Change is good?

And thus ends communication on this end of the portal. Within the next weeks, this page will automatically redirect. For now…

Hello again – in permanence.

Okay – you might not be surprised.

Imprudent? Perhaps.

Knee-jerk? Likely.

Somewhat inaccurate? Yup.

Insane? Why not.

Temporary? Possibly.

That doesn’t change the here and now. A day we’ve long known was coming.

At current, at this very moment in time, we can say with little pause that…

Daniele De Rossi is AS Roma.

As he goes, the club goes. The midfield cannot seem to consistently – no, not every game requires his absolute presence for them to perform well, but the scale tilts significantly – function without him, and the midfield is the crux of this team. Maybe it will be rectified over weeks, or maybe the torch has finally been passed. Nonetheless, for the current, even if brief, Roma is there.

Welcome to the future.

Less Provocative Stuffs

• The Simon Kjaer of Monday is hardly to blame for the penalty for which Mattia Destro put on his speedo and climbed up to the tippity top platform.

  The problem is the Simon Kjaer of the rest of 11-12 just might be. How far gone is his reputation among referees? Will a stiff breeze ruin his career? That, much like the thought of Menez trying to win another Serie A foul outside of being slashed in the face by Jason Vorhees, is a rather frightening thought for the future.

• At the end of the game, ten of the eleven players on the pitch were trying to break down the world’s first most recent 0-2-8 as new signings to Roma, while also having spent last year somewhere other than Serie A. Aleandro Rosi was the only gentleman from Roma (delicious), with Kjaer and J. Depp the only other to’ve played a minute of top flight calcio in the past – the former playing out of position at the end, the latter making a post-injury cameo.

  Mere hypothesis that it had an actual effect, but it’s certainly straight up bad juju.

• I’m not entirely against the €7m experiment that is Simon Kjaer as a prima punta. Though if Wolfsburg’s been watching any of his film, it might take 7 euros just to take his contract off their hands at this point.
• Of note: the results and performances against teams with a coach who’s seen Enrique’s tactics once around already continues to bear watching. Closely.
• For a team which threw so much money at the transfer window this summer – and most of the buys have panned out (the Spanish children are still TBD, though it’s looking like Bojan is going to need to loan Messi’s skill set for 12-13 to end in anything but a one-way back to Barcelona) – this team has such little depth for the system. Which, of course, is a bit of the issue – no backup system. And that’s fine if they’re convinced it’ll be the only one in the future – just get ready to be comprehensively outplayed by teams who can defend like Siena when it’s just not clicking one day.

  That sounds familiar…

• At the beginning of the year, I thought sixth place was a solid guess – predicted such, if I recall. Frankly, they’ve played like a sixth place team – occasional Champions League-quality performance mixed with the occasional I-just-woke-up-in-a-puddle-of-my-own-vomit showing – they’ve simply been very lucky other teams haven’t quite played up to expectations (see: Inter, Napoli). Maybe it’ll continue to progress throughout the year, maybe teams will learn to counteract Roma more easily over time, or maybe it’ll be more of the same until another summer of squad turnover (read: torch the defense). Time, patience, whatever, etc.

  Things are simply going as expected – both the good and the bad.

Siena v Roma

Firstly…

Novara Calcio: Making Roma’s results against Inter look relatively insignificant since Sept. 2011.

So, you know…thanks. Enjoy Serie B for the next 55 years as payback.

Osvaldo’s back. I know there is a consistent undertone of “Please don’t get pee tested.” surrounding him anyway, but having bounced back this quickly, those fears are increased dramatically. Maybe threat level Hazy Purple transitions to Pink Slip?

With Daniele and ‘Nando gone, the midfield is, well – the midfield is going to look like the B team from an intrasquad practice game, possibly with a few injuries thrown in as well. But at least they’ve yet to have to bring Ahmed Barusso back from loan – so there is that.

Here’s what’s going to happen: Roma’s going to press, Siena’s going to sit back and attempt to counter, and depending on which side decides to show up on the day, one might win…

Isn’t this fun? It’s like the Spalletti years of knowing exactly what’s going to be attempted going into the game, but with none of the characters and fun of pondering who’s going to give a shit.

