It ended with Inter, but it started elsewhere. A short look back at the ride:

Let’s face it, with a mere 45 minutes remaining in the round of 16, Roma was heading towards a near embarrassing early exit. It always seemed like it was “destiny” to wind up here, but it was never that easy. Never that simple. Perhaps they deserve more praise than the hefty amount already being heaped upon the men.

The first game against Torino was utterly dismal. An experimental side at best, the result was surprising, but one which probably stopped short of mind blowing. At the time Antunes, Adrian Pit, Matteo Brighi, Claudio Della Penna and even Cicinho were relative newcomers to the side – some still are. Three have essentially had little impact on the side since that day, even if iTunes has become a intriguing prospect, while Cicinho and Brighi have both carved their own little niche – though neither are irreplaceable. Safe to say it was far from an ideal XI.

And so they went back to Rome needing a very good, if not great, effort to move along. With Real Madrid on the schedule and the scudetto fight in full swing, it wasn’t earth shattering. The injuries had been piling up, The Poobah was turning into Bizarro Rafa when it came to rotating players and there was a real belief that Roma could contend in both Europe and in Serie A. Then came this:

In less than a half hour they’d scored four times. They’d reacted and reacted with emphasis. Be honest, with 10 minutes passed in the second leg down 3-1, how many people thought they’d be back at the Olimpico hoisting the trophy five months later? Small group I’m guessing.

Next up was Sampdoria, a team destined for Europe and a formidable opponent over two legs. Just ten minutes in, out goes Philippe Mexes on a red card. For the next fifty minutes they fought, only to go down on a quality shot by Reto Ziegler. Looked inevitable that they’d again head back to Rome with a loss and another uphill battle back at home. Seven minutes later, enter Amantino and Mirko:

Brilliant ball from Amantino and the tie shifted massively in Roma’s favor, both on the scoresheet and mentally. As the two quick goals had sucked the life out of Torino, they’d swiftly taken the advantage from Samp just the same. A slim victory at home and it was onto Catania.

The games against the Sicilians were closer to exhibitions than they were cup matches. Catania was still fighting for safety and they were simply outclassed, even if Roma had left there finishing booties at home. Aside from that Totti guy, of course, whose house slippers are gold through and through, nevermind his game boots:

There was no result possible aside from a Roma victory, as dicey as the second leg got at times. We were always heading towards a Roma – Inter final. Always. And to the neutrals, we apologize for this.

Final

There’s really little to say, these you just let soak in.

The game was short of fantastic but a hard fought contest, with most of the fighting coming from the bastards in black & blue. I’ve seen more finesse at monster truck rallies. How in the name of Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo did they end up with the least number of cards in Serie A this season?

Oh. Right.

The first half was nearly all Roma, from end to end, with the crew in the middle putting on an absolute clinic. The second half was more or less Inter parking Roma in the back and forcing them to defend as a team, which they did very well. The Fake Pele’s shot (somebody should two foot him for accepting that name) was never Doni’s fault. Simply a wonder goal. Philou? Absolutely magical. Crippled, broken down, wheelchair bound, I don’t care, I don’t want to ever see him in another shirt.

All in all, it was a well deserved victory.

As far as meaning goes, it was just another notch on the belt. At this point, beating Inter isn’t something special, it’s becoming commonplace. For all of Lulu’s shenanigans, this is still the third game of four where Roma was clearly the better team; and were all fair, Roma would be 3-1-0 against Inter this season. Consolation prize will have to be a couple trophies at the hands of Inter. Ah well.

What this says for the future is one word: progression. Last year the Coppa Italia victory was a great prize to dampen the effects of a runaway Inter win. This year it is great, but it’s a stepping stone as opposed to an ending point, the case with last year’s win. The SuperCoppa resides in Rome. The Coppa Italia resides in Rome. The gap in Serie A was closed from 22 to 3. Hell, if the playing field was level, the gap would’ve been “scudetto”.

The fellas celebrated like madmen in Rome on Saturday. I hope to hell they celebrated a true double, because they’re the best team in Italy.

Til next year.

* – Thanks to everyone who put up pictures.

In case you haven’t noticed – or have the intellectual capabilities of bird shit – I hate Inter. HATE Inter. I hate Moratti. I hate Mancini. I hate Zanetti. I hate Figo. I hate Stankovic. I hate Cambiasso. I hate Vieira. I hate blue. I hate black. I hate Pirelli. I hate the San Siro. I fucking hate Inter. I have since well before I became a Roma fan. I hated them well before Chivugate. I hated them well before those two asterisked trophies for Calcio Honesty. I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.

Wow, “Calcio Honesty” and “Inter” in the same paragraph. Who knew?

So what do you think this year has done for my feelings towards Inter? Butterflies and cupcakes and unicorns, right?

This game isn’t so much about the Coppa Italia as it is about Inter, because I honestly feel like they have more to lose from this than Roma. If Inter wins…great. We’ll still spend every two days in the summer hearing about the occasional crutch they were handed, along with quotes from intelligent footballing minds saying Roma was the better team. An Inter win here proves little.

But if Roma wins, it adds more ammo to the theory that Roma is the best team in calcio. Both teams have injuries which are essentially a wash (Cambiasso plus Zlatan almost equals the loss of Totti), so that’s out the window. Both teams have Brazilian goalkeepers, and neither one is Dida, which is a wash. Both teams will have a banged up back line, so that’s a wash. Basically the only thing which isn’t a wash is the brainpower patrolling the sidelines and the payrolls.

The great trump card here is obviously Spalletti. For all the trillions of lira Moratti has spent, he still has a meathead on the sidelines, whereas Roma has a top drawer mind at the chalkboard; and he’s had a week to get ready for a team which rarely throws a tactical surprise at you – at home no less. If it comes down to bringing 15m striker after 15m striker off the bench or having Spalletti? No contest. The Grand Imperial Poobah twelve days a week.

The one thing I hope Spalletti instills into the team is that this isn’t be about revenge, it should be about Roma proving itself to be the better team. Emotion in front of the crowd will be fantastic, no doubt, but if they stick to tactics and keep a collective cool, Roma will have to say no words, the play will speak for itself. (I won’t begrudge Mexes or DDR a fiery moment or two, however.) And really, that’s all that Roma needs to show. Just play as Roma can play and it will be a great day.

And win or lose, I think we all need to enjoy this one. Three months without Roma is a mighty long time.

Squads

Roma:

Antunes Gabriel
Aquilani Alberto
Bertagnoli J. Sergio
Brighi Matteo
Cassetti Marco
Cicinho
Curci Gianluca
De Rossi Daniele
Doni
Esposito Mauro
Juan
Giuly Ludovic
Mancini Alessandro
Mexes Philippe
Panucci Christian
Perrotta Simone
Pizarro David
Tonetto Max
Vucinic Mirko

Inter:

Goalkeepers: 1 Francesco Toldo, 12 Julio Cesar, 22 Paolo Orlandoni.

Defenders: 4 Javier Zanetti, 6 Maxwell, 13 Maicon, 16 Nicolas Burdisso, 26 Cristian Chivu, 40 Ivan Fatic, 47 Marco Filippini.

Midfielders: 5 Dejan Stankovic, 11 Luis Jimenez, 14 Patrick Vieira, 21 Santiago Solari, 28 Maniche, 30 Pelé, 31 Cesar.

Strikers: 18 Hernan Crespo, 29 David Suazo, 45 Mario Balotelli.

* – Much thanks to Ezio and Lorenzo for the pic. Great Romanisti think alike.

Key Injuries

Roma: Taddei, The Fiat (Ferrari) & that Totti guy.

Inter: Cruz & Macellazzi* are suspended (absolute shocker there), while Cambiasso & Zlatan are out injured.

* – Thanks to Chico for bringing that one back.

Probably XI

Doni;
Cicinho, Mexes, Juan, Tonetto;
DDR, Pizarro;
Mancini, Aquilani, Perrotta;
Vucinic.

Really doubt we see anything else aside from some rotation on the right flank.

Matchups

Roberto Mancini v A Down Syndrome Baboon: Let’s face it, the guy isn’t even close to the same league as Giancarlo Camolese, much less Luciano Spalletti. So comparing the two would be both unfair and imprudent. A down syndrome baboon at least gives Mancio a chance – albeit a very slight one.

