THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[zafferano]

[Carlo Romano]

Now that my temper has cooled, and let me tell you all it was some fit of anger to make me walk out as I did on a live Roma broadcast...

Even before Nico Burdisso made that challenge, I just knew something was going to happen. It was panic stations, the ball moving round our goal area like on an old-time arcade pinball machine. His flying tackle cost us after we had gotten ourselves back in the game. I for one though am not inclined to crucify him and simply forget all that good work he did for us last season just because of last night's moment of madness.

Let's take a hypothetical situation. Suppose JS had dived to his left and saved that penalty. Some fans may have then argued in Burdisso's defence, saying he took the hit for the good of the team, gambled that he'd get away with it or that the rigore would be missed.

But...could we have then held on at 1-1? I have my doubts. If it comes to it, why were we unable to at least stop the rot and lock down the 2-1, take no risks and hope a set piece or some opportunity could present itself to let us once again equalise, then simply close the door in Cagliari's face? It's not the first time a team down to 10 has managed to do that to their opposition and we've all seen it. Yet we could not. I'm not interested in hearing about Cagliari in Sardegna being a jinx to us. We can and will finish above them in the league despite last night. They are not better than us.

Unfortunately however, in our enthusiasm we tend to sometimes forget we don't have a side packed with the absolute best players money can buy which means these mistakes, even the occasional horror show is going to happen. When dedicated giallorossi commentators on the Roma Uno channel, the type who on the air try to never say a bad word against our team, have openly criticised our defending over the past few matches, and yes, I realise that includes our last friendlies, saying our back line was too static and uncertain, we know we are only good enough up to a point! Incidentally, let's not lose sight of the fact here that Burdisso wasn't playing in those games!

That aside, more injuries to add to Riise with Castellini and Ménez both off, though I think in Ménez' case it's just a muscle strain.

In closing, I wish certain factions of the media wouldn't over dramatise a situation with their nonsense. Already I am seeing parallels being drawn with last season's poor start under Spalletti...and if we take a doing on Wednesday in Germany, then what? By their way of thinking is our "Newco" management supposed to sack Ranieri?

[Italiamia]

Glorious defeat Carlo. That is what we Roma fans have endured since the founding of the club. How the hell do you lose by 5-1 to Calgiari? Have they even scored 5 goals since the were promoted back to Serie A? I mean, really. Why they hell should I watch this team. Last year is over, it was a dream.

[RomaShield27]

Did Menez pick up an injury, Carlo? Was that why he was taken off?

Fucking Burdisso.

[ASR1927]

God, Burdisso left Daniele needing 30 stitches. It's one thing to face the walk of shame after being sent off. It's another to then have to face Bruno about injuring his son!

[romawi]

[maro]

I totally agree, Chewna - though, in fact, I thought for much of the second half the attitude was pretty good and the discipline held up until the last 5 minutes and I thought a lot of the boys showed a lot of character (Rosi and Menez, notably, but others too - DDR and Pizza, Cassetti, Borriello grew into the game). The most worrying thing of all in hindsight was Totti's ridiculous stomp in the build-up to the corner from which we scored. That was cheap and nasty and actually entirely of a piece with what followed from Burdisso - that stomp from Totti, then, makes me worry that all is not well within the squad. What came afterwards I was less worried by, actually.

[RomaShield27]

I missed this 'stomp' by Totti, my stream was acting up. Was it really that bad? Not good to hear anyway.

Yesterdays game was a disaster for several reasons but I just hope there aren't any deeper problems and it doesn't effect the team mentally and they can get their shit together in time for Bayern. The return of several absentees from yesterday should help.

EDIT: Extended highlights .

[romawi]

I missed that stomp yesterday. Was it the one that didn't connect on the defender? I only saw a replay during the game of what looked like Totti coming down on a defender's ankle. I tried looking at youtube highlights to see if I could find a replay, but all of them just cut straight to the corner.

[RomaShield27]

Yeah I was looking through the YouTube highlights too but couldn't see it.

[maro]

Maybe I'm over-reacting, but I don't think so - I thought it looked terrible the two or three times it was replayed. He didn't really hurt the defender but it was malicious and on another day he might have done some serious damage.