Squad

BORINI Fabio
CURCI Gianluca
GRECO Leandro
HEINZE Gabriel
JUAN Silveira
KJAER Simon
KRKIC Bojan
LAMELA Erik
LOBONT Bogdan
OSVALDO Daniel
PERROTTA Simone
PJANIC Miralem
PISCITELLA Giammario
ROSI Aleandro
SIMPLICIO Fabio
STEKELENBURG Maarten
TADDEI Rodrigo
TOTTI Francesco
VALDES J. Angel
VIVIANI Federico

XI

Maaaarten
Rosi, Juan, Heinze, Taddei
Mmm, Hmm, Pjanic
Totti, Borini, Lamela

FREE SIMONE

Basically, DDR and Pjanic are sure things, Gago’s good occasionally, and Simplicio and Greco are looking up at productivity and Viviani is still firmly ‘unknown quantity’. With Pjanic the only one available, this might be sandpaper-esque.

Quite the delightful week to be a Roma fan, isn’t it? In fact, one things just gets better than the next. Daniele’s contract signing was far better than the game, with the news his hand couldn’t be taken by a gift of several mooing farm animals the next day.

Furthermore, the game against Catania – all coffee break’s worth – was some of the worst, most excellent football we’ll see this season, if only because it was like watching bumper cars run on full throttle with the occasional turbo burst. Or whatever stimulant footballers are using to get an undetected edge these days.
(Hey, Carrozzieri’s back, right?)

And then…Luis.

The subject of Igli Tare brought up, Luis replies with great and seemingly genuine confusion…“who?”

They could lose every game for the rest of the season before his canning, and this alone would make his whole Roma career worthwhile. Though one game in particular would probably prove necessary for actions to trump words.

Catania Nolights

Best I’ve got.

Daniele

He was never leaving. Ever. Got it? Never. I mean, it’s not like I was wearing layers of rosaries like an exhibitionist at Mardi Gras for the last six months or anything…

At some stage, however, this feels a bit like too much of a celebratory sigh of relief. Or like we never could’ve imagined it to be a celebration – rather the enjoyment of an absolute inevitability. Two years ago, regardless of any massive changes on the letterhead, would you dare envision a scenario where Daniele De Rossi was free to sign with any team without compensation in the form of beaucoup euros or the exclusive rights to oxygen? Never. Never, ever.

Incredibly, that’s what I take most from this whole situation – the surreality of it all. The unrecognizable bent of panic when it comes to one of the two homegrown icons hanging from the very threads of the shirt and the collective cloud of anxiety wafting away.

Nothing detracts, nothing was wrong, nobody really messed up – ownership transition in times when key contracts are dwindling can have significant effects on personnel turnover (see: Mexes, Philippe) – more simply the odd feeling of never expecting Daniele De Rossi to feel like a new signing.

However, there could obviously be none greater.

Also.

Rodrigo Taddei captained Roma at leftback on Wednesday.

Check your reality.

Catania 1 – Roma 1, 64′

I’m going to throw a fit: this is stupid. Because, and if only because, teasing us with 30 minutes of Roma just isn’t cool. How am I supposed to go on and enjoy the rest of my evening when I can’t see Gabriel Heinze finally get his 432nd touch for the day? Or when I can’t internally groan at the inevitable midfield substitute while championing his presence, especially if it’s Glazed Sprinkles? Or what about my inevitable Bojan cameo? Is he going to get a proportional substitution? Will we see him for 97 seconds or something?

How am I supposed to go on? How?

I want ninety minutes, and I want it to make sense. And I want it as close to the original game as possible, so clearly everyone should be wearing floaties.

Yeah.

Roma has one sub, Catania has three – assuming none will be used unless the event of injury – while Potenza, Bergessio and Simplicio each have a yellow from the first go ’round. 25+ minutes of gametime. I think that just about covers it.

Also, the game starts just as it ended – with a Catania throw and Tagliavento being a twat.

Streams.

XI

Stekelenburg
Rosi, Juan, Heinze, Taddei
Greco, Gago, Pjanic
Lamela, Borini, Piscitella

Francesco and Daniele were substituted, which leaves Aleandro Rosi to carry the Roman torch.