And may I just say….Grazie Moratti. Keeping Mancio on is the best thing you could’ve done for the other 19 teams in Serie A. There’s a fetus somewhere drawing up better schemes in his mother’s womb than Minchia could diagram on his best day.

Zlatan’s Wandering Protrusion v The Ghost of Esteban Cambiasso’s Receding Hairline: Their two best players are out? Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

Really, that leaves just one person to worry about without question, and that’s Julio Ceasar. (And by without question, I mean someone consistently fantastic over a lengthy stretch for all you Balotelli nuthuggers in the crowd.)

Of course, maybe Mancio will hit his head and insert Toldo into the lineup. Mmmmm, Toldo back between the sticks in Rome. Good times. Good times.

But seriously, Inter is two vastly different teams with and without Zlatan. The fact that he isn’t even on the bench is a very good thing for Roma.

Roma v Chivu: Speaking of leaky sieves, it’s a big game and Cristian Chivu will be in the house. If he plays it’s 12 v 10. And then pray the other inevitability, an injury, doesn’t happen til the 90th minute or so.

Roma v The Ref: So is Morganti on the payroll or what? Do you think bookies have closed the odds on an Inter penalty after the 70th minute? Perhaps a Mexes red has already been lined up again.

Let’s at least hope Lega Calcio ends the season with a sliver of credibility. After this season, they could use it.

Pride v Players In Their Last Game For The Shirt: With it being the very last game of the season – and thankfully with the Euros this will feel like a short summer – it’s inevitable a few players will be swapping giallorosso for the last time. The only guy I think we can absolutely agree is gone is Mauro Esposito. No tears shed there, but I think he deserves a helluva round of applause for staying exceptionally professional this season. Let’s face it, he could’ve gone to Napoli and been a hero for the hometown side, only to take a chance at Champions League footy with Roma. Spal said it a few weeks ago: day in, day out he comes and works his ass off without complaint for the betterment of the team and The Poobah can’t help but feel for him, the squad is just simply “closed”. Many guys with the potential for a national team call up would’ve been bitching and moaning to the press long ago; so really, he deserves a lot more for his contributions (or lack thereof) off the pitch than perhaps is given. Grazie Espo, and let’s hope he bounces back next year, wherever he lands. It’s never regretful to see classy, gifted guys shine.

As for the other guys, Matteo Ferrari seems likely, but he’s not playing. Ludovic Giuly is potentially gone, and it remains to be seen how much time he’ll see – more likely than not it’ll depend on the scoreline in the second half. Pizarro, Vucinic & Aquilani? You’d need to have a world class argument to convince me any of that trio will be in anything but giallorosso next year. Brighi is a possibility, but that’s also unlikely – Spal seems to really appreciate his contributions.

Then there’s Mancini. I think everyone and their mother thinks he’ll be elsewhere in the summer, but there’s really no way to tell right yet. What we need from him is anything but an egg, really. Anything more than that and I’ll be happy to give him a standing O at the end of the game. And perhaps if he plays like it’s his last game in the shirt, it may turn out not to be.

Let’s hope Mancini plays this one with his heart. We all know there are only a handful on the planet who can match him when he does and I’d love nothing more than to go into the summer knowing that he will either go out on his shield or have a little bit more to give to the cause than we thought. Forza Amantino.

The Romans

It’s in your city, in front of your team and this one is in your hands. Take this one for Totti.

Previous Games

Unless Ludovicious turns into a wide receiver going over the middle again, I think we can throw out the loss in September. Inter is just too strong a team, especially when Zlatan is in form, to go down a man against and have a true result come out. It was always downhill from there.

The SuperCoppa was so long ago it’s hard to recall what actually went down. De Rossi and Aquilani absolutely bossed the midfield and Totti was able to work his magic along with finding himself on the right end of a typical Burdisso tackle. It was still a preseason affair with many players out via injury, so a game at the end of August is not one to provide a blueprint for a game at the end of May with vastly different lineups.

As for the game at the San Siro in February, well, let’s just say if Rosetti (twas him, correct?) could discern a dive from a foul we’d be talking about a deserved three points. Pretty bullshit ending to the game, really; but that’s par for the course when going up against the Nerazzurri, so clearly Roma was at fault. They should’ve had a 3-4 goal cushion going into the late stages to rightfully squeak out with the three points. You’ve got to know these things going in.

(Sadly, only half of that is laced with sarcasm. It’s almost true.)

What does all this mean for the upcoming game? Only that an even strength Roma has proven to be a better team than Inter. (2-1 on aggregate, if you’d like to get technical.) I hope we’ll see much of the same.

Roma v Inter in Coppa

Predictions

Roma shows everyone who the best team in Italia really is.

Score: 2-0 Roma
Goals: Vucinic (12), Mancini (22)
MOTM: Mancini

When: 2030 CET, 1430 EST
Where: Stadio Olimpico
Forecast: Cloudy, 20°C.

Streaming: Here.

FORZA ROMA

I hate the fact that they quit, but having put in 10+ months of excruciating work and having the season won the way it was, nearly all of you would’ve done the same. There is nothing more frustrating than having your ultimate fate decided, and decided unfavorably, by someone else. I hated the last 15 minutes of the ManU first leg infinitely more than I’ll ever hate the last 20+ against Catania.

Not the finest hour, but it was about more than just Roma v Catania. Circumstances.

On Brazilians: After the Champions League run had effectively ended, I believed the only way forward was to show two tantalizingly talented, wildly inconsistent Brazilians to be shown the exit door. A couple weeks ago rumors arose saying that Roma was interested in a Doni replacement and a highly gifted vice-Doni, and at the time I wouldn’t change my tune regarding the intellectually comatose Brazilian netminder. Last week Doni signed a four year extension, putting my cardiologist on call during weekends and occasionally midweek until at least 2012, and putting me on the lookout for a psychologist to talk through his performances with on Mondays. Safe to say I wasn’t thrilled.

I’m ready to change my tune. Sort of. Now only one tantalizingly talented, wildly inconsistent Brazilian needs to be shown the door. I can’t in good consciousness say that Doni is the keeper of the present and future, and that i lupi can reach the promised land between now and 2012 with Alex in between the sticks. His reflexes are fantastic and his skill is evident. It’s the lapses in concentration which can turn fortune into despair in the blink of an eye. All it takes is one game. One half. One shot. One set piece. One Livorno. (I still…just…god.)

Undoubtedly he’s made strides in knocking on the door of “world class” this year. Actually, he’s been flat out majestic at times. There are days when I wouldn’t trade him for Gigi Buffon & Lev Yashin’s lovechild. There are also days when I’d trade him for half of half of Pietro Pipolo & Carlo Zotti’s unloved bastard.

For now, he’s won me over. I’ll live contently with Doni as Roma’s starting keeper for 2008-09, and truly believe that if he takes another stride of the length that he did this year, he’ll be a world class keeper. However, if he reverts back to Old/Bad Doni, it’ll be time to blow it up. I still pray nightly that Gianluca Curci comes to fulfill 50% of the hype and turns out to be a good, solid worthy Serie A keeper who won’t cause me heart ailments and/or death. Thus I reserve the right to change course once Curci actually wanders out on loan and Doni has another full season of growth underneath his belt.

As far as Mancini goes, the day we see the back of him cannot come too soon. His performance was abysmal yesterday and, unfortunately, that’s become par for the course. The way I see it, we’ve had two Brazilian wingers this season out of form. Their origins are probably different – Mancini was hurt before the year, but this doesn’t appear to be a valid excuse, while Taddei has gone down a few times now and appears to be suffering from an injury-plagued year – but their contributions have been vastly different. When Taddei’s technique and skill fails him, as it has during stretches and understandably so, he makes up for it with his workrate, tenacity and will. When Mancini’s technique and skill fail him, not exactly a rare occurrence, Mancini accentuates it by dropping a figurative turd on the field. Roma might as well be handed a red card, because it’s X v XI.

