THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[maro]

So it looks like Toloi is going to be rejoining us. Very interesting. And if Benatia stays too then the CB options may prove to be rather more similar to last year's than one might have had cause to imagine a few weeks ago. It looks as though the big-money offer hasn't come through for Benatia, though clearly there's still time.

[DavidP]

is toloi's return to roma your doing? since you're now expected to work in mysterious ways in the calcio world and all.

[maro]

You know I can't comment on such things. On this, on the other hand, I can comment - what a bunch of witty and imaginative pranksters, eh?
http://www.forzaroma.info/2014/07/22/to ... oto/358424

[DavidP]

i thought you would have liked to say a few words on gaining that highly coveted god status. it's been a long and treacherous road, no?

[maro]

Well, I work in mysterious ways in more than football matters, Davit. That's just a little interest on the side.

[RomaShield27]

Rudi Garcia: No Problems With Mehdi Benatia, He Will Stay At Roma
Tuesday, 22 July 2014 16:40 Anthony Wright / http://asroma.co.uk/news/interviews/ite ... ay-at-roma

Roma are set to kick off their US tour with a friendly against Liverfekkin'wankscum in Boston in the early hours of Thursday morning, and in his first press conference of the season Rudi Garcia says that he is happy to have got his players back for pre-season and is ready to mount another challenge for the scudetto.

How have the team been?

First of all I'm very happy that this season is starting, I think the holidays were too long this year! I'm very happy to have started working with the team again, with a few new faces but also nearly the entire squad from last year. The players are physically good, they're mentally relaxed and are happy to be back together.

What are you hoping for from this season? Do you think this is your title year?

Firstly we have to be ready for the start of the season, that's why we've decided to put in six or seven weeks of work. Our preparation is based on the fact that we'll have to play every few days. It's not a choice, the fact that we have these tours means we are a big club. Even if it isn't the Champions League, even if they are just friendlies, we shouldn't forget the fact that we have to be ready for the season - that is our main aim. I said it when I arrived and I won't change my tune now, I'm ambitious and I want to win.

Do you feel something has changed?

We've only been working together for a week, it doesn't seem to me that our attitude has changed. The first thing that you can see is that the players like being around each other and are happy to be back together. The fact that the group likes training is a good starting point for working well. We're relying on the experience of the players who have come in, we've got a good mix of experience and youth. We have a lot of young players, so for me as a coach and for my coaching team it's a good challenge to make them better players.

How important are the new signings going to be to make you competitive? Have you suggested any names, like Lovren, Origi or Rami?

These are players who have played in France, maybe that's why there are rumours about them. Regarding our new signings, we've made our choices to give the squad depth - we'll have a lot of games to play, we'll be playing every three days until December and we'll need to adjust the squad in order to face these commitments. Maybe we'll make a few more [signings]. We're nearly at the finish line, even if a coach can never say never - anything can happen between now and August 31. But I'm happy with the work we've done with Walter, because as usual we've been working together.

Did Conte's departure from Juventus surprise you? Could it be an advantage for Roma?

I was surprised by the timing of the decision more than the decision itself. You need to know all the facts before giving a judgement, we can't know everything from the outside. Juventus will definitely remain a high class opponent because they've won the last three championships, but there are other clubs in Italy apart from Juventus who are aiming high. Our job is to work hard and to give our best, to be effective even while playing in the Champions League which will use up a lot of physical and mental energy.

How have things been with Benatia? There has been talk of a meeting with Pallotta

For me, it's clear. He's under contract and he will be a Roma player this season. Fortunately the president makes a point of speaking with the players, he likes talking with everyone - he hasn't just spoken with Mehdi, he's spoken to them all. The only thing is that for you, the chat he had with Mehdi is more interesting than the ones he had with the others... In my opinion Mehdi is relaxed, he's motivated and he will play tomorrow. There's no problem

Last season you said that you wanted to compete in the Champions League. Is the team ready for the challenge of getting out of the group even from pot four, which Roma will probably be in?

