A Gift Awaits
By: chris | August 8th, 2008
As we’ve all come to expect rumors are swirling and most of us are doing our best not to bite. Well, a particularly juicy one has arisen in the last couple hours, one saying that a deal has been struck between Roma and Real Madrid for the services of one La Bestia. Normally these things are to be taken with a half of a half of a grain of salt, but it’s the wording of the deal which has piqued my curiosity.
The deal is reportedly €10m plus €1m each of the next two years should the Giallorossi make the Champions League, allowing the fee to rise to €12m. These deals involving payouts aren’t rare, but what makes it interesting is this is how Rosella & Co. have chosen to bridge the gap in negotiations recently. They did it last year with Cicinho and Ludovic Giuly, both of whom had the exact same clause inserted when the difference was €2m or thereabouts. If Roma is only ready to offer 10m and Real was standing pat at €12m, it’s not unthinkable the two clubs could’ve simply pulled a Cicinho to get the job done after Julio’s recent declaration that he wants the hell out of dodge.
Personally, I think this has some legs. It may not be announced soon because of the friendly in London and the side business Prade will be dealing with during his stay and signatures are still needed, but it sounds like officials are only needed before Julio Baptista will be in giallorosso. And I’m actually only too happy about it. Stopped fiddling around with details so much about where he’d play, who he’d displace, how he’d fit in and started thinking about the 50 - fifty - goals he scored over his two years with Sevilla when he was The Guy. We want a guy who can fill Perrotta’s shoes but can also finish? Merry Christmas.
Still nothing official, but this looks like it may be the real deal…..
 |
Serie A Match Schedule |  |
 |
Discount Travel to Rome |
| Roma Results |  | Stadio Olimpico information & hotels |
Category: Team News
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share
      |
Comments
-
And I had to dig to find all those results. No one remembers friendlies. I’m sure Tottenham fans will constantly remind us but the English keep going on about their World Cup and that was in 1966! At least that result mattered.
Posted from
Ireland
-
” Just trying too show that the sky isn’t falling,:-)”
nice said Jeff,Al Gore couldn’t have done it better
Posted from
Belgium -
My impression was 4-3-2-1 (bear in mind i only saw first 35 mins and last 20).
Artur
Cassetti - Mexes - Juan- Riise
Brighi - De Rossi - Aqui
Perotta ——–Vucinic
——-Montella—Brighi,DDR & Aq were tucked in as a tight mid 3 with the fullbacks overlapping; Per & Vuc staying wide.
Correct me if I got it wrong or if they changed it - I know Okaka seemed to swap with Vuci etc
Posted from
United States -
It seems as if Spalletti isn’t concerned about pre-season right?…..besides, our season is 20-21 days away. Unlike the EPL, which is next week. By the way, Tottenham and the stupid EPL fans are gonna be talking smack about their superiority because of this score. I hate them bastards, they are so narrow-minded and all they know is English football. F-them!
Posted from
United States -
Hey lets sell Rosella and buy benzema - he’s about to score a hat-trick against toulouse
Posted from
United States -
Why does Spalletti keep playing KA out of position? Even if Pizarro is out he plays Brighi alongside DDR instead of him.
Percheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’?????????????????????????
Posted from
United States -
Fadayn, who in their right mind would buy Rosella? haha.
Posted from
United States -
i have to stand behind the Perrotta supporters - the guy is not a forward - he does not score all the time, but he works like a horse and gets a lot of balls into the box and makes some really solid assists.
we should not dis Mancini and Giuly either. i am not sure we will get 6 or8 goals out of the beast, so as much as i am happy if he comes, i do not see this as a marked improvement over Mancini-Giuly options. we need a real striker/winger if we want to be better than last year.
i do not think that Baptista is going to replace Perrotta and put him on ther bench. I have a feel
Posted from
United States -
The Gazzetta is now reporting that Baptista will sign tomorrow. 9 million cash plus up to 2 million in performance bonuses to Real Madrid; 2.5 million a year (up to 3 with bonuses) for the player.
http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Calciomercato/Primo_Piano/2008/08/10/Baptista.shtml
Posted from
Italy -
i actually think that Baptista is going to play into a much more flexible structure for Spaletti. whoever said he was better in the centre than the wing was correct, so i think he will be used as an attacking midfielder in a versitle 4-4-2 where he can play in the centre with De Rossi and two other midfielders out in the wings where these mid 4 can shift into a rhombus with De Rossi moving back just infront of the defense and Baptista pushing up to the front point like a sort of mock-3/4ista
real tried to play Baptista out on the left, but without any real success so i don’t think Roma would play him this way
this leaves the wings open for Perrota, Aquilani or Taddei.
Just my thoughts
Posted from
United States -
Aquilani on the wing? Hell no,his place is next to DDR!
Taddei,Espo,Vucinic,Tonetto,Riise,Cassetti,Cicinho and Perrotta can play on wing but rest of the squad notPosted from
Belgium -
Gio, lets say what you say is the case. Why do e have so many central based midfielders for just two places: DDR, KA, Baptista, Pizza, Perrotta and Brighi? Not likely IMO. Either we’ll stick with the 4-2-3-1 or go 4-3-2-1/4-3-1-2!
Posted from
Denmark -
Guys I would not worry about this loss, you had many players missing, they are way behind in fitness training, it’s a friendly and nothing more. You guys beat the Spanish Champions 2-1 in both legs of the Champions League last year.
