It’s Not The End Of The World, But It Might Be. (Part Whatever)

the main problem is our defenders dont have concentration skills; the way we conceded 4 goals was unacceptable. Furthermore, Fire Ranieri Immediately!!! He has trouble of arranging tactics. Look what he did in the match against Genoa.

The Primavera squad has scored 56 goals in 18 games (no other Primavera squad has even topped 40). That's 3.11 goals per game.

The senior squad has scored 35 goals in 24 games. That's 1.46 goals per game.

Perhaps we should give De Rossi a run with the senior squad.

De Rossi Sr., Montella, Ancelotti, Monkey, Elephant, Lion, Dog, Frog, Cat... I DONT CARE as long as Ranieri is gone, I hate this old fuck !

Alright 10 bucks that Delio Rossi is getting fired.

i am bored.

ya thank to ranieri, I am bored as well.

And I don't care about Zamparini or Delio Rossi. This is a roma group and roma group only, god bless this roman community and fuck the pinkfuckers. Zamparini is desperate for attention, wants publicity... nothing else!

primavera: Roma 7-1 Lazio

So in 10 years time, when Roma are fighting for 8th place against a Verona side pushing their way back up the league, at least they'll be hammering Lazio.
Good to know.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c...

Interesting rumors: http://www.goal.com/en/news/10...

I don’t expect that many signings this summer and I don’t want that many either. The team should still be built around Totti and I would like to see a 4-2-3-1 formation. In my eyes the ideal transfer market would be like this:

Sell:

Vucinic (he don’t give 100% for the shirt any more, it is obvious)

Borriello (if he can’t accept a seat on the bench)

Adriano (he has to high salary to be worth another chance)

Brighi (his game is too similar to Perrotta’s and Simplicio’s and I rather have them)

Buy:

Aquliani (considering the soon to be close relation with Liverpool this could be made possible)

Sanchez (sell Vucinic, buy Sanchez)

Sergio Ramos (the guy is probably set to leave Real in the summer)

A left back (Crisito?)

A left winger (I don’t think Guberti will cut it)

A goalkeeper which can deal with crosses (has JSB ever gathered one?) but this should be last on the agenda.

A prima punta in a substitute role (if Borriello and Adriano leaves)

This would give this XI: 4-2-3-1
--------------- JSB
Ramos --- Mexes - Juan --- Someone
------ Aquliani ---- De Rossi
Menez ----- Sanchez ------ Someone
------------Totti

you play too much Football Manager dude, gimme a break @_@.

Sell Borriello? How? You haven't even bought him yet.

Have Totti as the starting lone striker? There are Roma fans who actually want that next season?

Aquilani possibly being a Roma player next year thanks to the soon to be close relationship with Liverpool? Really?

Sergio Ramos leaving Real and going to Roma?

I thought I played too much Football Manager.

Vucinic: we are not selling him, get over it.

Borriello: read Dhaw's comment.

Adriano: you are correct

Brighi: you rather have perrotta and simplicio? It is not up to u to decide, it's the club's decision and I don't mind if he stays or goes!

Aquilani: could happen ...*fingers crossed*

Sanchez: with new owner coming in, we could afford to purchase him but I think he'd rather join one of epl giants as he admires english soccer.

Sergio Ramos: He ain't leaving real madrid that's for sure. If he does, it would probably be milan instead of roma but it wont hurt to fight for his signature but I doubt it he's coming to rome.

Criscito: that would be simply amazing addition to this team but he plays for genoa, a team who loves 2 milan giants. (Kevin-boateng, Rannochia, Kharja, Militio, T. Motta etc.) so he probably would end up at AC Milan.

A left winger? I think we need at least 2-3 decent wingers which is very difficult to search.

A goalkeeper? Sell doni and Lobont ...bring back Curci

Coach? of course, fire ranieri!

I hope Thomas is reading this!

FORZA ROMA.

Also, Ramos and Mourinho have apparently been at a dissagreement with each other so he might leave. Too much for us though.

I don't think we can sell Borriello without even buying him and after we pay 10 million next season I don't think a player can be sold in the very same transfer window to some other team.

We have an "obligation", however, that was the old owners. Roma has new owners who may or may not have to accept to those terms. Its a possibility.

I don't think Ramos will go from Real to Roma. We do need a right back though, and I'm not sure who that could be at this point in time. I completely disagree about Vucinic. He's just frustrated, like the rest of the team, about a lack of playing time, substitutions that make no sense, and strange formations. If you're saying sell Vucinic and don't go through with the buy out for Borriello, who the hell is going to score the goals? Last time I checked, Bori and Vuci had 23 combined goals in all competitions. Totti only scores penalties, how can a team be based around him? Putting him as prima would go terribly wrong unless he was a world class diver. I do agree with you on Sanchez and Aquilani. They would also be my top transfer choices, along with bringing Guberti and Curci back. If not Curci, buy Stekelenburg. If Aquilani stays with Juve, buy Inler.

