THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[giallo-rossi.ie]

[maro]

[cg916]

[maro]

[maro]

[romawi]

[Italiamia]

[marco]

[maro]

[g.smiley]

[cg916]

[marco]

[maro]

[g.smiley]

[maro]

For the record, Chris, I thought Cassetti played a very, very good game in the first leg against ManUre. I don't know how it came across on the tv, but I thought he was excellent and totally vindicated Spags's selection. Sir tender Alex had clearly thought we'd start Cicinho and so almost every ball that Manure played from deep (literally, every goalkick), was played diagonal onto Rooney's head, who was playing on the left, I'm sure to match up against Cicinho. And Cassetti won almost every single one of them. Then, as the first half wore on, he made two or three brilliant runs down the right and Rooney didn't follow him. Unfortunately, he didn't get picked out by DDR and Pizza in the middle, so the runs were wasted, but both times they were excellently timed. It was one of the things which put me in mind of Zeman's comments a few weeks ago on how he loves football, but can't stand watching it on tv where it becomes a different game. Of course I'm guilty of watching almost everything on tv, but I suppose I at least have the good grace to acknowledge what he's on about.

Oh, and dibdib, this isn't an anti-Cicinho thing; as I see it, when Marco plays like he did that night it's hardly a criticism of Cicinho that he starts on the bench.

[cg916]

I felt yesterday's Udinese game was a prime example of how his workrate and pace can be optimally used, watching Simone Pepe and Antonio Di Natale tuck in behind Max who was still paying far too much attention to Ferronetti (or whomever) when on the ball far up the line, and similarly with Cicinho on the right occasionally. It was a lesson on why he's used on the left despite being a naturally right footed player. With the new reports of Vargas to Rome - with his agent dropping a big hint today - I can see an outrageous duo of JMV and Cassetti as fullbacks, allowing Rodrigo more freedom on the right, hopefully enabling him to use some of that regained technique, all the while Marco pushing up without need for worry behind. Could be that Cassetti is the key to an offensive explosion in 2008-09.

It's amazing how much one "role player" can mean to the team, eh?

[marco]

[romawi]

[marco]

[RomaShield27]

Roma-Catania: i convocati

www.ilromanista.it – AS ROMA | oggi - ore 13:42

Luciano Spalletti ha convocato 19 giocatori, per la gara di Coppa Italia con il Catania, valevole per le semifinali di andata. Indisponibili Ferrari e Cassetti, ancora out Aquilani, assenti De Rossi e Doni.

1 GIANLUCA CURCI
2 CHRISTIAN PANUCCI
3 CICERO JOAO DE CEZARE (CICINHO)
4 JUAN SILVEIRA DOS SANTOS
5 PHILIPPE MEXES
7 DAVID MARCELO CORTES PIZARRO
9 MIRKO VUCINIC
10 FRANCESCO TOTTI
11 RODRIGO FERRANTE TADDEI
14 LUDOVIC GIULY
15 VITORINO GABRIEL PACHECO ANTUNES
18 MAURO ESPOSITO
20 SIMONE PERROTTA
22 MAX TONETTO
25 CARLO ZOTTI
27 JULIO SERGIO BERTAGNOLI
30 MANCINI ALESSANDRO FAIOLHE AMANTINO
33 MATTEO BRIGHI
38 UNAL DANIEL

No Doni, Ferrari, Cassetti, Aquilani or De Rossi.