The fact does remain that you need a couple of signings though…
Posted from
United States -
One thing is for sure.
If u are faint hearted , then u shudnt be supporting Roma at all.
Gotta be used to this by now if one calls them a Roma fan. This is routine stuff for Romanista’s.
Aint going to read much into it.
cometh the hour , cometh the men in red and yellow.
Forza Roma.Posted from
United States -
true dhaw.
the fact remains that our focus was just not there. all the goals except the free kick were from defensive errors or back-passing gone awry. I was expecting DDR to how the premier league his mettle but his focus and drive was just not there. I expect more from the standing captain of the team.I didn’t think aquilani played all that badly. he shouldve had a couple of goals but the seemed to be the only one trying out there…
either way dhaw is right. don’t read too much into it. the true magica will show up on aug 24. (hopefully!!!)
Posted from
United States -
regardless of how much the game means (absolutely 0), it still hurt to watch it……
Posted from
United States -
You should watch the azzurri in action then. They are just incredible, maybe you guys should try and steal Rossi from Valencia.
Posted from
United States -
i would absolutely love to pick up giuseppe rossi. guys gonna be an aboslute star, and he plays for villarreal by the way not valencia…
Posted from
United States -
Preseason in any sport is hogwash to quote 1960s television. They didn’t forget how to play football, but the boys don’t care after the 75th minute of any serie a game, why would they care about a preseason matchup with the piss ants of the world?
Hopefully spalletti shows more flexibility this year than last year. I have no problem with a 3-5-2 in the preseason.
Posted from
United States -
we need another striker to play 3-5-2, i have about 0 faith in okaka right now, and montella is passed his prime, and i think it really would hurt us in the back. Throw a striker like milito or hell even crespo in to come in late id rather play a 4-3-1-2, with cici and riise giving us added width, and aqui and ddr playing more defensively with perrotta running around like hes crazy disrupting opposing passing lanes, what he does best…
doni
cici mexes juan riiseaqui ddr perr
bapt
totti vucinic/milito/hunt/whoever-especially late when we need a goal
Posted from
United States -
Perrotta is also proficient in disrupting his own team’s passing lanes which part of the reason Baptista is coming. He is coming to replace Perrotta ideally in an effort to land a more skillful, stronger perrotta. Of course if we don’t manage to land the attacking player we probably won’t land, Baptista will replace Taddei, but ideally Perrotta.
It’s preseason and it couldn’t hurt to run a formation and take notes on what to tweak to make it work later.
Posted from
United States -
yep thats exactly what preseason is for to test things out. i think perr’s passing and distribution is pretty good actually, my only problem is his finishing. My main question about him though is since hes what 31 now how much is his workrate going to begin to drop off?? We saw some injury problems with him last year, and as he ages i only think these problems will become more and more apparent. Although he did compare himself to a fine wine once i believe, “only getting better with age”.
Posted from
United States -
The only time I have ever seen Perrotta comfortable on the ball was against Catania. He beat like 4 defenders, but he doesn’t have much confidence on the ball for my money. He needs open play to thrive which is why a player that can put forth that much effort and put the ball in the net and even beat guys when put on the wing is better imo. That just means Baptista gets first priority, Perrotta still gets plenty of PT. As far as the durability goes, that could be an issue with the suits because I’m not sure why else we would be going so hot and heavy at a guy who is more of a luxury signing than anything. He isn’t what we are absolutely in need of.
btw Thiago Neves looked good today *clears throat*
Posted from
United States -
Dhaw, great line-up; though it seems you have Totti in more of a 3/4 position (where he would be best) i do not know if he can handle the pace need to play there
also, to CMP;
this is sort of my question as well and i am trying to figure out how Baptista will fit in. but Perrotta is usually played out to the left (for Roma as well as when he is in the Azzurri shirt). i see Brighi and KA as benchers and DDR centre but dropping back to defensive midfielder in the rhombus with Baptista pushing forward in the rhombus. Pizzarro i don’t fully understand. as far as i am concerned he is a bit slow on the ball and think he could be cut loose
honestly i am not sure what Spaletti is concocting, this is just my best guessPosted from
United States -
Hahahaha, I honestly love reading the comments here. We have as many coaches/managers as we do members posting. Quick question….. how many of you have actually trained/played for a club in the younger categories? I mean an actual established European club. And sorry, but if you’re from North America, don’t bother answering… playing “soccer” in parks and playgrounds until age 6 doesn’t count.
One of the key jobs of being a manager/coach is to time the physical conditioning so the players’ form peaks when it counts. Great, Tottenham were energized, seemed rested and in decent physical shape. Our boys seemed like they just ran a marathon. That’s a good thing.
Spaletti is from the same school as Zeman, which means that the players will have grueling physical conditioning leading up to the start of the season. The legs will be extremely heavy, they will be extremely tired. The team’s form will then slowly raise at a steady rate in order to have it peak near the end of the season……… and I will bet you anything that this is Spaletti’s reasoning (and it’s obvious why), given last season.
Additionally, those of you who read into pre-season friendlies too much make me laugh even more…….. the games are used to EXPERIMENT when it’s free to do so… to work out any tactical and/or line-up doubts the manager’s may be having.
Anyway, wait and see how we start our season and you’ll see a different Roma with much more attacking flair…….
Posted from
Canada
Read the rest of the comments
Comments are closed
Home 