I convocati:

1 BOGDAN LOBONT
3 PAOLO CASTELLINI
4 JUAN SILVEIRA DOS SANTOS
5 PHILIPHE MEXES
7 DAVID PIZARRO
10 FRANCESCO TOTTI
11 RODRIGO FERRANTE TADDEI
15 SIMONE LORIA
17 JOHN ARNE RIISE
20 SIMONE PERROTTA
22 MARCO BORRIELLO
23 LEANDRO GRECO
25 GUILLERMO BURDISSO
27 JULIO SERGIO BERTAGNOLI
29 NICOLAS BURDISSO
30 SIMPLICIO FABIO HENRIQUE
32 DONIEBER ALEXANDER MARANGON (DONI)
33 MATTEO BRIGHI
45 STEFANO PETTINARI
94 JEREMY MENEZ

The squad looks a little barren. No Vuci, no De Rossi, no right backs. I guess we can expect Burdisso out on the right, with Mexes and Juan in center (and it'll be interesting to see who takes left after the recent debacle). Attack might be a little impotent. I'm guessing Ranieri will start Totti and Borriello, and leave Menez on the bench for an attacking sub option. If he starts all three, he'll have to put Pettinari on the bench to have an actual attacking sub option (and no, Claudio, Taddei doesn't count).

didn't Ranieri once used Menez more back up in a 3 men midfield? he's creative,fast but no goalscorer so maybe he can provide some linkup between mid and attack while also focusing on more defensive approaches,you know like how Guardiola uses Iniesta in a 3 men midfield

since the new owners want a more 'Barca style' team for next season:

---------------JSB/Curci----------------
-----new RB--Mexes---Juan---Riise------
-----------------DDR-------------------
-----Simplicio/Brighi---Menez/Pizarro-----
-Guberti-----Totti/Borri--------Vuci------

add Rosi,Burdisso,a quality winger,Okaka or Adriano,Perrotta etc and that seems quite good for a coach like Carlo to work with

???? Out Riise, out juan, out simplico/brighi, menez is not a cm, out totti/borri, out guberti. (btw i mean out to the bench not out of the team). Our problem this year has been that we have looked lethargic, no pace, etc. Plus Okaka, Rosi, Adriano, etc are all crap and shud go, so no way shud they even be on the bench. We need to add quality to this team. Apparently we will be targeting young south americans so here are a few I think would be good for us:

Lamela, Lucas (not the Liverpool one, the Sao Paulo one), Casemeiro, Santiago Garcia, Iturbe, etc. If we could get even one of those guys (we can only get one anyway unless they change non-eu rule) I would be ecstatic. Especially one of Lucas or Iturbe who are probably the most skilled youngsters in world football right now. Santiago Garcia is a real diamond in the rough, in that he is huge, fast, young (20), scored 15 goals in 15 games (uruguay clasaura) and has excellent technique (next cavani?). Casemeiro is versatile, deep lying playmaker if what I have is correct. Lamela im personally unsure about. Talented, yes, but im just not sure about him (he is abit slow, but comparable to Pastore). Lucas and Iturbe are speed demons, technique is awesome, etc. Iturbe would be the cheaper of the two but we would have to beat of heavy competition.

Also Roma shud take advantage of contract situations. Farfan (i think), Wendt, Taiwo, etc are all out of contract and would be good additions. Also players like Montolivo have a contract expering next year so they would be a bit cheaper. Also, Ajax are willing to accept an 8mill bid for Vertonghen. Shud take advantage of that.

Also FORGET abot big name buys like Sanchez, Ramos, etc. Cost way to much, and we need to make sure we comply with new rules. Max I see us spending is 40 mill PLUS cash made from sales and wages (which will be alot considering Adriano, Doni, Cicinho, Cassetti, Perrotta, etc will all be gone in the summer).

Roma 3 - 0 lazio at HT in today's primavera game.

This is fun to watch. Caprari is absoluty tormenting lazio's defence.

Where did you watch that?

SportItalia showed the game and streaming was available via calciolink.me..

They don't show many games, only one or two games each round I think.

Torneo Viareggio starts next week, though, and match coverage is usually pretty good there so should be possible to catch our primavera beat the crap out of some other teams.

Game over. Roma 7 - 1 lazio

Pretty good match.

Blogistuta: "Today's Roma is a black hole in contrast, the grand sum of all eleven players much inferior to what the parts suggests it could be."

Very well put. This team just doesn't add up. Mexes, Juan, De Rossi, Vucinic, Menez, Borriello, Totti, even Riise... we have the talent it's just not working, not gelling, not something...

