Liveblogging the Fiorentina-Roma Game (Sepp Blatter Be Damned)

By: chris | September 26th, 2007

Fiorentina-Roma

FIFA Head Gouda Sepp Blatter has declared live-blogging illegal and wrong and immoral and on the same level as giving a pair of running sneakers to Christopher Reeve, which obviously means I must fulfill my obligations and do just that, live-blog the game. So we’re coming to you live from the Artemio Franchi in Florence, or a barcalounger in front of a Toshiba in Boston – either one. Minus Il Capitano and rolling out of the locker room on IV drips, the fellas from the capital have a tough game upcoming against the Purple People Eaters from Firenze.

I’m still feeling confident that Roma can pull out at the very least a draw and quite possibly the full 3, because both teams are on a level playing field when it comes to fatigue. Which was really smart on Lega Calcio’s part, “Hey, let’s use a computer draw to make sure it isn’t ‘tainted’ and questionable, that way we can have what should be one of the most exciting games in the middle of the week when both teams have already play 270 minutes in the last 10 days and have another two games in the next week. Yeah, brilliant!” As always: “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.”

The best part about this game is that I’ll be watching on Fox Soccer Channel, which will probably report at some time that Luca Toni isn’t playing because he’s hurt his ankle, but that he should be back in time for their next Serie A game against Chievo. So, you can file this post under “snarky”, which I’ve been so amorously dubbed by our friend Inara.

The Lineups

Roma: (4-2-3-1): Doni; Cicinho, Mexes, Ferrari, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Giuly, Mancini; Vucinic.

A disp. Curci, Juan, Panucci, Barusso, Brighi, Aquilani, Esposito.

Fiorentina: (4-3-3): Frey; Ujfalusi, Gamberini, Dainelli, Pasqual; Donadel, Liverani, Montolivo; Semioli, Pazzini, Mutu.

A disp. Lupatelli, Kroldrup, Balzaretti, Gobbi, Kuzmanovic, Santana, Vieri.

The lineup doesn’t surprise me in the least (same as my predicted XI outside of Espo), only Taddei, who looked so exhausted on Sunday I figured he’d be given a juice box and told to chillax in the stands for the game. I wonder how much of that has to do with Montolivo and Mutu who like to get down their own left flanks. But still, a very good lineup and more than capable of taking 3 points.

Pre-game:

I’m going to get a coffee, at a place that’s real hit or miss. Not only will this be an ominous sign for today’s outcome, but it will also go a long way in determining what kind of mood I’ll be in and the tone of this post.

Alright, I was very skeptical when I realized it was this chick’s first day, but she knocked the coffee out of the park. I’m feeling real confident. It’s going to be a good day.

Also, I know being shat on by a bird is good luck. By what happens if a bird pulls a kamikaze mission into your window. Because there is a dead bird on the ground after what sounded like a Howitzer went off just now. Is that good? Is that like the steroid version of bird-shatting? Does this mean Roma will win like 37-0?

Either way, it’s good vibes all around. (no, dead animals are not always a good thing, but today it is)

Opening whistle: We’re off….

1′ First ball from Fiorentina up top to the left towards Mutu. Get used to that.

2′ Prandelli is looking extra greasy today. He means business.

Two fast paced counter-attacks in the last 12 seconds. Let’s hope this pace continues.

3′ 2v 1 for Roma Vucinic drops off to Mancini and Amantino shoots high and to the left. Both forward lines are going to get a ridiculous number of chances today.

4′ Cross in from Donadel, Mutu heads left.

6′ Pizarro loses 2 balls in 1 minute. Welcome back, David. I see we’re in mid-season form already.

7′ Fiorentina getting the bulk of the chances thus far, but very susceptible to the counter. I can totally see this game being 4-3.

9′ Roma just can’t get the ball out of their own half, and when they do they immediately turn it over.

Ujfalusi shoots/crosses from deep and goes wide left but only by a yard or two. Where’s David’s tempo slowing when you need it.

10′ Mirko scores but it’s offside by about a quarter mile. I see he’s been learning from Pippo. Fiorentina ball.