Heaven help us.

Daniele’s inked. Five years. (Details tomorrow – which is when the important things, like potential clauses, are to be announced.)

Rejoice.

And all on top of this.

What a day.

Roma v Inter

They couldn’t be any more different, and yet spotlights will be hung from the Olimpico roof shining unproductively onto the sidelines below. On one side the hot young coach with a glittering player CV red-carpeted by football’s premier club into the trade, wielding the faddish system like a good son; the other the well-traveled and weathered old veteran of humble beginnings on both sides of the line, with a system for which few neutrals would ever pay a dime. One modernly Spanish, the other classically Italian.

Frankly, I dislike Enrique’s system on a completely subjective basis. Threading the ball around the patchwork defensive back four waiting for something to develop amidst the sea of shirts still trying to form a cohesive chemistry ahead just doesn’t get my motor revving. It’s akin to watching an art teacher at the local university attempt to recreate a Picasso with a inferior materials – he doesn’t have the right tools and the end product may allow for the general idea, but it’s just not the same. Few, if any, will bow in reverence at its sight. A burst of expression here, a moment of promise there, but the overwhelming feel is the natural flow has been discarded and overlooked for a kitschy replica. At current, Roma just doesn’t have the players. That doesn’t mean it won’t work on a consistent basis eventually, but it’s less aesthetic to my eye than, say, Spalletti’s movement-first system (even highlights of Perrotta circa ‘07 still fill orphanages) or a well-executed defensive structure. The beauty of football, for me, is in the quality of execution of the system, not in the system itself.

Sometimes they hit. Sometimes they don’t. Maybe today, maybe someday…

Nevertheless, there stands across the half no man in Serie A better suited to counteract Enrique’s system – a gift bestowed upon birth. Perhaps a team or two better, but no man. The Roman system has proven to be easily counteracted when done correctly, simply, and humbly. Thus this becomes a matchup of men and systems and snow and possibly lots of people grumbling about how they never ever should’ve played this game – and by the third minute at that.

None of it may come to matter. The game may never go off, or the game may be defined by the weather, the pitch, or Luis Enrique slyly attempting to use a snowman as a 12th man to allow Aleandro Rosi to push up just a bit higher. The afternoon will tell.

A perfect battle of systems, of the elements, of men.

This all would make a rather decent Hollywood trailer. Vintage Roma v Inter.

Squad

Pfft.

XI

Maaarten
Rosi, Juan, Heinze, Taddei
Gago, DDR, Pjanic
Totti, Borini, Lamela

Frighteningly, that might be Roma’s best possible lineup…that Luis is willing to run out in his system, anyway. (Nico notwithstanding.)

Yup – said it.

Bookkeeping

The game against Inter has been pushed sixish hours to 1500 local now to Sunday at 1500 due to the potential of fluffy white shit. Bring gloves and a SpongeBob sled.

Seriously though – Totti and Perrotta may show up in ski masks. And will the Danish Disaster wear long sleeves?

The subplots are delectable.

Everyone Wants To Be Daniele De Rossi’s Agent

There’s only one real main headline to Cagliari…

Daniele De Rossi deserved a blank check in July of last year. At this point, I’m not sure what you could toss on top of that, outside of maybe a personal leprechaun riding a fucking unicorn which spits out hot fudge sundaes.

It’s now February 3rd and Daniele De Rossi is free to sign with any team on the planet. Worse, it’s plainly evident he is the only thing keeping this midfield from being overrun by a team comprised of 12 year old paraplegics. (That’s not true – I bet Perrotta could do a damn decent job in that deep DM/CB3 position. But Enrique would probably prefer to send out Simone’s unborn children in a cup.)

Much is said in the press. I believe little of what I read, less of what’s said. Maybe he wants a clause, maybe he doesn’t. What’s for sure is they are playing with fire in one hand and a vat of gasoline aside the other.

Each game, his position strengthens.

The Rest

- This defense as a collective needs a short walk off a shorter plank. Granted losing Nico was a shattering blow, but I’m fairly sure the best current showing involves Juan, Heinze and Sexyface at both fullback spots.

