Snap reactions:
- That was less than good. One might even say it was bad. The result, not the performance, which had varying degrees of not clicking about it, and that, from a training standpoint, will come. (Plus Mirko Vucinic's inevitable cameo against small teams.)
But genuinely - they dropped the ball in quite some fashion.
- Roma should never allow another keeper to join another team again. Simply lock them in Bruno Conti's basement until the complete and utter deterioration of their skills or death, whichever comes first.
- Cesena's going to win a lot of fans this year, starting right here. Again, there's really no reason to draw with them even on the opening day of the year, but they're a mighty cohesive little fighting unit. And, genuinely, I don't think anyone could've expected them to be that difficult that soon - it's not like they were expected to be Bari coming in - even if Roma's lack of finishing was the ultimate death knell.
They probably went from favorites for 20th to favorites to beat off relegation in about 90 minutes. Which probably means they'll finish 20th.
- Over at the church we had a little discussion about the January mercato - we're progressive - including this little tidbit.
The quality is certainly going in the right direction (hard not to with such a starting point), and leaves me wondering who will be thrust into the mesh come the chilly months of 10/11.
I’ll go ahead and toss Antonio Floro Flores’ hat into the ring. Seems like the relationship with Udinese has been mostly repaired – Leonardi and Spalletti now both gone – and if Adriano manages to hoist his kilos six inches off the ground at any point in the season, they’ll throw a parade. A decent enough fit once it becomes readily evident what’s wrong ’round about Sept. 12th.
Didn't even take until the 12th.
I've thought all summer they need another striker because Adriano can't be depended on and though Okaka's got all the talent in the world, it's just that at this point. I think I'm right.
Where you at, Luca?
- Mirko makes Adriano look Kenyan. He's sort of the anti-Perrotta, who ran all goddamn day with a bum ankle, with about 3 full 90 minute performances in the chamber for the year. The rest is 70-odd minutes and done.
Not that I'd ever complain about someone who can throw this team on his back for a six month stretch or so (like, oh, last year).
- This was something of a turn back the clock day, with DDR, Perrotta, Mexes and Taddei all flashing various degrees of their former selves. Unfortunately it was directly proportional to years-since-glory-days, and Antonioli won the renaissance lotto.
- John Arne Riise, ladies and gentlemen:
- Life, and training, goes on. Hard to swallow, but certainly not the end of the world - or season.