12′ Roma finally getting possession. Mirko trying to be Totti. Mirko is not Totti.

13′ Motnolivo is given enough time to father a child and takes a shot just over the crossbar from distance. Dear Christ would somebody attach themselves to him please.

15′ Mexes gets yellow for bear-hugging and shirt-tugging Giampaolo Pazzini. Whatever. Free-kick…..goal kick.

16′ It’s really pouring now, like cats and dogs type shit.

17′ Pazzini has taken it upon himself to single-handedly try and get every Giallorosso sent off. DDR foul, no card though.

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal.

18′ Mancini with the chip! Fantastic dummy from Lulu Gulu and Mancini chips it over Frey with perfect precision and accuracy.

Roma 1-0

20′ Giuly and Vuci have formed a very nice little partnership up top, Vuci flicking to Giuly who gets his shot stuffed. Good stuff from little-and-big.

22′ Montolivo skims the right side of the net with a shot from distance. SOMEBODY FUCKING MARK HIM.Two people if need be.

24′ 1-1 Off a corner from Gamberini.

Fucking Doni. Completely whiffed on the punch out.

Is Curci ready yet? Christ.

25: FYI: DDR is captain.

26′ Mancini is Supermanned by Pazzini. Try getting that image out of your head.

Prandelli is having an epileptic seizure on the sidelines. Either that or he’s really excited about the directions he’s giving.

28′ Great attacking trio in Lulu, Vuci and Mancini. Seriously, those three are playing well together. A bunch off layoffs but it ends up in Vuci going head over heels and a Fiorentina free kick near the spot.

30′ Mutu stuffed by Cicinho with an open goal on the 6 yard box. Holy good lord. All hail Cicinho, but he might be hurt. All better now. Little booboo.

32′ Mutu completely unmarked, misses yet another easy goal. The defense really needs to step up. There are red flags and warning sirens going off everywhere.

34′ Alright, Eric was right. DDR did get a touch on that ball and it went past Doni as a result.

Taddei off due to injury, King Alberto on and will probably slot Giuly over to the right wing and take up camp at trequartista.

Doni literally saves a Viola goal off the line on the corner. All hail Doni.

35′ How many damn free kicks/corners has Fiorentina had?

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal

Lulu Gulu on the counter…

2-1 Roma

Yet another dummy, this time from Aquilani to Giuly. For a team getting absolutely dominated in possession, Roma has had some fantastic chances on goal.

38. Montolivo from distance. AGAIN. Bring on Juan for Pizarro and tell him “I want you on Montolivo’s hip at all time. If he gets an erection, I want you to feel it. Got it?”

40′ Pizarro passes to Liverani, who flicks to Mutu, who heads it to Doni. Pizarro has been useless.

41′ Anybody else thinking we might see Mexes subbed off early second? He can’t afford to miss the Inter game.

42′ Doni tries to fake someone out in the penalty area with the dribble. God help us all.

43′ David Pizarro passes to Donadel. 12m my ass.

Aquilani hurt…..

2 minutes stoppage

46′ Giuly and Mancini seem to really like playing with each other. I have no problem if Taddei needs to sit for the Inter game.

Half-time thoughts: Montolivo is a terror, Pizarro sucks, Lulu Gulu, Mancini and Mirko really play well off each other, Good and Bad Doni have both shown up today, Mirko is no Francesco, Mexes needs to come off before he gets a red (that yellow was absurd), Mutu has spent more time on the ground bitching for calls than on his feet, I’m loving Cicinho, even though he’s providing different attributes than we thought he would, Spalletti just looks bewildered, the fate of King Alberto will be the biggest thing to start the second half. Losing a sub to injury in the 36th is bad. Losing his replacement 8 minutes later is a fucking disaster, especially if it requires burning yet another sub, which would probably mean Mexes will stay on. Can you tell I’m worried about Philou and a red?

Second Half: Whew. Aquilani back out, Santana on for Liverani.

46′ Fiorentina has created their own clusterfuck in the box, but Donadel finally puts a shot wide right. Not a good start.

