Roma 1 - 2 Cagliari

Not the result fans were hoping for. After a summer of new signings, much media hype, questions over the manager's suitability and worries about tensions inside the camp, Roma needed a win.

That they failed to secure one is no one's fault but their own. Rome's biggest sport's daily, Il Corriere dello Sport, called them "una squadra frenata", a blocked team that was "quasi paura di correre", almost afraid to run. And it's hard to argue. Cagliari spent just 15% of the match in Roma's final third and had just three shots on target, yet they managed to score twice. Roma, on the other hand, spent 49% in the middle of the park and 36% in front of goal, managing nine shots on goal but failing to score until the final play of the game, when it was already too late. At crucial moments they looked unsure of themselves, wasting the lion's share of possession and chance after chance.

The great shame in this is that Roma didn't play that poorly. With the exception of Bojan – who looked like a confused and lonely boy in a field of men – for the most part they played well, dominating possession and stringing together a lot of good passes.  Sure, Angel's idiotic tackle in the box spoilt an otherwise excellent afternoon for the Spaniard and put his team in jeopardy, and Perrotta, who was played in an unfamiliar role right of centre, did not (either by choice or by Luis Enrique's design) get forward in the manner most would expect him to and thus offered little,  but they weren't appalling performances. Even Osvaldo, who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, showed pace and a positional sense that is encouraging.

Daniele De Rossi underlined his importance to the team with a solid performance. The Roman was imperious in defense, and when Gago came on late in the game offering some extra defensive cover in midfield, he was impressive going forward, too. His goal might have been too little, too late, but the 71 successful passes he made we fundamental to Roma's dominance in the centre of the park and on another day would have been enough to influence a different result.

Miralem Pjanic made an impressive debut, linking up well with his teammates – despite not speaking a word of Italian yet – and showing off some slick moves. Aside from De Rossi, the Bosnian completed more passes than any other and had as many shots as Francesco Totti – four.

The first surprise of the day was Gabriele Heinze, who took charge early on and even got forward on several occasions. At 33, he is not a long-term answer, but on the basis of this first performance he is a player that any team in the league would be lucky to have in its squad. With the Argentine as back-up for Burdisso, Simon Kjaer and Juan, Roma have a sturdy central defense – even if it will take some fans time to get over the loss of Philippe Mexes.

The second was Bojan. Surely no one expected him to be as ineffective. Unsurprisingly for a player fresh off the plane from Spain, he struggled with the direct physicality of the Cagliari back-line, but for a player of his potential he should have done much better. Some have mentioned his size as a factor that may hold him back, but at 1.7m he is the same height as Wesley Sneijder and Lionel Messi and just three centimetres shy of Sergio Aguero, all three of whom are walking proof that good things can come in small packages. The aforementioned trio have proven that with a mixture of speed, intelligence and guile a player's diminutive stature need not hold him back – the caveat being, of course, that the diminutive player in question must possess some speed, intelligence and guile. It would be foolish to write the Barca graduate off on the basis of his first league performance, but if he's to be a key figure in Enrique's Roma, then he'll have to improve.

The above graphic (borrowed from Il Corriere dello Sport ... ) of Roma's attacking frequency against Cagliari shows just how ineffective they were down the left with Bojan. De Rossi, Pjanic and Totti all combined well down the middle and as such the 64% is unsurprising, but that only 15% of the attacking pressure came from Bojan's territory – especially as he had, for most of the game anyway, Angel's impressive running to supply him – is damning. Even Osvaldo, unsure of himself and supported only sporadically by Rosi and Perrotta, managed better – more than 33% better than Bojan's figure, in fact.

Another surprise was Fabio Borini, the 20-year-old from the small town of Bentivoglio (just north of Bologna), who was signed by Parma from Chelsea this summer only to be loaned to i Lupi for the season, with an option to buy at the end of it. With his first touch in Serie A the Azzurini star had the ball in the back of the net, albiet after the linesman had flagged for Heinze's offside. Not quite the fairytale start, then, but one that shows plenty of promise and hints at a touch of magic to come.

Formation vs. avg pitch position






Roma's possession was congested in the middle of the park and stifled by an organised Cagliari side who set out to frustrate. Happy to defend in numbers and wait for their chance – taken again by Daniele Conti, son of Roma legend Bruno and perpetual thwarter of Roman desires – to strike. Perhaps against opposition more focused on getting forward, thus leaving space for Roma to work in, the giallorossi might have done better – but that's no excuse. A team of Roma's stature and quality should not have been so easily frustrated by such an obvious tactic. They will be offered more space in other games, certainly, but they will face tougher defenses too, and cleverer midfields.