I find it hard to believe which such big money floating around Mancini will be in red & yellow Kappa next season. His backside walking out of Trigoria for good this summer seems to be a matter of when, not if. And, depending on whether or not he loves Roma just as much as he says he does, it’ll probably be for a cut rate price. So we thank you, Andy Webster, for completely screwing up the sport for your selfish wants, you useless prick.

And Grazie Mancini, there were certainly some great times, but some things just run their course.

On De Rossi: 100% correct to say what he said, and I find it downright laughable anyone, especially Inter fans, whose team is being coached by the most classless man in calcio with some players equally devoid of class, would say otherwise. This has nothing to do with class or grace or anything of the type. Actually, scratch that. It does. I don’t want anyone with class or grace in defeat anywhere near my team. It’s all a bunch of bullshit.

“Show me a good and gracious loser and I’ll show you a failure.”

-Knute Rockne

Truer than true. This isn’t a fucking bake sale, Sally.

Also, Daniele’s right, which helps the argument.

On Mexes: In the most heated, most important game of the year, I think he was the calmest person on the pitch. My eyes must have been fooling me. The man is more Roman than half of Rome (the baby blue half). Couldn’t be.

On Brighi & Aquilani: There was a little question at the end of an interview yesterday with The Poobah on the contributions of Vucinic, and he quickly answered but made a point to mention the contributions of two others: Brighi & Aquilani. Matteo coming in after so many years on loan and becoming something of a defensively-inclined Simone and late game specialist. His workrate and grinding play is a huge boon late in games and allows Roma to close out when the legs are tired and in need of a crutch. Wouldn’t say he’s indispensable, but perhaps his contributions are underappreciated, much like that Simone guy. And who the hell knows, maybe one year in the system and next year we’ll see him fulfill that massive hype (and transfer fee) which came after he was named Serie A Young Player of the Year.

As for Aquilani, Spal mentioned the difference of healthy Aquilani in the lineup. The loss of Taddei obviosly forced a shift in the lineup, Simone over to the wing and KA up top, a position he’s less familiar with in the Spalletti system. I think we all see – along with Real, Barca, Juve, Inter, Arsenal, Chelsea, ManU, etc. etc. etc. – the insane qualities he possesses and that his future is mighty bright. An untouchable key piece of the puzzle, another year of maturation and, hopefully, major tournament experience, will do nothing to add to the experience and core of the Giallorossi next season. My heart always sides with the present, but my mind has always said 2008-09. One more year for Daniele De Rossi, now the best midfielder in Serie A, and one more year for Aquilani, a phenom oozing with technical qualities, means great things for the Roman midfield, and the whole of Rome, in 08-09.

* – And he’s not going anywhere. End of.

On Vucinic: I’m sorry I ever said comparing him to Zlatan was a bit exaggerated. It’s not. Vuci is just that good, and has proven himself to be a world class player. I have a hard time saying a guy who’s scored 19 games in a season before just had a “breakout year”, but he at least broke through to another universe. His goal-to-big game ratio is simply something to behold, and the fact that he creates just as much for his teammates as he does for himself leads us to believe there’s much more on the horizon when he and Totti get more familiar with each other as on-the-pitch colleagues as opposed to Jesus and backup striker waiting for Jesus to go down. That left wing is his, and we hope for many, many years.

As far as the negotiations with Lecce go, he will be in Rome next season and that is that. As high as his price may have soared, they can’t afford not to buy him; after all the work they’ve put in developing him to sync with the system and the subsequent time they’d need to spend on a lesser replacement to fill his massive, yellow shoes it’d be simply foolish. This is as good as gold for the summer, because he’s not a new buy who will need an assimilation period. Mirko is a break-the-glass, ready-to-use world class player for a unique system. Those are absolutely priceless and extraordinarily rare. The hierarchy will pay whatever, though I doubt it’ll be a ton. More likely we’ll see some fringe Giallorossi heading south for either a new Serie A struggle or a renewed promotion campaign down in B. One of the benefits of a world class youth system. Sometimes it isn’t all about the money.

But regardless of what happens this summer, Grazie Mirko. There are only a handful of people on the planet who could make a sans-Totti Roma squad continue along the road of calcio so smoothly. Daniele De Rossi was easily the most important part of the equation this season, but Vucigol wasn’t far behind. And can we all agree? He’s got It. Whatever the hell It is, he’s got it. You don’t show up in that many important games with that much quality without it.

Now if he’d kindly bag a triple in the Coppa final I’ll name my first born Francesco De Aquivucigol.

* – My thoughts are, joining Mexes and Taddei, he’ll become the next non-Italian Romanista. Like Philou, the man was born for this shirt.

On Zlatan: I can separate my in-season self with my out-of-season self quite well, which will allow me to appreciate Ibra for the month of June during the Euros. Whether or not the game was reffed unfairly yesterday was only irrelevant in the sense that he walked onto the pitch after a lengthy layoff and pushed that team over the hump when they were heading towards second place. And we all know how absurd he was during the first half of the year when Inter was so dominant. Starting in 03-04, when with Ajax, through this year he has ended the season with a title. The guy is a walking, talking championship. Pray he gets sold to Real or Chelsea this summer. Whatever credit Inter deserves goes to him.

On Totti: Soon enough, Francesco. Soon enough that trophy will be yours.

On Luciano: I’ve had more doubts than I’ll ever let on. Tactically never a question, but the way this team operates sometime really brings to question his ability to extract the right mentality from this team, the first and foremost quality for any great coach, teacher, leader, etc. in any aspect of life. His football mind is top of the mountain, maybe a bit higher, but otherwise, I can’t honestly say I’m sure he’s a coach that can lead a team to greatness. That overwhelming sense to will themselves to a win. To defeat regardless of tactics, blow up the gameplan and just win.

What I am confident of is that Spalletti as a coach, much like the team, is still absorbing, growing and progressing. This is also a learning process for him, and sometimes I, perhaps others, forget that. He is by no means a finished product, and is in some ways representative of the team. Heralded for his workings in Udine, but not yet considered world class. Experienced, but not experienced enough on the largest stage. His rise has coincided with the rise of Roma. After all, he’s just 49, still but a pup in the world of big game coaching.

My feeling is next year is it in terms of assessing Spalletti’s impact on this team. If they can grow mentally, I will fully believe and plan four plus children just so that I can spell out The Grand Imperial Poobah on Christmas cards. (I’ll feel might bad for “The”, but he/she will have to deal with it.) I do think they will grow mentally, and that’s not more hope than belief. I do believe that. Spalletti and the core has more experience now, more failures and successes to guide them in the right direction. This will be invaluable, and in the end I believe Spalletti will be invaluable. The journey continues.

On Serie A 2007-08: I can’t really do a proper assessment on the whole season until next week, and I do want to break down the season a lot more in-depth, but I figure there are a few things to be said.

It was a very good, borderline great season. 82 points in a difficult competition – Parma was in the UEFA Cup last year, Empoli this year….and they both got relegated, that says something – is nothing, absolutely nothing, for the boys to hang their heads about. Internazionale FC +1 has what was once called by then Chelsea-gaffer The Not So Special One “the biggest squad in the world”. From top to bottom they are a payroll. Period. End of. And when the coach of @#$%in’ Chelsea says that, it shows the the true depth of that team up north.

Roma is not that team. On paper, they have absolutely no business competing with a half-billion dollar team. And they did, right down to the final weekend, in a campaign marred by injury after injury after injury. When Inter lost Cordoba, Samuel and Materazzi, they simply plugged in Rivas and Chivu, two big money signings. When Roma needed an extra defender, they were forced to plug in two 30+ right backs. Roma has nowhere near the roster Inter does. On paper, the scudetto should have been handed out in August.

But what they did do was play better, and anyone not in bed with the Nerazzurri will agree. Inter was extraordinarily fortunate, if that’s what you want to call it, to get the results that they did. Roma was rarely, if ever, so fortunate. Nor were any other teams. Read into that how you will.