47′ Cicinho makes an illegal throw in…TOLD TO RETAKE THE THROW. dear christ….

49′ DDR comes back and takes out Montolivo with a fantastic tackle. Mexes hits a pop fly to centerfield on the counter. Goal kick Fiorentina.

52′ Must admit, not a single tear shed over the fact that Roma didn’t land Semioli.

53′ Cicinho hacks down Donadel at the left edge of the box, bad news brewing…

Off the wall, corner. That Mutu, he’s sick within 20 yards.

55′ Vucinic almost singlehandedly beats Dainelli off the ball to get a 1v1 with Frey but falls down. He’s done a lot of that today.

56′ Ujfalusi takes an shot from 8 yards out with only air between he and Doni and hits the net at the Olimpico in Rome. Goal kick.

59′ This game is getting real sloppy real quick.

Ref reads a book, takes a nap, showers and shaves then calls for a foul on Max. Free kick Fiorentina….

Doni punches it away. Roma ball.

61′ Unfortunately, Roma looks to be backing up the team bus into the stadium. Not by choice, either. This Fiorentina team is very dangerous.

63′ DDR starts running through the Fiorentina defense, foul and a free kick from 30…..

Aquilani up against the wall.

Cicinho crosses into KA who heads it on goal, saved by Frey. Alright, there is no way in hell KA belongs on the bench in favor of DP ever. Ever ever.

65′ Vuci has a shot stuffed….Panucci on for Mancini and we’ll see Cicinho pushing up to RW and Lulu pushing over to the left. All kinds of pushing going on.

I feel like Mancini’s on the football version of a pitch count. 65 minutes max and he comes out.

67′ Montolivo is a fucking beast. Good lord he’s good.

Mexes takes two quick shots off the face. All hail Philou and his phabulous phace.

70′ Lots of back hells flicks and pretty pretty things going on here.

Mutu being a bitch. Typical.

71′ Uh oh. Bobo on for Smioli.

I would gladly pay $5K to watch Bobo score a goal then walk over to the touchline, pull a Robbie Fowler and do a line of chalk.

72′ Frey saves Vuci off the line from about 7 yards. Fantastic chance, should have been the game. Blah.

73′ Great save by Frey on Pizarro from 25. DP is having a much better second half. Still, he’s not even within arm’s reach of King Alberto’s class.

75′ Mutu elbows Cicinho in the face, obviously intentionally…that could be a suspension. Just a yellow.

Who said anything about Mutu growing up?

Balzaretti on for Dainelli.

76′ Aquilani keeps jumping up and down on that ankle. I don’t like that at all.

77′ Great setup from Roma. Pizarro passes to Fiorentina.

Fuck. Penalty for Fiorentina. Ferrari guilty for getting all Bobo.

You know who was to blame for that? DAVID PIZARRO. Fucking terrible pass leads to the counter and Ferrari makes a poor tackle.

2-2 Fark.

81′ Good counter saved by Frey from Vuci. Corner Roma….

83′ I swear, Vucinic has spent more time on the ground in the box today…

Red card for Donadel, free kick just outside the box. This is the chance Roma needs, especially since Mutu should’ve been red-carded for that intentional elbow on Cicinho.

Espo ready to come on for Cicinho….here comes the firepower. Make us proud, Espo.

MOTM Sebastian Frey. What a save on DDR’s free kick. Prolly the second best keeper in Serie A.

85′ Mexes puts a header wide. Ah.

87′ Free kick Panucci…..Mexes misses the bicycle kick.

90′ Fiorentina has taken to fouling to waste time. Bullshite.

3 minutes.

Showing a close up of Bobo’s balls. Good camera work from FSC

Mutu misses AGAIN in the final 20. Counter……nada.

Cheeky moves from Espo, taken down, no call. Game.

Final thought: A draw in Firenze is nothing to thumb your nose at, but once again, they should’ve had the complete 3. David Pizarro’s inability to decide who is actually on his team kills Roma and Matteo Ferrari’s tackle about 7 minutes too late in the box sealed the draw. Disappointing stuff.