OFF TOPIC: AS Roma

The Fonz wrote:More than likely Osvaldo will play upfront alongside Bojan with Totti in the hole...





Now this could all change,if Gago can remain injury free ...If thats the case he will most likely play in De Rossi's position and De Rossi will play in Pizarro's CMF position...

BarcaKizz wrote:Yes its very interesting... I think we're just having wild guesses until they play the first game. Looking forward to seeing it.

The Fonz's formation was something I thought of, and the other one was Dani's with Totti wide and Ozvaldo through the middle.

My questions are...

Why does everyone expect a 'false 9' so much?? Enrique didn't use this, he had Soriano. Its also not really the normal 'Barca way', its just Pep has adapted the system to get the best out of a freak player in Messi. Have the best player in the world, build the best team in the world around him. Totti's good and normally plays as a 10, but I don't think we should expect this yet.

Assuming they play 4-3-3... can Totti play in a wide position? He's old and slow and won't be full of energy like you need. So essentially, he has to start centrally I believe. Moving onto the second question... Can Osvaldo play as an inside forward?? Like Dani said, he's a target man. I don't see him liking, or playing this role well. Very surprised they bought Osvaldo considering Borriello is quite similar.

Why didn't Enrique buy a fast winger??? All these big lumbering guys like Osvaldo, Borriello... or old Totti. Bojan's the only one with any energy in him (maybe Lamela too, but I haven't seen him).

Anyway, they signed well, and as long as Bojan plays I'll be happy.

The Franchise wrote:

BarcaKizz wrote:Yes its very interesting... I think we're just having wild guesses until they play the first game. Looking forward to seeing it.

The Fonz's formation was something I thought of, and the other one was Dani's with Totti wide and Ozvaldo through the middle.

My questions are...

Why does everyone expect a 'false 9' so much?? Enrique didn't use this, he had Soriano. Its also not really the normal 'Barca way', its just Pep has adapted the system to get the best out of a freak player in Messi. Have the best player in the world, build the best team in the world around him. Totti's good and normally plays as a 10, but I don't think we should expect this yet.

Assuming they play 4-3-3... can Totti play in a wide position? He's old and slow and won't be full of energy like you need. So essentially, he has to start centrally I believe. Moving onto the second question... Can Osvaldo play as an inside forward?? Like Dani said, he's a target man. I don't see him liking, or playing this role well. Very surprised they bought Osvaldo considering Borriello is quite similar.

Why didn't Enrique buy a fast winger??? All these big lumbering guys like Osvaldo, Borriello... or old Totti. Bojan's the only one with any energy in him (maybe Lamela too, but I haven't seen him).

Anyway, they signed well, and as long as Bojan plays I'll be happy.

I think Totti is false 9 because of his style these days.

What I mean is, he probably should be playing number second striker. But nobody wants to play 2 up front because it means one less midfielder and less protection.

So he is played up front, because we wont work hard, but at least he wont damage the defensive side of the game.

His playing style means he never stays up front, he drops deep, therefore, he is tagged "false 9".

ErPupone wrote:13 purchases and 11 sales, 65.5 million euros spent and an intake amounting to 25.6 million euros, therefore a negative balance which settles on 40 million euros. These are the figures of the transfer campaign just completed by Thomas Di Benedetto's new Roma, who was able to turn the hearts of fans, too long accustomed to not being able to live the transfer market as protagonists. A team totally revolutionized and rejuvenated in all departments which sees its pride in the purchases of Miralem Pjanic and Bojan Krkic, youngsters who already have considerable experience in Europe, and Erik Lamela, the Argentine tightrope walker chased by the big of the football world who, thanks to the work and conviction of Walter Sabatini, has chosen Roma to express his talent. Only three sales were profitable to Roma: In addition to the consensual termination of Doni's contract, the loans of Julio Sergio, Stefano Guberti and Matteo Brighi, the end of the loans for Guillermo Burdisso and Paolo Castellini and the expiration of the contracts of Philippe Mexes and Simone Loria, leaving Trigoria permanently were John Arne Riise, the Norwegian full-back with a deadly left foot, sold to Fulham for 2.6 million euros, Jérémy Menez, the French promise that failed to maintain the expectations of the Roman piazza, sold to French side Paris Saint Germain for 8 million euros and Mirko Vucinic, whose relationship with the fans and the environment in general had deteriorated for some time now, who has chosen to move to Juventus for a fee of 15 million euros.

Here's a detailed analysis of the new players who will wear the Giallorossi jersey this season:

Gianluca Curci: Cost only 500 euros for the resolution of the co-ownership with Sampdoria, the team he played with last season, returns to Rome to play for the post of back-up keeper withr Lobont.

Maarten Stekelenburg: Dutch, 29, goalkeeper. Taken for 6.3 million euros from Ajax, the giant oranje will be the tutelary deity of the new Rome. Does not lack experience and leadership, playing as a starter in the last World Cup with his native Holland, arriving in the final.

Simon Kjaer: Danish, 22, central defender. Taken on loan for 3 million euros with the option to buy for 7 million, was the name that was most heavily linked with Roma during the last days of the transfer window. Arriving in Rome on August 26 to perform medical examinations, was called back to Germany the next day due to problems with the German club related to the formula of the transfer. When everything seemed blurred and lost, the desire of the player to be part of the new project made the difference and a few hours before the close of the window, an agreement was reached with Wolfsburg. Having played two seasons with the shirt of Palermo, Kjaer is very familiar with Italian football and will guide the Roma backline along with Burdisso, while awaiting the return of Juan from injury.

