THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[Dejan-Stankovic]

Simplicio to join Roma in June
Wednesday 27 January, 2010
Palermo director of sport Walter Sabatini has revealed that Fabio Simplicio will join Roma in the summer when his contract expires.

The Rosanero made Simplicio a simple take-it-or-leave-it offer earlier this month in line with the club's conservative wage structure.

His reluctance to commit to Palermo alerted Roma and Milan, but the Giallorossi showed the most interest in his signature.

Simplicio's performances have attracted serious attention this season and even prompted Brazil to call him up for the first time.

Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli, Sabatini said: “Simplicio has an agreement with Roma. At the end of the season, after the natural conclusion of his contract, he will go and play in the capital.â€

[maro]

Il passaggio di Marco Motta al Manchester City potrebbe essersi complicato. Forse, in maniera definitiva. Secondo Sky Sport, il manager del terzino Beppe Bozzo starebbe tornando in Italia senza aver concluso l’operazione con il club allenato da Roberto Mancini. A complicare le cose, sarebbe stato un ripensamento da parte del tecnico Claudio Ranieri, che avrebbe deciso di non privarsi di Motta almeno per questa stagione. Soprattutto se il giocatore deve partire per un semplice prestito. A questo punto il trasferimento potrebbe essere saltato.

[Italiamia]

[maro]

[Jamoldo]

[pocari_fenrir]

[RomaShield27]

[maro]

So, no Luca, Totti still not at 100% and Vooch battling a niggle too - I wonder if the Beast will get another chance?
http://romanews.eu/news.asp?newsID=2931&pag=66
I'd quite like to see him in the rombo, alongside Vooch up top, though perhaps it will be Okaka instead? And then Totti off the bench - hopefully not after 4 minutes this time.

[RomaShield27]

I'd like to think we'd have enough in us sensa Totti to beat Siena at home. I know they're not all that bad a side but we're in quite good form at the moment and I think we should have enough to beat them comfortably. I'd go with Baptista up top alongside Vucinic, who hopefully will be ok. Like it or not, Baptista is going to be with us until at least the summer (last minute mega peanut-offer excluded), so we have to try and get something from him and a goal or two for him on Sunday could set the fat cnut rolling. I mean, I know he has the touch of a two-legged, blind, crippled elephant on coke, but for feck sake the man used to be a good player and there has to be something good left in him which he can offer. Okaka was ok against Catania, good movement and good holding up of the ball etc., but he still looks very raw and a little naive in front of goal.

What do we think of Menez? Did you see the Catania match, Tomzo? I wouldn't say he was brutal against them, he showed some nice touches and moves and one-twos, but the thing that struck me most about him was that he didn't look like a man out to impress at all. That is what he should of been doing, of course, looking to play well for the team and fight his way back into a starting spot, but he looked bored, disinterested and, crucially, not doing the things which Ranieri has highlighted in the past. He was too selfish and not passing the ball when he should, he was trying to do it all himself, and you could just imagine how it must of pissed Ranieri off. I hope its not the end of him at Roma, I think he can be a great player for us if he buckles down and concentrates on the simple things a bit, but I'm not sure if its going to happen for him.

[maro]

[Italiamia]

[pocari_fenrir]

[RomaShield27]

Why are we letting Stefano leave with Toni's, Totti's and even Vucinic's injury and fitness concerns? Add to that that SuperMauroEsposito is gone and how Menez has fell out of favour with Ranieri I think this is a bad move. We are still playing in three competitions and its a long hard season and I think we could do with him.

Roma striker Okaka undergoes Fulham medical
– January 29, 2010

Fulham are on the brink of completing the loan signing of striker Stefano Okaka from Roma until the end of the season. Okaka is undergoing a medical at Craven Cottage after negotiations over the 20-year-old were revived since a perceived lack of interest from the player and his club threatened to scupper the move.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson revealed on Friday that he expects the Italy Under-21 international to be available after the transfer window closes on Monday.

"The deal is on," he said. "It was never really off but there have been a lot of problems to iron out. At the moment, he's finishing off a medical.

"Barring any problems with the medical, I expect him to join us from Monday. He won't be in line to play against Aston Villa tomorrow as Roma want him available for their game on Sunday."

[Jamoldo]

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... sta-jeremy

[RomaShield27]

ROMA HOPE TO KEEP PRESSURE ON INTER


Roma are looking to pile further misery on strugglers Siena on Sunday in order to keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Inter Milan. The Giallorossi expect to clinch their fifth win in six games against rock-bottom Siena and reduce their current 11-point deficit on Inter.

