Insult, Meet Injury. Injury, This Is Insult
From Il Capitano:
"Gli scudetti si vincono con le piccole."
"Scudetti are won with the small teams."
Even in the stands he manages to stick it to Lazio.
Empoli Notes
• Francesco is likely out.
• Taddei may be back, will probably know more tomorrow
• King Alberto will be back, though I hope it's only for a few minute and he gets run out for a cool 60-70 in Portugal.
• DDR will miss the game through an accumulation of yellow cards, which is freaking awesome, because it's the only way he's going to get a game off this season.
• I'm beginning to think we'll see extended cameos from: Barusso, Brighi and Espo - all well overdue.
• Why? Because Empoli is a solid 2-6-2 with a goal differential of -9. Absolutely.
Vucigol + Totti = Awesomeness
TGIP obviously reads this page. Or maybe it's just blatant enough that he decided to address it explicitly yesterday in his post-match conference:
“Vucinic and Totti can quite happily co-exist, as they already have done in the past,” assured Spalletti.
“Of course Vucinic may have to be a little more on the wing, but that is not a problem as strikers do not tend to just stand there in front of the goal.
“I watched Lazio’s forwards tonight and they started out very deep, so there’s nothing to say that Totti has to go very far back to play with Vucinic. They can be in attack together, as long as when one goes forward, the other steps back into that space.”
Thank you. Even though I guess it just means Vuci will start out on the wing and then make his way to the center of the pitch. But we can compromise by calling him a lateral forward and make everybody happy.
Cerci-gol
Alessio Cerci has apparently heard the question "who is going to fill Francesco's shoes when he retires?" and he's answering it with an emphatic "ME". The guy is scoring like he's in a Cambodian whorehouse*. Another two goals in the game against Modena on Tuesday, making it 6 this year and putting Rome into full-on Pisa-watch for the rest of the season. That is, if he lasts there. (I still think he does.) Sadly, no videos. But you can picture them in your minds. Now just substitute next year's Kappa shirt and 12 people in the stand with the adoring throngs in Curva Sud. And imagine him doing it in the derby, because then you won't have to change the quality of teams.
* - Two things:
1. "Whorehouse" doesn't have that red warning line, so it's in the official dictionary of this blogging program. I probably shouldn't be surprised considering the historical significance of the whorehouses (most US politicians are silently nodding), but still. I thought they'd tastefully limit it to "brothel". Or "San Siro".
2. New Serie B nickname - Cambodian whorehouse.
Stuff, Plain Old Stuff
I) One part of this rumor makes sense, the other part not so much. The sensible aspect is that Milan wants to get younger on the back line by buying a 30 year old. Typical, right? The strange part is that defenders name is Marco Cassetti. 2 months ago people were claiming Marco isn't Roma quality. Now all of a sudden he's good enough for Big Bucks Berlusconi, the same guy who is slowly stashing enough money to buy a small continent for Ronaldinho. On one hand Marco has been such a revelation this season I'd rather keep him around. On the other hand, it all depends on the price, because he's almost definitely at his "sell high" point. Roma shelled out a whopping 2.5m for the guy - methinks they could make a tidy profit on that, then spend it on an actual LB backup.
II) I can't tell you how many times I've thrown up in my mouth when looking for picture posts, because when you go to google.com images and type in AS Roma on the second page is a picture of DANNY FUCKING SZETELA. (And then the third...)
They're fucking with me. I know they are. And you know what? It's working. I'm using google.it for everything from now on, including English searches, and I don't care how much it screws me up.
III) Off-topic: If you have the chance, make sure to watch the Joe Calzaghe - Mikkel Kessler fight on Saturday night - it will likely be one of the greats. I know far more about boxing than I do any other sport, and I've been waiting for this fight for years (since Kessler proved himself relevant). It's an unorthodox fighter with great hand speed and reflexes that eats up opponents on the counter against one technically gifted fighter who gets forward well and presses opponents. For a purist, it's a dream matchup. For a casual fan, should be a helluva fight to watch. Fight of the decade. (If you're a betting person, which I don't condone in any way, shape or form, Calzaghe on points or 11-12th round TKO)
IV) Azzurri - The Don speaks:
"I know and I believe I am doing everything I can, it is difficult to do more than this. At the end there will be someone who will judge, but let’s do it at that time, not now."
Sounds an awful lot like a man brimming with job security, doesn't he? And that whole "difficult to do more than this" nugget? Please. My unborn child (we hope) could steer that team to a spot in the farkin group stages.
V) Every so often I clean out my hard drive and I come across random Roma pictures, at which point I just throw them into a post. This is that day.
David says 'Hi'
Still trying to figure out how the stained purple panties fit into the equation
Obviously
This picture was taken from the future, in the summer of '09, mark my words.
Cool haircut
Now, if only we could find a way to get him to insert that 9 iron up his ass...
"Oh boy, here comes second base."
* - Quick note: I'm happy for Francesco with Ilary and all, but having Manuela Acuri at the WAG disposal around here would be absolutely wonderful. 10.5. And a half.
Ode To Francesco
Brings a tear to the eye, it does. (Two parter)
Tell me you saw that last part coming. Just tell me you saw that coming. I don't see it. I don't see it at all for various reasons, but we can hope, can we not?