THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[Carlo Romano]

After years of thinking this was one Englishman who'd had the brains to learn to be more worldly and a lot less narrow minded...I saw this:

[quote][size=84]Hodgson: We should have won!
Fulham Coach boss Roy Hodgson felt some of the decisions by the referee in the 1-1 draw with Roma detracted from a great performance by his team. The two met in the Europa League last night and Hodgson feels his team had done enough to win. “If you watch the penalty decision on the video it was quite a harsh one. I’m not 100 per cent sure there was contact,â€

[SPqR]

[Italiamia]

We all know what it is with the English men. It is the common for them to behave in such a fashion because they just can't help themselves. They believe the english rule world football. But what the fail to recognize that it is an exceptional circumstance if 2 englishmen are on the field at the same time on any given weekend. I remember last year when Roma was playing Chelsea and one rather cheeky english fellow observed that Simone Perrotta was the only player on the pitch that was actually born in England.

[Carlo Romano]

Vince & Gio, I'm sure you've both read what Totti has said today, that he will return to training almost immediately now he knows he doesn't need an op, but that he won't put a date on his playing return...

I don't know. I've been saying for a while I think this season and next will be his realistic last at top level, much as I'd love to think differently and much as he appears to. I'd hate to see il nostro Capitan' turn into a parody of himself, making, to use an old fashioned term, cameo appearances with erratic levels of success. It's not like he can do an indefinite super sub routine like Pippo Inzaghi who doesn't have a knee or ankle problem.

I'd like to see Totti leave football when the time comes with his head held high. Forced retirement is honorable. The bastardi inglese would be the first to take delight in ridiculing him for continuing beyond his sell by date, I think we all know that!

I shudder at the thought of seeing in say, three or four years time, the man who was once Roma's best ever player stepping onto the pitch at the Olimpico or the new Stadio Sensi if it happens, preparing to face Man Utd in the CL or for that matter Fulham again in the EL, and the home tifosi cheering if he just touches the ball while the visiting fans mock him when he loses it. That's not an option for me and it mustn't happen!

I don't want to harp on about it but the tv career he has waiting for him is not the end of the world by any means.

I'd laugh at the Perrotta quip except we may well be able to say the same thing in reverse the next time Inter play that team Aquilani joined...

[RomaShield27]

ROMA-LIVORNO, I CONVOCATI GIALLOROSSI
– pubblicata sabato 24 ottobre 2009

SERIE A TIM 2009/2010 – 9^ giornata ROMA-LIVORNO
domenica 25 ottobre 2009 ore 15:00
Stadio Olimpico di Roma
Arbitro : sig. Russo

Andreolli
Baptista
Brighi
Burdisso
Cassetti
De Rossi
Doni
Faty
Guberti
Juan
Lobont
Menez
Mexes
Okaka
Perrotta
Pit
Pizarro
Riise
Taddei
Vucinic


RANIERI WARY OF LIVORNO


Roma coach Claudio Ranieri has warned his players that winless Livorno will raise their game when the two sides clash at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday afternoon. The visitors lie at the foot of the Serie A table after losing five of their eight games. That prompted this week's dismissal of Gennaro Ruotolo, with Serse Cosmi tasked with turning around the fortunes of the Leghorn-based outfit. Ranieri, whose own side have endured a less than auspicious start to the campaign, knows this weekend's opponents will be no pushovers.

"Livorno have doubts about their strength and they want to raise their confidence," he said. "They have a new coach and it'll be tough, but we need to play like we know, with a strong desire to do our best to get through this delicate situation caused by certain injuries."

The Giallorossi are still without captain Francesco Totti, out with a knee injury. Totti, who is Roma's top scorer with five goals struck this campaign, missed last weekend's 2-1 defeat at AC Milan and the 1-1 draw at Fulham in midweek in the Europa League Group E. Roma fans will have to play the waiting game to see Totti back in action with the player set to undergo tests this weekend to confirm if he will need to undergo surgery to repair his meniscus.

In the meantime, the Giallorossi lie in 11th place and could do with a win to stay in touch with the sides at the top of the table. Roma are eight points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan. The visitors make the journey to the Italian capital looking to spark their season into life.

