Roma 1 - Lazi-00000000000000000000000000
That was wonderful.
And I don't quite know what else to say. When saying going in that "form, tactics, standings and fitness" don't count, it means assessing the fixture for true tactics and future expectations going out is rather pointless. There's always something a bit more, a bit different, that makes derbies the overwhelmingly special displays that they are. Sure, the 4-3-1-2 worked because of the three-engined midfield, and the three headed monster that is Ba-To-Vu will do some things in the future, but you can be assured that this was a one-off, as is always the case. Too much passion, too many nerves, too far beyond the X's and O's.
All of which is good, because that was some fugly ass football, to put it bluntly. But it doesn't matter, as the ugliest of wins over Lazio are still infinitely sweeter than the most aesthetic of wins over anyone else.
Notes:
• Matteo Brighi: You, sir, are a star.
More than his on the pitch performances, however, I think Brighi deserves commendation for something beyond our vision:
“The club also gave its support and the difference on the field will always be team spirit. People like De Rossi, Totti and Brighi did the groundwork in the locker room so we could achieve this result.” - Nov. 4 after Chelsea win.
From a garbage time role player to an inspirational leader, on and off the field, and perhaps the team's best performer throughout the season. It took a while, but he's arrived - and just in time.
Now if only he could've booted that bad boy in from the Roman half...
• Jeremy probably shoulda woulda coulda buried that ball, but the defender was steaming in from his right to cut down the angle, Carrizo took the low angle away well and he just doesn't have the confidence to chip it in a game of that magnitude. I think that ill-advised shot that sliced right was his attempt to make up for his earlier miss as well. Kid's got major, major skills, and he's going to be incredibly special, but he was playing in France three months ago and it was never going to happen over night. So here's to a cucchiaio in the fall derby next year.
• Loved the Julio gol, but I loved seeing a senior citizen bolting to the far corner waiting to pick up the scraps even more. A mere yard from an alarming number of Roman babies being named "Christian" nine months from now.
• Also love how everyone left Baptista to celebrate with Francesco as though he'd scored. Everything he touches in a derby is gold plated gold, is it not?
• But now to Julio...he is going to score a lot of goals in the Roman shirt. A lot. Especially if he continues to play treq, the position which saw him score 50 in two years at Sevilla. We have to remember that this is the first real stretch where he's been healthy this year - not even for Bordeaux - so with game time affording him form and fitness, he's going to only get better. The more I see of him the more I'm convinced he's going to be a special, bringing a good bit of that physicality and finishing in the final third this team has lacked so desperately. Like one Giuly standing on top of another then falling asleep in the tanning bed.
Looking forward to the day he earns Baptigol.
And we should've seen this coming. Two games against Lazyo now, two goals. Maybe Roma has bought themselves a Lazie killer. Glory be, glory be.
• Zarate's going to be a pretty decent player, so it's a good thing Lazyo won't be able to keep him around more than a couple years. Presumably he'll go to Inter, as Moratti has already removed his pants and is eying up his Argie passport like it's a Playboy (Playgirl?).
• Radu's the huge Roma fan, correct? Like used to show up at Dinamo Bucharest training wearing the hallowed yellow & red?
Soak that it in, buddy.
• With De Silvestri on the pine - no clue why, I avoid Lazio news like the plague - Lazio had 0 Romans on the pitch. Zeeero.
Why? Because any decent Roman with half of a half of a brain chooses Roma over Lazio, of course.
Photos
The rest are at the RO flickr site, but these are the favorites - along with the top photo of Zarate bemoaning his lost chances.
Rome reigns once again.
FORZA ROMA