[Primo]

A battered and bitter Roma enter week 28 against Cagliari, who have their own nifty little tridente and are a solid mid-table club. I won't even say this is a must-win, it's beyond that, but a victory sure would boost morale right now.
There's no reason we cannot win this match if we can just manage a bit of confidence in our weak mentality. I'm looking at Cagliari's midfield and defense, and I'm thinking that it's worse than ours. But this is Serie A, and our confused La Roma could do anything at this point, including completely fall apart. But judging from Totti's words, he's rearing to go, and I like Roma in this match, even playing away. Let's put it this way, we're desperate for a victory here.
But I should also point out that the match precedes next Wednesday Coppa Italia leg 2 match vs. Fiorentina and our home match next Sunday night against Milan. Who knows? Here's Gazzetta's projected starting lineups as a starting point for discussion:


CAGLIARI 4-3-3
34 Iezzo
6 Lopez
4 Bega
35 Maltagliati
31 Agostini
5 Conti
19 Brambilla
8 Gobbi
7 Esposito
10 Zola
9 Suazo

A disposizione
22 Brunner
15 Loria
14 Pisano
21 Alvarez
16 Budel
23 Langella
32 Bianchi

Allenatore Arrigoni
Indisponibili
Nessuno

Squalificati
Abeijon

Diffidati
Delnevo, Bega

ROMA 4-3-3
22 Pelizzoli
2 Panucci
8 Ferrari
31 Dellas
25 Cufrè
23 Aquilani
15 Dacourt
20 Perrotta
10 Totti
9 Montella
18 Cassano A disposizione
12 Zotti
19 Scurto
3 Xavier
4 De Rossi
26 Cerci
27 Briotti
11 Corvia

Allenatore Del Neri
Indisponibili
Chivu (convalescenza dopo rottura quinto metatarso piede destro); Tommasi (convalescenza dopo rottura legamenti, 40 giorni).

Squalificati
Mexes (fino al 10 aprile), Mancini

Diffidati
De Rossi
:groan:

 

[Vagabondo]

we need our defenders to stand up and be counted in this one. Cagliari will fancy themselves a bit at home and will know that we're fragile so will probably go at it as hard as they can. and they can hit pretty hard with the quality they've got up front.

i can just see Esposito having Ferrari for breakfast or Suazo and Langella going to town on Panucci. then there's Zola. the boys at the back will definitely have to be on the ball.

overall though, like Primo says, i think Roma has the quality across the field to get a result from this game.

 

[GamE_Ove12]

if we play with the same heart we showed against Juvemerda i dont see any reason we cant win this game..

but i've become numb i don't feel anymore so whatever happens i don't really care.. this season is already over for me.. i hope it doesnt feel the same way with our players..

FORZA ROMA !!

 

[Deano]

With Mancini disqualified I guess we need to play the 4-3-3 again. We need discipline in this match and just hope we can somehow get 3 points

 

[romafan53]

It's a fight for the Uefa Cup spot from here on in, it would take a miracle of biblical proportions for us to even get a sniff at fourth place.

 

[il_principe]

It's a fight for the Uefa Cup spot from here on in, it would take a miracle of biblical proportions for us to even get a sniff at fourth place.

if i could choose i'd rather take Uefa Cup and therefore desaster of biblical proportions over juventus.

 

[Vagabondo]

is our defence up to this kind of challenge? it's not that they'll have lots of world class players coming at them, but this must be the most devastating assortment of pace in the league. at home, all in form and with a genious like Zola pulling the strings

i heard a while back that Suazo is one of the fastest players in Italy. More recently i heard that Langella sprints 100m in comfortably under 11 seconds. on top of that Esposito has a lot of speed and the ball control skills to make that count. it's a bit different from the usual kind of attack going around in Serie A.

anyway, they're just some thoughts. this game shouldn't be too forbidding. we won 5-1 earlier this season but i don't think anyone will be complacent. it would be crazy when Cagliari is just 4 points behind on the table. i just hope the lads concentrate, particularly the defenders and that the midfield doesn't allow them to get too cute.

 

[Usmank]

wot we need in next games is 11 wins or minimum of 9. For that roma should have to be fully concentrated . Game against cagliary is also tough but we can beat them every songle player have to work hard only totti (the master) can do nothing . He also need some support.

 

[Primo]

>>>> High flying Cagliari are currently the 11th with 34 points and are in need for a win to virtually secure their playing in the Seria A next season. All their good work has been done at home (28 points out of the 34) as they have a very bad away record. Cagliari's home and away form could not be more of polar opposites. At home, they have won eight, drawn four, and lost just once. But on the road they have been the victors once, drawn three times, and lost ten matches. >>>

:nervous:

 

[GamE_Ove12]

will Chivu be on the bench? i heard some rumors saying he will be called for Romania next game so i suppose that means he's fit..

 

[Vagabondo]

Primo their home form is a big concern :nervous: , that's why i think we can forget about the 5-1 result we got at the Olimpico, completely.

 

[GamE_Ove12]

Collina is the refree..

doubts about both Peli & zotti we might see Curci starts

 

[Thotobald]

Their home form is impressive if you exclude performance and only look at results. Their victories are often lucky and narrow. I am optimistic. But nervous :nervous:

 

[Lista]

I just hope our players can keep their morale high and win this game.
They do have the quality.

 

[Zangari_Italia]

We can win this but we shouldn't be in a cocky mood. With Zola, Esposito, Langella, Suazo, and Bianchi they have a very fast and a very good core of strikers. Our defence must not be caught napping.

 

[Romanista10]

Its official, Panucci and Pelizzoli were not called.

(4-3-1-2)

Zotti
Xavier-Dellas-Ferrari-Cufre'
Perrotta-Dacourt-De Rossi
Totti
Montella-Cassano


Players called: Aquilani, Cassano, Cerci, Chivu, Corvia, Cufrè, Curci, Dacourt, Dellas, De Rossi, Ferrari, Marsili, Montella, Perrotta, Scurto, Totti, Xavier, Zotti.

 

[Primo]

I'm saddened. I'm one of the few that still believes Panucci adds something to our defense - experience and a certain grit.
No way I would start Xavier. I'd change the formation before I trust him against the Cagliari speed and skill.
I'm still fighting for a 4-man midfield. It does more in terms of protecting our defense than fielding an extra defender. But it's a tough call considering we don't have many valid alternatives. :irritate:

 

[Deano]

Yes I agree, he does mistakes but this season he has certainly been one of our better defenders.

The team:

-------------------Zotti--------------------
---Xavier-----Dellas-----Ferrari----Cufre----
--------Perrotta---Dacourt--Aquilani--------
--------------Totti-----Cassano------------
------------------Montella------------------

Curci; Scurto, Chivu, De Rossi, Marsili, Cerci, Corvia.

The bench of youth once more

In this squad 8 of these players were apart of our primavera only 2 years ago I think.

 

[Giallorosso_01]

Will Chivu play?

 

[chivu_4]

Will Chivu play?

no, but maybe as a sub later on