So it is either we are competing for the scudetto or we are sh*t? We need to accept the squad is just not good enough. Add injuries to that and there is really not much more to expect. Santon for example shouldn't play for any side competing for a position above 5th, Dzeko/Fazio/Kolrove/Pastore are old and playing a game every 3 days is bound to catch up to them. I see a team with good structure and tactical shape which will need time and more than one mercato at high level to compete at top level. It is just the reality of Pallotta's Roma and the fragile model we are operating under.
Spalletti thought Totti should have no power? Really? The issue had nothing to do with the fact that Totti was nearing 40 and wanted to play far more than what was reasonable at his age? The man is a legend and everyone here admires what he has done for the team during his career, but he was never going to be happy to retire. I bet the same thing would have happened with any other coach. If you have the bad luck of being the man who has to tell Totti he can't play anymore your head is going to roll. Was Totti going to offer Conte the 10M plus salary he has right now? Or guarantee to him we were going to sign guys like Lukaku (80M Euros)? Because that's what it took for them to land Antonio. Even with that, the guy whines a lot. Until we are in a position to sign the Ancelotti's, Guardiola's or Conte's of the world, a coach like Luciano who is an expert at finishing top three is ideal for Roma.
Yes, I won't dismiss a guy who has won the CL three times as a coach of too high a caliber for Roma. He has had a bad season with Napoli big deal, there are loads of challenges over there which are affecting their results.
I believe the "our squad is just not good enough" mentality is really mediocre. If we look at the table we will see that the following teams are ahead of us: Lazio - with a squad valuation of 301M Atalanta - with a squad valuation of 265M Cagliari - with a squad valuation of 172M. Roma - with a squad valuation of 422M. Those teams have coached who are able to adapt to the material they have and overachieve with it. They don't settle for an "our players are just not good enough". At the end of the day it is the coach's job to make the most out of what he has. Do people really think our current squad with all its injuries even should be losing 2-0 to Parma?
These last 2 games were too much for this same starting XI. Both Dzeko and Kolarov were nowhere near their, rested, standards. We rely on those two a lot. Both gave away posession some many times the last two games it wasnt even funny. Pastore can be included here too. Under probably should have started tonight really, and Florenzi too with Spinny on the left.
Dzeko was awful today. Carrying the ball for too long, same for Zaniolo, one of his worst games. He cannot play a simple pass, one-touch pass, he always has to make 3-4 touches before giving it to someone... if he decides to give it. Kluivert had a nice game, made some nice counters that should have resulted better. Veretout was great again. Mancini was meh today. He needs to play CB not a midfield, you can see when someone gives him a shaky pass he struggles to control the ball, gets easily dispossessed. Smalling great again, as well as Pau Lopez. I think the problem was not the tiredness of key players, the players were rather indifferent to the whether we win or draw. They are good as long as it’s not a loss, and are not able to push for the win. A few other away matches we should have won showed the same. I think that’s coaches fault, not being able to motivate them.
Dzeko has been amazing this season. Don’t forget he was rushed back from injury and has been run into the ground. He doesn’t score but his hold up play has been great.
That's nonsense. The motivation was there, the legs however were not. You don't put together three good performances and wins and then lose two games because you suddenly don't give a shit.
Well in Roma's case it does. You can't blame the loss entirely on legs. Neighter of our away wins this season were dominant bar the Udinese win which was specific in it own way. Their body language says we are fine with the draw, just as long as it's not a loss. You can read it on their forehead...
This board is hilarious and so predictable. We get three wins in a row and the optimists (myself included) start hint at the S word. Then we lose in the EL (who cares??) and Parma and the sky is falling again and all of the pessimista come out. I guess that is why I keep reading and coming back. In that spirit- I completely disagree with those above who think this loss is a of things to come- Juve and Inter have won a collective 16 games by one goal!! How is that possible!? Alpha mentality or luck or both? I hope both and the luck has to run out soon, and I do still think Roma are well positioned to stick it out with those two in the long term. Either way, I am very happy at how the season has gone given the turmoil in the summer. It was very realistic at that point to think our position and Milan’s would be switched.
Of course it's entirely possible any team loses to any other on a given Sunday over 90mins. We are a side that due to injuries has run a long stretch of games with the same players. We are starting to get the players back so that will help.
I have to agree with @bridgefour the gnashing of teeth is a bit overboard. We are missing 1/2 of our squad and yet we are comfortably in the CL race and have a better than decent chance to advance in the EL. Considering how messed up this squad was and how many injuries we have it's amazing how good we have been this season. Fonseca and the players all deserve a congrats because they really are punching above their weight right now considering everything.
The sad reality is we still don't have a reasonable backup for Dzeko and with Florenzi being frozen out no real option for Kolarov. IMO, the real problem against Parma was our makeshift MF. Parma packed the box and with Pastore (who has been great this year) running on empty and Mancini playing DM we had zero creativity in MF. Veretout has been amazing but that's not his game.