What Should We Make of the Monchi-Pallotta Summit?

Roma’s pitiful loss to AC Milan yesterday was disappointing for a variety of reasons. While Roma’s modest three match winning streak came to an end, the manner in which Roma laid down against Gennaro Gattuso’s reformed Rossoneri was particularly damming. Eusebio Di Francesco seemed helpless to counter his countryman’s moves, particularly in the second half, leaving his squad bewildered and overmatched.

In the immediate aftermath of the match, the players answered the usual onslaught of questions about what’s wrong with Roma, while we offered our own suggestions and insights, but that was that, we went on about our lives, the players went back to training, but Monchi? Nah, Monchi had (or will soon have) his ass dragged to Boston to meet with Don Corle...I mean James Pallotta. (It may have already been an arranged meeting. My translation is wonky)

By now you’ve no doubt heard that our dear Ol’ Uncle Jimmy, Roma’s perpetually absent benefactor, requested the pleasure of Monchi’s company after yesterday's two-nil horror show. While no meeting agenda was made public, we like to think Pallotta’s list of questions looks something like this...

• Umm, have we met?
• Hey, what’s Rome like? I heard it snowed today, fun!
• Why doesn’t Eusebio play Salah more?
• How can I grow a beard like yours?
• What’s that Turkish kid’s name anyway?
• Should we have a going away party for Alisson or just get him a gift card?

We kid, we kid. In truth Monchi was/is ushered to Bean Town to face Pallotta’s ire, and while Di Francesco’s job is believed to be safe, ditto for Monchi’s, the object(s) of Pallotta’s scorn appears to be the players themselves. While there is very little he can do to change the complexion of the squad at this point in the season, the dreaded ritiro has been bandied about in the Roma press lately.

99.99 times out 100 cloistering the team away has no effect whatsoever, so something tells me this meeting will amount to little more than wasted breath.