Boca Juniors vs Godoy Cruz at La Bombonera, Sunday February 13 (R)

argentine soccer fan · Feb 10, 2011

So it begins...

This is the season that we turn it around. No more screwing around with a line of three. Roman stays healthy and brings it, the reinforcements -both from this season and last season- start paying off, and we regain our rightful spot at the top.

I can feel it!

VAMOS BOCA!!!

argentine soccer fan · Feb 10, 2011

Likely starting lineup for Boca:

Let me see if I remember how to do this...

[LINEUP-4-4-2]Palermo, Mouche, Erviti, Somoza, Battaglia, Riquelme, C.Rodríguez, Insaurralde, Caruzzo, Calvo, García[/LINEUP-4-4-2]

Something like that. I don't think Erviti and Roman will play so wide, though.

haihaihai · Feb 11, 2011

Roman starting? Let's see how he does.

And Calvo still plays??

Moishe · Feb 11, 2011

haihaihai said: ↑

Roman starting? Let's see how he does.

And Calvo still plays??
Click to expand...

What's crazy isn't that Calvo is still playing but that he's looking more and more like the starter. He's never really stood out for me but that works both ways so that may not be bad....who knows.

Roman on the other hand has actually be fit for a little while now they just chose to take the proper time to make sure he is fit and rested. It's hard to tell what to expect from Roman but with him very little can go a long ways, he just that special.

argentine soccer fan · Feb 12, 2011

haihaihai said: ↑

Roman starting? Let's see how he does.

And Calvo still plays??
Click to expand...

Yes, he had a strong preseason. I prefer Clemente and Monzon at fullbacks, for a more aggressive attacking formation. But I guess Falcioni is conservative, and Calvo defends better than Monzon.

And yeah, lets hope Roman is healthy and can get back to his top level. For all the acquisitions and tactical changes, the road to the title still depends largely on a strong season by Roman.

Siempre_Albiceleste · Feb 12, 2011

Calvo was solid. I don't think we need to worry about him. Still, I hope to see a lot of Monzon. If Roman is healthy, we'll still need consistent play from the forwards. I think Palermo has been a bit prone to being streaky in the past couple of seasons. Viatri has got to play and Mouche could stand to be a better finisher.

vipnerd · Feb 12, 2011

Calvo was solid always ... until he got injured and couldn't play for quite a bit. Actually, he was close to retiring because of his knee.

In between he had pretty descent spells at small, relegation prone, clubs in Spain's La Liga.

As to his offensive capabilities, he is VERY Ibarraish. Just give him a few more games to get his "touch" and confidence back. I like that he reaches the endline with criteria ... something that both Clemente and Monzon lack.

Can't wait to see Ervitti with the "grey" (we are using the alternative jersey tomorrow).

.

.

atomicbloke · Feb 13, 2011

I hope River loses today.

Siempre_Albiceleste · Feb 13, 2011

Did Garcia wash his gloves with butter? That is a pretty embarrassing display by him so far.

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

Siempre_Albiceleste said: ↑

Did Garcia wash his gloves with butter? That is a pretty embarrassing display by him so far.
Click to expand...

Nearly two identical goals on poor clearances by Garcia, scary. The poor finishing of Roman and Palermo don't help much either though it looks like we are finding a bit of a groove. Is it me or does Roman look thinner than in the past couple of years?

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

This is getting pathetic, can we not find anyone that can defend?

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

Difficult first half to watch, started out slow but offensively we started to find a nice flowing attack. Finishing on the other hand has been awful. Palermo had one chance and Roman who has looked good had two damn nice chances that he couldn't get in.

Defensively it's been more of the same and even with a double five we're still very suspect. Garcia? His performance speaks for it self, lucky to not be down by three.

Siempre_Albiceleste · Feb 13, 2011

Oh dear! What a disaster half by Garcia, although he did have a good save on that FK. He is at fault for both goals, although Caruzzo made a meal of it also on the 2nd by falling down meekly. This isn't a good sign.

I thought Roman looked very out of sync at first but he started to get into the flow a little bit more and the attack improved. He should probably have 2 goals...bad finish by him one one, and very unlucky on the one that hit the woodwork. Mouche has been the bright spot but he's gotta put in that chance when he beat the trap.

Horrid finishing + worse defending and keeping is losing this game. Boca should be up by at least 2 goals.

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

Yeah Mouche has been a lot more dangerous taking on defenders than what we had gotten used to seeing. We could pull back both goals but the real question is whether or not we can stop them from scoring again.

argentine soccer fan · Feb 13, 2011

Como se pierde ese gol Palermo? Increible.

Siempre_Albiceleste · Feb 13, 2011

Moishe said: ↑

Yeah Mouche has been a lot more dangerous taking on defenders than what we had gotten used to seeing. We could pull back both goals but the real question is whether or not we can stop them from scoring again.
Click to expand...

If Garcia pulls his head out of his behind, then yes, it's possible. There have been defensive lapses but a keeper playing well would still have a clean sheet right now.

About Roman looking trimmer, I hadn't noticed. Then again, I feel like I've seen him so few times the past couple of campaigns.

Siempre_Albiceleste · Feb 13, 2011

You had the right of it, Moishe. Laughable defending. What a let down!

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

Wow, just wow How many matches until we start screaming for Bianchi?

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

...and just like that Erviti opens his account.

argentine soccer fan · Feb 13, 2011

Finally! Erviti gets one back.

What a strange game. Boca creating so many chances and missing, but the defense is inexistent.

argentine soccer fan · Feb 13, 2011

It's not Palermo's day.

argentine soccer fan · Feb 13, 2011

Horrible game by Garcia, Clemente, Calvo, Somoza. Erviti got the goal and nothing else. Riquelme some classy plays but not enough. Palermo can't score. Nice game by Mouche but he's not getting any help. Can't win like that. Lets hope it's a fluke.

atomicbloke · Feb 13, 2011

What a disaster

argentine soccer fan · Feb 13, 2011

Un papelón. Y yo los puse de favoritos al título.

Moishe · Feb 13, 2011

A keeper, four defenders and two 5's, and we give up four very soft goals, I just don't get it. At one time we knew we could always rely on the defense grinding out a victory but these days it's absolute crap.

For his first game back in ages I thought Roman looked fairly sharp though his finishing was off a bit. He also was trying to rip the back of the net on FK's which isn't really his m/o.

Somoza was not good at all today and Seba a little bit better but nothing impressive. Erviti even he was pretty quiet aside from the goal helped give us some width which I felt gave us more fluidity than when he went out of the game.

One thing about Palermo is that he can have a game like today and then he'll score a couple and set up a couple. We do need the consistency though and that's for sure.

If we don't fix the defense we are ultimately screwed.