With so many fresh faces, a new formation and a new emphasis on tiki-taka style passing, Luis Enrique probably tried to do too much, too fast. But disappointing as the result is, the season is long and there will be much time for redemption. La Gazzetta dello Sport described what we all saw as "una squadra in mezzo al guado: né bella né cinica" – a team mid-stream; neither beautiful or cynical. Let's hope that they can become the former before pressure from the media and the fans turns them into the latter.

La nuova Magica? How Roma's new boys stack up

When Ronaldo arrived in the Netherlands to play for PSV, he was 18. Way back in 2001, Olympique Lyonnais didn't even blink before signing some unknown kid from Gremio called Ronaldinho, where before the age of 21 the buck-toothed genius had scored in almost every second game he played in.  Almost every time Gonzalo Higuaín touches the ball, Real Madrid is praised for having the foresight for bringing him from River Plate at the tender age of 19, and while hardly a football journo this side of the Atlantic knew who the 22-year old Javier Hernández was before Alex Ferguson signed him for Manchester United, they have all since applauded the whisky-nosed Scot for the coup.


So why the bloody hell is it that lazy hacks the football world over still insist on talking about “experience”? What would today's European football be like to watch if Thomas Muller, Wayne Rooney, Mezut Ozil or – heaven forbid – Lionel Messi had all been left on the reserves to "mature"?


Last season, Roma had the oldest squad in the league and absolutely no strength in depth. Now, the average age of the squad is 26.8, there's a young and hungry team of players at the coach's disposal and crucially, there's a spine of experienced class too.


Back when the Giallorossi last won the Scudetto in 2000/01, Walter Samuel, Vincent Candela, Damiano Tommasi, Francesco Totti and Vincenzo Montella were all at or below 25. But when combined with the knowledge and skill of players like Aldair, Cafu and Batistuta, they turned out just fine.


So what of the latest Romalution? Well, it is rather tempting to get excited and while this is not necessarily the team I'd pick, I've drawn it up to illustrate how many of these youngsters could be integrated into the team right away.

I chose this line-up simply to show how strong even a "young" Roma team might be. With the exception of Jose Angel, all of the above have senior international caps, and despite their age Pjanic, Bojan, Lamela and Angel have all featured heavily at club level, too. Simon Kjaer could prove an astute signing because despite a tough season in Germany, Roma will have a fine defender for the future – as long as the Dane rediscovers the form he showed at Palermo, where he made more than 60 league appearances before the age of 21.

This promise, coupled with seasoned players like Perrotta, Pizarro and Borriello on the bench, makes for a potentially intoxicating blend.

Stekelenburg in goal is a no-brainer. The mere thought of Bogdan Lobont ever pulling on a Roma shirt again fills me with terror. Gianluca Curci returns to his native Rome after being relegated with Sampdoria, and no longer looks like the future Italy number one many tipped him to be. That said, at just 26 he shouldn't be written off. Let's just hope the Dutchman settles in nicely and stays injury-free.

At 24, Aleandro Rosi is yet to develop into a grown-up player and many question if he will ever be truly good enough for that right back slot. Sometimes, his passing and crossing is just mental. Marco Cassetti is ten years older and not the speed demon he once was, but new-signing Loic Nego is too young to risk, having only a handful of club games with Nantes and some U-20 internationals to his name. I've never understood why anyone would rate Cicinho as a footballer, but we'll wait and see. 

Burdisso and Juan are sure to start in the centre, with Kjaer and Gabriel Heinze providing cover. The Argentine is 33, but he came free, and in fairness featured heavily over the last two years in a Marseilles team that won both league and cup honours. He might also provide cover for Jose Angel at left-back. The Spaniard has shone since breaking into the Sporting Gijon senior team, and many expect great things. He offers much, both in defence and attack.

The midfield and attack could be exciting. With Gago to cover the back four, De Rossi might be allowed to become that box-to-box midfielder he once was, influencing the play across the pitch rather than sitting in the deep position forced upon him by Claudio Ranieri's formation. 

The front four above are flexible, comfortable in several positions each and all blessed with intelligence and flair on the ball. Totti needs no introduction, and considering that at Barcelona he broke the records set by Messi, neither should Bojan Krkic. Going on his long, long record as a talent spotter, Walter Sabatini's gamble on Erik Lamela should pay off because he looks like a talented kid. The aforementioned Higuaín made a similar move from River Plate to Real Madrid aged 19, and despite the money spent on Galacticos 2.0, many still hail him as  Los Blancos best player.

