THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[RomaShield27]

[RomaShield27]

[Carlo Romano]

I've read many of the professional writers' opinions of today's match and much as I'd love to, I can't disagree with them. The most fitting, I thought, was from Mediaset..."Roma: tired looking and untidy!"

From Rai, the comment from our Mister Claudio..."perhaps we were tired from the EL or perhaps we under-rated Livorno. It's not easy when you lose Totti but that's no excuse.

How can he be?

Livorno were there for the taking today and we weren't up to the task. Even with Totti, Motta, Cicinho, Tonetto, and Pizarro out, we had all that possession, particularly when they were down to 10, and we still couldn't hurt them?

If Ranieri can't get the lads firing on all cylinders because of having to use many of the same names twice a week, then he has to consider his priorities, pick one, and go for it unwaveringly, be it a Serie A top six place, the EL, or La Coppa Italia.

We all already know our squad's and our coach's shortcomings. Clearly, we can't as things stand, compete on a three tier front.

[Lupa]

We can't beat or even draw a bottom feeder at home. The bottom feeder played with ten men, and we were lame. Did Spalletti ever blame the absence of Totti for a loss? (that is a real question, not a rhetorical one, as I simply don't recall)

Carlo, this team not being able to compete on a three tier front is pathetic. Next year at this time I dont' think we'll have the same issue.

Italiamia - any news on Roma being sold? Please make my day.

[Carlo Romano]

Lupa, after I made that last post, I started thinking just where we may be when the stages of La Coppa Italia which concern us will start, after the New Year. Then I remembered Rosella clutching the last Coppa we won as if it was the CL trophy...damn, if we have to set our sights at that again as all we can realistically win then I may just as well spend my week ends concentrating on Sorrento, my family's home town team in the re-named Serie C1, now the Pro-League.

At least then I'd have an excuse for going into each match expecting nothing and being grateful for any positives...

But I won't of course. I want what we all want, expecting more from la nostra Roma.


We're not asking for much though, are we? A new and financially secure owner, a better management team, a coach who is a proven big winner, and a player roster with quality depth...

[Jamoldo]

[RomaShield27]

Totti will have operation tomorrow
– Monday 26 October, 2009

Roma captain Francesco Totti will have his right knee operated on for the second time in two years tomorrow morning. The 33-year-old had tried to avoid surgery after hyper-extending ligaments in his knee against Napoli on October 4.

Earlier today, Totti tried to train with his team-mates, but had to stop after just half an hour. He then travelled to the Villa Stuart clinic in Rome where he consulted with Professor Mariani and decided to go under the knife.

Yesterday Roma Coach Claudio Ranieri intimated just how much Totti means to his team. He said they wouldn’t have lost against Livorno had Totti been in the side.

“It’s the worst game of my management. We played really bad, but with Totti it would have gone differently. Without Totti our cartridges are too wet. If he were there it would have gone differently,â€

[romawi]

[Italiamia]

[RomaShield27]

At least Mirko will get more time to try finally score.

[Frenchesco]

It is probably not the end of Totti...however, for the ones who believed him when he said he could play for 3 or 4 more years, they proably now realise that at his age you can not play week in week out 90 minutes.
Let's hope he can play as soon as possible, but that does not mean that we must count on him like before. Vucinic, Menez, Okaka must now step up, i mean really step up and become the stars of tomorrow. If they can not...and if Roma is not in measure to buy a world class striker, then let's forget our hopes of top 4, Champions league and all this shit.
Totti has given so much to this team that the team became so weak without him. It was great to see him leading and maintaining Roma at a high level but let's admit that too many times without him, we could only accept and realise the gap existing between Roma and the best...in Italy or in Europe.

[Italiamia]

[marco]

[romawi]

[romawi]

[marco]

[Deini]

[Italiamia]

[romawi]

[RomaShield27]

When Vucinic scored that day in the 90 minute against Cagliari he actually wasn't really on a dry spell, as there was just the one game previous in which he played in full that he didn't score (which I was at, at home to Fiorentina), plus a couple of subs appearances, so he wasn't doin too bad. But now this season, he has started six games and about six sub appearances in which he has failed to score, his last goal coming in our first game of the season in the Europa League qualifier. So if he took off his shorts that time (), can you imagine what will happen now when he finally breaks this duct...?! It will be slightly mental, me thinks, bordering on dangerous, but I can't wait for it.

The booing and the negative press and all of that is a bit petty and fickle but it is also understandable, and expected in Roma, even, given his failure to score, but people have to remember he has been struggling for fitness and continues to struggle with his dodgy ginocchio right now, and wasn't helped when he was rushed back to play at the start of the season. He is also in the limelight because in Totti's absence people expect goals from him, and when he doesn't deliver everyone is on his back, but I don't see much criticisim of De Rossi, say, for his poor displays. Vucinic is a striker and goals are expected, yes, but with that comes the added pressure. All these negative headlines about him now are just the media putting their own spin on it and making a big deal out of it, but all players go through bad form and then the pressure of not finding the net builds up and blah blah blah, but its not like he has become a shite player. He is just struggling for confidence and form – like a lot of players right now – but, of course, he will get it back, all he needs is that first goal...