It's highly likely. I think the club's first objective should be to play in the Champions League every year. It means we'll have to have a good season, but we'll see what happens after the draw. There are no small teams, we could have a group of death with three top sides. But I don't want the fans to be thinking about those games, even though they are very prestigious like the friendlies we're playing here on the tour. We need their support and our first game will be in the league, not the Champions League. I don't want us to make a mistake in our first objective.

There has been talk about possibly selling Ljajic, how is he? What do you think of Iturbe?

It's simple, I've said before that for me the first transfer market we need to succeed in is to keep our important players. Adem is one of these. He trains well, he is as he's always been, he takes responsibility on the pitch and I like that. On Iturbe, I said that Walter and I needed to find a winger who could attack with pace and make deep runs. He has all those qualities. But we must be careful with Juan, we mustn't put too much pressure on him. He is 21 years old, he can still improve a lot and he needs to learn how the team plays, but he will be an important player going forwards for us, just as all of those players who were with us last year were. There will be room for everyone. It will take time to see Iturbe at his best, especially given Roma's style.

There are three stages to your pre-season, have you adapted your preparations?

We'll need to adapt, that's obvious. We've had a week in Rome already, which was maybe tougher than last year because we know that in the next fortnight we are working to make ourselves ready for the season - not for friendlies. We need to take the travelling and the heat into account, given that sometimes we'll be playing at midday, so we'll need to do more physical work than usual. I've had to work quickly tactically, given the game against Indonesia and the one tomorrow against Liverfekkin'wankscum. I hope we end our preparations without injuries, our aim is to prepare ourselves intelligently. When we go back we'll have another three weeks of work, which is another advantage for us to be ready

Sabatini hasn't hidden away, he's talked about aiming for the title and that not to win it would be a failure. In your first year you performed a sporting miracle, do you feel the pressure of doing it again?

The only pressure we'll have is what we give ourselves. We're all ambitious, we want to give our best on the pitch - that's the only way we can win. We saw it last season, particularly at the start but also towards the end where we won nine games in a row. We play as a team with enthusiasm, now we'll have a bigger season and I've already told the players that it will be harder. But there's no pressure from the outside. We're professionals and we're all ambitious, we'll see where we finish. We want to make the fans proud, as we've always done.

How will you approach the first test against Liverfekkin'wankscum? Will we see the true Roma already?

The first thing I will evaluate is the physical condition of the players. It will be too early for Pjanic and De Rossi to play, even just for a minute. I'll try to give the others more or less the same time to play. I've made sure that I have a big squad so that I have more options and don't need to take risks. The first decisions will be on [the players'] physical condition, then we'll do as we always do. Let's not forget that Liverfekkin'wankscum and Manchester United start their seasons a fortnight before we do, which means they've been training for a while and will be ahead of us. But I also like seeing the team's attitude in those situations, where sometimes you play more with your head than with your legs.

[maro]

Let's assume the Astori deal is done. Then -

1. If the deal isn't followed by serious sales, this evening is one of the most important moments the club has seen in recent times because it's the occasion when Pallotta et al. have announced unmistakeably that the target this season is the scudetto. They think the time is right - the opportunity is ripe for the picking and so have gone for it.
2. Benatia hasn't gone because no-one's offered the really big money for him and they haven't, I'd say, because of pace. All of the big-money defenders' moves of recent times (really big money) have been for players with proper pace. That allows the team as a whole to play in completely different ways. Benatia is quality within a defensive structure; as an individual player his lack of out-and-out pace will mean that bigger money will be splashed on Marquinhos, Luiz, Varane, Mangala.
3. This would mean that we have the best third-choice CB we've had since 2002.

[DCGweez]

Lazio fans accosted Tare and he's off to Sardegna to try to get Astori to go to Lazio.

