Inter
It's been nearly three days and everything that can be said has been said. And mostly in the press where suspensions are bountiful. But let's run down a few things:
- There's really no point in discussing the refereeing. Inter got their obligatory penalty when they were down, and that's something we're just going too have to accept until someone steps in and rights this glaring wrong.
- Who needs Totti? More often than not this season I think they've displayed it's less about Francesco and more about solidarity. This has been, is now, and always will be about team more than one individual. Sure, the most gifted player in the league helps and by some margin when healthy, but he is by no means this table's lone leg.
(Waiting for lightning strike......now.)
- The 4-2-3-1 is coming back and we may just have to throw it a sexy party.
- Motta is the present and future of Roma's - and the Azzurri's - defensive right. Not perfect, but still positively immense.
- Which brings about Panucci. Andrea Bocelli could see the stability Christian brought to the backline - a stability so desperately needed against Arsenal midweek. But then, had he not unleashed his princess moment, would the suits still have felt the need to pick up Motta and his ironclad option(s)? Maybe not. Maybe Panucci's fit was the best thing possible for Roma in the long run.
Still, he's a jackass.
- How fitting that Riise's first goal with his left foot should be a cleverly placed squeaker? Typically Roma.
- If Drogba is Jacques Cousteau, Yeremy is Alvin. That's all.
- I'm assuming Spalletti's suspension has been a long time coming - ditto for DDR, should he find himself in the stands.
- End of the day, 3-3 at the San Siro is a pretty damn good result, and the lads can feel exceptionally pleased with the performance they turned in - something they desperately needed after the chaotic showing midweek in London.
Going in it appears Inter & Udinese will be a much better warmup for this squad than Atalanta & Siena, now let's just hope reality matches expectations.
Spalletti
Bah.
DDR
Meh.
Totti
Pfft.
It's been bottled up for quite some time and this is the second Inter fixture in a row where points have been dropped due to refereeing errors. I venture to guess it's a minor miracle TGIP didn't pummel the fourth official on the spot - I mean, look how gray the man's hair has become.
Injuries
Francesco: No go for Udinese and his status for Arsenal - depending on whom you ask - could go either way....much like Mourinho (oh please, like his "man management" is some big secret).
Perrotta: Also looking doubtful against Udinese and I suppose that means Roma v Arsenal is in danger of not enjoying the participation of an Englishman.
Juan: With Panucci back, I don't really see how he's risked on the weekend even if he's healthy, as is reportedly the case. Juan's not exactly the impenetrable man.
Cicinho: If healthy, I think he may be given the run against Udinese. As good as Motta has been....Marino understands his tendencies and Cicinho was on quite the run himself when he pulled up lame.
Aquilani: Ankle is also looking at Arsenal.
Mirko: MRI on his back - because that's what you want to worry about with your €20m+ 25 year old striker, back issues - turned up negative and he should be good for Saturday.
Pizarro: Ankle, no idea, very vague, poppycock.
Menez: Yeremy is suffering with the bends.
(Or flu.)
To be fair, while he does dive it's not Nedved or, gasp, Balotelli class dive. He doesn't really lurch forward, he just goes down whenever someone breathes a bit too heavily - albeit in the third deck. Hopefully Matteo or Daniele will teach him a thing or two about staying on one's feet unless hit by a semi - something which would have an entirely different connotation had Inter scooped him up last summer.
Stuffs & Briefs, But Not Stuffed Briefs
I) I don't care how big a twat Balotelli is - and at 18 he's already up there with some of the biggest - there's really no excuse for any sort of racial discrimination from any fans, much less Romans. So if they could politely go fuck themselves, that'd be splendid.
II) Game's at 1500CET on Saturday - mark the calendars.
III) Coppa karma:
IV) I personally loved Conti's take on the Mourinho-Spalletti-Mourinho-Mourinho-Mourinho spat:
"I would advise Mourinho to listen better to Spalletti's press conferences," he said to Romanews. "He could learn something instead of uttering such silliness. He has a lot to learn from our coach from the technical and tactical point of view, as well as that of the attitude and respect for other people: that is the important thing."Mourinho should be more serene and think about his work. We'll think about the rest. He should mind his own affairs. We do think about our own problems with professionalism and seriousness, because we have many matches to play."
In other words: grow up.
V) And finally, this is probably worth a look - despite the source.