I refuse to put that Norwegian in the same sentence as Juan and De Rossi. How many mental errors need to be made before people get it?

Well then what about Juan?

Very good interview with De Rossi in this month's Champions Magazine. Offers some interesting quotes.

His idols: "My first big idol was Rudi Voeller when he played for La Roma. In my role there were other influences, like Edgar Davids and Pep Guardiola."

On hobbies: "Reading footballers' biographies, like Di Canio and Roy Keane."

On Spalletti: "We had three or four years, at an artistic level, of truly beautiful football. He achieved what he achieved through attractive football, but ultimately Spalletti didn't win anything, though it wasn't his fault."

On Ranieri v Spalletti: "He and Ranieri are very, very different. Their approach, their tactics, how they manage the group."

On Roma's finances: "It's true we've been massively outspent by our rivals. You know in our minds, the Champions League always remains a bit of a distant objective. When you can come up against (those who have won it recently) Inter, Barcelona and Manchester United. Unfortunately the financial factor is even more evident in our domestic championship."

On the scudetto: "The scudetto really weighs on us. Against Inter we twice just missed out on the title. We've never been able to swallow that. To come second gallantly is a romantic thing, but it's also very sad. It would be nice to win at least once, not even every now and then. Just ONCE."

On leaving Roma: "In the end the club have always refused to sell me. The only thing is, maybe at the end of my career, to play abroad. Perhaps for a club in Japan, who knows, just for the experience."

Make them play to their strengths you old fuck - its not that difficult. They know how to play football - help them , don't fuck with them.

The 4-3-3 Ranieri throws every now then is perfect for the players we have but the biggest fuck he does is that he makes them play a narrow game - USE THE FUCKING FLANKS, PLAY A WIDE GAME..... LET THERE BE DISTRIBUTION.

He isn't making them do any of those and thats why we see no runs being made , no build up play of any sort .... the formations are good but not the tactics and I don't know why the fuck do I see Borriello defending for most part.

You are very wrong....

ranieri DID try to play wide and exactly THAT killed us:
1) Menez was invisible on the right flank, too isolated
2) Taddei was out of position and ineffective on the left

And MOST importantly:
3) We LOST the game in midfield, as we were outnumbered there! We needed an extra CM (Brighi/Simplicio) instead of Taddei, as ALL Shaktars counters came from outrunning our midfield (who were outnumbered)

De Rossi not holding his DM position for most of the game didn't help either & cost us the first 2 goals, but even if someone would FINALLY tell the boy he should ALWAYS play and stay inbetween CM & DC and NEVER somewhere else it could help us immensely.

We don't have wide players, we can play 433, but with 2 CM, 1 DM and maybe 2 inside forwards, but not a wide game as it kills us in the centre, especially as our backs are defensively very vulnareble.

problem is we don't have enough wingers to make it rendable: Taddei's a workhourse but no goalmachine,just like Menez
Vuci can play on LW but is too inconsistent too

Ronaldo/Messi are out of this world I know but we need a talent like them to run riot on either flank
shame Malouda is rather old,otherwise I'd love Carlo to bring him to Roma

What the fuck was Ranieri thinking when he sold Guberti + Cerci when he clearly knew that he was going to settle with a 4-4-2 ??? Doesn't 4-4-2 require decent wingers ?

We fucking went insane playing 4-4-2 which for sure didnt work and then that fucked up 4-3-1-2 which sucked donkey's balls and then 4-3-3 which can work with right instructions and mentality.

Oh and I still don't understand why the fuck is he so stubborn and why the fuck can't he throw a 42-3-1 for once and let them feel comfortable ??? I mea seriously.... wtf.

Exactly. 4-3-3 (or something similar like 4-3-2-1/4-2-3-1) is ideal. But when we have a manager whose favorite pastime is playing defensive central players out wide, I don't get my hopes up too much!

By the way, I've never liked having Menez as the '1' in the 4-3-1-2 we sometimes play. He belongs on the wing!!

playing flanks is good. may have not looked so bad if Roma fullbacks seemed less inept at being able to put in a few really class crosses into the box per game. (Looking at you Cassetti, Riise).

And in all honesty - Spalletti football wasn't about crosses either. Yes every now and then Tonetto or Cici would get few of them in - but his game was all about playing wide.

You cannot play a narrow game when deploying a 4-3-3. It's that fucking simple and how the fuck Ranieri doesn't know that is beyond me.

I agree that Riise and Cassetti can't put in the good balls they are not that horrible either - they can't do shit if they are asked not to play that game and all you see is DDR playing those stupid long balls hoping that Boriello gets to one of those every game and puts one in....

(In reply to Nino)
I kind of like it. If I remember correctly it we had that back 4 when we won 2-0 in the Rome derby and against Milan. Perhaps that might be the way to go. Although Pizzaro is a big question markright now. I want to see him get some minutes in Serie A before I decide if he should be in the lineup.

