Arsenal vs. AS Roma Discussion Thread

Tweedle wrote:Great moral boost yesterday. Our defence didn't look to solid but I'm assuming that's because they were lacking concentration because 'it was only Burnley'.

Eduardo scored a cracker. Would expect him to play some part later on in the game.

Il Dragone wrote:My guess:

Doni
Motta Juan Mexes Riise
Pizzaro
Taddei-----Brighi
Aquilani
Totti Vucinic

bluenine wrote:

Il Dragone wrote:My guess:

Doni
Motta Juan Mexes Riise
Pizzaro
Taddei-----Brighi
Aquilani
Totti Vucinic

ai ai ai that formation does not look good for Roma... but I guess they don't have much of a choice left...

Il Dragone wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Il Dragone wrote:My guess:

Doni
Motta Juan Mexes Riise
Pizzaro
Taddei-----Brighi
Aquilani
Totti Vucinic

ai ai ai that formation does not look good for Roma... but I guess they don't have much of a choice left...

Spaletti did say he was considering going back to his old formation of 4-2-3-1 so maybe we could see this:

Doni
Motta Juan Mexes Riise
Pizzaro Brighi
Taddei Baptista Menez
Totti

Il Dragone wrote:They are in the squad, but i don't know if that means they are fit.

bluenine wrote:

Il Dragone wrote:They are in the squad, but i don't know if that means they are fit.

Apparently Mexes has fever and Loria might start Why don't they just conceed the game, and play a friendly... they would be better off starting a youth player than Loria!!

Mexes to miss out Wednesday 11 March, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reports suggest that Roma's injury problems have taken a turn for the worse as Philippe Mexes is set to miss the game against Arsenal. The Giallorossi have been riddled with absentees ahead of their all-important Champions League encounter at the Stadio Olimpico. Simone Perrotta, Marco Cassetti and Cicinho are injured, while Daniele De Rossi is suspended and Christian Panucci has been left out of the squad.

Captain Francesco Totti and Azzurri midfielder Alberto Aquilani seem to have shaken off problems to be available. Brazilian defender Juan and goalkeeper Alexander Doni have also overcome physical troubles. But Luciano Spalletti has further problems because French stopper Mexes has gone down with a fever and won't be fit to play this evening. Reports state that the 26-year-old didn't turn up to training yesterday in the hope that rest would solve the problem, but it looks like he hasn't recovered.

Inexperienced on-loan Lecce defender Souleymane Diamoutene is ready to step in for the biggest test of his career.

Calcio Comedy: Spalletti And Conti To Play Against Arsenal Amidst Roma Injury Crisis
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Roma's injury crisis means that coach Luciano Spalletti will be forced to play against Arsenal tonight.. Roma's hopes of progressing past Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 seem to have all but disappeared, as they now have just one senior squad member fit for tonight's return game at the Stadio Olimpico.

Prior to Wednesday the absentee list was already lengthy enough. Simone Perrotta, Marco Cassetti, and Cicinho were injury casualties, Daniele De Rossi was suspended, and Christian Panucci had been left out of the Champions League squad. Moreover, midfielders David Pizarro and Alberto Aquilani were major doubts, Brazilian centre-back Juan reported a muscular problem on Tuesday, goalkeeper Doni also missed the last training session and Francesco Totti was another big question mark because he still feels pain in his knee.

Things went from bad to worse thereafter. Philippe Mexes was laid up with a fever, Pizarro and Aquilani failed to recover, while Doni and Totti also resigned themselves to being unable to play. And then came the cherry on top: the team bus, heading to the Olimpico, had to come to a sudden stop in order to narrowly miss an old man walking his donkey across a busy road. All players on board picked up a case of whiplash and had to go to hospital.

That means that Roma officially have just one fit squad member for the visit of Arsenal. That player is much-maligned defender Simone Loria, who by a stroke of luck got on the wrong bus at the team hotel, and instead headed off to the Colosseum with a group of Japanese tourists. Loria, as usual, only reacted to his mistake when it was too late, but he will at least now be able to play tonight. With so many players out, an alternative solution must be sought in the form of a few veterans.

"It's like riding a bike - you never forget how to kick a ball," joked first team coach Luciano Spalletti, clearly trying to hide his dismay, as he pulled on his boots for the first time since the early 1990s. "Samir Nasri? Pah. I'll have you know that I was one of Viareggio's top performers in 1990, and I'm still something of a legend at La Spezia. We came third in Serie C1 in 1989, you know!"

As Spalletti prepared to test his mettle against the likes of Robin van Persie, another familiar face was preparing for action.

"I'll show these whipper-snappers what's what," boomed 1982 World Cup-winning legend Bruno Conti as his wife busily sewed his name onto the back of a replica kit. "Form is temporary, class is permanent. But my back is killing me..."

With two midfield places taken care of, Spalletti and Conti busily set about filling the rest of the team. A few under-19 players have been drafted in to serve in the back four; assistant coach Marco Domenichini will be in the engine room at the ripe old age of 51; a particularly enthusiastic fan has been told that he can play in goal if he brings his own gloves; and the head of the local Communist party will serve as the left-winger. UEFA President Michel Platini has confirmed that Spalletti, Conti and co will be allowed to play due to Roma's injury crisis.

"These are exceptional circumstances, so it is only fair that we bend the rules in order for this game to go ahead," the Frenchman announced. "It is a sad state of affairs, but the most important thing is that everyone on the bus is safe and well."

But this all leaves the Roma striker's position vacant. It has been rumoured that, in an attempt to even things up, Arsenal have offered the Giallorossi the use of Nicklas Bendtner for the evening.

"We're not that desperate," huffed Spalletti.

Julio Ricardo CruZZZ wrote:we're French!

Six wrote:It can't be a coincidence that all of Italy's CL teams have so many injuries? It seems ridiculous really.