THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[RomaShield27]

TONI SET FOR ROMA START


Luca Toni will make his first start for Roma in Saturday's Serie A clash with Chievo. The 32-year-old loan recruit from Bayern Munich made his return to Italian football as a substitute in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Cagliari. However Roma managar Claudio Ranieri has been so impressed by Toni in training that he will include him in his starting line-up at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma have dropped to fifth in the table so will be hoping that Toni, who fell out of favour in Munich but still hopes to earn a place in Italy's World Cup squad, can make an instant impact.

"He will play tomorrow, I will give you that in advance," Ranieri told a press conference. "I didn't expect to find him so ready, after an injury and only a few games, or that he would integrate so well in the dressing room."

The availability of Toni to start matches is particularly welcome for Roma in light of Francesco Totti's knee injury. Totti is unlikely to play any part tomorrow but could return in the following week, with Ranieri saying: "He is continuing to work with the physios. I expect to have him available soon."

Roma went unbeaten through November and December and are on an undefeated 11-match run, however Ranieri is taking nothing for granted ahead of the tussle with Chievo. Although Chievo are in mid-table, they are just five points behind Roma and have a decent away record, better than all but the top three sides.

"Chievo play well, compact. It will be a tough game," Ranieri predicted. Chievo have been involved in one of the biggest stories in Italy this week, after Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli accused fans of the Verona club of racially abusing him.

Balotelli, who is of Ghanaian parentage, made the claim after Wednesday's Serie A match between the teams and said he is "tired of always hearing racist chants" when he is playing. He was fined by league chiefs for provoking the home fans by clapping when he was substituted, having scored the winner in Inter's 1-0 victory.

Chievo president Luca Campedelli hit back at Balotelli today and claimed he had offended the city of Verona with his allegations. Campedelli said: "I don't think it was the right thing to use the whistles and give them a racist significance. If there were some boos heard it was towards one of our players, Luciano.

"At the end of the game Balotelli talked about repeated instances of racism towards him here at Verona, offending an entire city and its inhabitants.

"His words are heavy, I don't feel it's right to interpret how you want and accuse a city of racism because of whistles that can be accepted or not but have a significance that has nothing to do with the colour of your skin."

Chievo will be without defender Gennaro Sardo on Saturday, as he serves a suspension.

[RomaShield27]

Weather report from Rome: no snow but very heavy rain at the moment, with the Tevere having overflowed at various points, but all indications at this point are that the game will be going ahead this afternoon:

http://www.romanews.eu/news.asp?newsID=15501&pag=2

[maro]

I hope Luca starts, as it seems he will. Ranieri called it the rombo against Cagliari, though, as you know, it didn't look quite like that at various times. In the rombo, though, I think Luca makes a big difference for all of Vooch, Baptista, and Menez (for what it's worth). The rombo with pizza sitting at the bottom, DDR having a big game getting up and down and showing his stuff going forward, Taddei working up the right and giving us a bit of width, and Simone getting beyond Luca through the middle - if Luca plays well, I say Vooch will score two today. The trouble will come when Totti's fit and Ranieri has to try and get Vooch and To-To on the pitch together; today, I say Vooch is going to be the biggest winner from Luca's inclusion and the LitM is going to do some of that being made.

[maro]

How's the Ponte Milvio?

[RomaShield27]

The bridge? I don't know, why do you ask?

[maro]

I don't know - because it's close to the Olimpico and I think we could do with a little divine inspiration of our own?

[maro]

Oh no:

Spiacevole problema per Ranieri a poche ore dalla sfida contro il Chievo. Nella sgambatura di questa mattina, Julio Sergio ha accusato una contrattura alla coscia destra che lo ha costretto a dare forfait per la partita dell'Olimpico. Il tecnico giallorosso sembra intenzionato a rilanciare Doni in porta dall'inizio.

Anyone else think that 70-yard bullet from Le Ferrovie would have got past Doni in Sardinier.

[maro]

Actually, I think it was from Lavazzari, wasn't it.

[RomaShield27]

What are you smokin today, Tommasino?


