THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[Italiamia]

[loazzi]

[Carlo Romano]

[Italiamia]

[maro]

[Giacomo]

[Carlo Romano]

Tom, I'd like to laugh but the original subject is too soul destroying for words though I do appreciate Gio's turn of phrase! I'll have to remember that "paying from behind" quip for my workmates!

So, is no-one going to rise to my bait of a 2-1 victory earned in sufferance this evening? I'd rather be optimistic for the reasons already given but I know it wouldn't in the least surprise me if Rosella needs a police escort home if we should lose!

[maro]

Carlo, I don't know how the game is going to pan out tonight. I see Ranieri has sat Mexes. It may be the right call, but I can't help but feel Ranieri has a lot of man-love for Burdisso and part of me wonders whether playing Burdisso constantly is in part intended as a marker of how this Ranieri team is different from the Spags teams of the past seasons. It's become something of a fetish, as it were. Otherwise, the line-up looks fine since Vooch alongside Totti instantly changes the shape of the team and the way the team will move going forwards. One day it'd be nice to see those two with Menez behind them and Pizza as one of the three across the middle, but that may have to be for another time when things are going a bit better. Then, suddenly, we'd be technically a pretty good team. I fear Gila and Mutu and Jovetic have the ability to make us pay for what one has to feel are likely to be the inevitable lapses at the back and I'm not sure we've got enough players in form going forwards. Let's hope the Olimpico 'tabu' continues for Fiorentina and we do enough to scramble three points deserved or otherwise.

[Giacomo]

I think the line up is terrible. Benching Mexes and Menez, keeping Taddei and recalling Cassetti and Perrotta? I don't understand it.

[maro]

I didn't get to see the game mid-week but all of the reports said Motta had another very poor game defensively. And then working on the basis that it was always going to be a 4-3-1-2, who did you want across the middle? Brighi's out; Faty? Cerci and Guberti aren't going to be considered in that formation. And playing with Menez and Pizarro in the midfield is surely running the risk of leaving the side defensively very light-weight.

[Giacomo]

We can play 442, Menez and Cerci either side of Pizarro and De Rossi. Why would you choose attacking players based on their defensively ability?

[maro]

I should have thought you chose every player on the basis of what he brings to the balance of the side and I should think that that 4-4-2 would be very light-weight in the midfield. Ranieri is trying to make the side more compact and more defensively solid. That 4-4-2, I should have thought, would lend itself to doing exactly the opposite.

[Giacomo]

You should choose players for the position they are selected for, not for "balance". Attackers for attacking, defenders for defending, etc.

[maro]

[maro]

[Deini]

[maro]

[romawi]

[SPqR]

[Lupa]