I’m not sure people understand how many injuries this team endured with a squad which is still fairly thin in certain spots. Juan, Taddei, Perrotta, Aquilani and Jesus, all key members of the first team, went down on more than one occasion and missed significant time. Matteo Ferrari, Juan and the Pizaman all had a late start to the season which didn’t help matters – especially not the first two, who couldn’t get healthy the entire year. Marco Cassetti, arguably the best RB in the peninsula during the first half of the year (yes, I said that, and it’s hard to argue with it – he was fricken’ fantastic and oh so underappreciated), went down more than once in the second half and lost his stride. Marco Andreolli never saw a minute in the shirt, forcing a 35 year old full back to play in central defense much of the year. This was far from a full team at any point in the season.

What I don’t buy is that Roma botched it will the small teams. When competing seriously on three fronts, you’re bound to drop some games you should win. Every team does it. Every champion does it. Real Madrid lost to Espanyol, Almeria, Real Betis and Getafe, while they drew with Murcia, Valladolid and Zaragoza. That sounds about the same as draws with Livorno (twice – they’re the bogey team), Empoli, Torino, Catania and Cagliari while losing to Siena. Actually, sounds awfully similar.

The difference is I don’t think Roma has the versatility in tactics or squad to break down lower-end table teams who park themselves in the back with a goalkeeper having a good day. When a team like Real can throw different looks at you, Roma is stuck in the 4-2-3-1. That, for me, was the most frustrating aspect going into the season, and is the most frustrating aspect going out. System is great, fabulous, wonderful, but it needs to be rotated every now and again.

That old boxing adage can still apply to so many sports: “Styles make fights”. Sometimes it’s just not about talent. Sometimes the counter methods just work. This is what needs to be changed; more than the level of talent, more than the salary cap, more than the ownership. Versatility within the system is nice, as evidenced by Giuly v Taddei or Cicinho v Panucci, but at the end of the day you need to be able to counter your downfalls. Roma could not do that. My greatest hope for this summer, even more so than any transfer target, is that Spal adopts a tactical alternative which can operate and change gears fluidly. I honestly believe that is a major key to a scudetto.

Two games kill me to this day from that list, however. One is Empoli. Roma beat them up and down the pitch like it was public slaughtering for most of the game, before Vannucchi got too much space and struck a wondergoal, and before Giovinco scored the luckiest goal of his career – now and through the end of his days it will stay the luckiest goal of his career. Roma had so many chances to close that game out, yet they were brutally inefficient in front of the net. Still can’t believe that was the same Mirko Vucinic who now could have a golden statue erected at Trigoria. The guy scores bullshit goals regularly these days, and back then he was missing bunnies against Empoli.

They had that game won; it was an easy 3 points in the bag. How Empoli managed a draw I’ll never understand. Never.

The second is the home game against Livorno. Mostly because of Doni’s absolutely criminal positioning on that free kick, giving one of the premier free kick takers these days in calcio the side of a barn to aim at. It’s the number one reasoning I can’t feel comfortable with Alex in net. For all his obvious feline talents, it’s the basic mental aspects of the game which fail him when needed most.

Worst of all, that game needed to be about Totti. When Francesco fell down taking that shot and Brozzi walked over to him on the ground, looking down before motioning immediately for a sub my stomach turned. Can’t say it was an obvious 6 month injury, but when a player goes down in that manner and is carted off the field immediately, you didn’t need to be a doctor to know the outlook was grim. That game should’ve held more, for Francesco and the news that was about to follow.

All in all it was a very good year. Milan. Madrid. Madrid. Udinese. Four games which I could watch over and over and over. Four glorious occasions. But what’s more is that all of this is something to really build on; and make no mistake about it, this is a building process which will continue to grow and progress. Spal:

“I must compliment my team on the way they worked this season. We have grown a great deal, have a project to continue and everyone did their duty.”

I don’t doubt for a second Spal has had one eye towards this year and another towards next at times during this campaign. This was certainly a project, more in the urban, undesired housing sense, when he rode in on his horse, saving the day a few years back, but now it is a great project and so much more. There will be better results to come and a brighter future for the Giallorossi. I’m prepared to say I hold absolutely no doubt in my mind or heart in saying that in the next two years, Roma will lift the scudetto deservedly. This club has always held something special off the pitch and in the stands; well now it’s on the pitch and giving notice to the world. As a team, as a system, they are still young. Their day will come.

For now, they have every right to be proud. If all was fair in love and calcio, we’d be still drenched in tears of joy, singing Grazie Roma to the hilltops and peppering the globe with an unforeseen slew of newborns named “Daniele, Francesco, Philippe, Alberto, Vucigol and The Grand Imperial Poobah”. Alas, not all is fair. Yet we can still sing Grazie Roma, because they deserve every bit of it, but perhaps saving our loudest voices for Mai Sola Mai.

I can honestly say no season in recent time has made me prouder to be a Roma fan. I can also say the same for next season, and the season after that, and the season after that.

As Roma goes, so do we. With an undying passion, bleeding yellow along with red, and the knowledge that we love the greatest club in the world. So Grazie Roma, for the good times we were lucky enough to experience and for the giallorosso dawn on the horizon. But also for the bad times, allowing us to realize that great sorrow comes only from great love. Grazie a thousand times over, for a club that is so much more. The whole is more than the sum of its trophies.

But for now…

…there’s still a game left to win. Time to show everyone who the best team in Italia really is.

FORZA ROMA

Formality over, and that’s precisely what it looked like: a formality. The game was as much terrible as it was painfully boring, especially towards the second half – at least for me. I’ve had more exciting prostate exams. And, quite frankly, it had the feel of a friendly. (Just like the prostate exams.) The first half was more or less even, as it was on the scoreboard, while Roma finally took over the second half. Catania looked like precisely what they are, an inferior team with a severe dearth of attacking punch. It seemed the more the tried to press the ball forward, the more they tried to pull the trigger from outside or send in a useless cross to one blue jersey surround by a half dozen of the white variety. It was more or less what we (I) expected, and it’s on to another Coppa Italia final with Internazionale FC +1 on May 24th.

I find it really difficult to take too much from this game from a negative standpoint. The only thing worrisome was the patchwork back line, which looked shakier than a hooker in church, and will be sure to give me nightmares if Juan and Mexes are unavailable again at any point over the remaining three games. I almost threw up watching that collection. Twice.

There was some good, though:

iTunes: Kid gets more impressive with each run out. Or at least more tantalizing. I find it hard to judge a players defensive qualities against the sterility of Catania. There were a few very nice tackles, some pinpoint crosses, smooth footwork and those two Howitzers at the end, all of which is something I think everyone would love to see more of in the future. Almost surely needs a year of seasoning in the upper levels of calcio before he’s ready for that LB spot, but who knows, maybe we’ll all be shocked and find that a world class back is waiting in the wings sooner than we thought.

King Alberto: Great game, and awesome to see him bag a goal. Surely deserves a steep increase in playing time over the last few weeks as Spal closes out the season.

At least he better…..

Cicinho: The guy sent in a couple absolutely gorgeous crosses today. That ball to Simone was a thing of beauty. Though I’m pretty sure he had to limp off the field after taking a shot to the buttocks. That, my friend, is totally uncool and anti-macho. Front side? Take your time, sir, while we all grimace with you. Back side? Get up you Sally.

And that’s about it. Good result, very good second half, and it’s time to bring on the Nerazzurri.

“Highlights”, if that’s what you want to call them:

Takeover

The big news with the takeover recently has been whether or not UniCredit would exercise its right to invoke a 2% clause, perhaps Georgy Porgy’s best chance at getting the club, giving it 51% ownership in ItalPetroli and thus the chance to sell to Soros to pay off their debts. Well today, after lengthy meetings, they stated they will not use their clause, therefore Soros must deal only with the Sensi fam. Who, according to all reports and pure logic, do not want to sell – or at least not to Soros.

They’ll still have to restructure the debt, but it seems like the relationship is good between the fam and UniCredit, and that they have a good amount of trust in Rosella. We shall see, but Soros as owner is looking less and less likely by the day.

Ludovicious

Via Giacomo, a lawyer in Rome with knowledge on the inner workings: Ludovic Giuly has put in his transfer request. Basically, he wants more playing time – a fair request for someone whose career is essentially winding down. Didn’t realize this, but he has played a full 90 minutes only twice since February 1, along with just six starts in 21 games. So even though his season stats don’t look as though he’s been riding the pine, it’s still going downhill.

