I'd have hoped that they could take away one or the other but not both.

[DCGweez]

Sanabria has stated he will join Roma. Beating out Liverfekkin'wankscum, City and Arsenal.

[RomaShield27]

Roma Coach Rudi Garcia Delighted With Radja Nainggolan Signing
/ Wednesday, 08 January 2014 18:20 / Anthony Wright

Roma coach Rudi Garcia praised the signing of Radja Nainggolan in his press conference ahead of Thursday's Coppa Italia game with Sampdoria, saying that it can only be a good thing to have another top quality central midfielder in the squad.

Although Nainggolan is not ready to face the Blucerchiati tomorrow, Garcia stressed that he would be playing his strongest team possible and hopes to see his side progress to the next round after last weekend's defeat by Juventus - who would be their opponents in the quarter finals if they qualify.

"We're all focused on the Coppa Italia, but it's a good thing that we're playing so soon after the game in Turin", he pondered in his press conference.

"There's not a lot more to say on that. The current job isn't the championship, the current job is the Coppa Italia and our only objective is get into the quarter finals. We will do everything to qualify. That's it".

The coach then gave some hints as to which players would be playing in Thursday's game with Sampdoria, and he revealed that Lukasz Skorupski would start for the first time while Tin Jedvaj may also get his debut.

"Skorupski is a player who deserves to play and he will play tomorrow. He works hard and is lucky to have [Morgan] De Sanctis and [Bogdan] Lobont who help him. [Jedvaj?] We'll see tomorrow, my strongest team will play. We want to win and get to the quarter finals.

"Hopefully we won't have extra time but if we need it and we win in the end then that's fine, all I'm concerned about is qualifying".

Garcia also spoke about new signing Radja Nainggolan, and he has plans for the Belgian that go beyond his six-month loan spell. The coach added that having another high quality central midfielder alongside Daniele De Rossi, Kevin Strootman and Miralem Pjanic will help the team's strength in depth going forward.

"We'll definitely be stronger with him. He isn't just a signing for the second part of the season but also for the future. If, as we hope we will, we play in Europe next season it's not a bad thing to have another top class player available.

"It's possible [that we'll start four midfielders] because Pjanic can play higher up and Nainggolan is very good going forwards, but to be honest I don't think we'll change our formation. We already had three midfielders, so we need a strong fourth choice, fifth choice, maybe even sixth choice central midfielder.

"I remember playing without two central midfielders because of injury and suspension. We can't go for a whole season with just three midfielders when our formation necessitates having three on the pitch all the time. This is why Radja's arrival is good news, especially in the second half of the season, and he will help the team a lot.

"I'll say it again, we'll be stronger next year. And hopefully this week, with three games in a row, will also be our usual schedule for next season".

[DavidP]

so nainggolan is official. am i right in thinking he's a poor man's vidal? as maro says, it's nice and a little surprising to have such an expensive rotation option. the last time the club did something like this was when we got destro - his price ended up being way more than it should have, but he was brought in as a rotation option too (although his purchase might have been based on totti's predicted decline, which isn't the case with nainggolan). also, i guess this is the end for the incredible bradley.

[RomaShield27]

So Bradley really is leaving for Toronto. Toronto? As in that American city Toronto? In the American EPL World Series Major League? Someone explain that to me, have they get loads of dosh now?

Jeez, first it was the Premiershit, with the mega-rich foreign owners buying all our players, now its the MLS.

[DCGweez]

“The choice was caused by some moves made already in the market. Not wanting to wait until January 31st, he (Bradley) decided to follow this path also to help the growth of American soccer. The arrival of Nainggolan? He has always felt like an important player, then his value changed. There were also several requests from Serie A clubs such as Bologna and Hellas Verona, but it is a choice made because of the appreciation towards the MLS and American soccer,” said Faccini.

He continued, “After 10 years in Europe he wanted to return to the United States. It’s certainly a sour and bitter choice, but he made it with his heart. Roma reiterated they didn’t want to sell the player up until the very end, but this was his own choice.”

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[maro]

[RomaShield27]

[DCGweez]

I suspect we'd have been happy to keep Bradley, more for his qualities in the locker room, the practice field and the marketing dept. than his actual quality on the pitch.

[DCGweez]

Hardly dominating.

Looking forward to getting two more cracks at the cheats. Hopefully we can convince the FIGC to bring in a foreign official for our matches.

If so, i have little doubt that we can beat Juve as bad as they were beaten in the CL when forced to play 11 v 11.