The problem with sport is that the ultimate and decisive move will be given a bit more credit than others equally as deserving. The goal will always trump the assist; the reflex save the perfect positioning to prevent the shot; the inch-perfect tackle in the box the coolly intercepted ball at the ball. Drama always appears to be better, even when it's not.
This isn't to take credit away from Julio Sergio and Marco Cassetti, just to say that though they will take the plaudits, there were some players no less important.
This list does not, however, include Mauro Zarate.
- Zarate: good, not great. Maybe once he gets his head out of his agent's ass he'll watch some game film.
He also has girlish features in a gladiator's town. Tis would put him one notch below RuPaul in the rankings of manliness, and one above Kathy Bates.
- Juan's tackling and reading of the game was and is beyond impeccable. When healthy, one of the top centerbacks in the world. For much of the game, this was the case.
And likewise, Mexes is back. With those two on form, this'll be a clean sheet machine.
- Disciplinary record is one point for a yellow, two points for a red, right? Whatever - using that, we can make a comparison over the last two years.
Philippe Mexes: 16p
David Pizarro: 16pHaving two players in 'Philou disciplinary territory' can't be good.
(Incidentally Daniele enjoys a healthy 19.)
- Remember Ricardo Faty? Stefano Guberti? Alessio Cerci?
Yeah...we would normally say all three could find themselves on the loan list by January, but then all three might find a way back into the starting XI by the weekend.
- If you think Baronio's homeless goat facial hair wasn't intended for mating, you're fuckin' wrong.
- I don't think there's much doubt the game suffered from the first halftime (the one near the 15' mark), but Roma suffered way, way more than the lepers. Roma'd found its groove and it was gone, gone, gone after the orange slices had been consumed and tactics discussed.
Also, Mirko Vucinic swapped his touch for Baptista's during the interval. I would've gone for a pillow made of baby seal fur, but that's just me.
- Anyone else notice Matuzalem smiling and hanging onto Totti while Francesco looked entirely disinterested?
Can hardly blame him - must be nice to be on the same pitch as a Roman-born star for once.
- I;m convinced that Yeremy was trying so damn hard for a yellow simply in order to be suspended for Sampdoria, thus forcing Who?lio Baptista into the lineup. You cannot argue this.
- The tridente leaves a few things to be desired at times, but sometimes, the presence of Menez, Mirko & Messiah in one enclosed space together makes babies. Beautiful, brilliant, disease-free babies.
- Burdisso is all kinds of wonderful, but his ability to cross the ball is on par with David's defensive skills and Zarate's ability to look like a dude.
- Love that Philou threw a small fit upon his return to the bench and Doni, sitting right next to him, looked none the wiser. I bet he has fantastic conversations with himself.
- Rizzolli had a stretch of piss poor calls in there, but he actually did well to maintain the scope of the game and not go card-crazy.
And how many derbies are there without even a half-shout for a penalty?
(Probably a lot, but doesn't seem it should be that way.)
- Saves to goals conceded:
Doni: 1.17
Lobont: 1
Artur: 1.33
JSB: 3One of these things is not like the other.
- Danaiele De Rossi: monstro.
Zampafied