And let’s face it, the guy hasn’t been a starter since he left Monaco. His career isn’t going to last forever, and this may be his best chance to become a starter again. It’s really hard to blame him. Plus he must’ve heard all these targetman rumors and taken them personally, feeling mighty unwanted. (No, he still can’t get on any amusement park rides.)

I really, really like what he brought off the bench, but is he an integral part of the squad? Not really. Could they find a serviceable replacement? Sure. In fact, though he’s recently suffered an injury, Alessio Cerci is a right winger/right forward, who was so good in the first half of the year there were thoughts that he may even be recalled in midyear. Then you start talking about a guy like Joaquin who has been linked recently, and it seems this may even be a chance to upgrade. Or maybe it’s time to begin the Adrian Pit Era. Forza Pit!

Looks like it may be one and done.

* – This may very well be the first RO breaking news story. Watch out, hell’s getting mighty chilly.

KA To Anybody, Everybody

So apparently Alberto’s dad has been in contact with Inter +1. Not only that, but he’s agreed to a big big contract with them on behalf of his son. Really. You know what this reminds me of? Remember when Philou was “dining” with Berlusconi and Uncle Fester in Milan the night before the Champions League final last year, and supposedly had discussed moving there? Well they were in Athens at the very same time, which was odd. Preventing them from attending any such meeting. A meeting which was later laughed off by all (or most) parties “involved”. Yet still reported.

Guess what? Bunch of horseshit. How often do we hear of things like this that are complete fabrications? If the media sees a lookalike of either he or his agent, Big Superstar Player has signed a deal with Big Club. I think it happened with Emmanuel Adebayor recently. Aquilani’s pops has agreed no such deal, I’d bet my life on it.

Aquilani is a very desirable commodity and the fact that he isn’t a lock for the first XI makes the journalists of the world go all batshit crazy thinking he’s going to be tempted to move away. Not happening:

i. Rosella isn’t going to allow a Roman born phenomenon go anywhere in Italy, so Inter and Juventus can stop salivating about, oh, now.

ii. The kid’s family is loaded. It’s not about the money.

iii. Do you think leaking some stuff to the press, via your agent, would be a good way of, oh I dunno, letting people know quietly of your desires? It’s about the same as renting a huge ass board at the Olimpico that says “FU#$ING PLAY ME!!!”.

Roughly, you know.

Of course, this has been my greatest fear with David Pizarro being Spal’s cuddle buddy. You have a kid who could start for most any team on the planet on the bench often at the expense of one of the most frustrating players on the planet. In fact, this may be costing him a spot on the Azzurri when the Euros come rolling around. Maybe even a starting spot. Wouldn’t that frustrate anyone else in the same position?

Rest assured, he’s not going anywhere. His presence means too much to the future of the club and one day, when healthy, Spal will have no choice but to play him over DP. That day being mighty soon. It’ll all be fine, and now I’m going to enroll in a seminary to make sure things go smoothly. You know, get tight with the Big Guy.

Everybody Wants Spal

The Grand Imperial Poobah was asked about the recent rumors in France that Jean-Michel Aulass wants to bring him over to the lesser side with a big, fat contract. TGIP replied:

“I am very happy at Roma,” the 49-year old told L’Equipe. “I can do a very, very good job here.

“I have everything I want here. Everybody has his place and everyone trusts everyone else.”

I don’t really care about Lyon, his next move will clearly not be a step down to OL, but that’s a great line to hear from someone so influential in this side. I, and many others, still believe he has room to grow, but I think to a man we hope he does so in Rome….and in the process breaks his nasty addiction to pint-sized Chilean playmakers. Tis a tough nut to crack, though.

My favorite part of the little Lyon-Spal report was this:

“A few weeks before that game, I received a Christmas message from Lyon,” he revealed.

“In the card it said: success is for those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

God, that makes the usual corn you get from Hallmark sound like riveting prose. Typical Frenchies.

Cry Baby 3.5

I took great satisfaction in this video until the very end. A good thing is never left undisturbed, is it? Bastards.

GAME

89′ Another foul on Espo. Somebody needs to check that stat. He gets fouled at least 2-3 times every game he comes on.

88′ Curci catching crosses like he’s shagging flies before a baseball game.

87′ Antunes fires one wide. He did quite well today for what was required of him. Itchy trigger finger, too.

86′ Cross. Curci pulls it down. Somebody end this please.

Somebody on for somebody here. Iannelli, actually on.

84′ Mescara hot blocked. Yay.

82′ I’d be shocked to see another goal here. t-10+ mins.

80′ Uhhhh….Mancini on for DDR? Good thing he was hydrating heavily before he came on.

78. Catania possession results in…..are you shitting me? The p-b-p guy just called Catania’s lone striker in the box “the lone pepperoni in the pie”. Come on, guy.

77′ I think Espo is by far the #1 player on Roma in the category “fouls suffered per minute played”.

76′ iTunes playing some sweet D. Max on for Simone.

75′ Catania being way too casual with the ball in their box. Vuci, after running through the D, nearly took the ball back at the spot for a +1.

74′ I’ve seen more scintillating old timer tribute games.

73′ Espo puts a gimme somewhere not near the goal. Nice. Domizzi, anyone?

Best part of this game is the play-by-play announcer making jokes and having them bomb.

71′ Possession….possession…..possession………blah.

69′ Sloppy sloppy.

68′ Roma in possession….possession….possession….long ball cleared out.

67′ Nice work from the boys, lazy cross in by Cicinho.

Ah shit. Cassetti pushed Pia down right outside the box. Seriously, he looks deathly ill or something. Something is not right with him tonight. Free kick off the mark, goal kick Roma.

64′ I’m bored again. We need a streaker or something.

63′ Cicinho poked in the eye. Espo on for Ludovicious. Decent game from him. Not a huge impact.

62′ Curci makes his first real save of the night when Antunes (or someone) nearly heads a back pass out for a corner. Well done, lad.

61′ Nice chip by KA, just short. Catania offside. If not, he was to goal off a long pass.

Gazzola on for, umm, who cares.

58′ GORGEOUS cross by Cicinho into a waiting Perrotta, Simone heads it off the crossbar.

57′ Antunes throws in a nice cross just a bit in front of Vuci.

Vuci offside. 5 now? 6? Baiocco on for Biagianti.

55′ Counter by Catania but nobody comes along with the streaker. Crossed back

54′ Great ball by Lulu to an, again, offside Vuci. Pippo Vucinic today.

53′ Antunes has an absolute howitzer. Just uncorked one just over the bar.

52′ Gorgeous work for the Giallorossi. Nice ball in by Brighi, dummied by Simone, flicked over to the top back to Simone who fires off of the keeper for a corner which is headed out.

Cicinho walking to the sidelines. Coming back on.

50′ Espo getting ready….uh oh shot deflects into the arms of Curci. Cicinho’s down.

If Catania had a bit of patience instead of pulling the trigger ASAP they might accomplish something.

49′ Absolute rocket hit wide of Gilu by Mascara…Cicinho taken off the ball in a tough area for that chance.

48′ Sloppy passing to start off the half. Nice ball to Lulu crosses to Aqui, places in low and a decent save. Could’ve put that in.

47′ Jabbing….nothin’ doing, really. Cicinho taken own.

No Roman subs

KICKOFF

One question: What the hell is “Extra Mega Prostamax” and why would ANYONE want to take something with a name like that.

Half-time: Ugly. That’s all. Ugly.

And I’m going to have nightmares about this back line. This is the same one that bled 3 versus Torino, right? Yikes.

(Checked: It was Cicinho, Ferrari, Cassetti, Antunes. A little worse.)

Simone’s back on. Whistle.

45′ Free kick Catania in a fairly dangerous position. OMR bum rushed Mascara.

Delay, Simone is down. Brozzi (I think) motioning for Spal to hold off on the sub. Curci saves the free kick.

44′ Wow. Rare error from DDR, let’s two defenders by and Mascara fires one well wide. Dangerous chance there.

43′ Some nice defensive work by iTunes, stuffs a cross. Well done, young lad. Clears the ball out.

DDR gets into the act and stuffs another for a Catania corner….foul Elephants.

