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This is going to be a special season, it looks like it’s going to be the one where the greatest player to have ever graced the game will call it a halt at the end of the season. Word is that Totti will not be offered a new deal, for years now he has looked immortal but as the season got older he began to show his age more. I won’t write Totti off because those who do always end up with egg on their face. I only hope if he is to stop at the finale of this season he can do in style, lathered with the trophies he has picked up on his final farewell.
Garcia looks like he will continue, I’d rather he went. Roma have been figured out under him and there was talk recently of dissension among the board with him over comments that he can’t rival Juve with what he has at his disposal. The football we played in the second half of the season was dire, not urgency, drive or adventure - it was slow, possession-centric, predictable and fearful. He refused to abandon his 4-3-3, a tactic which I have mentioned before, never works in Serie A. By and large you need to go with 2 strikers to win Serie A. Juve play with 2 strikers and have done for the past 4 years. Milan before that under Allegri played with two strikers, Inter played with two strikers domestically under Mourinho and Mancini, Juve under Capello went with two strikers, Milan under Ancelotti when they won it went with a combo of Shevchenko and Inzaghi/Tomasson, Roma under Capello had Batistuta and Delvecchio/Montella. Lazio the season before had a Salas and Inzaghi/Mancini/Boksic duo. It’s the proven formula for success in Serie A.
Garcia kept turning out the same players in the same system when we couldn’t buy a result in the second half of the season, ironic enough that Destro an out and out no.9 who he decided not to use when at Roma earlier this season is still the top Roma owned goalscorer from play this season in Serie A despite having difficulties at Milan since joining.
Our defence has been a mess, De Sanctis made a lot of mistakes this season and can’t be relied upon. He does seem to organise his defence reasonably well but they’ve looked like car crash TV at times too. Maicon is done and Torosidis is not Roma quality, something similar on the left with Cole being done and Holebas beginning to look like a journeyman the more the season progressed after a good start to his career. I like Manolas but he had a few horror shows in the second half of the season, hopefully Castan is able to return from his serious injury as well. Astori is not Roma standard while Yanga-Mbwia is alright but we’re in trouble if he’s required to play more than 20 games a season.
I’m happy enough with our midfield options, the problem was Garcia persisting with an out of form Pjanic all season when he needed dropped and not giving chances to the likes of Ucan and Paredes who look to have lots of ability. Strootman effectively missing the entire campaign was a blow too, Keita, a bit like Holebas, started the season well but looked more a liability as the season progressed and I think we should end our ties with him this season. It is of the utmost importance that we retain Nainggolan’s remaining 50%, the one player who can hold his head high this season, our best player by a comfortable margin. There are rumours that Juve are keeping an eye of the current negotiations with Cagliari and are ready to pounce if an agreement can’t be reached.
The attack was poor this year and what happened in January was embarrassing, I can understand letting Destro go if the manager didn’t want to use him, though it was still the wrong decision but the panic buys which followed were amateur. Hopefully we only have to take a €3-5m hit on Doumbia as the guy is a donkey, Ibarbo has his uses but failed to score for Roma in his lone spell. Ljajic was one of our better players this season but seemed to be made the scapegoat for our poor form by Garcia. We overpaid for Iturbe but I think he will come good in the end, I’m expecting big things of him next year. Gervinho looks to me like a one season wonder, we can let him go this year.
We should dispense of the following players (and the coach) this season:
Skorupski
Maicon
Torosidis
Astori
Spolli
Cole
Keita
Gervinho
Ibarbo
Doumbia
We need to find a manger who appreciates a 4-3-1-2 or 3-4-1-2 is the way to go.
Sarri was a purponent of the 4-3-1-2 but looks like he is on his way to Napoli. I’d like to see an Italian coach like Prandelli, Mazzarri or Spaletti back in charge, the Roma board need to make a decision about Garcia very shortly.