I’m still baffled nothing at all – an attacking winger who can possibly convert doesn’t get my blood pumping – occurred during the window. It’s as though they only watch match tape of the midfield on forward. (Which would explain a tremendous amount…)

- Fullback is arguably the thinnest outfield position in the sport, yet I still have a hard time believing Rosi is the answer to anything but a question of “Name one of the problems with Simon Kjaer’s unthinkable self-destruction…”

He’s not necessarily bad, but he’s not necessarily good, either.

- Again…Rodrigo Taddei. Every. Single. Game. It’d be one thing if Jose Angel appears to be remotely close to being ready for the Serie A switch, but frankly, he doesn’t. He’d have been better off starting for Cagliari on loan than against them.

Someone should check the average age of starting Serie A defenders. I’ll bet it’s roughly 47 for a reason.

- Kjaer…

I’ve got nothin’. Maybe he should play along the righthand touchline less often? That’d be a start. (A rather big one.)

- Fabio Borini. I love him. His instincts to find the ball with that burst of acceleration at the age of twenty? Twenty. Osvaldo’s injury might just turn out to be a blessing in disguise for his development.

-It seems a bit obvious to say that they have no replacement for De Rossi in-house – and I’m talking on a game-to-game basis before considering the previously unthinkable – which means that perhaps it’d be wise to have a set of backup tactics in the event that Daniele can’t rescue the day. Particularly since being able to sign the type of players Roma covets to further their brand development would require a decent showing in the league this year. They’re alright where things stand, but this whole “second time around” bit hasn’t begun too well. It would seem Luis’ number is there to take after seeing his methods once ’round.

Now, name a tactician who would love nothing more than to sit and absorb for ninety while relying on the quick burst of the counter to gain the odd goal or two…

I can’t quite think of one.

Anyone?

No?

…

Daniele Conti FC 4 – Roma 2

There’s a lot to say about that game and what it says about Roma. None of it is a reflection of what everyone thought roughly two weeks ago.

Game

93′ Ibarbo’s been more productive in the past 5 minutes than the entire Roman attack. Obviously it was set that way given the score, but still.

91′ Cagliari clinch it. Ekdal. Ibarbo was fucking brilliant in getting by Juan and leaving Ekdal the tap-in.

3′ added.

90′ Coming up on injury time with Ibarbo causing problems again. This doesn’t bode well.

And Miralem goes just wide. Brilliant free kick that was easily going in were it just a foot to the right.

87′ Excellent free kick spot just outside the box for Roma. Pjanic is the new taker, yes….

85′ And here he goes versus Kjaer…..and there’s his chance on net, but he fluffs it. It may be smart to duck and cover for the remainder of this game.

83′ Cagliari perfectly content with attacking with three. At most. They’re just sitting numbers and begging for some possession football.

Although here comes Ibarbo, the counterattacking release threat. He gets one chance on net minimum.

82′ And here comes the Cagliari late break after Bojan loses possession in the ball. Pinilla’s attempting to waste time, while Angels is happy enough to remove him from the ball.

Erik off for Bojan, not a razor to be seen.

79′ Ariaudo for Cossu. Not defensive at all. Nope.

Nice of Ballardini to remove Cagliari’s best two attackers.

77′ Gago’s actually been throwing in some nice passes in the last ten or so minutes, but it seems like Dessena always has a beat on them somehow.

76′ Holy shite – someone tackled Cossu.

75′ Totti finally has a moment in the sun, but he’s been exceedingly poor today.

Pjanic into the channel in the box, and fires just wide. Excellent pass by Lady G.

72′ Cossu giving the entire left side of Roma a lesson.

71′ Astori currently playing fast and loose with remaining on the pitch.

70′ Ekdal on for Ribeiro. Thanks?

69′ Angel shakes and bakes Pisano (I think) brilliantly, then fires a cross twenty yards beyond the closest white shirt. Roma in miniature.

68′ Borini heads wide. Glazed Sprinkles off, Greco on. And Luchio Gonzalez in Porto.

