Palermo-Roma

Tricky game, if I'm honest.

We're expected to win or at least draw against this side, but the Renzo Barbera is a venue that never has sat right with me in terms of what should happen and what does happen.

We have Pjanic and Destro back, but have lost Marquinhos for at least 3 weeks. Beyond, there don't seem to be any other fitness problems.

I think the win is here for the taking, but we have to be ruthless.

Thoughts, lads?

I am always wary of any game after an international break, but since King of Rome is well rested I say we take 3 points.

collapse after break again , one has to question why is always that has to happen under every manager it happens , poor game and result although bad but good comparing the quality of play they displayed

They just didn't show up today. Luckily the results around us were favorable, but this was a real missed opportunity to jump up further in the tables.

A CL-calibur side does not lose to the last place club. Especially when this club has won only 3 games (4 now) all season.

Not good enough.

Oddly enough im happy that destro in back because i felt there wasn't enough movement up front , its only Lamela that has turned to be another Menez recently

Menez is doing well at PSG and is going to figure in at national level with France though so it's not like he's a bad player. Just wasn't in the right environment with Roma. Lamela was probably our best player today, but that really doesn't say much considering Palermo ran riot down his flank. He's just not versatile enough to attack and defend like Piris or Torosidis can on that side. Stick him back in the front 3 and I think he'll do better.

The Palermo game was the kind of game that makes you realize the limitation of the coach. The deficiencies were evident against Parma, and although AA pointed them out in his press conference immediately after that game, he ended up not only ignoring fix them, but made them worse.

We played with no wing cover against a team that was clearly going to counter attack us. And no, Lamela and Marquinho aren't and won't ever be wingbacks. All what Palermo had to do is have their strikers play wide to drag our CB's to the side and expose us in the middle. It was the same freaking mistake that get us into trouble against Samp. And we repeated them in idiotic fashion.

Why didnt Pjanic start? or bradley?

Perrotta? seriously? Florenzi was awful too.

Lamela was the best player, no doubt. Totti missed a sitter when he had the chance to level the scores.

Lamela shouldn't be starting on the right flank in a 3-4-2-1, doesn't have the ability to cover a flank all by himself, completely different story when he has a full back covering him. That's one of the limits we faced in this match.

Another point was lack of efficiency in midfield. We're supposed to be crowding out the opposition in the middle, but we did all but that against Palermo. Tachtsidis showed his weaknesses again, De Rossi left all alone trying to protect a shaky three man back line.

Perrotta and Florenzi behind Totti is a nice idea, one based on grit and determination. But in a game like this, where we were left uncovered in the middle, they won't be able to be fully effective. End result being, as Andreazzoli and Baldini stated, predictability and lack of precision in their movements.

The absence of Marquinhos and Pjanic was felt. The Bosnian should be good to start in the derby, same with Torosidis, while Destro may also make a return. Piris and Osvaldo out through suspension.

Palermo's first win a months...kinda surprising.

Where was Marquinhos again?