Serie A: 2007-08

[TheRover]

[ QUOTE ]
Udinese score!! 1-1 in stoppage time now.

Edit: Deflected off of Cordoba's head. Nice.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just caught the last few minutes. That OG was pretty lol.

[DemonDeac]

hahaha

[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] it

Inter played like sh*t today.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Roma is on after the ManU-Spurs game

[DemonDeac]

Halftime of Roma game

What a great game. Everyone is playing beautifully.

Great 2nd goal by Aquilani. I told you guys he was gonna be good. Remember the name.

FORZA ROMA
FORZA GIALLOROSSI

[guilt_trip]

Wow Juventus looked really amazing, tore Livorno to shreds. A top 4 place seems very, very likely for the Serie B champions!

Also I doubt Inter will win the title again (not considering todays result). AC and Roma are looking v.good and I have a feeling Juve could seek another title

[DemonDeac]

I'm not going to give much credit to Juve until they get a good result against a quality club.

Livorno sucks and was awful in that game.

[guilt_trip]

Well they have a very good manager in Ranieri and still have a strong team capable of performing against the top clubs. Holding onto Buffon, Nedved, Trezeguet and Del Piero were huge factors and they've added some good players in the summer (Iaquinta etc.)

Plus Livorno are pretty good team. Finished 11th last year and look to have a decent shot at a UEFA Cup spot. I think they were a good test (albeit no the ultimate test) of how Juve will do this season (IMO top 6 at least).

[New001]

Juve bought a ton of players this offseason.

9M EUR for Almiron
11.3M EUR for Iaquinta (I like this signing for them a lot, very underrated)
10M EUR for Andrade
5.25M EUR for Criscito
4.7M EUR for Nocerino
2.5M EUR for Molinaro
15M EUR for Tiago
Free transfer for Salihamidzic
Etc.

That's not fair [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Droogie]

Juve [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] I am not sure what me made happier. The convincing trouncing of Livorno (it's good to be back) or the Nerazzurri losing points already [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[DemonDeac]

Good article from www.goal.com about Roma in better words than I could ever say.

Serie A Reflections: Roma’s Perfect Start

After a summer of rebuilding, revitalizing and refurbishing, a new look Roma squad took to the field against Palermo, and immediately imposed themselves as serious contenders for this season’s Scudetto. Time will tell how good they really are; however, the early signs are very positive, as Adrian Del Monte analyses.


Along with big guns Inter, Milan and Juventus, last season’s runner-ups AS Roma have been touted as serious contenders for this season’s Scudetto.

Following a successful summer in the transfer market, the Romans have finally been able to add the vital depth that had been lacking in their squad over the past few seasons.

So is this the season for the Giallorossi to shine? If the start is anything to go by, it could well be!

A trip away to Palermo was by no means an easy way to start the season, particularly with the likes of Amauri and Miccoli playing well up front for the Sicilians. They, too have strengthened themselves, and are considered serious contenders for another UEFA Cup spot.

For Roma to come away with such a comprehensive win is simply phenomenal; the supporters should be more than pleased, and highly optimistic for the immediate future.

The most pleasing thing for the Giallorossi was the fact that, although Juan, Mancini, Perrotta and Pizarro were all unavailable for the game, Roma had the depth required to replace them and field an extremely strong side, allowing them to get the better of their Sicilian opponents. They couldn't have pulled that off this time last season.

What's more, the likes of Aquiliani, Vucinic and Cassetti, who were more accustomed to time on the bench last season, all found themselves in the starting XI and made the most of this opportunity. They were all more than impressive right from the word go.

New signings Giuly, Cicinho and Brighi all looked comfortable in the team, something which must have been very satisfying for Luciano Spalletti and the paymasters at the Stadio Olimpico.

How things have changed in this regard. Turn the clock back a little over four months ago, when Roma faced English giants Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. For the second leg, Roma were without key players in Taddei, Perrotta and Tonetto: look what happened then!

I am by no means saying that, had these three been playing, Roma would necessarily have won that game. However, I insist that, had Roma these three available - or at least the depth they have now - they most definitely would not have been disgraced 7-1.

The additional strength and depth that Roma have attained over the summer was always supposed do them a world of good on paper, but that we saw it out on the pitch was the best thing for the club to take from the 2-0 win. Spalletti will now have the option of resting key players prior to key fixtures without the near-inevitability of a draw or defeat, as was the case at times last season.

In recent pre-season matches, Roma have been accused of fading away towards full time, as was evident against Juventus and West Ham. Against Palermo, however, they scored twice in the first half, and did not look back after that. They held firm for the remainder of the game, and it looks as if they have managed to get into the groove at the right time.

If they can keep the form that saw them easily account for the Sicilians over the weekend, not to mention that which saw them win the Supercup against Inter a week ago, there is no reason why Roma won’t seriously challenge Inter, Milan and Juventus for the Scudetto this season.

But let's not jump the gun. They have a tough nine weeks ahead, over which they will face Juve, Fiorentina, Inter, Milan and Lazio. We will definitely be able to better assess their position after that. However, if the game against Palermo is any indication of what is to come, the future looks bright for Roma. It truly was the perfect start…