Breaking Down The Breakdown

By: chris | October 26th, 2010

breakdown_ver2

AS Roma isn’t currently suitable for children either.

You need answers, I need answers and Roma needs answers. We’re going to search for the answer, starting today, find it and then PDF that bad mama jama back to the hierarchy – see how they like it.

Benches & Subs

The easy place to start is with the substitutions, an understood minefield coming in with Ranieri: might work, might not, might blow off a leg – it’ll always be a grand mystery and leave many grown men with soiled trousers.

Since they’re critiqued and put to trial more than anything else, at least from a quick skim, they’re worth a look for the pursuit of knowledge and answers. Plus the occasional headscratcher: I find it hard to believe Ranieri has only left four subs in the chamber this year, but this is what I’m told.

Knowledge: It’ll get you when you least expect it.

Cesena:
1 Bogdan Lobont
11 Rodrigo Taddei
33 Matteo Brighi
30 Fabio Simplicio
89 Stefano Okaka Chuka
87 Aleandro Rosi
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Rodrigo Taddei for Jérémy Menez (64)
Matteo Brighi for Daniele De Rossi (75)
Stefano Okaka Chuka for Simone Perrotta (78)

* – Your standard variety. The left wing of Cesena causing a ruckus, thus Taddei; DDR in WC hangover, thus Brighi; putting in a striker to score a goal, thus Okakachukamuthafucka. The type of stuff you find filed under ‘basics’.

Cagliari:
1 Bogdan Lobont
33 Matteo Brighi
19 Júlio Baptista
30 Fabio Simplicio
2 Cicinho
87 Aleandro Rosi
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Aleandro Rosi for Paolo Castellini (14)
Guillermo Burdisso for Francesco Totti (25)
Júlio Baptista for Jérémy Menez (64)

* – Castellini came off injured and then Roma Burdisso channeled his inner Inter Burdisso, requiring Rosario’s Burdisso. Handcuffed.
Bayern:
1 Bogdan Lobont
8 Adriano
30 Fabio Simplicio
2 Cicinho
23 Leandro Greco
94 Jérémy Menez
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Jérémy Menez for Francesco Totti (79)

* – Having seen everyone but Greco play/defend this year – and really, let’s not bank on Leandro to light up the Allianz anytime soon – this becomes far more understandable.

Though Simplicio’s still looming there, looking half decent whilst planning his How To Be Fit But Still Spherical fitness DVD, co-presented by David Pizarro.
Bologna:
1 Bogdan Lobont
33 Matteo Brighi
9 Mirko Vucinic
8 Adriano
30 Fabio Simplicio
2 Cicinho
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Guillermo Burdisso for Marco Cassetti (33)
Matteo Brighi for Daniele De Rossi (54)
Fabio Simplicio for Jérémy Menez (69)

* – Another day, another double of forced defensive changes. This one turned out to be decisive, though it’s not like starting Cassetti at leftback was from the realm of the ideal either.
Brescia:
1 Bogdan Lobont
19 Júlio Baptista
8 Adriano
30 Fabio Simplicio
2 Cicinho
23 Leandro Greco
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Cicinho for Aleandro Rosi (31)
Adriano for Jérémy Menez (45)
Júlio Baptista for Mirko Vucinic (61)

* – Rosi had to be removed from the field (and team consideration) for doing his very best to get sent off, while Mirko was unfit and necessitated a sub not long after the half. Hell, he can barely make it 70 when fit.

Fitness, homicidal intent, atrocious refereeing, etc.
Inter:

33 Matteo Brighi
9 Mirko Vucinic
19 Júlio Baptista
8 Adriano
2 Cicinho
32 Doni
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Mirko Vucinic for Francesco Totti (76)
Júlio Baptista for Marco Borriello (87)
Matteo Brighi for Jérémy Menez (88)

* – Normal circumstances, though Adriano defaulted due to disinterest which…well, yeah: normal circumstances. (He and Mancini should co-own a nightclub called Maybe.)
Cluj:
33 Matteo Brighi
77 Marco Cassetti
4 Juan
22 Marco Borriello
19 Júlio Baptista
8 Adriano
32 Doni

Adriano for Jérémy Menez (45)
Marco Borriello for Mirko Vucinic (64)
Marco Cassetti for Cicinho (64)

* – Normal circumstances.
Napoli:
33 Matteo Brighi
9 Mirko Vucinic
3 Paolo Castellini
19 Júlio Baptista
87 Aleandro Rosi
32 Doni
25 Guillermo Burdisso

Matteo Brighi for Jérémy Menez (45)
Mirko Vucinic for Marco Borriello (67)
Aleandro Rosi for Cicinho (73)