Gabriel Heinze: Argentina, 31, central defender. Taken on a free transfer, a purchase in contrast with Roma's new policy, being the only player over 30 years old among the new faces in the capital. With great experience, has an Olympic gold medal in his collection and played several seasons with Manchester United and Real Madrid, with whom he also won a Championship. Difficult to find him a place in Luis Enrique's tactical module, who in the recent Champions League double-header preferred Marco Cassetti in the middle.

Loic Nego: French, 20, right-back. He, like Heinze taken on a free transfer, is the mysterious object of the Roma transfer market. He played in all the levels of France's youth football, winning the UEFA European Under-19 and competing in the World category as Lamela but has not yet been seen in a Roma jersey. Could find his opportunities in this early season, because of Cicinho's injury.

Jose Angel Valdes: Spanish, 22 years old on September 5th, left-back. Taken for 4.5 million euros from Sporting Gijon, will have the task of making us forget John Arne Riise. After the smears in the friendly against Valencia, José Ángel recovered at large, being one of the best players in the unlikely double-header with Slovan Bratislava, showing all his repertoire: excellent technique, strong offensive propensity, large running capacity and sinister. Will definitely be a starter, especially given Enrique's lack of alternatives.

Fernando Gago: Argentine, 25, midfielder. Taken on loan from Real Madrid for a fee of 0.5 million euros, with the arrival of Mourinho had lost his place in midfield with the Merengues, in four years has played 92 matches winning two championships. Prefers playing deep as a playmaker, good defensively, will have the task of breaking up opposing moves and quickly restarting offensive movements.

Miralem Pjanic: Bosnian, 21, midfielder. Taken for 11 million euros from Lyon, was the icing on the cake of the Roman market. Linked to us in the last 48 hours, the deal was conducted excellently by Roma, which has obtained the services of this versatile player who can play all the roles from the midline up, with a particular penchant for riding up-field with the ball all the way to goal. His shot from outside will definitely hurt.

Erik Lamela: Argentina, 19, midfielder. Taken for 12 million euros from River Plate after winning the competition from teams all over Europe. Celebrity in Argentina, has been able to excite the minds of all Roma fans, which are already in love with this little velvet left midfielder, adaptable to playing as external attacker. Nicknamed "El Coco", very reminiscent of Kaka in his way of playing. It will take another month to see him in action due to a small ankle injury remedied in the Under 20 World Cup, in which he played a leading role with the albiceleste.

Bojan Krkic Perez: Spanish, 21 year old striker. Taken for 12 million euros from Barcelona does not need any introduction, the numbers speak for him. Made his debut for Barca in 2007, after tearing apart all youth team goalscoring records, with 648 goals in the Catalan youth teams in eight years, the youngest player of all time to tread the fields of the Champions League on October 20 of the same year as well as becoming the youngest starter in the history of Barça, and with his goal against Villareal, took the youngest goalscorer title off Lionel Messi.

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo: Argentina, 25 year old striker. Taken for 15 million euros from Espanyol, has raised some eyebrows among more than most professionals because of the cost of his transfer. Strongly desired by Luis Enrique, inspired by striker Gabriel Batistuta, has already played in Italy with several teams, to be precise Atalanta, Lecce, Fiorentina and Bologna, never able to make his mark with just 18 total goals scored in almost 100 appearances. Moving to Spain in January 2009, he was revitalized, scoring 21 goals in 46 matches for Espanyol, using his skills in the penalty area combined with a good technique.

Fabio Borini: Italian, 20 year old striker. Taken on loan from Parma for an expensive 1.25 million euros, with an option to buy for 7 million. Despite his young age can hardly be considered a beginner: pupil of Carlo Ancelotti, who wanted him with Chelsea in London, has been put in good light in the Blues reserve team until his loan at Swansea City, whose promotion was featured in the Premier League with 6 goals in 12 games, an accomplishment for an average of one goal for every two games played. Will come to Rome to gain experience but his high transfer fee makes us assume that he'll find lots of space.



-Original article from Vocegiallorossa.

ErPupone wrote:Bojan was disappointing against Cagliari, he had lots of trouble getting himself settled into the match. Still unsure whether or not he'll start against Inter this Saturday, but if he does, I think he'll probably find himself a little more at ease given Inter's problems at the back so far this season. His pace may be a very important asset for us in this match. He'll have to contend with Osvaldo, Borriello and Borini though, to grab one of the two starting spots remaining.

jibers wrote:Spalletti invented the modern false 9, so I think totti, the player who was first used as the modern false 9 knows how it works tbh. Barcelona didn't invent the false 9, Roma did.

BarcaKizz wrote:

ErPupone wrote:Bojan was disappointing against Cagliari, he had lots of trouble getting himself settled into the match. Still unsure whether or not he'll start against Inter this Saturday, but if he does, I think he'll probably find himself a little more at ease given Inter's problems at the back so far this season. His pace may be a very important asset for us in this match. He'll have to contend with Osvaldo, Borriello and Borini though, to grab one of the two starting spots remaining.

Yeah he was rubbish, but Roma's other options for me are like putting a square peg in a round hole. They aren't the sort of players suited to the position. I'm really not sure why he kept Boriello and also bought Osvaldo. It would be ok if they played as a genuine number 9, but Totti is there. Roma should have looked at buying more mobile forwards/ wingers.

I think he should have faith in Bojan just because he's clearly the right player for that position. He'll come good, he looked comfy in pre-season. Playing Boriello and Osvaldo won't make a very productive forwardline.

IMO they should have done everything in their power to keep either Vucinic or Menez... Bojan-Totti-Vucinic would be an excellent forwardline... and Boriello and Lamela could back up.