[arthurfonzarelli]

Astori is left footed. It seems like it is uberimportant for a right sided centreback to be right footed. I don't get it. They just distribute the ball, it's not like they need pinpoint crosses like wingers. can someone explain the importance?

[maro]

This is so good it almost has to be parody:
http://www.teamtalk.com/match/report/97 ... -in-Boston

I think it has more to do with the side a centre-back is more comfortable playing on, Fonz - it's just that some end up being, as it were, a more natural left-sided CB, but that's not necessarily a function of the player's footedness. It's just possible that CBs are more worried about being taken down the outside (on their inside would be more dangerous, but is harder to do because that's where the other CB and the defensive midfielder can get closer to help out), so you want your stronger side on the outside (that is, it's about defensive body-shape more than about distribution). If a player's going to make most of his tackles and interceptions with one foot rather than the other, it might as well be his strong foot, but there are also right-footed CBs who prefer playing on the left side of the pair (Juan).

[DCGweez]

Mine's a total guess, but i think it has to do with which foot you feel comfortable breaking up play with. I like you have read about them looking for a left footed defender. That doesn't make it true i suppose, but i've read that in different outlets.

[DCGweez]

Astori and Cagliari are now said to be "taking time to reflect" on the decision of which club to go to.

[maro]

http://www.forzaroma.info/2014/07/24/me ... ere/359108

Beat me to it - what's the bet he does end up going to Nazio after all the giallorosso triumphalism of the past 18 hours?

[RomaShield27]

Its not really an ideal way for Astori to start out at his new club (and with the fans) if he does end up going to Lazio, is it? First a long drawn out move to Lazio, with Lotito talking about him non-stop, then Saba swoops and it looks like he was off to Roma, but then back to Lazio again? Can't see it happening. I'm not sure what his preferences are, but he may dig in his heels now and say he wants solo Roma. Even if he knows he'd not be guaranteed first team football as opposed to being a certain (key) starter at Lazio, there's Champions League on the table.

Astori would be a great signing as a back-up centre-back. A lot of people complaining that he's clumsy and overrated, but as a pure centre-back who can read the game and make blocks and interceptions he is very good. People have the impression that centre-backs these days have to be elegant, skilful ball-players, like Benatia, but nothing wrong with a bit of no-nonsense old school. Astori filling in alongside either Benatia/Castan with DDR in front? Looks pretty solid to me.

We were quite lucky last year with Benatia and Castan being available most games (Castan 36; Benatia 32 - Serie A), but over a long season this campaign I'd feel a lot better with Astori stepping in in place of Toloi or Romagnoli for a big Champions League knock-out game or key Serie A game. I like Romagnoli, of course, and I hope he stays as part of the first squad and grows, but he's still a bit raw to be our number three defender.

Quite a good mercato so far (Cashly cnutin Cole aside, but I can understand it), no? Of course, all depends on if Benatia is sold. I know RG said he wouldn't be, but that could all change if a bigger offer still comes in, which I think it may.

[DCGweez]

I think Astori is pretty elegant actually. I wonder if he's the other things you listed.

[maro]

http://www.forzaroma.info/2014/07/24/ma ... oni/359169
I could see this happening, actually - that is, I could see ManUre coming in with a wildly extravagant bid for Strootman.

[DCGweez]

60 m? Where do we need to forward his stuff?

[RomaShield27]

I can see it happening too. LVG says "bring me the Stoooot" and the masters have to obey, plus with ManPoo saying they can break their transfer record this season they could easily bid that much, especially with Saba negotiating at the other end. For that much its a no-brainer, such is football. They may get Vidal, though, which may change it – or would the pricks want both?

[DCGweez]

CagliariCalcio: #Asseminello La società comunica di aver ceduto @DavideAstori alla @OfficialASRoma con la formula del prestito con diritto di riscatto

[maro]

Never rated him. Overpriced. Wasted our time concentrating on him and let Lampard slip through our fingers. We could have signed him ON A FREE! Terrible management.