* – Not good from Ranieri across the board, the problems beginning from the off with that 3-4-1-2. Got too fancy in times of instability and it ended up yanking the noose.
Genoa:

5 Philippe Mexes
3 Paolo Castellini
19 Júlio Baptista
30 Fabio Simplicio
2 Cicinho
89 Stefano Okaka Chuka
32 Doni

Paolo Castellini for Simone Perrotta (79)
Fabio Simplicio for David Pizarro (79)

* – Closing out an important victory while leaving one in the bag, but doing so because leaving a few winded legs on the pitch was better than any of the options on the bench. Half a handcuff, maybe even of the toy variety – much like the pair Adriano in his nightstand.
Basel:
3 Paolo Castellini
4 Juan
19 Júlio Baptista
30 Fabio Simplicio
2 Cicinho
89 Stefano Okaka Chuka
32 Doni

Paolo Castellini for John Arne Riise (60)
Júlio Baptista for Simone Perrotta (74)

* – Attempted to patch the leaks but really had few options with which to even attempt a comeback.

Parma:
11 Rodrigo Taddei
3 Paolo Castellini
19 Júlio Baptista
29 Nicolás Burdisso
30 Fabio Simplicio
89 Stefano Okaka Chuka
32 Doni

Fabio Simplicio for Francesco Totti (45)
Júlio Baptista for Mirko Vucinic (52)
Stefano Okaka Chuka for Cicinho (72)

* – Outside of continuing to thrust Julio Baptista into games which are yet decided – again, partially a lack of options – the calls were good, just not executed.

Knowledge Pt. II: Ranieri prefers tired legs in the right positions to fresh square pegs in round holes. Write that down, remember it or tattoo it on your arm like Ibra to remember birthday cards – no banner in Curva Sud can change that, so it’s just good to mutter late in the game when Simone Perrotta is running the 40 yard dash in three turns of the sundial on a cloudy day.

Knowledge Pt. III: You’ll notice those under normal circumstances, when substitutions were allowed to be made almost wholly on a tactical basis, ended up much more favorably than those of the abnormal variety. Though the ‘abnormal’ seems far more normal these days.

Ah, Roma.

Not Knowledge:

One of the symmetries between this and last year has been the early injury and fitness substitutions, some of which won’t show in the minutes column (such as Perrotta v Basel or Mirko in nearly every game he’s played). This year, however, the balance seems to shift – and I have zero actual evidence to produce this, though I’m sure with enough time it could be illustrated nicely – in that the problems are more of fitness and aggravating pre-existing conditions than fresh injuries suffered during the game. This means you’re not getting that effective first half performance with which to either grab a goal, grab a lead or, at the very least, to build a rhythm throughout the remaining eleven. A small thing, and largely theoretical, but a very large problem when it becomes a pattern, particularly with so many unfit playing simultaneously.

The magic he worked last year doesn’t seem as mystical with this as a consideration, nor do the subs of this year seem so poor in hindsight. Maybe what they say is true: the coach gets too much credit, too much blame.

But more to the point, when has Ranieri had time to find a rhythm, find a rotation? Last year the players were new, so it took some time, with a few eventually dropping off the face of the earth despite decent playing time before he found his healthy core (ahem – Guberti, Cerci, Andreolli, etc), a comfortable system and some sort of consistency. That didn’t happen until November. He’s had a summer, sure, but he’s being posed a new problem each and every game, as though July and August meant nothing, with a different variation of some players being offered based on the musculoskeletal system, airborne viruses and whether or not they require a helmet and/or the the very chic gauze turban. Yes, it’s a normal part of the game, but the consistency with which they find a way to lose players for even minor spurts is not. I can’t in good conscience dub it a crisis, as I lived (barely) through 08-09 (something like being on the Titanic and then two years later, your dingy springing a leak on the pond: the ship’s sure as shit sinking, but it ain’t quite the same); however, it’s something – maybe death by a thousand cuts.

And with that, Rodrigo Taddei, whose one game showing against Genoa is the posterchild for the benefits of a rhythmic system over all else, is now out for six weeks.

The hits just keep on coming.

Some Related Roma Posts:

Category: Team News

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Gio

this is the first post where i am really not sure of where you are going.

first of all some of his starting formations are just as bad as the substitutions, and the substitutions have been from another planet.