One wonders where Borriello fits into coach Luis Enrique's philosophy, and plenty question the validity of Pablo Daniel Osvaldo's signing. Between 2006 and 2010, the Argentine played for four Italian teams in Serie B and the top flight, yet managed only 17 league goals in all that time. Admittedly, he has looked better since moving to Espanyol, but whether that's because of the Spanish league's dodgy defensive quality or because the striker matured is open for debate.

Anyone with any alternative line-ups/death threats, please feel free to comment.

The new kids (and one old man) on the block

Thumbs up for the new arrivals in the capital? Just mind that goal, Maarten

Maarten Stekelenburg
Maarten Stekelenberg (hereafter to be referred to as Stek on this blog, to save me time and typos) is possibly the most important signing of the summer. Teams don't win anything with poor goalkeepers, and having to watch Lobont, Doni and J.Sergio all make horrible mistakes week in, week out last season was heart-breaking. I spent most of my time in the stands praying for a good goalie, and in Stek I think Roma has one. Just 28, he has years of experience at Ajax and with the Netherlands, and he only cost around €6 million. Compared to the €20 million Manchester United spent on the relatively untested David de Gea, and the bargain looks even better.

Jose Angel
A young, exciting left-back. Roma have needed that for years. The Spaniard was indispensable that last two years at Sporting Gijon and earned praise for both his defensive and offensive qualities. Also part of the Spanish side that won the summer's UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, the Iberian is solid addition to the team.

Simon Kjaer
The Dane underwhelmed for the most part during his spell at Wolfsburg, but at just 22 he has two seasons of Serie A football under his belt from his time at Palermo, as well as 16 international caps. Looks to be a good signing.

Fernando Gago
Fernando Gago is interesting, not just because the 25-year-old is a very good player, but because if he can sit deep and protect the back four he could well be the key that unlocks the Daniele de Rossi of old. Capitano Futuro had a poor season last year, by his standards at least, possibly because he's been played in a constrictive, defense-focused role. With Gago now filling those shoes, the Roman will hopefully be given more freedom to boss the midfield and make the killer runs that his reputation as a world-class midfielder is based on. And, in pairing the former Boca Juniors man with de Rossi, Roma must now have one of the steeliest midfields going. Good passer of the ball too. Exciting stuff.

Miralem Pjanic
The Bosnian is a great sigining. Just turned 11 when the Giallorossi beat Parma on the final day to secure their third and last Scudetto, he has stared for Olympique Lyonnais over the last couple of seasons making more than 100 appearances in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League, where he scored a memorable winner over Real Madrid. With 26 international caps and counting, evidence suggests that Pjanic could be integral to the hopes of Bosnia – and Roma – for years to come. Could well be one of the best Serie A signings of the summer.

Erik Lamela
Bought for €12 million from the troubled River Plate, the young Argentine is a classic Walter Sabatini purchase. Seen as a cheaper, younger Javier Pastore, if Lamela can become anywhere near as good he'll be a legend in no time. There are a lot of people out there deriding him for being too young, but another Argentine, Javier Saviola, left River Plater for around €20 million in 2001 at the same age and scored 17 goals in his first season – for Barcelona. South Americans, it seems, grow up fast.

Bojan Krcic
Normally, you wouldn't be too excited about signing a young player who couldn't break into the regular line up at his previous team, but when you consider that team was Barcelona and the people he was trying to displace were Lionel Messi and David Villa (and Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ... well, you get the picture), it's only fair to cut Bojan some slack. The young Serbo-Spaniard broke Messi's record for being the youngest ever player to feature in a Liga match, and he took the youngest ever scorer of a Lig goal record from Raul. Now he needs to push on and fulfill his promise.

One thing irks me about this singing, and it's not the convoluted loan deal. It's an odd thing to remember, but it came back to me the minute he signed: In 2008, he asked to be left out of the Spanish squad for the European Championships because he was "simply exhausted". I can't imagine a truly great player with genuine aspirations turning down a chance to perform on such a stage, especially with such a special team. I know he was only 17, but WHY!?!

And the rest ...
At €17.5 million, Pablo Osvaldo cost to much and has, in his career to date, shown too little. Maybe Luis Enrique and Walter Sabatini know something we don't. Let's hope so. Loic Nego has featured for all the French youth teams up through the ages, but he's too young and untested to pass judgement on unless you're a full-time football scout. Fabio Borini could be interesting. Released by Chelsea in the summer, he was snapped up by Parma (who know a thing or two about young talent) only to be immediately loaned to i Lupi. Why the club wanted to take a 20-year-old prospect on loan is anyone's guess, but the one-time U-19 Italy captain is certainly "one to watch" for fans of Italian football. Gabriel Heinze ain't getting any younger, but coming in on a free, he represents little risk. The 33-year-old has league-winning experience in England, Spain and France, so perhaps he can show the young guns a thing or two.