Also, gimme some Greco!!

Here's ZonalMarking's view of things:
http://www.zonalmarking.net/20...

Hey Chris were do you find that picture of DeRossi "Yes we can"? Love to actually have that poster. Anyways thanks.

we need to do this line-up for 2nd leg against Shakhtar: 4-2-3-1

...................................JSB....................................
....Burdisso.......Mexes.............Juan.......Riise............
...................De Rossi..........Pizarro **.....................
........Perrotta...........Totti.............Vucinic.............
.............................Borriello.............................

-** (Greco) in case Pizarro isn't fit in time!
-Brighi and Simplico are too slow for this match
-If Ranieri starts Taddei, then we are seriously fucked no jk ... taddei sucks!

Lemme know if u guys disagree, I wanna listen to your opinion

FORZA ROMA!

Tancredi
Di Bartolomei
Nela Vierchowod Maldera
Falcao
Prohaska Ancelottu
Iorio Conti
Pruzzo

Oh, and Nils Liedholm on the bench.

legends!

Ranieri doesn't care!

I think that team would get slaughtered on the break. I don't think we could cope with all of Borri, Totti, Vuci and Pek on at the same time. One of them (Borri in my opinion) should start from the bench. Ranieri then has an option to go for plan B if the system isn't working in the second half. I don't know if it would work but we could use Rosi's pace on the right wing in Menez' absence. His physicality and directness would certainly cause alot more trouble to Rat than Taddei would. It's essential we don't concede. We couldn't claw back a 3 goal margin and we would be terrorised on the break by Shakhtar.

..................................JSB....................................
....Burdisso.......Mexes.............Juan.......Riise**............
....................De Rossi..........Pizarro .....................
..........Rosi.................Brighi*.............Vucinic.............
................................Totti.............................
** Riise or Castellini
*Brighi could be replaced by Perrotta or Simplicio.

You really think we would score at least 2 goals with that lineup, playing in Ukraine?!

Yes, two without reply. If Pizarro is back and ready, Totti could return to the CF role. In Pizarro's presence, Totti won't need to dop as deep as he has been to find possession. Mirko nor Totti can't play anywhere near their best alongside Borriello. Vucinic is the dangerman, it's imperative to squeeze everything we can out of him. Totti will get more out of Vucinic than Borriello will. If it's still 0-0 60 or so minutes in then bring in Borriello for the final barrage.

We don't need to go all out attacking to score two goals against Shakhtar. If we go with an attack at all cost mentality, Shakhtar will destroy us on the counter. A methodical measured game is all that's required from us. Shakhtar will tire in the last 20 mins, we can go out all out attack then when they no longer have the legs to hurt us on the counter. We can't just go gung ho from the off like a bunch of morons, that's exactly what Lucescu hopes we will do. We need to be smart about it. Move the ball around, tire the opposition as much as possible. We're fitter than them, use it against them and exploit it.

Starting Pizarro is just insane. When was the last time he played a competitive game? And now he should start in a Champions League match? He was playing horribly the few times he actually played this season. No Menez? No Simplicio? Those two would be automatic inclusions for me. Rosi playing right wing is not a good idea, in my opinion. You'll have to explain your reasoning behind it.

Your back four (the same defense that nino picked, is smart.

Let's see how everyone does against Genoa before we decide who should play against Shakhtar. I'll have to see how well Totti plays to see if Borriello really deserves to sit on the bench.

You'll notice I said "If Pizarro is back and ready." We sorely lack any kind of invention from midfield. Our midfield is very hesitant of playing the ball forward with any purpose. Often, our forwards have to drop deep to bring the ball forward. Even Pizarro at 80% would kill this problem and would allow the forwards to remain the areas where they can hurt the opponent.

Rosi was a long shot, and I don't think Ranieri will go for it, but it could work. Apart from Menez, Rosi is probably the fastest player in our squad. Although, at times, he looks decent at right-back, his defensive aspect of the game is never convincing but he does look extremely assured coming forward with the ball. Rat would have a much harder time playing against Rosi than he would playing against Taddei. Rosi is very powerful and direct when coming forward, we'll lack that in Menez' abscence. I also seem to remember that when Rosi broke through from the youth system, it wasn't as a full-back but as an attacking winger.

Okay, Rosi as right winger makes more sense now, especially since I forgot about Menez' suspension. Haha. I am still highly skeptical about Pizarro, but like I said before, let's wait and see how everyone does in the next game before we decide who should play in Ukraine.

Ranieri will probably not pick the formation we want anyway, right? Picking a lineup always ends up with me getting pissed off, because he never picks it.