Claudio Ranieri's men will have the added motivation of knowing that a win on Sunday could see them climb above AC Milan into second, provided the Rossoneri lose to Livorno. Roma are just two points behind Milan in the standings. Ranieri and co have reason to be optimistic as his side followed their 2-1 win at Juventus with a 1-0 triumph over Catania in midweek to reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals.

"We can compete in all competitions if luck is on our side," said Roma midfielder Simone Perrotta. "We are humble and we have the determination to go all the way in all the competitions. We want to hand our fans great joy this campaign.

"Three months ago we were considered a group that couldn't get the job done and now we are third in the standings and still alive in the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. We have to enjoy the moment."

It is all the more pleasing for Roma considering they have had to cope without injured captain Francesco Totti since the start of the year. However, the Giallorossi have shown no signs of slowing down, scoring six goals and giving away just one in their last three league games.

With Totti still out with a knee injury and striker Luca Toni also unavailable with a calf problem, Ranieri will rely on Mirko Vucinic and Julio Baptista to deliver in front of goal.

Siena president Massimo Mezzaroma has given coach Alberto Malesani a vote of confidence ahead of Sunday's trip to the capital. Siena fans had hoped the arrival of Malesani in November as a replacement for Marco Giampaolo would open a new chapter for the club.

However, Siena find themselves at the foot of the standings, seven points adrift of safety with three victories in 21 games. Despite this, Mezzaroma has thrown his support behind the coach.

He said: "We have confidence in Malesani and we believe he can turn things around. We have a lot of work to do. Despite good performances, if we don't get victories it is of little consolation. We must start taking points."

Siena, who earned their first point of the year in last weekend's 1-1 draw against Cagliari, will be desperate to clinch their first win since December 13.

To add to Siena's woes, Malesani will be forced to make wholesale changes to his back line, with Luca Sorrentini out injured and Jardim Brandao and Emilson Cribari serving one-match bans on Sunday.

This is bad news for the visitors, who have the weakest defensive line in the competition with 42 goals conceded in 21 games.


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PROSSIMA PARTITA: Roma-Siena (Serie A - domenica 31 gennaio 2010, ore 15)
INDISPONIBILI: Toni, Totti, Tonetto, Andreolli, Menez, Vucinic
IN DUBBIO: /
SQUALIFICATI: /
DIFFIDATI: Mexes, Totti, Burdisso, De Rossi
PROBABILE FORMAZIONE (4-2-3-1): Julio Sergio; Cassetti, Mexes, Juan, Riise; Pizarro, De Rossi; Taddei, Perrotta, Vucinic; Baptista.
BALLOTTAGGI: Mexes/Burdisso

[maro]

http://www.romanews.eu/news.asp?newsID=15789&pag=2

No Totti, no Toni, and no Vooch for tomorrow (and no Menez) - so presumably it will have to be Okaka alongside Baptista up top? I still think they should have enough to get past Siena, but it will be an interesting attack. I wonder if Cerci will get a bit of a chance to play more centrally too?

[RomaShield27]

Shit, no Vucinic is a bit worrying alright. It's a bit of potential banana skin but we still should have enough to win, hopefully. It will also be a big game for Baptista and a good chance for him to prove he's still a decent football player (Ranieri said he has been training well), so it will be interesting to see how he does. are predicting that it will be Cerci who starts in a 4-2-3-1 with Baptista as prima-punta, but they're saying there's also a chance it also could be the rombo with Baptisa dropping back a bit and Okaka upfront. Hopefully that will be alright, and I suppose at least we can be grateful its Siena at home and hope that we'll have some of our regular forwards back for next weeks trip to Fiorentina.

[maro]

Yes. The fact that it's a home game is pretty significant, I think - it ought to make it easier to paper over the cracks. I wonder, too, if it were away whether Totti and Vooch might at least be in the squad if not the starting 11. I'd be much happier with the rombo - with Okaka and Baptista alongside each other up top, Simone through the middle, and Taddei-Pizza-DDR behind them. I think that would suit the way we've been playing much better. Otherwise, are you imagining Cerci-Perrotta-Taddei (right-to-left) behind Baptista? I'd be happy to see Alessio get another run and perhaps he'd attack space and give us profondita. I think Baptista would be more comfortable alongside Okaka, though.

[Jamoldo]

[stefano]