Parma - Roma 5-2-3

let's start by saying that if you were ever thinking about fielding a 4-4-2, you should have never gotten rid of Guberti (or Cerci for that matter).

the 5-2-3: when your starting formation has a wingback starting in midfield along with a striker, you should be lying on a couch talking to a guy with a little beard and a note pad .

it is not like there weren't other choices. Taddei and Simplicio on the bench. i further suggest that if'n he had played Simplicio from the start, he would have had an extra sub to use as well.

Julio Baptista on for Vucinic? are you fucking crazy? yes, Vucinic wasn't looking great, but that was because he was being backed up by Brighi plus a off-kilter Chilean garden gnome and a wingback. had he had a true midfield behind him, this would have been worth 100x more than putting on a guy whom we haven't seen score in ... how long?

do not even let me start on Okaka, who we haven't seen score in ... how much longer?

Basel - Roma

i can't say i would have know any different, but Mexes should have played in Juan's spot, not Burdisso, but i can't blame Ranieri for that. but i contend, and have been doing so now for over 3 weeks, that Totti and Borriello do not work together up top. nor any other way in a 4-4-2.

the substitutions weren't so bad. Riise was a decent call, but Perrotta could have come off earlier for Simplicio and then Baptista could have been added at the end since Ranieri only used 2 substitution.

Genova - Roma

we won it so why complain.

Napoli - Roma

3-5-2? because this worked last season? did it? i though last season was a 2-2 draw in Napoli. so are we back understanding he is just going for a draw?

once again, Cici showing up in midfield? this is something which didn't even need to be done in practice to see if it would work. NO. No Cici in midfield. again, why did we get rid of Guberti? proof that Ranieri was wrong about this ... subbing Cici out ... and for whom? we swap a wingback playing r-midfield for an even younger, less predictable and more volatile wingback who has less experience. again i say ... (and i know he is more of a central player), but how about Simplicio?

Menez should have never come off. he was doing great, causing Napoli the most trouble of anyone on the (our) team. Vucinic on for Borriello? Totti was the one who clearly should have been taken off. and,

Cluj - Roma

again, i think we won that one.

Inter - Roma

even though we won this one, i have to say, Vucinic should have come on at least 15-20 minutes sooner and i could argue we could have put another 1 or 2 in the net.

Brescia - Roma

substitutions or formula are immaterial here considering the refereeing

Bologna - Roma

Guillermo Burdisso on for Cassetti? this is precisely where we lost the game. not Cici? what issues are you dealing with when you won't play the much more obvious choice but chose the guy who has no experience in serie A, no experience even on a real team. did he even have experience playing with the other guys on our team? then taking off a perfectly dangerous and still active Menez to park the bus with Simplicio.

i am too depressed to go on. what is the point. it just gets worse.

i am not saying Ranieri had the best players to chose from, but he certainly had better and more aptly suited players from which to chose. almost every game he has fucked up.

verdict:

guilty as charged - of crap decision making.
Billlastnamefag

good analysis chris..the most crucial part of cheering this team is being aware of the unknown factor she has...you can't sufficiently describe love for your club..and they can't full explain their poor play. it's a snowball of misfortunes, but it takes something to start it..and fuck if i know what is.
kurdt

I don't blame people for seeing Taddei's presence could bring some sort of magic right now cause Roma are just THAT bad this moment.
Richie Fucking Maggio

Taddei's presence as "magic?" Are you serious? Hard played yes. Alot of running yes. Take a look at that game again, please do so!...... Numerous sloopy fouls, plays and embarrassing tripping were part of his game as well. If you want to call that "magic" than we're in deep trouble.
Dhaw

Right now all this team and fans need is someone who can shine and taddei did show up for the Genoa game.

We are like drowning men who would even latch onto a straw right now. So yea, I see why Taddei is getting some love.
Richie Fucking Maggio

One game. Most of you are clinging to one game. Thats pretty pathetic. No wonder this team fails to go further than it does.

I wonder were Taddei would stand on a top notch contending team.....(if that was ever possible)......like Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid. I'm sure you guys would place him on the starting line up.
Richie Fucking Maggio

"taddei's injury is the worst for the team since the start, he gave us a lot all round and brings a bit of footballing nous to our right hand side as well as some good help for defence."

Haha. You think Taddei's injury is the worst thing for this team? What are you going to say next, that he is the most important player on the team? I couldn't disagree more!
nino

we need speed and pace ...as much as i love totti, he needs to start on the bench to see how it goes. My opinion:

.......................................JSB.......................................................
........Rosi............Mexes.....................Juan.............Riise...................
.....................................Pizarro....................................................
................Cicinho..................................De Rossi............................
...................................Menez.......................................................
......................Borriello........................Vucinic.................................

