THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[RomaShield27]

[red]

[pocari_fenrir]

[Carlo Romano]

Ed & Andrew, my objection to Adebayor is the amount of wasted opportunities we see from him. I have visions in my mind of us as we were two or three seasons ago when we would create so much and fail to score, thus drawing or even losing matches we ought to have comfortably won. The difference being in those days we created more than we do now. Ed, yes, the man can play, but I have to go with Andrew on the "when he wants to" bit, rather like Mancini used to be.


Pocari, yes, Totti and De Rossi as romani ought to have the power to motivate their team mates. If Totti leaves us, it won't be to play football. I honestly hope he is not getting to the stage I have seen others get to as they near the end of their playing careers. Starting to blame something else for their own shortcomings. I was thinking this afternoon it's been far too long since we saw what we once expected from Totti, a goal from a truly convincing free kick. All too often now his shot goes into the wall, or on occasion, over the bar! It's just not Totti. On De Rossi, it's been said that Pizarro's form slump affected De Rossi's play. Well, he has the chance to work with Simplicio tomorrow so should he not perform, Pizza can't be made a reason. As for Ronaldo...too arrogant, too rich, too everything. Wants all his own way...


Lupa, how could I have forgotten Fabio Hat? The one and only!




Let's hope the lads do the needful against Cluj! Reading your list, Ed, and taking Pocari's comments into account, it's becoming a bit of an old story for me, worrying far more about our coach who just hasn't got what it takes for much more than the opening stages of Euro competition. If only Ranieri wasn't so damn cautious at times. We know we have one of the leakiest defences in Italy. Our best option is surely to go out and try to score goals, not be timid about it all. As I have said many times before, outscore the opposition. Hell, let people see us making a fight of it. If we do lose then at least no-one can say we didn't try!

[Lupa]

[RomaShield27]

[Carlo Romano]

Ed, is your new avatar your own design, and is that a cougar's head on the left with long fangs? As you know, images and clipart are among my interests but I think it's time I got better than the programs I have to do what I'd really like to do!

Of all things, when I first got into experimenting with images, I had this really old Christmas Card prog which let me merge and super impose, as did Lotus Freelance Graphics, both in fact giving a number of tasks more modern progs don't give options for. They wouldn't permit the use of "save as" though and in those days I'd never heard of "Screen Print!" Now I lack the time!




Lupa, Brighi had a splendid late season back then and unfortunately he just doesn't seem to have found quite the same consistency or flair since, more's the pity. Remember at that point it shot his asking price up and his agent was making a big deal of it?

[RomaShield27]

Yep my own design Carlo. Threw it together in about 3 minutes in PS in solidarity with Philippe. Or something like that. It was just a black background with a slight gradient and another image of some lights toward the top, and no thats not a snake, thats his hand over his ear!

[red]

[Carlo Romano]

I thought Juve had their sights more on Benzema, Andrew?

There's a thing, your club. Would you really want to own one if you could?

[red]

I'd have Aberdeen or Keith.

Wouldn't go for anyone else.

[pocari_fenrir]

[Lupa]

I'm not sure I'm buying De Rossi's slump being directly due to Pizarro's absence. Pizarro had a great season last year, and it wasn't Daniele's best. De Rossi hasn't been at his best for a couple of years. It is possible that it's indirectly not helping, though, just because the tinkerman has had a few different midfield combos and this may not be helping in that way.

I see the shortlist is out for the 'Bidone d'oro' Unsurprisingly, we have our own entry this year:

Adriano – Roma
Mancini – Inter
Marco Materazzi – Inter
Ronaldinho – Milan
Amauri – Juventus
Felipe Melo – Juventus
Fabio Cannavaro – Juventus
Diego – Juventus
Antonio Cassano – Sampdoria
Adrian Mutu – Fiorentina

[Carlo Romano]

Here we have the Formazione Probabile as set out by Romanews...