The Amaranto, who gained promotion to the top flight this summer, mustered just three points of a possible 24 under Ruotolo. Cosmi is delighted to be back in the top flight after a three-year absence.

"I have to thanks Livorno president Aldo Spinelli," he said. "For me this is a liberation to be back coaching in Italy's top flight. "It's the same for my wife as she couldn't put up any longer with me being at home all the time."

Cosmi is determined to meet the challenge of helping Livorno avoid the drop. "I hope to transmit immediately to the team some aspects of my character such as pride and self-esteem," Cosmi said. "I want my team to be able to play anywhere and against anyone with their heads held high. We are only eight games into the season and I do not believe that Livorno are worse than other teams."

Livorno have the worst striking force in the competition with two goals scored so far. The consolation for Cosmi is that Roma have one of the weakest backlines in Serie A, having given away a whopping 15 goals. "My teams have always done well against Roma," said Cosmi. "For example, Perugia and Udinese took positive results at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma."


Ranieri's full press conference from today (Italian) :

[Carlo Romano]

Ranieri's press conference today was so very predictable, but he's right to be bothered about Cosmi being the new Livorno coach. For sure, there's worse than him around and he'll make sure we need to fight for what we get from this match!

We need to stop conceding so many goals? From before even this time last year we've known that!

Menez can become a champion if he listens to our mister's advice and instructions? We will see.

[RomaShield27]

FORMAZIONI UFFICIALI ROMA (4-3-1-2): Doni, Cassetti, Mexes, Burdisso, Riise; Taddei, Faty, De Rossi; Perrotta; Vucinic, Menez.

A disp.: Lobont, Guberti, Pizarro, Brighi, Okaka, Baptista

Faty in for Pizza?

[edge_xeno]

Shield, i don't think that Pizarro is even on the bench, sure there is sth wrong with him.


A DISP.: Lobont, Andreolli, Brighi, Pit, Guberti, Baptista, Okaka
ALL.: Ranieri

[RomaShield27]

Yes indeed, Edge, not sure what is wrong with Pizarro exactly.

Roma-Livorno: Faty a centrocampo con Taddei e Perrotta
– Domenica 25 Ottobre 2009 14:47

Segui con forzaroma.info Roma-Livorno potrai leggere la cronaca testuale ed essere aggioranto in qualsiasi istante sul risultato del match.

FORMAZIONI UFFICIALI

ROMA (4-3-1-2): Doni, Cassetti, Mexes, Burdisso, Riise; Taddei, Faty, De Rossi; Perrotta; Vucinic, Menez.
A disp.: Lobont, Andreolli, Baptista, Guberti, Pit, Brighi, Okaka.
All.: Ranieri

LIVORNO (3-5-1-1): De Lucia; Perticonoe, Knezevic, Miglionico, Pulzetti; Bergvold, Moro, Pieri, Candreva, Raimondi, Tavano,
A disp.: Benus

[maro]

There was something about his aggravating his achilles tendon problem. A pity - the teamsheet I'd seen projected with Guberti rather than Taddei and Pizza in for Faty looked like a good one. Taddei had better play well.

[RomaShield27]

Ah thanks for clearing that up re Pizzaboy. Taddei is under a lot of pressure to perform. He desperately needs a good performance.

For feck sake Vucinic get the fuck up don't be diving like a bleedin pussy...

[RomaShield27]

Who the hell was tracking back there? There was two of them that could of finished it off... We need to buckle down we should be stompin these muppets.

[maro]

4-3-1-2 with the fullbacks not really getting forward - what can you expect? It's turgid stuff. The tempo's much too slow. They need to move the ball much more quickly. Guberti or Okaka on for Taddei for me - not that Taddei is playing especially poorly. It's just the shape of the team isn't working. Either Okaka alongside Vooch and Menez through the middle or a straight swap with Guberti or Cerci down the right. Any team which plays with three at the back is asking you to make runs into the channels in behind the wing-backs and we've done it maybe three times all half?

[RomaShield27]

[RomaShield27]

[Italiamia]

[RomaShield27]

[maro]

[maro]

[RomaShield27]