Subs: Totti, Cassetti, Brodisso, Antunes, Taddei, Perrotta, Simplicio, Brighi, Greco, Adriano, Baptista, Greco
Dhaw

Holy shit. Pizzaro as CDM ? Hahhaa.

Whenever that happens be rest assured that Mexes and Juan would call it quits.
That is just criminal.

Never and I mean Never do I want to see pizzaman @ CDM.
nino

ok then ...de rossi and pizarro, switch position! is that better?

sometime i just dont see pizarro playing outside mid ...no wonder we lose so much because we are soooooo tactically unbalanced!
sjRoman

Here is the squadra i use for Fifa 11 ( 4-4-2 )
--Sergio---
Riise-Juan-Burdisso-Cassetti
Brighi-DDR-Pizzaro-Perrotta
Totti-Borriello

subs-Rosi,Vucinic e Mexes
nino

Burdisso over Mexes??

Perrotta/Brighi/Totti/Borriello over Vucinic??

Cassetti as left full back? Riise as right full back??

and where is Menez??

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA u sir have the same mentality as Ranieri.

i am speechless!
sjRoman

mi dispiace. Riise is on the left and Cassetti on the right. but every thing else stands as is. I win games 2-0 with 6 Italians on the pitch. Menez can go back to France and Vucinic is selfish so he comes in late. Mexes has some heart, but tears are for women and children. Burdisso will bleed for Roma.
Caroe

Bertolacci just scored a great goal for Lecce against Siena in Coppa Italia with a good shot from outside the box.

He hasn't played so far this season, hopefully this will help him.
ForzaRoma

any links?
and what about Pettinari? is he playing too?
Caroe

Just took a quick look at a liveupdate from Siena's official page to see if any of our youngsters were playing.

Pettinari is on the bench (for the first time) and Sini is on Lecce's bench as well.
Cicero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

is it too early for this?!!!
!!!
!!
!
Eseoh84

http://www.calciomercato.it/ne...
Son of a bitch. How the hell can we compete with 19million euros
chris

It appears as though the club's going to be sold fairly shortly. Bids are in, what, within 2-3 weeks?

Now's not the time to worry about finances. Presumably with so much reported interest, it's not going to a pauper.

(Other things...feel free to worry about those.)
Jonas

Liverpool are doing even worse than us so no worries,for christ sake they don't even play CL this year and next year
Bashar_ASR

Yeah.. How can they come up with anything close to that? The new owners aren't going to just throw money around.

Besides.. If we take 20 mn for Vucinic we would be making a loss on him. We spent 24 million to get him and he's just starting to hit his prime.
Eseoh84

Apparently Man. U is also willing to spend around 20-25 million pounds for a DDR transfer.
Giallorossi93

Well we turned down a 45million from Man City apparently at the start of the transfer window.
Bashar_ASR

Rip off by premier league standards. Milner went for that much for God's sake. Gareth Barry was close to that too I think. Granted that was Man City splashing the cash but still.
Lucian

Carlo Zampa live commentary on Baptista: Nun te vojo piú vedé!

"I never want to see you again!"

http://tv.repubblica.it/edizio...
ASR_Martino

I agree with him at this point... I've wanted the guy to succeed, but Baptista has not impressed me and his play is uninspired every time we see him.

Julio, Grazie per niente e arrivederci.
Bashar_ASR

Can I just comment at how scandalous it is that Diego Milito was left out of the Ballon D'Or list while the likes of Xabi Alonso, Eto'o, Dani Alvez, Maicon, Julio Cesar, Ronaldo, Fabregas and Asamoah Gyan get in there ahead of him.

They are all fine to incredible players in their own rights but they did not have as stellar a season and were not nearly as instrumental to a treble win as Milito. World Cup be damned, whenever Milito got the chance his team won. He even set up one of the goals against Greece.

I'm continuously stunned at the farcical nature of this award and the World Player of the year? Why do you need two awards going to the same player year after year. Make one for club based performances and another for the national team performances. Ridiculous.
Jonas

I believe since this year,the FIFA world player of the year and Ballon d'or are brought into 1 award no?

I agree Militi should be in there too but probably it's gonna be a (Spanish) Barca player
Bashar_ASR

Sneijder will win it I think.
Eseoh84

Politics. Plain and simple.
E_dawor

Fuck, Pizarro got problems... http://www.romanews.eu/news.as...
ASR_Martino

Like Chris said above, "the hit's just keep coming"...
Bashar_ASR

Roma should really invest in a new training ground with proper state of the art equipment (to minimize injury), new medical establishment like Milan's complex and a new stadium. That's all I want from the new owners really. Short term it might not do us much good but 3-5 years down the line it would be fantastic.
Uomo_del_secolo

If we can't afford players, how are we going to afford a new training complex?
Bashar_ASR

New owners will bring some financial stability (hopefully) so the club can start investing most of their revenues back in the club rather than the banks.
AYR.