[Frenchesco]

http://www.football-italia.net/blogs/sc130.html

[Carlo Romano]

The latest from Romanews.eu:

Not surprisingly, il mister and the players held their post-Cagliari inquest yesterday. Ranieri told the players they need to look their opponents in the eye and show determination. He also met with Pradè and requested a couple more players, most notably Behrami for January. So those of you here who have been suggesting all may not be well within the squad seem to have reason for having your doubts! What concerns me even more is Ranieri's own contractual situation. Our "Newco" management looks like it's in no hurry to extend with Signor Claudio which is certainly not inspiring news and it could if (it hasn't already) affect his judgments and decisions on the pitch. I for one would not like to see him go, especially when I think of the possible alternatives at present!

La Sensi is holding a directors' meeting to day to discuss both that and the contracts of Mexes and De Rossi.

The surface of the practice pitch at Trigoria is again a concern for Ranieri and he has requested that is put right. On the Trigoria subject, the fans have shown their reaction to the 5-1 by staying away. There were apparently less than a dozen present yesterday as opposed to the usual crowds, and it was seemingly left to a small boy to voice the fans' dissatisfaction to our mister regarding Saturday, telling him it was "absurd to lose five goals!" Out of the mouths of babes...as the saying goes!

On Wednesday, a Bayern Munchen without Robben and Ribery will hopefully not pose us quite as many problems in attack but they will still be a hard nut to crack at the back. If we can get a 1-1 we will do very well as far as I'm concerned!

Our probable formation is listed as: Julio Sergio; Rosi, Burdisso, Juan, Cassetti; Pizarro, De Rossi, Perrotta; Menez; Borriello, Totti.

To add to our injuries list of Riise (out until october) and Castellini (as yet unknown) Mexes too will not be playing. There seems to be some concern over Totti but the word is he will be a "definite" for Germany. There are however doubts over Taddei and Vucinic. Big Fatso is considered to be making more progress. I'm more than a little curious about Little Fatso. We seem to hear virtually nothing about him. I'd make a joke about maybe he has taken my old user title of "il miraggio" but it's really not funny.

Gio, I'd suggest Fahad is right. It's too early to start worrying about having a negative season, though it dismays me that so early on we may already need to address psychological problems. In fairness, Frenchy points out there were a few other shock results too. So maybe it was just a weird week end!

Tommaso, let's hope Totti's "stomp" was just frustration, not that that excuses him as you say!

Ed, since Ménez is called for Wednesday we can assume Ranieri was just sticking to his word about taking no risks with anyone as the CL is now so near, though it was mentioned our young Monsieur Jeremy had muscle ache. With that said, I wonder if it's in our coach's mind to give the CL priority this season, which in my opinion is a mistake. Despite our few additions we are still capable of fighting off Milan and Juventus for second place in the campionato. Hell, if we aren't up to Inter's standard, how can we expect to go to the later stages of the CL? If luck is with us, having a new ownership pending, we needn't worry too much about the loss of CL revenue if we find ourselves demoted to the EL by Christmas...

[maro]

Not good:
http://www.romanews.eu/news.asp?pagID=2&newsID=19561
Completely conflicting reports over Mexes - some saying he wasn't injured over the weekend and others saying he was likely to miss the Bayern date because his knee still wasn't right. Who knows. A nice little story on Vooch and Mexes joining the anti-Ranieri camp within the squad: good, par-for-the-course Roma stories whenever things start to go a little wrong on the pitch.

[pocari_fenrir]

the one night i spend in Rome, Roma arent in town... and they lose 5-1... with 10 men... fuck me... sideways

i was so exhausted from my trip, i did not need to see that happening. why the hell does our team blow year in and year out??

[RomaShield27]

Ah man, that is not good. Not good at all. I'm no doctore (or indeed, Professore) but I'd be highly doubtful over the reports of both Mexes and Vucinic still being injured. Mexes's injury – a thigh strain, by all accounts – sounds dodgy. It would seem there is something more going on. I hope I'm wrong, but for feck sake we could do without this drama.

[Italiamia]

ROMA (13 settembre) - Taddei ha provato a recuperare ma ha lasciato il campo durante l'allenamento, Mexes continua con la fisioterapia, come Vucinic. La buona notizia viene dal ritorno nel gruppo di Adriano.