41′ Vuci beats his defender, lofts a cross to Lulu and one times a bullet just wide. That would’ve been a fantastic goal.

40′ Hudson thinks Vuci should have been sent off. Neh.

39′ Vuci looked to be tripped, ref gives nothing. He’s on a yellow so he’s gotta watch out for any thespian work.

38′ This back line looks firing-squad nervous.

“For those to work doesn’t the defender have to be within a couple of yards of you.”

Crickets.

37′ Woof. Pia goes down in the box and he’s booked for a dive….good call by the ref.

36′ Play-by-play guy finally understands away goals concept. Curci has an easy save, boots one deep. Blah.

35′ Vuci offside on a clear break to goal.

34′ I’m wondering if the play-by-play guy understands the concept of away goals. I don’t think so.

33′ God, Cassetti is getting eaten alive by crosses into the middle. Where’s Sammy K when you need him. Dangerous times in the Roman box.

31′ Wonder if Cassetti is hurt. Looked to be in a good deal of pain earlier and he’s not having a good game at all. (Of course, he’s not a CB either.) Middle of the pitch nothingness right now.

30′ Curci, Buffon, Zoff….none of them had a shot at that goal.

29′ Wow. Catania guy (Silvestri) being marked by the ghost of Christmas future heads a fuckin’ gimme into the back of the net. Well, they need two more now.

28′ Catania get right back to work, dangerous cross headed out. Perrotta gets a yellow. Shit, he grabbed a red to start off with. Wrong card. Wow. That would’ve been deadly.

That was a serene ball into the lower right hand corner.

King Alberto……..GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL.

PENALTY!!! Vucinic clipped big time in the box. Easy call.

26′ This is getting Premiership sloppy.

23′ Whoa. Great ball by Vuci, collision between Catania keeper and defender. That was nearly an away goal and all she wrote.

22′ Edusei hammers one just over the woodwork. Sloppy defending by the Giallorossi.

21′ Beautiful ball by Cicinho, Vuci just offside. Or not just, by a Pippo mile.

20′ iTunes fires a cross off Silvestre’s testicles. Ray is now getting a hard-on for the referee.

19′ iTunes hasn’t really been tested defensively much, but the boy can surely get forward and do some things.

17′ Roma basically finding no way to get good chances in the final third thus far.

16′ Curci barely snags a cross in the box. That has “Doni” written all over it. Ray is now salivating over Gilu’s “muscularity”.

15′ Cross by Cicinho, cleared out, Ludovicious kicks a field goal. Three points.

14′ Giuly swoops one in, Aquilani puts in an inch perfect ball back to Ludovicious. God it’s great to see him play.

13′ Simone with a nice touch on a beautiful left footed cross by iTunes. Jesus, who needs a LB?

12′ Kinda boring. Real boring, actually. Hudson likes the playing surface, though. Like a “pool table”.

10′ Aqui heads a corner down in the box, cleared out.

9′ iTunes sends a cross to nobody. Everybody listening to the announcers talk about Soros? Hudson would know, he coached under him.

8′ Catania manages a chance, Pia taken off the ball in the box. Roma starting to push forward en masse.

6′ OMR just misses a goal on a header through a corner….whaddya know?

5′ Fantastic ball by Cicinho, Vuci mistimes the touch. Nice ballwork and he wins a corner.

4′ Little bit of back and forth so far….two early offsides for Catania. Little too eager on the ball here for Roma.

3′ Whoa, Perrotta just got hipchecked big time. Cassetti is limping…nice.

2′ Nice overlap by Cicinho, cross headed out.

1′ Looks like Simone is on the left. Catania is quite feisty to start off with.

KICKOFF.

Vuci is sans beard.

TIM Cup sounds sooooooo NASCAR.

——————————————————————————

The first leg was the very definition of a sleeper. Or maybe it could be described as a “coma in motion”. Whatever it was, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t really all that effective and it wasn’t fun to watch. Bad news? It’s probably going to be the same thing all over again. Good news? I’d bet everything currently in my pockets that Roma goes through (Swiss Army knife, Orbitz, HTC and $7 plus change).

Said it yesterday, but Catania is in trooooooouble. They’ve got Juve at calcio’s Chateau d’If and they’re hosting Roma on the final giornata. Quite frankly, they can’t worry about this game. Well, they can, but it’d be mighty foolish of them. And the who’s who of Catania isn’t on their call list, it’s on the non-convocati variety:

Non convocati: Ioime, Lasagna, Martinez (squalificato), Morimoto, Polito, Sciacca, Spinesi, Stovini, Tedesco (squalificato), Vargas.

A couple of sizable DQ’s in Martinez an Tedesco also (for them, at least).

Spal’s call-up list is standard, with a few kiddies thrown in:

ANTUNES Gabriel
AQUILANI Alberto
BERTAGNOLI J. Sergio
BRIGHI Matteo
BROSCO Riccardo (prenderà il numero 40)
CASSETTI Marco
CICINHO
CURCI Gianluca
DE ROSSI Daniele
ESPOSITO Mauro
GIULY Ludovic
MANCINI Alessandro
PANUCCI Christian
PERROTTA Simone
PIZARRO David
TONETTO Max
UNAL Daniel
VUCINIC Mirko
ZOTTI Carlo

So the only area which might be an issue is the defense, where it’s gonna look somethin’ like this:

Cicinho, Cassetti, OMR, Max.

Who loves fullbacks?

Could it be the day we’ve all been looking forward to – the DDR at CB experiment? Perhaps. We shall see.

Streaming is aplenty, but may I make a suggestion. GolTV is available, which means Ray Hudson will be available. Some people love him, some people hate him. In fact, he’s very much, like scotch and Patrick Vieira’s face, an acquired taste (the latter, of course, being nearly impossible to acquire). However, the man’s a Roma fan, and thus you must love he of greatly exaggerated metaphors and superfluous superfluousness.

Projected XI:

Curci;
Cicinho, Cassetti, Panucci, Tonetto;
DDR, KA;
Ludovicious, Brighi, Mancini;
Vuci.

I haven’t a clue here.

Whoa, lineups out…4 central mids:

Curci, Cicinho, Panucci, Cassetti, Antunes, De Rossi, Brighi, Giuly, Perrotta, Aquilani, Vucinic

A disposizione: Bertagnoli, Pizarro, Esposito, Tonetto, Mancini, Unal, Brosco

Interesting…

We all know Simone can play out wide, but it may be King Berto on the flanks. Or could DDR be in the back and Cassetti out wide……

Oh, plus Unal AND Bosco on the bench? Nice.

GolTV is replaying Giuly’s cracker versus Milan in the CL a few years back right now. I’m feeling a goal from him tonight.

Who the hell is De Rossa? Because according do the GolTV guy, he’s playing in the midfield for Roma.

Liveblog up at the top now.

Color me shocked they didn’t call up the women’s team. They’ve got about as much depth as the Vatican City national team and a Coppa Italia final run where they’d get creamed by Inter won’t help them achieve safety, their main and only concern right now. I’m not saying they’ll tank the game, but I’d but utterly astounded if we saw something close to their best XI. Plus, the moment they try to get forward with more than one, maybe two attackers, the Giallorossi are going to open up the floodgates, something Catania is all too familiar with.

Roma’s gonna win. Or at least Roma is gonna go through. I’d bet the house on that one. Liveblog tomorrow.

For now, a little look back at last year’s run:

Let’s get this straight off the bat, shall we: The Primavera should walk through Catania on the way to the final. On paper, this isn’t even a contest. This is reminiscent of the opening legs against Torino when Roma was down 3-1 on aggregate after 135 minutes then spent 3/4 of an hour steamrolling the Granata til they were well and pavement.

So does this first leg matter? Sure. Does it really matter? No. This is why I just can’t get stoked for Coppa first legs until the whistle blows for the start. At that point it becomes a Roma game, beforehand it simply becomes “ooh, who’s Spal starting and can we see some @#$%ing Adrian Pit FOR THE LOVE OF GOD”.

Or not.

So that’s that until the lineups come out. And since this is all it’s about right now, here’s your blown up preview, aka The Coppa Edition.

Dudes Who Must NOT Play.