I really don't get the Messi thing, his goals are all identical and his "dribbling" skills leave much to be desired. Sure results are there, against nobodies. but shit, wheres that magic Socrates/Conti touch?

Apparently fans of la magica wouldn't know magic if it looked like Gandalf and turned them into a frog.
Bashar_ASR

You're still on this? Go to prem or Real Madrid blog if you want to complain about him. Top scorer in Europe's premier competition last year, second top this year. Hat-tricks against Madrid and Valencia, four against Arsenal, two against Stuttgart, scored boatloads against Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.

Totti gets the same criticism about him not scoring against top teams until you see how many goals he has against the likes of Milan, Real Madrid, Lazio (not a top team but still a derby) and Inter. But we know Totti's quality because we watch him.
Eseoh84

You can't seriously make such a weak argument. Sure, he's a bit lopsided in his play, but even so no one seems to be able to stop him. We all know he's cutting in from the right to the left, but knowing just isn't enough. He's a top class footballer. Also, Ibrahimovic gets hardly any respect outside of Italy, but we all know what he's capable of as well. You have no idea what you're talking about.
Spencera1986

Biggest mistake of the year= Letting Guberti go to Sampdoria
DDR

The problem as far as I'm concerned is clearly the formation and where is putting players on the pitch.
ForzaRoma

an interesting encounter awaits us this weekend :)
ex-Roma Daniele Corvia vs ex-Lecce Mirko Vucinic

18 years old Mirko made his Serie A debut against...Roma...in 2000-01 !!!
here is that vid, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... ,a 4 minute nostalgia with Zago,Balbo,Tomassi and all the other Scudetto boys
I really miss Montella,he was so awesome as a footballer,hope we can see him achieving great results on the Giallorossi bench someday
ForzaRoma

Bayern:
Jérémy Menez for Francesco Totti (79)

Greco has nothing to do here,its just when the only sub was made - right after Bayern scored

I was one of Ranieri's biggest defenders after the "Cagliari humiliation" but after only 3 days became one of his biggest criticizers,its exactly when I realized his loser mentality and the way its going to destroy whole work he did with the team before it
I still cant imagine how he wanted only a 0-0 at Allianz,yeah,we played europe's vice champs at their field,but whoever watched that game and this year's every other game by Bayern,can easily see that they are not that scary and unbeatable,especially without RibRob(and Roma are capable of beating anyone as well)
and instead of trying to change something,he just hoped that the team will hold on till the end,but in reality it was easily evident from the very start that sooner or later they were going to score
and then,after seeing the 1-0 on the scoreboard,he woke up from his dream and realized that Roma needed at least a goal to complete the mission,so brought in fresh and pacy Menez - our only real weapon from the bench
sometimes the score can be very different from the performance and this was exactly that case,but sadly he ignored everything but the score
after that: Roma were playing some attacking or at least normal football against Bologna,Cluj and Genoa and leading 2-0 with 15 or so mins to go: whats the best solution? of course keep the possession and continue like that,dont allow the opposition to start dominating and all 3 points will most likely be yours
but instead: Mr Ranieri decided to park the bus(remember we were playing some average teams AT HOME) and the results are 2-2, 2-1, 2-1 with the last two almost finishing 2-2 again

nothing can justify his actions mentioned above,
injuries,forced subs,unlucky finishing,etc - can happen once or twice,but overall they are just excuses
Tazvaz

Indeed, and don't forget replacing Menez at half-time v. Cluj in a very important game with a clearly quite immobile Adriano and to play on the right side too! Compunded by the post game explanation to curious reporters, "Adriano needs playing time"!
Fadayn

!? adriano turned that game around for us, we called that substitution after half an hour and it worked.
Fadayn

taddei's injury is the worst for the team since the start, he gave us a lot all round and brings a bit of footballing nous to our right hand side as well as some good help for defence (he kept us in the game against genoa).

I dont think anyone serious about their footie is really questioning ranieri's substitutions, are they? we know he's had his hand forced by things like early injuries, fat injuries, rosi being an asshole and non-italian speakers beig shit consistently despie their youtube clips. But a good blog chris, I like these kind of reference lists, very statto of you.
Dhaw

What worries me is that Montali has gone AWOL. We haven't heard anything from him since a while.

Oh Montali where are thou ?

I take his word much more seriously than Ranieri & Prade.