Borini yellow for tackling like a poacher. And it turns out, his previous shot was saved by Michele Agazzi’s man marbles.

63′ Borini played in with a tremendous ball by Lamela, only to be foiled by Cagliari’s ghost of Marco Storari.

Kjaer wants a PK on the resulting corner. Astori had the majority of Simon’s shirt in his hand.

62′ Now Cagliari attacking like they know what they’re doin’. How dare they. And Cossu just oozes class every single time he touches the ball.

Hey! Rosi does something! Cuts into the box on the end of a pass by Pjanic(?), flashes one across the six to Lamela, who couldn’t tap it in. Well that was nice.

60′ Daniele’s contract demands are being met without him doing anything right now

58′ Rosi’s just convinced LE to motion to the bench with yet another poor pass. On a scale of 1-10, he gets a -72 for today.

56′ Pjanic gets cheeky with a lofty corner to Gago waiting to volley from behind the box. Excellent thought, just a rather difficult execution.

54′ And another excellent ball by Totti, Rosi flubbing the shot. He’s just terrible today.

Simply Simplicio is fumbling all over the place. I blame Adriano’s workout plan.

53′ Francesco with his first quasi-remarkable pass of the day. It amounts to nothing after a deflected pass by Erik, but it’s something.

51′ Scrum in then Cagliari box now, a claim for a peno on Fabius (twas actually a foul on Agazzi after a handball on Simplicio – what a shit show), before Cagliari break the other way.

50′ Both goals were extremely excellent, no doubt about that, but he shouldn’t have been given the chance to score either.

And Conti hasn’t even scored yet.

He was just placed too easily behind the Roman defense. Like candy from a baby.

48′ Cagliari break, Ribeiro 2.0. Fucking phenomenal shot once again.

47′ Lamela hauled down, Astori with the yellow.

Kickoff 2.0

I will also say this: Roma’s enjoyed a solid amount of luck in their goals starting the Cesena rout and also today. I guess Cagliari enjoyed some luck in the form of Roma not defending as well.

Cagliari was better – not terribly, but clearly, especially in midfield – and much of the blame rests with the man on the right – this defense is fucking abysmal.

Half

44′ Yellow for Lamela after a late hack on Pisano, who only got the ball after a late hack on Cossu by Gago. Defending is an issue here this evening. (Not that you expect it from Lamela, but still.)

42′ Hey, matches against Cagliari are never, ever boring – so that’s something.

Cagliari goal. Pinilla. Defense is just so, so easily torn apart and a great ball from Cossu finds him in the box after he beat Rosi for an outside-o-the-boot-chip. (Might’ve been an OG, actually.)

40′ Totti and Lamela have combined to put in a half-performance.

37′ Kjaer foul. Nothing malicious, but Heinze best get warming for his halftime substitution.

35′ It’s unthinkable for Roma to be winning, since Cagliari have been the better team – as Pinilla gets a great chance – but then are they really? Already tabulating Conti’s goal?

A poacher’s effort. Pjanic with a bomb on net and Borini simply ran in to bury the rebound like a true striker. Lightning quick acceleration to the ball. Osvaldo, take a seat.

BORINIGOL

(A bit of luck on Juan’s goal, by the by. Canini was marking him but slipped, allowing J-Smooth the free header.)

32′ Woeful pass by Francesco results in a counter and Kjaer earning a yellow.

Anyone for a wager on the minute of his inevitable sending off? Anyone?

30′ Cagliari really seem to be focusing on attacking their right/Roma’s left. And Ribeiro is gifted another great chance but this one closed down a little better than the last.

28′ Conti bundles Lamela. That’s it, he needs to be taken out.

26′ And mind, the midfield and front seem to be into the game, but the defense just seemed to be taking an approach which is far too casual. At least until being called into the attack.

25′ Fabio looks like he ate his last paycheck.

23′ Dessena flubs a header from near the spot in the box, Maaarten is not called into duty.

20′ Seven blue/red shirts, two white shirts in the attack. That’s not going to do much.

18′ Tis a bit unfortunate to see players like Pizarro and Borriello, who, for all their faults, never gave less than 100% on the pitch, dumped only to now see things like Ribeiro given target practice and Dessena winning balls so easily inside the Roman box.