PROSSIMA PARTITA: Cluj-Roma (giornata 6 di Champions League, Girone E, stadio Radulescu, ore 20:45CET, Cluj, mercoledì 8 dicembre 2010)
INDISPONIBILI: Riise, Perrotta, Pizarro
IN DUBBIO: Simplicio
SQUALIFICATI: nessuno
PROBABILE FORMAZIONE: (4-3-1-2) Julio Sergio; Cicinho, Mexes, Juan, Castellini; Taddei, De Rossi, Brighi; Simplicio; Borriello, Totti.
BALLOTTAGGI: Mexes-Burdisso, Mexes-Juan, Cassetti-Castellini, Cicinho-Cassetti, Menez-Simplicio, Juan-Burdisso





Il mister warned us we could expect a turnover selection so if we do see Ménez and/or Vučinić, let's hope it's only to relieve Simplicio or Totti toward the end of the match and not because we need them to make things happen! Ménez didn't play in the partitella yesterday evening, complaining of a backache.

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Lupa, I wouldn't be thinking of sticking Big Fatso in a "Golden Bin." I think your fun word "garbaggio" covers it nicely! I can't imagine Tottenham wanting him but it's possible, as per a rumour yesterday...btw, the way I read that piece on Danie De Rossi was that he is starting to look more assured again with Pizarro being out. Just as long as he doesn't let his temperament run away tonight...


Pocari, you know me for being a cynic! The sale is taking longer in our case because things are happening that shouldn't be. "Mistakes" in the accounts/books. What is next?

[Italiamia]

Edzo, I think I stopped dreaming about Roma winning anything quite a long time ago. We have fallen short so many times over the years. Last year being the latest disappointment. But that was a glorious and unexpected year that gave all of us pleasure. For me, it was a wonderful season just for the fact that I finally saw Luca make a fine contribution in his short time in the Roma shirt.

I have to say that if some foreign owner comes in and guts the team of it's Italian identity, then there is truly nothing left for me. I am barely holding on now. To call Totti dead wood is a hyper-exaggeration. He still has something to offer Roma. He should get less playing time and he must accept that fact at this point in his career. However, I seriously doubt his giant ego will allow him to accept it with any sort of dignity. I am afraid we will all see an unfortunate and bitter ending to the finest player Roma ever produced.

[RomaShield27]

You do realise I was only joking when I referred to Totti as that, right, Giovanni?!

[vtec]

[Italiamia]

[Carlo Romano]

Forza Roma tells us today that some representatives of our "mystery" American prospective buyers have flown in to meet with Unicredit. There is still no info being released on their identity.

Also, there is a list of our proposed offloads for January in view of the fact that our mister wants two new players, a midfielder who can act like an old fashioned "wing half," good with both head and feet, and a wide man who can play in both an offensive tridente and a classic 4-4-2...until we have a new owner we must work on the premise that our Champions League income and what we get from the sale of Baptista, Doni, Loria, and Antunes will have to fund the purchase of Ranieri's wants.

We have apparently had several enquiries from Serie B regarding Antunes and Loria. Although it's more likely Antunes will return home to Portugal, the "lavatory attendant" will probably be dumped into B...

Baptista, we know is content with his "easy street" existence on our panchina and if Malaga aren't going to take him, somehow we must shift him. Doni too.

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I read on Mediaset text service this afternoon that Ranieri is going to "surprise" us all with his final selection agianst Cluj. There isn't that much he could really change if he wants us to get the one point we need...

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Ed & Gio, I have to add I too cannot see Totti as he is, "going gracefully" when his time comes. I don't want to see him as I have said before, become a parody of himself, and I just hope those around him who care about him can get him to where he needs to be, in terms of accepting his best playing days are gone when that time comes. Until such time, he is most certainly still of service to us, as much by his presence as his playing capabilities, even though they are starting to lessen. Let's be completely honest here, his record breaking 2006-07 performances are gone forever...

[RomaShield27]