Roma-Inter

More midweek woe for Roma as they followed up their draws with Cesena and Bologna, and defeat to Cagliari, with an unsatisfying loss at Brescia. Claudio Ranieri raged at the officials, but the bottom line is they have dropped ten points in four games to clubs they should be dismissing with ease if they want to be Scudetto contenders.

As it is, that dream seems to be long gone before October. They sit eight points adrift of Inter already, and that gap could be up to 11 if they lose again this weekend.

Last term Roma blew the title race wide open by defeating the Nerazzurri in their back yard. Goals from Daniele De Rossi and Luca Toni, either side of a Diego Milito, strike secured a 2-1 win in March. That result pushed Roma on to 21 matches unbeaten while shaky Inter had won just two in eight.

Roma did only pick up seven points from their first five games last term and ended up just two points behind champions Inter in May, so if they can upset Rafa Benitez's boys they may feel a little more confident. Defeat though and the Tinkerman may need to start tinkering with his resume.

Inter have well and truly silenced the critics who pondered aloud whether Benitez was fit to sit on Jose Mourinho's bench after the drab opening day draw with Bologna. Udinese, Palermo and Bari have all been downed and the Nerazzurri can make it four wins in a row if they see off the Giallorossi in Rome.

Roma have only won one of their last four home games in Serie A, while Inter have won only one of their last three away games. However, Inter have lost just once in eight in this fixture and already have a win over Roma this term in the Italian Super Cup.

This tie has the propensity to provide drama. In 2006-07 Roma won 6-2 in the Coppa Italia, while in 1998-99 Inter left the Olimpico winners of a 5-4 classic.

It will be something of a reunion on Sunday. Nicolas Burdisso having just joined Roma from Inter, a path also travelled by David Pizarro, and Cristian Chivu having spent four years at Roma before joining Inter. The biggest eyes will be on Adriano though. The former Inter striker is yet to make an impact for Roma since his return to Serie A - could he come off the bench to shock his former pay-masters?

Roma will be without John Arne Riise, Rodrigo Taddei, Paolo Castellini and Julio Sergio - the latter meaning Romanian Bogdan Lobont makes a rare appearance in goal. Phillipe Mexes is suspended.

Inter, meanwhile, miss Javier Zanetti, Walter Samuel and Thiago Motta.

Keep an eye on: Diego Milito (Inter) - The Argentine striker bagged his first goals of the Serie A season against Bari and will be eager to catch up with Samuel Eto'o, who already has five.

Form guide: Roma (- D L D L) Inter (- D W W W)

Last season: Roma 2-1 Inter

Top tip: Inter are finding their gear, don't be surprised to see them hand Roma another drubbing like that they received at Cagliari.

Stat fact: Roma have only beaten Inter once at the Olimpico - last term - since their 3-2 win in March 2001.
Roma (probable): Lobont; Rosi, N Burdisso, Juan, Cassetti; Perrotta, Pizarro, De Rossi; Menez; Borriello, Totti

Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, lucio, Cordoba, Chivu; Stankovic, Cambiasso; Pandev, Sneijder, Eto'o; Milito

Ref: To follow

Football-Italia

We played our best football against Brescia and we were without De Rossi and without Totti. I don't know if this means something but it surely meant more pace upfront. We also controlled the midfield and played the ball feet to feet. With De Rossi, usually, we lose the ball through long balls directed to no one. He's certainly not the De Rossi all italian fans have known in the past, he needs to regain his form drastically.

Who to put in goal ? Doni or Lobont, given that the two are fit, the two are very very shaky and will certainly concede goals against Milito who just found his goal scoring touch lately and Eto'o who is on fire.

RB ? Rosi who can't defend or Cicinho who played a fairly good game against Brescia. I would start with Cicinho and take my chances.

Up front, i would put Menez, Borriello and Vucinic.

Some pics from the training ground, they seem pretty happy, spirit is great:

http://www.myphotosoccer.it/images/my-squa...ilia-roma-inter

im not able to post the pics directly I click on view image and then i copy paste the link like i usually do but it doesnt work, any idea why ?

They are hosted using Flash, so you can't hotlink. The 'copy link' you are clicking on is actually the URL for the whole page. You can only hotlink to images that have 'copy image location', unless you go to the page source, you can't really there.

Riise gets all-clear for Inter clash
Saturday 25 September, 2010
John Arne Riise is over the moon after being given the all-clear to make his comeback against Inter this evening. “What a great birthday present!”

The Norwegian has been out of action since suffering head trauma on international duty on September 6.

“AS Roma note that Riise underwent tests and based on the results has been authorised to resume competitive duties,” read a statement.

The defender could even play in tonight’s Serie A clash with Inter, although the emergency situation within the squad has been reduced somewhat.

Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi return, as does Nicolas Burdisso following his two-match ban.