Totti: I reach out to my Roman brethren here. If you see Francesco making his way into the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow, kidnap him, bring him to a nice restaurant or something (you know, Olive Garden or the like), but whatever you do it is imperative that he is allowed nowhere near the field. This is just below “breathing” and just above “not contracting AIDS” on the list of “shit that just has to be done”. (If you could manage to breathe and keep Totti away from the game all at the same time, kidnapping the superduperstar would vault above both of those. Alas, I’m pretty sure it’s not possible, ergo…..breathe, then kidnap. What you do after that is of no concern to me. Breathe, don’t breathe…whatever.)

Juan: Dude got hurt in warm ups on Sunday. Warm ups. Does anyone else think putting him on the pitch is like walking nude into a bear’s den lathered up in A1 sauce? I do. Therefore, I’m passively protesting by not eating breakfast until after the game halftime.

Dudes Who Must Play

iTunes: It’s really simple, this is an audition to be part of a Juan Manuel Vargas* deal. Failed to process in my brain yesterday (one of many), but this is a great time to rest Max who is entering the “tapioca pudding” stage of his career, seemingly (or maybe that’s just his hair), plus promote a price dropper downer (that’s a real phrase) all at the same time. Start or sub, he should play some serious minutes.

* – JMV is out for the game. This is simply so he can take his medical during the game allowing him to sign immediately after the mercato opens, and don’t believe any other BS you hear.

Amantino: Speaking of dudes who need to audition for a transfer fee……..kidding. I think. Actually, it may be close to the truth. But this is a good “get back into form game” with the chance to run at a less-than-stellar back line. And I’m feeling a huge game from him. Atta boy.

Espo: I know it’s not a game against ManPoo, but he’s still alright to play against the calcio variety, isn’t he? And quite frankly, I’d just love to see this kid score a goal in Giallorosso before his inevitable departure in the summer…south? Napoli a foregone conclusion yet? I might just go ahead and throw a few bucks on Genoa for reasons I can’t really explain. Watch out, that’s about to become a recurring theme……

Some Random Thing I Decided To Throw In For Unknown Reasons

Totally random, but I just saw a Brinks Home Security commercial on and I had a quick idea for any ad gurus in the house. You know how the Brinks guy calls after the alarm sounds instead of dispatching someone ASAP? (If you don’t click on that 0:30 second commercial in the BHS link.) Somebody needs to make a Brinks – Verizon Wireless combo meal commercial where a robber breaks into a home and doesn’t give a fuck all about the alarm. Lady of the house tries to pick up, he puts his hand over her mouth. BHS operator says “hello” with no response, then starts asking “can you hear me now?….can you hear me now?….can you hear me now?” while said robber pummels said lady of the house senselessly.

I’m sure this has been done before, but I just felt the need to get that down.

Dude That Shouldn’t Play, But Probably Have To For Lack Of Options

Vuci: Guy’s been massive on two fronts this season, filling in often, unfortunately, for a felled Totti and now leapfrogging Mancini at the left wing position when Roma could use some consistent production and goal scoring from someone not name Jesus. With Francesco’s injuries, his injury (lower back) and the Coppa run being in back-to-back weeks, he could really use a rest. Unfortunately, unless Francesco starts, he most likely won’t. Probably means a goal. Ah fiddlesticks.

Dudes Who Is Out

DDR: Thank Christ, that is all.

Alberto Aquilani: Still nursing that injury. Has anyone built a bubble for this kid to live in yet? At this rate he’s going to miss the opening of the 2008-09 season with SARS. (So did anyone else enjoy chronic bronchitis during the SARS outbreak? That was fun.)

Marco Cassetti: Still nursing that pitching shoulder so he’s at home. Unfortunate, I love watching him with a chance to flash that attacking ability in games like these. Cicinho who?

Doni: Had a minor knock after the Udinese game or something, I recall hearing. Finally, Gianluca Curci gets a shot between the pipes and he may very well be the only Roman representative on the pitch. In fact, that may be precisely why he’s left out. Off the top of my head, Genoa away the only game sans-Romans? Yeah? Can’t have that shit again. Forza Curci. Pretty please.

The Swiss Miss

Daniel Unal: Only Primavera lad called up, and that’s quite the honor considering Claudio Della Penna appeared to be Spal’s favorite cup of joe (different positions, yeah yeah yeah). Still know nothing about him, so I’ll just cut & paste the paragraph from his first call, which resulted in a whole lot of squadoosh:

The Swiss Superstud. Technically on loan from Bellinzona for the year with an option to buy, but knowing the relationship between the two teams, I’d suspect it’s just a formality when he’s brought over. Roma beat Juve and Milan to his signature, which has been around for 17 years (everybody ready to feel old? Daniel’s a 90’s baby. I’m 23 and even I feel old). Supposed to be a more well-rounded version of David Pizarro….this is the part where everybody weeps gentle tears of joy….and was captain of the Swiss U-17 squad before moving up the U-19’s recently. Having never seen the kid play (despite trying furiously), it’s hard to judge what kind of opportunities he’ll be given, if any, but I would sure like to see what he looks like in Pizarro’s spot for a half hour or so. Out of any of the three called up, this is the one I’d like to keep an eye on the most.

The other two who had been called up for Toro were CDP and Doni’s little brother, who obviously got the other half of the brain the two split. As if one error-prone Brazilian wasn’t enough, they signed his brother for shits & giggles as well. Sometimes………………..

Squad

1 GIANLUCA CURCI
2 CHRISTIAN PANUCCI
3 CICERO JOAO DE CEZARE (CICINHO)
4 JUAN SILVEIRA DOS SANTOS
5 PHILIPPE MEXES
7 DAVID MARCELO CORTES PIZARRO
9 MIRKO VUCINIC
10 FRANCESCO TOTTI
11 RODRIGO FERRANTE TADDEI
14 LUDOVIC GIULY
15 VITORINO GABRIEL PACHECO ANTUNES
18 MAURO ESPOSITO
20 SIMONE PERROTTA
22 MAX TONETTO
25 CARLO ZOTTI
27 JULIO SERGIO BERTAGNOLI
30 MANCINI ALESSANDRO FAIOLHE AMANTINO
33 MATTEO BRIGHI
38 UNAL DANIEL

My Hopeful XI

Here’s what I wanna see:

Curci;
Cicinho, OMR/GOM, Sexy Mexy, iTunes;
Brighi, Pizaman;
Espo, Ludovicious, Amantino;
Vucigol.

Who loves defense?

Now I haven’t the foggiest as to what we’ll actually see. Find out tomorrow and that’s that.

Skipping

Skipping

Skipping (Coppa Edition)

Predictions

Remember this from last Sunday?

I’ve picked a draw one other time this season, and Roma won rather convincingly. Here’s hoping.

Guess what? We’re sticking with what works.

Score: 2-2
Goals: Martinez (11), Amantino (19), Martinez (47), Cicinho (61)
MOTM: Amantino
Mancini Give-A-Shit Factor: 9.7 (Also known as “I’m Playing For A Contract” Factor)

When: 1800 CET, 1200 EST
Where: Stadio olimpico
Forecast: 16°C, 70% chance of the sprinklies.

Streaming: Here.
Liveblog: Think so.

FORZA ROMA

Pietro Lo Monaco, Catania’s sporting director, has been saying for quite some time now that when Juan Manuel Vargas gets sold, the preferred destination is Roma. Not really sure why, could be that he has a school-boyish crush on Mama Rosella, or could simply be that he’s an intelligent, well-reasoned man and that he knows Roma is the best thing goin’, and he wants the best for his soon to be ex-monster of a left back.

Yesterday JMV’s agent joined the act, and specifically mentioned Roma when announcing to the world that Juan will be exiting stage Sicily this summer:

“Vargas is ready now to play for a big team,” agent Carlos Alberto Delgado told Romanews.eu.

“He has spent two years at Catania and now he wants to test himself at a prestigious club like Roma. He will certainly leave Sicily in June.

“He doesn’t necessarily need to always be a starter because there aren’t first-choice players and reserves at big clubs – there are three or four players competing for a place and it’s not easy to be picked all the time.