Menez cant play so Menez is not an option

Oh yeah, too many yellows, right? I forgot.

Roma also needs to take advantage of corners and set plays, there not the biggest team. More pressure they put on them more they will lose the ball.

I like Rosi too but lets be real, ranieri fields old men instead of youngsters!

Bright is too slow for this match. Shakhtar have 5-7 players who are between 19-21 years of age with speed and talent.

Brighi*

Mexes hasn't apologised for his performance, at least riise did. Mexes was as much at fault for that goal as was highlighted on setanta's coverage. His positioning has always been poor but against a minnow like shakhtar you have to wonder is there any point in continuing with him anyway?

DDR simply didn't close down the attacks - he allowed the shot for the great goal from the visitors - but kept backing back into the centreback spot or deeper, while he was deeply unlucky for the first goal what the hell was he doing 10 yards out of position?

Menez scored a fantastic goal and probably changed the upcoming sub as the studio presumed he was making way for borriello with totti to drop inside, one goal per term isn't enough to justify the carry-on though and you can see why they were booing him. We should be allowed to inject him with giveashitium.

I think I'm finally giving in to the anti-ranieri sentiment here. Everything about our teamwork was lacking in definition. I mean we did create dozens of attacks, as you would expect, but it all seemed ad hoc. There seemed to be little planning and I got the feeling Burdisso was trying to organise the whole team from 60 yards behind the strikers.

Frustrating. But as chris says I wouldn't boo my own team. Have your say at trigoria or elsewhere but not during the damn match when we're still chasing the game.

13 mins of stupidity let us down. I actually feel sorry for riise.

What is it with you and the Menez hate. At the start of the season I was as opposed to him as you are, after all his first two seasons consisted of lots of diving, whining, NOT scoring goals and lots of flash with no end product.

However, this year he's completely turned it around; destroying defences by himself, scoring and most important to me, staying on his feet!

I can assure you menez is probably the only player the crowd wasnt booing. He's been without a doubt the best player so far.

oh and please god Pizarro will be back sunday and give us a bit of creativity after all these awful games. At least we're not liverpool, did anyone see that last night? 3 attempts 0 on target...christ it was soul-destroying

Mexes is not responsible in any way for the goal that came from Riise's mistake. He was 'not out of position'. When we have the ball, players move and distort the formation so that there are passing options available. Mexes was in a position to receive the ball from the midfield if Riise played the ball to any one of our midfielders and if any of them were put under instant pressure from a Shkhtar player, Mexes would've been free to receive a pass. It was as much Ranieri's fault as it was Mexes' - neither can be blamed. Shakhtar got very little out of Mexes and Burdisso, I think it'd be absurd to blame any of them for the scoreline.

I agree, De Rossi should've done better for their second goal. For the first goal, although luck was a major factor, De Rossi can be blamed as much as Ranieri. The 4-4-2 we revert into when we don't have possession cannot work against a 4-2-3-1 unless one of our two forwards (Totti or Vucinic) drop deeper to pressure the opposing defensive midfielders and make a 4-1-4-1 when the opposition have possession. The two defensive midfielders of Shakhtar had all sorts of unchallenged possession. To combat this, our two central midfielders (Perrotta and De Rossi) had to move higher up the pitch and close down these two players. This then leaves a massive gap in front of our central defenders as our two central mifielders are so high up the pitch. Shakhtar Donetsk were always able to exploit this and time and time again they got in behind Perrotta and De Rossi. Shakhtar found it very easy to keep possession because they always had at least one free midfielder in the middle of the pitch.

I thought it was obvious Mirko was that was going to be replaced. He was nowhere near fit enough to play longer than 45 mins. It felt, for the whole time Mirko was on in the second half, that we were playing with 10 men. They guy needs a rest. He was a doubt before the game aswell and it's reported that he has some serious swelling in his ankle today.

I detest Liverpool but they, more or less, put out a second string team last night in Prague. They were happy to settle for a 0-0 because they will tear Sparta Prague to pieces at Anfield. They got the draw and were able to rest some key players for their game at the weekend. Rafa Benitez was notorious for going away in Europe, earning 0-0 draws and bringing the team back to Anfield and beating them. Rafa got to two Champions League finals with nothing but decent Liverpool teams. Dalglish is only following an example that previously worked wonders.

fair enough. mexes was totally out though check the replay, i think youre mixing him up with ddr who was up the centre. http://rutube.ru/player.swf?bu... he left burdisso two on one, it was the play they pulled up at half time , as pat dolan said 'you wouldn't see it in a sunday park game'.

no more than myself youre no fan of liverpool but it wasn't 2nd string liverpool unless you mean without gerrard they are 2nd string? my god i sat through it all, painful. http://www.guardian.co.uk/foot... dalglish hasn't a clue god love him, two own goals got them a draw and a win recently and they held on for unlikely draws with wigan and a sparta team that hasn't played league for 3 months. He brought skrtel on for nhog. ...and we complain about ranieri :)

I see what you're saying but for a player with Riise's vast experience, in no way could Mexes have expected that to happen.