“My personal objective has always been to be there against Inter and on the day of my birthday I got the all-clear from the medical staff. What a wonderful present!” he wrote on his blog.

“I am truly happy. This week I worked very hard to make up for lost time.

“This is a game every player would like to take part in and I am happy to have that opportunity.

“The decision is up to the Coach now. As far as I am concerned, it doesn’t matter whether I play or not, but I am ready to give my contribution to the team.”

Roma squad: Lobont, Cicinho, Castellini, Juan, Pizarro, Adriano, Vucinic, Totti, De Rossi, Riise, Baptista, Perrotta, Borriello, G Burdisso, N Burdisso, Simplicio, Doni, Brighi, Cassetti, Rosi, Menez

http://football-italia.net/sep25b.html

Fantastic news, he must start, i have a feeling he might score.

So the only missing are J.Sergio, Taddei and Okaka.

Rome should win it and Adriano should get in the scoreboard

Adriano back, and hopefully motivated against Inter... Inter are still the favourites but anyone with half a brain will be cheering for Roma today.

dont think he'll start though unless Ranieri wants to cause a surprise factor he's not a 100 % yet, maybe as a sub today if things aren't going very well.

Brilliant

Line-Ups :

: Lobont; Cassetti, Juan, N Burdisso, Riise; Perrotta, Pizarro, De Rossi; Menez; Totti, Borriello.
Roma bench: Doni, Cicinho, G Burdisso, Brighi, Vucinic, Adriano, Baptista

: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Cordoba, Chivu; Cambiasso, Stankovic; Pandev, Sneijder, Eto'o; Milito
Inter bench: Castellazzi, Santon, Obi, Mariga, Muntari, Biabiany, Coutinho

So Perrotta starts again if any of you watches the game, pls tell me if you see any useful, something valuable or anything from Perrotta that keeps him as a regular starter and simply undroppable.

We have a pretty strong bench, i just hope Menez doesn't come off again because with Totti out there the speed is just lacking. I hope that Mirko participates and we have a Mirko-Borriello-Menez partnership at any stage of the game.

Im optimistic.

http://www.atdhe.net/24681/watch-as-roma-vs-inter-milan

Stankovic just hit the bar, Totti looks like shit so far.

Chivu gets dogs abuse running down the wing, then puts a pathetic cross/shot miles over and the Roma fans go nuts

WTF, diabolical control from Totti, he clearly isn't in a good condition.

Decent half from Roma really, Inter have good movement and pace in attack though. 0-0.

Inter are very good in defense, they're blocking every shot and every through pass but we have some good control on the ball, a little wasteful and slow though.

that's the De Rossi i wanted to see and the one that's been missing for so long, controls the ball well, calms the play, makes some good passes and no long shitty balls.

Borriello needs to get more involved, he's being marked by that idiot clown Lucio who thinks he's in the circus, still. We should have had an indirect foul in the box when that clown put his feet 2 meters high to clear a ball and hit Borriello's head, ref didn't do shit otherwise good performance by the referees all around.

Vucinic should come on in the second half at the 60th min replacing maybe Totti who seems quite out of form still.

Lobont has been ok so far, no real trouble, defense been doing their job.

Good performance but we need that win.

that was my favorite part of the afternoon so far the c**t deserves every bit of it.

come one Roma

good opportunity missed by Roma , for Cordoba well deserved

indirect kick from 6 yards? wow

Totti blows it

What a miss.

Roma are just blowing chances

Perotta misses another one ,Totti and Stankovic are going at it

Cordova slap Boriello ,no foul ,Cordoba should have gotten the red

for Pandev

yellows are pouring in


this time it was Burdisso ,for fouling Cesar

7 yellows

Coutinho comes in for Pandev ,looks like Pato

Totti comes off

Deserved.

Massive. Rafa Benitez is fast becoming a hero in Italy, but not to his own fans.

Dramatic win for Roma ,

1-0 Final

Thank you De Rossi and Vucinic.

at the cunts' faces at the final whistle, pure comedy gold.


Goddd we needed that, we absolutely needed that, like it happened exactly, final chance, final hope, stoppage time, everyone thinks its gonna end in a bloody draw and then BOOOOOOM Mirko goes diving in with his one hundred thousand pound golden head and gets the win for all the Romans who have been in massive shit since the beginning of the season. The roar at the Olimpico was just a beauty to hear and to watch. Add to that, we did this to Inter, the scum of Italian football.

So finally Ranieri has listened to what the fans have been shouting since the start of the season, DO NOT TAKE OUT MENEZ, he kept him till the 87th min and he was absolutely killing the c**t (chivu, who got booed like he was a nazio hero) on the right hand side delivering dangerous balls for Borriello who maybe should have done better at getting one of those but tbf he was very well marked by the big c**t (lucio).