“I can’t say that if I have had contact with Roma because I had to know Catania’s plans first. I don’t want to show a lack of respect to the Elefanti.”

That’s as close to “come and get him” as you’re gonna get without the real thing. The issue now is where Roma stands on the issue, with the easy money saying Spal and Bruno listened to this interview in Bruno’s office and spent the next 20 minutes pouring ice cold buckets of water over each other. Then Mama Rosella came in, asked to join and they both looked at their watches, mumbled something in Spanish and walked out the door – right after slipping her a blank cheque with “Catania Calcio” right next to “Pay to the order of….”.

Of course, it’s not the easy. It’s extremely difficult to gauge the summer mercato without any clue as to the status of ownership. Whether it’s the Sensi’s, Soros or some dude who franchised parking lot dentistry (he’s British, I hear), the structure of the footballing minds will almost undoubtedly stay the same unless the ownership wants to seal their own death warrant. Bruno Conti will be there. Luciano Spalletti will be there. Daniele Prade will almost certainly be there. So, considering this is the trio who seemingly pant heavily at the sight of all things Vargas, I tend to think JMV will be there as well. The cash will be there for him either way. (I just talked myself from being clueless to purchasing Roma a Peruvian defender over the course of a paragraph. I’m not going to lie, it’s a gift.)

I also venture to guess Lo Monaco and perhaps even JMV’s agent know more is happening behind the scenes but haven’t let on.

And if you don’t want more defenders named Juan, you’re bloody out your @#$%in’ tree my friend. (Provided he comes with health insurance and all that.)

Speaking of ownership…..

A Hungarian Wants Roman Pie

It’s almost embarrassing to google the name “George Soros” and think of him as linked to Roma in the capacity of a potential chairman. There are certainly some less-than-favorable persons in ownership boxes across Europe (just look across town), I just don’t want Roma to be one of them.

And let’s get this straight off the bat: a soon-to-be 79 year old man doesn’t just up and decide to get involved with football when he should be getting involved with an estate lawyer and cardiologist instead…..unless there’s a motivating factor aside from Roma at stake. There’s a good chance AS Roma isn’t the only Sensi holding Dr. Evil has putting a green sparkle into his eye.

At the very best Roma is an investment platform. At worst? A medium for sinister motives (start thinking politically). Then you start looking at the children, particularly the sons, of which he has five. Which one had a birthday recently? Too confusing to really wrap the mind around.

Aside from that, I haven’t a clue. I’m not against an injection of new ownership and a bit more money. But the last thing I’m for is American, or American based, ownership, and one quick look as the commercialized, unidentifiable foreign gathering of football players that is the Premiership is more explanation than any words can do. The “English league” sold out; the last we want is for Roma to do the same.

There’s a reason why I don’t support Juventus or Inter or Milan, and those reasons are one in the same regarding why I don’t want Soros or any other soulless money hound attempting to take control of the team. This club isn’t about the money.

What I am for is getting Francesco Totti a scudetto before he retires. Quite frankly, it’s all about him right now. He deserves it and whoever writes the checks should give him one going out.

But is Roma so far away right now? With the race this tight and Inter having benefited from so many egregious calls, will Roma still need 80m in transfer fees next summer to progress? And even if Soros does haul in the cash, does that guarantee success? Absolutely not. One look at Inter pre-Calciopoli is example enough. It seems to me the plan is mighty fine and the plan is working, and well before many expected. So honestly answer me that: Is Roma really that far away?

I don’t see Roma needing a savior. I see this as people getting all excited about building a fantacalcio team and not much more. Roma – the entire club – has worked long and hard to get here, to knock on the doorstep and announce its arrival. Having a jackass in a suit swoop in and steal the glory when that door is open is mighty unfair. They’re on their way. They need fine tuning, they don’t need an overhaul.

Daniele De Rossi summed it up best for me:

“What the Sensi family has done for the club in these years has been unforgettable. I will sign my contract renewal with them.”

They may not be the richest family in the world, but I think people tend to forget what they have done for this club (this post gets more and more applicable by the day). If they do go out, it’s on their shield. Then let’s hope someone equally as capable is brought in to carry Roma to glory, someone equally as capable of carrying on the tradition of La Magica.

One last final thought. And I’m a little fuzzy on the exact details, but I recall an interview where Franco Sensi said he “hesitated” back in 1997 after being told to rid himself of a certain player. I think it fits. Here goes:

Back in 1997, when Francesco Totti was, in quite possibly the worst scouting assessment of all time, deemed “surplus to requirements” (or something equally fucking boneheaded) by Carlos Bianchi, nearly sold to Sampdoria. In fact, he was mere minutes away from wearing the Blucerchiati. Francesco had already been told he was off, and he’s signed terms. The only thing which stopped the deal was Franco Sensi, who had second thoughts before picking up the phone – literally seconds away he’s said – and decided against this deal. His hesitation gave us Il Capitano. I don’t doubt for a second it had something to do with Totti being Roman; if only because Franco knows what that means, and he knows, even if Bianchi’s tactical assessment was correct, a lesser Roman is still a god. And those you cannot buy, much less sell.

Franco Sensi gave us Francesco Totti. Would George Soros, or any other number crunching owner, have hesitated, effectively doing the same? Would it be worth the risk to find out? Is that even a real question?

And that’s the difference for me, because I’d take Totti and one scudetto over “maybe” Totti – or Francesco replaced by anyone else – and a dozen scudetti eight days a week.

(Francesco’s version from his book here, posted into an online forum, the only place I can find it.)

“Reports” say Soros will be making a bid by the end of the week. Until then……

(A pretty good article from il Romanista here. There is much to thank the Sensi family for, and there’s nothing to say they can’t take Roma to the next level.)

Fluffing the Fluffernutter

I) I found it downright comical anything was made out of Francesco repeated “vaffanculo” in the direction of the ref on Sunday. Knowing how decisive that play could have been in the scudetto race, I wouldn’t have faulted him for throwing a Frazieresque left hook in Rizzoli’s direction. Really, on how many occasions has the play been more decisive than the on-the-field play this year? How bad is that? As far as I’m concerned, Pierluigi Collina should have called Francesco to apologize to him (also for being a Lazie fan).

And Pietro Leonardi can shut his big fat mouth aaaaaaany time now. Thank Christ he doesn’t work for a big team, or else we’d never hear the feckin’ end of it. Imagine him in Uncle Fester’s position….cripes.

II) Klaas Jan Huntelaar hearts all things Italian, particularly Rome, and he especially loves “scooters”. Insert your own punchline here.

(Though who doesn’t?)

III) Romanews prediction for tomorrow:

PROSSIMA GARA: Roma-Catania (mercoledì, ore 18.00)
INDISPONIBILI: Ferrari e Cassetti
DIFFIDATI: De Rossi, Mancini, Aquilani e Tonetto
SQUALIFICATI: /
IN DUBBIO: Juan e Aquilani
PROBABILE FORMAZIONE: Doni, Cicinho, Mexes, Panucci, Tonetto; Pizarro, De Rossi; Taddei, Giuly, Vucinic; Totti.

I’m wondering who will get risked and how. I respect Catania and all that, but the fact that they’re in the semis hovers around the Riemann hypothesis, life and Rosella’s tan on the “List of shit that can be explained”. Time for a JV squad. And yes, Amantino is now in the JV squad – which I’m guessing is bad for his contract negotiations (if there are any).

Back: Cicinho is a probable, Spall will almost definitely sit OMR and Tonetto is pretty much a must with Marco “Underappreciated” Cassetti still nursing that shoulder.

Midfield: I’d like to see some Matteo Brighi action, which would allow for someone to sit…perhaps even Simone. DDR sure, DP probable (loves those small teams), and then Amantino on the left. On the right? I’ll go bold and say Mauro Esposito to get on freakin’ start in Giallorosso.

Totti: I don’t see how, for the love of logic, he plays unless it’s for form as a late-game substitute. Cagliari is fresh in everyone’s mind; I don’t think the Coppa – nice as it is – is the place to risk him again. Has to be Vuci. Or Claudio Della Penna. Or the milk man. Or Rosella’s milk. I don’t care who, just not Francesco.

Til the squad lists……….