I watched it aswell. Good to see Repka is still as crazy as ever . lol
Kyriagkos, Danny Wilson, N'Gog and Maxi all started. The same could be saif of Joe Cole. None of them have been first team players since Daglish took charge. Liverpool never really looked like they went to Prague to score. They looked more content with the 0-0, this obviously emphasised by Skrtel coming on for N'gog late in the game. Dalglish never risked anything to take a lead.

People need to chill out. READ------->http://www.zonalmarking.net/20...

Not sure how chilled I feel, as it basically points to the 'deeper problems' as reason for the latest debacle. AS Roma is an unhealthy, unhappy and dysfunctional place at the moment.

I do not usually blame the manager, or like doing so, but among all the problems Roma faces, Ranieri has by far been the greatest disappointment. He is touchy, arrogant, paranoid, and uniquely incapable of effective communication. Basically, he is the kind of general that in a war unreasonably sent his troops to die, a la Hamburger Hill.

Make no mistake, with the ownership vacuum (team refused to obey Rosella's order of an emergency training camp), we are at a cross road. Either the sale goes through quickly, contracts are signed, changes are made from a position of strength, or the whole house of cards falls down. That would mean goodbie to many of our best players.

That is true, we need to get the ownership taken care of...

It must be hard on a team to not know who there boss is going to be next week for about a year now...

Actually quite a nice analysis.
In gamse like this especially, without wingers Borriello has less chance to score, as he is the easiest to close, because he is effective only inside the box. Outside he is not a danger, he rarely even tries to shot outside the box - and that is something Battistuta was able to do very effectively, also Montella.
Totti dropping deep made some space, but Roma was unable to open up more the field from the wings and Totti has been missed in the finishing, leaving Vucinic quite alone. If Menez and Totti could change places as Totti and Vucinic, it would be very helpful, but for that Menez has to lear to pass, not just dribbeling forward till someone stops him. Yes, even after his wonderful goal, it wold be good if he started to make some double-passes to.

But on the second game Roma will have to go forward, and being exposed to very quick counter-attacks. I don't know how we will be able to get out from there without conceeding a goal.

We are pratically out of the ucl. Shaktar only conceded 7 goals in 19 games in their domestic league and have midfielders (mainly brazilian) who score and assist.

is anyone have the video of the backheel of Totti to Menez?

why would Mexes join Milan,they also lost their home game in CL knockouts so they aren't any better!

on a more serious note,I only believe Mexes' words or his agent. he's free come june but once the takeover deal is finished and we are back in top 4 things could go fast in his contract,there are still 3 months to go,plenty of time and Mexes is in no hurry
Milan can fuck of and buy Loria or Cassetti,I'm certain that the new owner(s) will want to keep hold on the spine (JSB,Mexes,Juan,Riise,DDR,Menez,Totti,Vuci,Borriello) and tune it with some good transfers like a right back/left back/CM if Perrotta and Brighi go/a winger and so on...

Second half they put in the effort, especially totti!

See the walk of shame here on my blog:-
http://www.theitalianj0b.eu

"Tranquillo, non ci vado. Resto quì!" - Philippe Mexes (I truly hope so)

http://www.laroma24.it/archivi...

we can sit here and discuss what roma should do with their line up,coach,bench, hell even discuss what kind of shirt riise should fucking wear. none of this will amount to anything but talk among the roma fans. i feel let down by only one man RANIERI. honestly he must have mind blanks, but enough about his stupidity and focus on the game ahead. watch the game, be the critics you all love to be, but remember one thing. FORZA ROMA and for fuck sake chris you must be one very calm person !!! :) peace from australia(i hope to move from this shit country everyone is to nice)

lol guys we have a new owner now and are no longer in financial instability. It would make no sense for us to sell our star players now. De Rossi ain't goin nowhere. If Mexes wants to leave...eff him. I love the guy but he can be replaced.

Would hate to see Philou go...

I'm sure the work-up is BS but it's it was true, he can be replaced if we have to... Just not by Baby Burdisso

Manchester United plan on signing De Rossi.

Worrying times.

Does anyone know what going on with pizarro? Is he playing on sunday?

Nope. The problem is the coach and the players.

I'm ready to blow it up. If his last name is not Vucnic, De Rossi, *Mexes, or Menez then he can go.

