[Lupi]

We'll meet the team we played most games against and also the team against which we played our first international game.

First international

Yugoslavia 1 - 2 Romania
(Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 8 June 1922)

This is a crucial game for our qualification.

 

[EclipsE]

The major concern is Chivu for this match. We absolutely need him to recover from his muscle problems and be our captain!

 

[GICA]

Francisc Ronay scored the first NT goal in 1922.

Yugoslavia was the first we beat, and the first team that beat us.

 

[McLaren]

Serbia can be beaten, of course we have a bad history with Yugoslavia but as you can see it's only Serbia * getting smaller and smaller * and Croatia si way better then them.
I'm more afraid of a 0-0/any tie after we lead 1-0, 2-0 rather then a loss.
You can never know what to expect from this team, as long as Piturca is there, I mean you play Holland at a Euro when they are 1st place guaranteed, they play like in a training match and you mostly defend, with Lithuania you treat them from up high then you lead a wasted France 2-0 only to give them space.

More afraid of the game v. Austria in Klagenfurt, if anybody would have investigated, Romania doesn't have a Wednesday match at home ( and even away i think ) that comes after a free Saturday? Austria has this advantage playing at home after Romania has a important game with Serbia a few days before.

I'm pessimistic about the qualification, though I was pretty sure before the first match that, except for the thing Austria came from a weak slot, this group can be won and no points to be lost except with France and Serbia Away.

 

[EclipsE]

Good analysis McLaren. Expect the unexpected.

PS Anyone know our all time record against Yugoslavia?

 

[Raven]

42 games, 19 wins, 5 draws, 18 losses.

 

[EclipsE]

42 games, 19 wins, 5 draws, 18 losses.

Thanks Raven! Hope you enjoy the game if you go!

 

[forestasuceava]

Oooh... That record will soon be symmetric :|

Yeah, what can I say, I'm very optimistic before this game.

 

[Raven]

Thanks Raven! Hope you enjoy the game if you go!

Cheers man. The problem is the ticket delivery to the UK which costs about 8 times the price of the ticket, so I need to see if I can pick it up from the ticket office on the 27th, instead. I'm waiting on their email. :cap:

 

[Lupi]

GSP: Max Nicu will be called to the squad even though he didn't receive the citizenship yet.

 

[McLaren]

Well I don't really understand why it takes so much time since he's parents/one of them are Romanian. In this case I thought he will receive it very fast. Plus, there's also an interest in all this.

 

[PMC]

I think Romania isnt used to doing such things... maybe we should have called the portuguese for advice :rollani:

 

[Laur1989]

Those are the players playing abroad called by Piti :

Defenders: Cosmin Contra (Getafe CF), Cristian Săpunaru (FC Porto), Cristian Chivu (FC Internazionale Milano), Mirel Rădoi (Al-Hilal), Răzvan Raţ (FC Şahtior Doneţk), Mihai Neşu (FC Utrecht)
Midfielders: Paul Codrea (AC Siena), Răzvan Cociş (FC Lokomotiv Moscova), Maximilian Nicu (Hertha BSC), Florentin Petre (Terek Groznîi)
Strikers: Ciprian Marica (VfB Stuttgart), Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina) şi Ionuţ Mazilu (Arsenal Kiev).


As Lucescu said a day or two ago I would have called Ghioane also.

 

[NoName]

what happened to Ghioane?

i have to admit that this time Piti called the right players, it's the "best" we have right now...

 

[Laur1989]

what happened to Ghioane?

i have to admit that this time Piti called the right players, it's the "best" we have right now...

Nothing happened to Ghioane,but I believe he could be a useful player in our midfield at least as a sub if not a 1st team player.

I believe is good Nicu has been called up and if he doesn't play at least he will meet the other players and see the atmosphere there.

 

[NoName]

yeah, Ghioane is the only one i miss from abroad...it's a pity that we don't have a really good target striker playing abroad and some good midfielders...Cocis, Petre, Mazilu and Codrea is just not good enough or too average to reach for the top.

 

[GICA]

Petre did okay in the last games. He scored against France and did good against Croatia. We have to admit that there aren´t better alternatives to him for now.

Codrea is underrated by many of us. Tactically he´s excellent and he doesn´t make big mistakes. He isn´t brilliant but useful. He´s not the problem in our NT.

 

[NoName]

it's definitely good to have him but if you look at our problems, which i don't have to mention, he can't be the solution next to Radoi, Chivu, Muresan or whoever plays alongside him. Petre on the bench yes, as a starter no. i don't care if he scored against France...

 

[Laur1989]

Petre on the bench yes, as a starter no.

I totally agree with you.And the same is available for Nicolita.

Nicu will replace one of those players. And if Mitea recovers his form:thumbsup: will have a decent line-up overall.

 

[GICA]

Nicu is still a big ? in the NT. We have to see how he adapt and how he performs in the position where Piti places him.

Yeah Petre and Nicolita are a problem...but who plays instead of them? They are more regular than the rest and that´s why they go to the NT. Just look at Szekely or Herea.

When Mitea or Zicu are at 100% and Nicu shows his level we´ll see, but for now...