Nice intro, P man
Fiorentina's rise back to Serie A, although perhaps unfair on other sides, has been outstanding, i think Rigano will be the guy to watch up front, he's been consistent in the lower divisions, no reason why he can't bring it the Serie A. Their new signings are great too, i'd be surprised if they gel straight away though.

Given the player crisis we have, i think we should go with Rudi's four man defence, mainly because i don't trust Panucci to play centre back

------------Pelizzoli

--Panucci--Cufre--Dellas--Candela

--Mancini--Totti---De Rossi--D'Agostino

-------Montella---Cassano

The defence is a frickin shambles :groan:

 

a great game to open the new season,i expect a draw 1-1 goals from cassano and miccoli!!
just a question:will totti be fit to play this game??

 

4-2 Roma

 

Should be an amazing match. Love both clubs so I'm just hoping for an amazing match.

-Scott

 

I cannot understand why in the world a yellow card from last season for Ferrari should have anything to do with this season. It is an absolutely idiotic rule which makes no sense. When the season ends, all yellow card infractions should be wiped clean. I would be thrilled with a draw in this match. The Roma defense has been awful throughout the preseason, posting only ONE shutout against Celtic.

I's go with a (4-4-2) of:

Pelizzoli
Panucci-Dellas-Scurto-Cufre'
Mancini-Dacourt-De Rossi-D'Agostino
Totti-Cassano

I expect a 2-1 defeat.
Anyone know when Chivu is expected to return?

 

              [img]http://img5.imgspot.com/u/04/250/07/DIAMROM.gif[/img]
           Pelizzoli
 Panucci-Scurto-Dellas-Cufre
Mancini-Dacourt-De Rossi-D'Agostino
          Totti-Cassano

but when was the last time any of you seen Peli play? seems to me Zotti played each and every match in the off season. and will Totti, Cassano and Chivu be fit to start come match day?

 

but when was the last time any of you seen Peli play? seems to me Zotti played each and every match in the off season. and will Totti, Cassano and Chivu be fit to start come match day?

Chivu, no. Totti was apperantly in great form the last two Roma games he played, and I doubt there's all that much to his injury keeping him from the NT to be honest. Cassano - might not be 100%, I don't know. But in any regard, he's fit enough to start this game to me, as a win is very important.

I like Scurto in the back like in some above posts

 

------------- pelizzoli -------------

pannuci --- dellas --- cufre --- candela

--------- de rossi ------ perrotta-----

---mancini -----totti ----- cassano ---

---------- montella (mido) ------------




mexes appealled against his ban and will know if it will be reduced or posponed on friday.........(crosses fingers) we need him againts the viola

 

Pelizzoli was supposedly very good at the Olympics, I have no doubts he will be match fit for the game.
Anyway, I really hope that Mexes's appeal is successful and he will be available, otherwise the defence looks very, very shaky.

 

Didnt expect La Viola is seen so highly by roma fans....

but anyway, for us,I think, getting a draw would be a good result away in rome. miccoli has just joined fiorentina for merely 1 week+ and he went for NT ... arent expecting him to have much training time together with the team, thus wont be suprised that he wont be given the full 90 min...

hoping for a draw 2-2, but if totti, cassano, mexes, all can play and fully fit, I doubt roma will lose

 

Dellas is the latest casualty:doh:

 

--Panucci--Cufre--Dellas--Candela

The defence is a frickin shambles :groan:

If we go with those, I wouldn't say that. Ofcourse it's not our best, but now we have 3 guys there, who are not in regular starting line-up. Cufre has played well in pre-season games, Dellas was great in Euros and now he has a chance to convince everybody to make his best (Dellas should be good in 4-men formation). Candela has announced that he's back, so he also should now make his execution maximum to prove his words. So I think these defenders can now show what they can do, that's why they should have high motivation. :devil:

After all, I think we have a great mixture of defenders when every man is back in business. :strong:

 

I think the pessimism about our defense stems from no Chivu and Dellas due to injuries, the disasterous Mexes suspension, and Ferrari's yellow card suspension from last season. Also, the defense was awful throughout the preseason where they usually gave up 2 goal per game. Simply not going to cut it.

 

How long is Dellas out for? Is it just a brief injury?

 

backline now should be:
Panucci-Scurto-Cufré-Candela
Scurto showed great potential but he lacks the experience and Cufré showed great form but as a wingback not a central defender, the defense is indeed a frickin shambles and I don’t want to think about another defender getting injured.

should Mexés’s appeal be accepted the line would be better:
Panucci- Mexés -Scurto-Cufré

on a different and positive note, Voeller said to see a 'tridente' in attack for now is impossible seeing that we still have to organize the defense, but he didn’t rule it out and he said that even though we played a 4-4-2 in preseason he could chose to attack with 3.

 

Totti, Cassano and Montella.... :lick:

 

I think the result will depend very much on whether or not our new signings will have time to gell. Nakata wont be playing either (injured).

 

It will be hard for our defence v a good Fiorentina attack. So we need some maturity from the inexperience!

Good chance for Scurto though...

I think we will win 2-1. Great match this can be

 

Serie A Week 1 - 12/9/04 (15.00)
Roma - Fiorentina

Stadio Olimpico

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roma and Fiorentina have experienced contrasting summers. While the Viola have been adding quality to their squad, the capital outfit have waved goodbye to some major figures who have proved crucial during their recent success.

Boss Fabio Capello joined Juventus, taking Jonathan Zebina and Emerson with him. Walter Samuel was sold to Real Madrid, while the club’s pre-season was marred with the shock resignation of Cesare Prandelli as Coach.

That has left new boss Rudi Voller with precious little time to prepare for the new season. Francesco Totti should be available despite an ankle problem but the German has defensive struggles to solve.

Cristian Chivu is injured, new signing Matteo Ferrari is suspended, while Philippe Mexes has been banned by FIFA for six weeks – pending an appeal. Dellas, who is struggling for fitness himself, Cufre and Candela will all be drafted in as cover. Egyptian striker Mido is also a worry with a calf problem.

The Viola will definitely prove to be some stiff opposition for the capital club. After all, this is a club who signed the likes of Ujfalusi, Maresca, Jorgensen, Portillo and even Fabrizio Miccoli this summer. But is Coach Emiliano Mondonico the right man to gel them together?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roma (probable): Pelizzoli; Panucci, Dellas, Cufre, Candela; Mancini, Perrotta, De Rossi, D’Agostino; Totti, Cassano

Fiorentina (probable): Cejas; Viali, Dainelli, Ujfalusi; Maggio, Piangerelli, Maresca, Chiellini; Jorgensen, Rigano, Miccoli

Ref: To folllow

channel4

 

What's the story with Sartor? I know he came back from Ancona and he's on our squad list, so i'm guessing he's injured or something... How long is he out for?

 

Read tomorrow's or Saturday's (depending on when they post it) match preview from goal.com

because Im the one who wrote it

On second thoughts, maybe you shouldnt read it

I also did Chievo v Inter's one.

 

What's the story with Sartor? I know he came back from Ancona and he's on our squad list, so i'm guessing he's injured or something... How long is he out for?

His horrible luck with injuries aside (if he heals from one, he gets a new one on the way out form the doctor's office, basically), he is apperantly suffering from depression - the real stuff, not the kind you can conviniantly pick up when you want a transfer.

Too bad for the guy.

 

Shame. I'm a fan of Luigi.

 

guys according to goal.com chivu is set to make his comeback and he said he cant wait to play against fiorentina...........any other source confirms it??

 

Maybe its a bad translation