17′ Nothing comes of the corner, but it’s plainly evident which team is planning to do more work today.

15′ Angels gets flat roasted and outworked by Dessena when Roma should’ve cleared possession rather easily. Today is not reflecting well on the defense’s ability to give a shit. Now a corner for Cagliari.

Come on.

14′ Roma nabs the call of the day – Pinilla was skirting in 1v1 against Stek and it was called offside when he and Cossu, right next to him, were clearly on. Whistle and walk away. Whistle and walk away.

And I come back in time to find Juan scoring a header off a corner. That’ll do.

12′ Stream keeps dropping out. Apologies.

8′ Obviously, Ribeiro had more opportunity than really necessary. I blame…well, I blame a lot of people. But the defense is less than convincing as a (w)hole.

That was a fucking bullet. Not sure Maaaaarten had a chance.

6′ Wow. Out of absolutely nowhere, it’s a Cagliari goal NOT SCORED BY DANIELE CONTI.

Which means Roma’s now -2 in the hole, given Conti’s inevitable contribution to the scoresheet.

4′ Borini appears to be starting on the left and Lamela on the right. Does it even matter on the rotating top line?

3′ Roma’s attempting to set up base camp in the Cagliari half.

1′ The pregame lineups on the stream had Larrivey in the XI, and all I could think is that he’s the type of player who only has a career because Serie A exists.

…Did I miss something? The stadium is empty. (Well, that side – the rest of it’s okay.)

Kickoff

My stream just opened up to Saba walking across the pitch, cigarette in hand. Good juju? Or best juju?

Of note: I plan to spend much of this game baffled by the winter mercato. Because I’m pretty sure another tweener at fullback isn’t the answer for a team so easily picked apart at the back. Of course, maybe it’s just letting Kjaer run out his cobwebs each week. If he can, one would assume.

Streaming is criminally thin today, unfortunately. I seem to recall this being a pattern with games at the Sant’Elia. Perhaps it’s a gift to Roma fans who want Matteo Ferrari to die a slow and painful death?

(I’m over it. Swear.)

Official

Stekelenburg
Rosi, Kjaer, Juan, Angels
Pjanic, Gago, Simplicio
Totti, Borini, Lamela

In theory, that should be Roma’s best defense.

In practice, however…

***

Why the hell not?

First, the most surprising news of the last 24-48h: Lucho Gonzalez snuck away from Marseille for somewhere in the range of 0-2m euros. (UEFA says it’s a free, FIFA says €2m. Either way, it’s a bargain.) After all the effort they put in during the summer, DDR unsigned and Lady G merely on loan? Something seems amiss.

Next most surprising news: David Pizarro and Marco Borriello made it out of Rome while Luis Enrique remained with his life. (I think. Has anyone done a welfare check on Luis in the last sixish hours?)

Also of note: both deemed useless by Enrique, yet both were handed spots in a title race. Granted, they may make as much of an impression on their respective benches as they did in Rome…

Now, Marquinho…is it so wrong to be skeptical of South American talents who don’t make it to Europe before their 25th birthday? Is that what’s become of the great rape and pillage of South American football? (The little I’ve seen of him seems exactly what I imagine Aleandro Rosi would look like in Brazil, but on the left side. To the point that it’s eerie.)

Actually, go ahead and name a Brazilian star in Europe who crossed the seas after their 25th. [Insert Jeopardy theme music here.] Not that he need be a star, but it’s a fun little brain teaser. (First inclination was Maicon, but he was only 22. Dude needs some plastic surgery.)

And Cagliari…

Fuck off and die, Daniele Conti.

Serious note: testing, once again, how well Roma does against a side which can sit numbers and blitz the counter. And this time likely with Ibarbo, who’s not quite as useless as I thought him to be, from the off.

XI

I realized the actual formation long ago, I just couldn’t in good conscience plant a 35yo Totti on the wing.

They could really use a pint-sized Chilean in midfield and a hard-working Italian prima punta right about now. (Ahem.) What with having no faith in Enrique’s ability to write Borini’s name over Bojan’s consistently at the moment.