Run, Roma, run - fitness fanatic Luis Enrique to combine endurance & extreme exercise with Barcelona beauty in Serie A The Spanish star has a plan for his new charges at Stadio Olimpico as he sets to shape a great side in the Italian capital - and it's not all about pretty passing and possession "Rome wasn't built in a day." That was the message from Luis Enrique as he was presented to the press at Trigoria on Thursday. There was no promise of instant success; it will take time, the former Barcelona B coach insisted. Privately, though, he expects his new team to hit the ground running. Literally. A day earlier, Luis Enrique had been out on the training pitch with his new charges and Roma's players must have been impressed with what they saw: a 41-year-old man who looks in just as good shape as any of the professionals under his wing - perhaps even better. Getting his message across | Luis Enrique with Thomas Di Benedetto Luis Enrique is a fitness fanatic, a man obsessed with pushing his body to the limits, surpassing the pain barrier and reaping the benefits of extreme exercise. After retiring from the game in 2004, the former Barcelona and Real Madrid midfielder turned to other disciplines away from football, maintaining his impressive energy levels in marathons (his record is a shade over three hours), mountain bike pursuits, triathlons and Iron man contests, even travelling to Hawaii for a gruelling three-day competition. Fitness and endurance became new passions. As a footballer, of course, the Cantabrian had combined talent and technique with stamina and strength to become one of the world's most gifted midfielders at Barcelona, buzzing around the box with energy and endeavour. Luis Enrique had been a promising player as a youngster, but went on to achieve great things in the game due to hard work, commitment, mental strength and superb conditioning. He believes that only by achieving a prime physical condition can proper potential be reached on the field - that fitness is the base on which the football must flow and flourish. And that's exactly what he will be instilling into his new men at Roma, long before any team-talks or tactics. Indeed, such a mentality became a feature of the coach's Barcelona B side last season, with the Catalan club's youth team excelling in Spain's Segunda Division with an impressive third-placed finish - the side's best ever return in 42 seasons of football. Of the 42 games played, Luis Enrique's men won 20, often imposing their superiority in the closing stages, when teams had been run ragged and left exhausted - outplayed and outrun. A NEW PHILOSOPHY “My own style is like Barcelona but it's not exactly the same. I want us to keep the ball so opponents suffer." - Roma coach Luis Enrique It is a philosophy shared by Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, a good friend and former club and international team-mate of Luis Enrique. Working together under strict disciplinarians Javier Clemente (with Spain) and Louis van Gaal (at Barca), the two learned the value of earning a physical edge over their rivals. Now it's part of their own make-up as coaches. From youth level right through to the senior side, Barca's teams use the same system: 4-3-3. It's a fluid footballing formation that's easy on the eye and devastating when in full flow, but it's not all pretty passing; in fact, Barca's game is as much about pressing and probing, hustling and harrying, stamina and strength. In order to have the ball, possession must be won and once it has been, its use will then be maximised by optimum fitness and conditioning - it's a symbiotic science. Luis Enrique would love his Roma side to play like Barcelona. However, as he admitted on Thursday, the two clubs possess different models; different players. "My own style is like Barcelona but it's not exactly the same," he said. "I want us to keep the ball so opponents suffer. That seems like Barcelona but it's not quite the same." Speaking in Spanish in what was something of a surreal press conference alongside Roma's owner Thomas Di Benedetto, talking in English, Luis Enrique promised a spectacle. "I don't know any other way of playing," he said. "My football idea is a proposal based on attack, on the use of players of great quality and taking a lot of risks," he added. He failed to mention his beliefs in terms of extreme physical conditioning and fitness. But that goes without saying, as Roma's players are about to find out. Later, so will their rivals. ======================================================= I thought this was interesting. The team will be fitter and more well conditioned that other teams. He'll play an attacking possession game, but not like Barcelona's. Could we see Totti's 2nd wind? Could our aging players have a 2nd lease on life? What of our injury-prone players, will the increasing fitness demands spell the end of their time at Roma, or will better fitness decrease injuries.
Totti is screwed under Luis Enrique, he can barely run as it is. This is going to be great, Zeman all over again. We'll concede a ton of goals, but we will score a bunch too.
Well, that's where Stekelenberg, Kjaer and others should come in. I'm counting my chickens before they are hatched, but the defence will be upgraded, we just let two CBs go (Burdisso and Mexes).
If we thought Daniele was overworked before, he's going to struggle again this year. I don't see how we're going to score if we don't replace Vuci when he leaves. We're missing a good 10-15 goals off the books.
It won't matter the goals will come because of the style of play and the high defensive line not the quality of our defenders.
Everyone thinks because Barcelona plays attacking football that they concede like crazy. Barcelona's style of play, (although LE's is that with a twist) only conceded 21 goals last year, 12 fewer than Madrid and 23 fewer than Valencia and Villarreal, and they conceded only 24 goals the year before, still 11 better than Madrid. Goals will be scored, that is without question, but if he is truly bringing that style of system to Roma, I expect a fairly significant improvement in defense as well.
They say that Luis Enrique has already won the Senators over. http://www.forzaroma.info/rassegna-...on-luis-enrique-ma-e-emergenza-in-difesa.html
This is off topic but these other threads with "choose your formation" or whatever are silly; I don't like when people start going in Fifa 2011 formations because its not realistic. but whatever floats your boat. I really am interested to see who Luigi Enrico wants as the back up to Totti; and if Totti is injured, will he still run a 4-3-3-!?
As many of us expected. A barca style or close to barca style.. spanish football = ball possesion Its what perrotta is saying..I am looking forward how our midfield will look like. I hope we wont get exposed like Inter( with benitez) last year by every team on counter attacks. Its worth the gamble, lets hope for the best.
The thing with inter is i feel the players were so set in their ways that they werent willing to change and thats why it failed at inter but i think at Roma it will work
Inter was also ravaged with injuries. They had to dig out guys you had never seen before to try and cover the holes.
No, they just couldn't accept Benitez, or rather didn't want to. Stankovic talked about it on one talk show here. He said Benitez is very hard to get along with, and having that kind of guy for a coach after Mourinho just wasn't acceptable.
I personally think Pizarro will be quickest to adapt, he has no problems in keeping the ball. He doesnt lose it often, has high technique. He is the players with best ball control in our midfield. I am unsure on de rossi.AS For Perrotta, Taddei I just cant see them changing now. Will Lamela be used in midfield? Some River fans here if am not mistaken told us he shouldnt be used in attack but midfield.
btw perrotta is also saying no more long balls.. i do not count out this to be the attack lamela bojan vucinic Bojan could very well be used as primo punta..
Thank goodness for no more long balls...at least Totti won't have to get out run trying to chase them.