*Nevermind. Screw this team.Mexes can burn in hell.

it's probably easy to judge the fans in Olimpico on this site,most of us watched replays or on some live P2P site,cozy and warm at home or in a bar with lots of beer

but I'd like some fans here who DID go to the game their opinion about it. you know,the people who drove miles to the stadium,bought an expensive ticket, were standing in the cold all night expecting another great CL day thanks to lousy words of Ranieri that 'we were ready for Shaktar'...as I said before, players are only humans but so are the fans,without fans = no Roma,no wages for the team

plus,there could be a difference in jeering: I actually think that most of them were jeering against Ranieri,the management and the unknown future of the team and those everlasting takeover rumours. the team itself played rather good

only the first goal was bad luck,with the second goal Costa had too much space and ran too many metres onto the goal,DDR and/or one of the CB had to close him down as we all knew he was one of Shaktars most dangerous players
the third was Riise's fault he should have immedialty cleared it forward,if Castellini played it wouldn't have happened

maybe I'm to harsh for him but against Genoa,it's probably best Castellini plays,he hasn't let us down yet and give Riise's a sign that he isn't a regular LB anymore,he has to work hard on training and in games to retain it,I'm sure he's pro enough to face that

I was at the match. The jeering was oppressive at times. I am pretty used to boos after a bad half at the Olimpico. What was different this time was that the players were jeered relentlessly as they came back onto the field for the 2nd half. That was not the case against Bayern earlier this year. I did not think it was really helpful and probably only further deflated a mentally beaten team.

I will say this, Roma fans go from extreme to extreme. No set of fans is quicker to jump back into joyous support when some quality, pretty football is put in front of them and some goals are scored. But as a fanbase we also tend to decide that the world is over after a few fluke things that can be easily overanalyzed.

As for the "shut up and support your team," that is more mindless than the fans at the Olimpico. Fans pay the price and should be able to have natural reactions. I don't find it useful to jeer, so I don't. I think fans should appreciate professional effort, like Riise's, and have to tolerate mistakes as no one is perfect. What I struggle to tolerate is a lack of effort, which is sometimes on display.

What the fuck? Mexes has joined Milan? Just when I thought that the season could not get any worse! :(

http://www.laroma24.it/archivi...

I feel betrayed. Sure, last year was tough for him ,but he has been guarenteed a spot now, yet he chooses to leave us, and join Milan even though he said he would never join another italian team. Always felt like he was a roman, and i still admire him, but this is heart breaking. Our team will undergo a massive transformation at seasons end (out: perrotta, cassetti, rosi, cicinho, riise, antune, all loans,loria, adriano, probs pizarro, and hopefully taddei). This is what happens when you choose to retain the same old players over a long period of time.

http://www.talksport.co.uk/spo...

is it confirmed?

No and it will not happen. Mexes told the tifosi today at Trigoria to "be calm, relax".

If that's true, I'm surprised. I agree with you on the transformation next season. Although it will be sad to see many go who have been part of the core group for many seasons, it's their loss. The new Roma will finally be able to reach the next level. Mexes always seemed truly Roman, but if he really was why would he leave? He had a starting place and knew that new owners and a new coach were coming in. I don't think his wages were going to be a problem. Whatever. He'll sure as hell regret this next year. I still hope this isn't true though.

I was browsing youtube for Totti videos and came across a nice, rather long tribute video uploaded several days ago. The only downside is that the text is in frog.

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

(And watching those videos made me realize that I haven't see Totti go for a cucchiaio in a long time. When was the last time he did one?)

penalty against samp 2-3 years agoe i think

"They can take away his strength, endurance and anything else which surfs along the sands of time, but when Francesco Totti is six feet under, he’s still going to be able to backheel a blind pass through the catacombs to the rumbling sticks of Simone Perrotta, still streaking towards the goal, his eternal heaven."

That may be my favourite "chris line" ever (and there has been a lot of good ones). Forza Totti, Forza Roma.

OK I dont want to post about how disappointed I am with Roma lately. It's way too painful and I've been reading enough of everyone else's thoughts concerns and rants so my 2 cents well just wouldn’t serve any meaningful purpose.

So on to something more meaningful …

I am not a crazy superstitious guy but as fanatic sports fans I think we all can attest to doing things we wouldn't normally do because of some unknown powerful force that will give our team the will that “edge"

So Roma comes off the winter break and I was pretty happy with the way they were playing while not totally convincing at times (but that's just Roma) I felt good and confident in the rest of the season

Milan: Going into the holidays feeling very celebratory after beating them in casa.

Catania: Happy New Year! Well rested and beating them with Mirko showing impressive form of the bench.

A hiccup with Samp. Juan had a not so brilliant moment that we don't need to get into.

Cesena: ugly but a deserved win.

Lazio: Coppa Italia/Derby beating them yet again awesome. Adriano finally started to win me over but out for a month.

Cagliari: 3-0 after how bad the first leg was, I loved it. A brilliant goal from Menez made it feel even better

... I am liking the momentum.