Ranieri a fine allenamento, oggi, ha diramato la lista dei convocati in vista della trasferta di mercoledì a Monaco contro il Bayern per la prima gara del girone di Champions League. Totti, fermato ieri da un virus intestinale, è rientrato ed è regolarmente tra i convocati. Non ci sono invece Mexes, Vucinic, Okaka e Riise tutti infortunati con le rispettive nazionali oltre a Castellini che invece ha dovuto lasciare il campo durante la sfida di sabato sera con il Cagliari per problemi muscolari. Per la partita di Champions è a disposizione Menez che ieri aveva accusato un fastidio al ginocchio.

http://www.ilmessaggero.it/articolo_app ... &desc_sez=

[vtec]

...you guys are furoxed.

milan will probably lose as well, though; you can put money on it.

[Carlo Romano]

As I said above, I hope these rumours of discontent are just that, a somewhat predictable reaction to our bad start.

We are reading everywhere that Mexes and Vuci are "indisposed," as is Taddei. As you all say, let's hope that is indeed the case and isn't a cover up for something more sinister. I can't imagine why Vučinić should be mentioned in all this unless it's a fit of pique over not being selected for Wednesday. Mexes' case however is much more obvious. For a long time as far as Pradè, Sensi, and Ranieri are concerned, he is a dispensible commodity. Montali seems to be his only upper office sympathiser. However...if Mexes wants to go then he should do so with dignity and not make his team mates, the fans, and the name of Roma suffer as Cassano did, if that is what's in his mind.

LaRoma24.it tells us "her ladyship" went through Ranieri like a dose of salts following the 5-1, an action somewhat out of character for her. Perhaps we are seeing why our management is in no apparent hurry to extend our coach's contract. I'd much rather believe it's more a case of they know he'd prefer to stay, and therefore there isn't a need for immediate hurry, despite the fact he is reportedly not happy with their lack of urgency. That aside, I still believe Ranieri is "The Man" with our players, that's to say, with those who expect to play a regular part for la nostra magica!

Continuing on Rosella...once again it's an out of character act for her to decide to accompany the team to an away match, yet clearly she considers her presence may have a steadying effect on the lads in Germany. Credit to her for once if she thinks that, and on this occasion, even I the cynic wouldn't really believe she has an alterior motive for going to Munich.

I thought I'd post this, following Jeff's recent example. Taken yesterday, it shows Big Fatso is making progress and as he seems to have already been selected to partner Totti up front against Bayern, we better hope he plays the part as well as looking it! I can't see us holding out for 90 mins against i tedeschi in their "fortress" and if it's in Ranieri's mind to defend and hope for the lucky break of a goal then he better also hope we do enough to at least draw.

[Deini]

Miliardario russo valuta l'acquisto della Roma

Tornano le voci sui russi a Roma. Secondo alcune indiscrezioni apparse sul sito life.ru, il vice presidente di Lukoil, il magnate russo Leonid Fedun sarebbe interessato ad acquistare la As Roma.

La scalata al club capitolino di Fedun inizierebbe con l'acquisto del 50% delle azioni della Roma cui si aggiungerebbe in seguito un altro 35%. Nel 2012 il vice presidente Lukoil avrebbe in mano tutte le azioni della Roma. Duecento milioni di euro il costo dell'affare che non coinvolge l'azienda petrolifera. Lukoil è il maggiore gruppo russo non statale del settore petrolifero. Fedun, già proprietario dello Spartak Mosca, potrebbe così ambire a far concorrenza a Roman Abramovich, il patron del Chelsea. Il milardario russo ha un patrimonio personale stimato attorno ai 5,5 miliardi di dollari, è il 132/mo uomo più ricco del mondo secondo la rivista Forbes.

La Lukoil nel 2008 siglò un accordo per una imponente joint-venture del petrolio con la Erg della famiglia Garrone (patron della Sampdoria). I Garrone cedettero a Fedun e al suo socio, la quota del 49% dello stabilimento petrolchimico di Priolo in Sicilia. Si trattò dell' investimento più cospicuo mai effettuato dai russi in Italia. Lukoil che ha già una sede in Italia che si trova proprio a Roma, in Via Barberini, la scorsa primavera fece sapere che l'azienda punta a diventare un operatore di primo piano nel mercato retail italiano. L'acquisizione del club giallorosso potrebbe rappresentare per Fedun e soci l'occasione giusta per affermarsi nel mercato del Bel Paese.