Serie A strike: what's behind it?

The major Italian sports papers all run strike stories on the front page,
"Own goal" screams the cover of La Gazzetta dello Sport

An own goal. That's what the papers here are calling it, and I can't disagree. It's difficult to see any winners in this latest butting of heads between the clubs and the players. In a dispute over the players' collective bargaining agreement that's been running for a long time now, the players have again gone on strike to make their point, despite knowing that it will damage the image of the league and annoy fans in the process.

Serie A fans might remember that strike action loomed last December, only to be averted at the 11^th hour thanks to some desperate negotiations. After those talks, a new version of the agreement was approved by the Italian Footballers' Association (AIC) and delivered to the clubs almost four months ago. Despite having the whole summer to mull over the terms, for some reason the owners then waited until just days before the beginning of the new term to announce that they wouldn't be signing it.

The owners say the sticking point is tax. The Italian government plans to impose a new levy on the country's highest earners, and the clubs say that the agreement doesn't outline who will pay these new taxes – the clubs or the players. According to one-time Roma star Damiano Tommasi (now the AIC's president), however, this is nonsense. The long-time curly hair enthusiast has said that the players will pay the tax in accordance with the law, and accuses the clubs of using this to discredit the players and avoid discussion on the main sticking point: segregated training.

Now, apartheid South Africa or 1950s Alabama this is not, but the AIC is staunchly opposed to what it says is the marginalisation of some of its members. Separation, it claims, damages the player's professional dignity and is nothing but a tool used as a powerful blackmail technique by clubs who wish to off-load players.

Goran Pandev, Antonio Cassano and Federico Marchetti are just three high-profile players who have been frozen out in this way and the AIC are adamant that it must stop. The clubs say that a clause guaranteeing the right to train as a group would impinge on the managers' control.

This is a struggle that has been fought for some time. It's true that the clubs use it as a way to force players out, but it's also true that segregated training is sometimes the only option for a disruptive player. One bad apple can spoil the barrel, as they say, and there's more than a few of them knocking around the peninsula's orchard.

Speaking for the clubs, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis pleaded: “We aren't trying to wage war on anyone. The agreement is out of date, something that belongs three decades ago. There's no point renewing it, we need to modernise it.” 

If these words sound a little bit sensible to be coming out of Serie A, don't worry. Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani chirped in: “there is a widely held intention to not hand victory to the players in this matter,” and warned, “If necessary we can wait till December.”

Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

One ticket to rule them all ...

Sometimes, less is more. Last year, I had two cards that I needed to bring to the stadium: one was the controversial "tessera del tifoso" (a football fan ID card) and my season ticket. I'm not getting into the perceived and real pros and cons of the tessera here, but having two cards was a little annoying.

Fast forward to this season, and things have changed. The ticketing system was to be simplified and season-ticket holders would no longer be required to carry the tessera or any other separate ID, because the ticket itself would have a nice little photo of the fan on it. Makes sense.

So, imagine my surprise then when I was told by the (really nice) guy in the shop that I'd need not one, not two, but three tickets to get to my seat this season. OK ... surprise is not the right word. Anyone who lives here could not be surprised by an Italian system getting more complicated. But still, three bloody tickets.

My pass and my tessera have not been combined. I haven't even been given a fresh ticket. They reactivated the 2010-2011 one instead. To counter any confusion there might be at the gate, they gave me a piece of paper that says the other piece of paper is valid for 2011-2012, too.

Still with me? This is because I changed my seat. Not because I wanted to be difficult or anything, just because last year's pew had about 50% visibility. Obviously, being Italy, no one actually sits in their own seat, so I just chose another one with a clear view and sat there for the year. But for the coming season, I wanted to have my house in order, and so I asked to change the seat for one a few places over. Which was a problem in itself, but I won't bore you all with that yarn.

Anyway, I now have to take three tickets to each game. A plastic one that says I'm allowed to have a laminated paper one which is out of date and an un-laminated paper one that says the out of date laminated one is not, in fact, out of date.

Come to Italy, everyone. You don't know what you're missing ...

AS Roma announces direct link to fans

AS Roma has just announced way that it will be communicating with fans. From here on, anyone out there with a helpful (maybe an unhelpful one would be funnier) suggestion can email the club at tifosi@asroma.it . Of course, it remains to be seen if anyone will ever answer, or even read, these suggestions, but here's hoping.

I'll be mainly petitioning for a decent english-language site. And for one ticket, to rule them all ...

Not to be outdone, I might put up a tifosi email for this site, one it, you know, actually has any tifosi ... Until then (Mom), can you comment below? Any other clubs out there with a successful fan mail system?