Juve: One of my favorite games of the year 2 beautiful goals. A great performance and Roma is showing they are a force to be reckon with

Now I feel great. The team is clicking.

I had concerns about the schedule. A lot of tough crucial season changing games ahead in a short time. Not nervous but let me help the boys out a little. How you ask? I had a pretty good 5 o’clock shadow going since the Juve game so lets keep it going and pay homage to one of favorite players of all time Daniele DeRossi.

Brecia: Well we didn’t lose and Damn it Riise!

Inter: Say it isn’t so Burdisso!!! The beard is kicking and DDR would be proud. Roma showed heart and gave a hell of fight back but they beat themselves so the beard lives

Napoli: No CB? WTF Mexes shut the fuck up! It’s happening again. They are there own worst enemy. Not to mention they showed a painful contrast to the will and heart against Inter.

Now I’m worried as it doesn’t seem to be that form is the problem as much as focus and confidence which I think is a worse enemy to have against you, or on second thought is it my hairy face?

Along with ride of Rollercoaster Roma on the field the news of Adriano packing on the LBs and and enjoying a night out with his boys doesn’t help the team especially with so many other changes and distractions. I’ve given up on him once again

BUT I never give up on Roma and superstitions are stupid. This team is stronger then the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.

The beard lives on. I am suffering but I will get through it ¬– Just like my Roma
The uncomfortable itchiness the agony of watching it take over my face…

Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League: Burdisso and Mex back. They will have something to prove after the Napoli disaster. No season to worry about just win in Olympico against a team who hasn’t played a match since 12/8!

WTF happened? A strange ricochet off my man il barbuto along with some lazy defending and a Norwegian ass flop. Damn this team and damn this beard!

Although fashionable, and the compliments keep coming, and I can show beautiful women how it tickles I don’t know how much longer before I go al Fresco. This team I mean this beard is killing me

So I figured I post and take votes. Should I fight it and continue to watch it grow into a thick mess that mimics the hairy weeks of futbol in Rome or bring back my beautiful face clean and crisp style like the kind of game Roma used to play?

My dilemma needs your support.

Through thick thicker and thin... and thinner the question remains, to shave or not to shave?

Shave it. Or get a fade from top to bottom ;)

I always get to that 3-4 week "awkward" phase and then lose my impetus and shave it off. If you can stick it out, do it for the rest of us who can't!

so true

its official ranieri will be sacked if he dosen't win this weekend game against genoa this was determined today at the trigoria by the VP of Paolo Fiorentino bank and the Sub will be montella

??? I think thats bullshit, but if true I will be neither upset nor pleased.

thats 100% false

Rather than dwell on the bad, let's look at some of Roma's future youth prospects (whom we will inevitably fail to integrate into the team and sell off for a pittance).

The Italy U-18s played two games against the Norway U-18s this week, one Tuesday and one today. Five Roma youth were called up: Pigliacelli, Sabelli, Caprari, Ciciretti, and Piscitella. On Tuesday they won 2-0, with a squad consisting of 3 Roma starters, with the other two coming on as subs:

Pigliacelli, Montresor (39’ st Sabelli), Prestia, Bianchetti, Manfrin (39’ st Liviero), Burato, Barberis, Valoti, Caprari (18’ st De Silvestro), Magnaghi (37’ st Beretta), Ciciretti (13’ st Piscitella).

Today's match ended 5-0, with Ciciretti scoring the final goal from the penalty spot.

On the sacking Ranieri note, I doubt anything will happen before the take over is complete. For next season tho, i'm pretty sure he'l be replaced for the main reason that the players all generally seem to dislike him.

Chris has touched on something that I have always believed. When it comes to football, there is more pressure in Italy than abroad. There is more pressure in Rome than in Italy. It's a real pressure cooker. As a roman myself, I always felt - no question - that the team played for the city, for the tifosi, for me. The coach? The Presidente? Whatever. They come and go. I realise it does not make for a 'normal' or 'balanced' relationship between team and city. The ugly violence that has accompanied Roma (as well as others) is a glimpse in the darker side of a dysfunctional relationship.

However hard the Roman environment may be, the team needs a strong leadership. In the changing room, Totti has been undermined. The Presidente is just waiting to sell, hoping to get a bonus percentage from the sale. Ranieri has, in my opinion, failed to be strong but fair, tactically solid but daring.

Coaches, players and owners will come and go, but come what may, Forza Roma.

Looks like Europe's top club is in for Vucinic: Blackburn Rovers.

Can't believe with his amazing consistency that Real Madrid, Manchester and Barca haven't tabled a bid for his world class performances!

Now you best be sarcastic when u say "consistency".... he is anything but consistent.

One lazy motherfucker who has a knack of scoring some beautiful goals and showing up more often than not in big games.