Ranieri also didn't go for his pussy defensive methods and kept all the trident till the 87th min when he took out Menez and Borriello but he fielded another attacking player, Baptista and Brighi who can defend but also loves to go pouring forward and get us those late goals and some fouls upfront. AND damn, did it pay off.

The boys just wanted to get that win, they were succumbing pressure from Inter at the back but whenever they had the chance, everyone was going forward even Riise who made a 40 yards run all alone the fucking legend.

But what a ball from Daniele, brilliant cross ball that Mirko read perfectly to give the final stabbing blow to the cunts (all 11).

Im not gonna talk about the cunts waving and getting in the face of the referee on every occasion to get our players in trouble because, well, they do it every game now.

Grazie Roma, most wonderful club in the world.

some more

relive the moment magic

LOL, well done Roma

Riise with the helmet

Well done Roma!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wibAQRKCkMg

It does not get better... Inter losing to anyone, in any fashion, is an event to be celebrated, but that was just f**king AMAZING.

I think it's safe to say, in any case, that Montenegro is now my second favourite soccer nation.

Mirko thanks Roma fans
Saturday 25 September, 2010
Mirko Vucinic couldn’t contain his joy at scoring the last-gasp winner over Inter. “The fans were the greatest thing about tonight.”

The Montenegrin was yet to find the net this season, but came off the bench and his diving header at the 92nd minute sent the Olimpico wild.

“It is worth so much both for me and the team, but when a striker scores, it is always to be considered a positive thing,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“I must say the fans were the greatest thing about tonight. We beat a fantastic squad, so everything is fine.

“We are aware that we are a very strong team. I don’t know what was missing. If we’d have known that, we wouldn’t have waited this long for a victory.

“Despite the situation, we didn’t let our heads drop and we worked very hard.”

The Giallorossi celebrate their first win of the campaign, having managed just two points in four rounds.

http://football-italia.net/sep25x.html

The one savior for Roma in difficult times does it again.

Ranieri: 'Beating Inter is medicine'
Saturday 25 September, 2010
Claudio Ranieri states that “beating Inter is the best medicine. This was the victory of believing right to the end.”

Roma were without a win yet this season and hit crisis point with their midweek 2-1 defeat at Brescia.

At the time Ranieri had said his team was “convalescing,” so have they now fully recovered?

“Not quite, but beating Inter is the best medicine,” smiled the Coach on Sky Sport Italia.

“This was the victory of willpower, of believing right to the end. It was a very tactical game, but we won right at the death.

“I said in Brescia that Roma had found themselves again, as we gave everything with 10 men and I couldn’t help but be satisfied with that.

“Tonight was a great performance and we all must thank these lads.”

Ranieri took a huge gamble when substituting captain Francesco Totti, but it was his replacement Mirko Vucinic who scored the 92nd-minute winner.

“Francesco fought like a lion, but the Coach sometimes has to run a risk. He wasn’t playing badly, I just wanted to test Vucinic’s pace against Lucio.

“It is only normal that a player who is substituted isn’t happy, especially if he was doing well, but tomorrow with a cool head he will understand.”

John Arne Riise made his comeback three weeks after suffering concussion on international duty in Norway and he put in the decisive cross.

“It was important to have everyone back. I also rediscovered Nicolas Burdisso, who before his red card at Cagliari hadn’t actually trained with us at all.

“We rediscovered our balance and that determination that allowed us to have such a great Serie A run last season.”

http://football-italia.net/sep25z.html

Credit to Ranieri, he made some good decisions and some hard ones in this match and that's what got us the win.

LOL that's drama. I love the youth team player who tries to celebrate with Vucinic, and then seems him stamping the advertising board and thinks 'better not'

ya that was a mental celebration but i liked the meaning of it, it's like he was stamping on Inter's asses

great link! Love seeing Vuci stamp the boards.

Totti: 'I'll never be a problem'
Sunday 26 September, 2010
Francesco Totti has silenced talk of another row with Claudio Ranieri. “I will never be a problem for Roma. I live for Roma.”

The captain was substituted during last night’s 1-0 win over Inter and his replacement, Mirko Vucinic, got the goal in stoppages.

There were reports he was angry at the decision and left the stadium straight after the final whistle, without celebrating alongside his teammates in the locker room.

“Tomorrow I celebrate my birthday and it’s wonderful being able to do it while thinking of the victory over Inter,” he wrote on his official website.

“In all honesty, considering the occasion I would’ve loved to score a goal myself, but Mirko made me the best present of all.

“His goal brought a very important win and finally allows us to think positive. This can be the turning point!!!

“I hope to celebrate many more birthdays wearing this jersey that I love so much.

“Because Totti has never been, is not and never will be a problem for Roma. I live for Roma.”

http://football-italia.net/sep26p.html

Nice to hear, he seemed frustrated when taken off but i think he was, at himself.