ROMA-CHIEVO: LE FORMAZIONI UFFICIALI. JULIO SERGIO OUT PER INFORTUNIO, DONI DAL PRIMO MINUTO
– pubblicata sabato 9 gennaio 2010

Con Julio Sergio out per una lieve contrattura alla coscia destra, Ranieri si affida a Doni. Spazio anche a Toni, all'esordio in giallorosso dal primo minuto.

LE FORMAZIONI UFFICIALI

ROMA: Doni; Cassetti, Burdisso, Juan, Riise; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Perrotta, Vucinic; Toni.
A disp.: Lobont, Motta, Andreolli, Faty, Brighi, Baptista, Cerci.
All.: Ranieri

CHIEVO: Sorrentino; Frey, Mandelli, Yepes, Mantovani; Bentivoglio, Rigoni, Ariatti; Pinzi; Abbruscato, Bogdani.
A disp.: Squizzi, Morero, Marcolini, Malagò, Luciano, Granoche, De Paula.
All.: Di Carlo

ARBITRO: Mazzoleni di Bergamo
Assistenti: Rubino e Altomare
Quarto uomo: Trefoloni

[RomaShield27]

I don't think its that much of concern that Julio is injured and Doni starts in his place. Chievo will no doubt sit back quite a lot and being at home its a good game for Doni to make his comeback and fight for that number one spot. Doni is still a good 'keeper, and so its up to him to demonstrate he is worthy of recovering his first team slot.

I'm quite exciting about seeing Luca play today. I know I've been quite vocal about his abilities these days but it remains intriguing to see what he can do with us. Like you mentioned earlier, Tom, he may compliment some of the other players quite well, notably Vucinic, and allow us to attack as a side in different ways. It would be nice to see Luca get on the scoresheet today, too, to give him some confidence going forward.

[RomaShield27]

Gooooool De Rossi already!!! Header from a corner in the first minute! Must be because he's rid of the face-mask...

[pocari_fenrir]

OMFG Doni gets sent off

[RomaShield27]

Its a shame Doni got sent-off when he did, it really looked like we really could of pushed on and bagged a few more goals and ended this game before half-time. Very silly from Doni, he should of taken his chances and not went in for the challanege with his arms raised. Obviously it changed the complexion of the game completely. Nevertheless, we should of been two up going in to the break but Luca and Taddei couldn't convert clear-cut chances. Pizarro is our most important player now – being a man down we need him to control and dictate play the way he does best. Second-half on...

[RomaShield27]

Good result. Could of won by a few more, even after the red card, but in the end we done enough and Chievo were about as threatening as Maro chatting up a group of birds in a pub, so good all round. Fully deserved win.

[Lupa]

I've never thought Doni was the smartest of keepers, and that was stupid, but Burdisso and Juan didn't help him out. Luckily they were concentrating better later in the game. It's tough to go down to ten men so early, obviously, but we held on and if I were watching without knowing who was playing with then men I would have thought it was Chievo.

Toni delivered what I expected (although a goal would have been nice). He was good at holding up the ball, a big, physical presence for the opposing defenders to deal with and gave us a lot of free kicks. A goal would have been nice, but give him time. Today he fit right in with the team of 'almosts'.

Good result.

[marco]

i cant blame doni for a spontaneous reaction. if he doesnt lift his hand, its a sure goal. i blame the other 10 guys sleeping on the quick fk.

[marco]

yes, toni did well to earn fouls and hold up the ball. it was a necessary approach to take in light of our situation but he has to be able to bury goals too. i hope we dont have to see 10 misses per each goal converted like ive been accustomed to seeing with him over the past few years. we already have vucinic in that role.

anyway, hard-fought win by our boys. all seemed to played well and with urgency in defending the lead while still able to generate the occassional offensive opportunity. thankfully, chievo also helped our cause.

[aba_bab]

Just watching the Inter Siena game so far... pretty good game.. and it helps that its 87mins and Siena is winning.

motherfuck... just as i type this Snieder scores his second freekick goal of the fucking game... arrrgggghhh FACCKKKKKKKK

anyways.. was gonna say.. Rosi had a pretty good game... save for a bit of playacting... im guessing thats part of the parcel with have C.ronalso as your idol. Oh man.. another freekick from shooting distance for inter...i had better stop posting.

[aba_bab]

omfg

[SPqR]