Roma transfer review | Football Italia

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Monday February 4 2013

Roma transfer review

Who fires a Coach days after the transfer window closes? That would be Roma, as Susy Campanale considers their decisions.

Transfer regrets

Zdenek Zeman plays the 4-3-3 and has a particular taste in players, so it’s bizarre that Roma should sack him 48 hours after the transfer window has closed. New Coach Aurelio Andreazzoli is caretaker for a week or perhaps to the end of the season, but either way he has to make do with a squad created by and for Zeman.

The non-defending defender

As if Roma didn’t already have enough defenders who are considerably more effective in attack, they snapped up full-back Vasilis Torosidis for a nominal fee from Olympiacos. “Defending isn’t his strong point,” said his now former teammate Leandro Greco, suggesting the Greek international will fit right in.

Goalkeeping quandary

Maarten Stekelenburg flew out to London for his medical on deadline day, but the transfer to Fulham never went through. Now Roma are dealing with two incredibly inconsistent and error-prone goalkeepers jostling for position and openly insulting each other. No wonder Mauro Goicoechea is so anxious he throws the ball into his own net.

De Rossi delight

There can be few doubts that Daniele De Rossi is delighted at Zeman’s early exit, but the club and fans must also be breathing a sigh of relief that Roma didn’t sell. There had to be the temptation with Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Manchester United interested while the midfielder was rotting on the bench as Zeman continued to pick Panagiotis Tachtsidis instead. The season starts now for Capitan Futuro.

Nico’s chance

Roma’s transfer window was less about who they signed and more who they didn’t release. Nico Lopez scored on his Serie A debut and then vanished, but the 19-year-old Uruguayan has been notching up great performances at the South American Youth Championship throughout January. He even finished top scorer in the tournament with six goals. With Mattia Destro out following meniscus surgery and Zeman gone, he could get a chance after all.

Verdict

It’s difficult to comment on a transfer session that brought in one player, did not sell any first team options and concluded just days before the Coach was sacked. Roma made the commitment to stand by Zeman’s vision in their buying strategy, but then shoved him out the door. Now Andreazzoli or whoever becomes a more permanent pick must form a team with the players who started the season.

Have your say...

Pasquale

I don't think any of the best defenders in the world would of done well under the high line of zeman. I think Marcos and castan showed that they can play well even though they did conceed under those tactics, any defender would! Under andreazolli it should change for the best for them. I still think stek isn't much cop and I couldnt see DDR leaving the team in any eventuality. I hope that lamela will pass a little more But Totti has been awesome under zeman.

on the 8th February, 2013 at 10:34am

I've been wanting Zeman to go since he side lined De Rossin back in Oct. DDR knew he would outlive Zeman and sat tight....now it's his time to shine. Managers of Roma need to know Thierry place amongst he Romanista like DDR, Totti and Florenzi. The new manager needs to be Romanist too - keep the passion alive

on the 5th February, 2013 at 10:05pm

Colin

lopez to get his chance now with destro injured and ostaldo
loving the suspensions. he's loan move was cancelled sothey must see
something in him. roma done well to keep the major players, should of sports
some cash and bought a defender worthy of the shirt! forza roma!

on the 5th February, 2013 at 12:07am

SPQR10

For the love of God, please translate the Greco interview accurately and place his words into context. Either you do not understand Italian or you are lazy and ignorant.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 10:48pm

SPQR10

I rarely make negative comments about someone's work. However, for the love of God, will you please translate the Greco interview accurately and place his comments into context. It is lazy and offensive journalism.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 9:31pm

T.Garcia

I don't understand what this writer's saying either.I thought they did their research.Stek and Goicoechea haven't insulted each other,and Stekelenburg is a great talent that has been the victim of poor managing.The knowledge this writer has is a bit funny actually.But anyway,as I said below,a great manager creates tactics when he goes to a club,not try to use fixed tactics everywhere he goes and use the players that suit it best instead of creating newtactics that revolve around the best players

on the 4th February, 2013 at 9:12pm

T.Garcia

Zeman had to go. How can you be so stubborn that you can't even see you're tactics don't work. A good manager is open to alternatives and has many strategies. Well anyway, that's all over now and we can move on swiftly. I hope Spalletti is right about Andreazzoli and that Andreazzoli was watching carefully and learning as much as he could from Spalletti. If you ask me, Spalletti is the best manager Roma have had in the last 10 years by a huge margin. Ancelotti would be very nice to have though.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 8:58pm

Anonymous

I still honestly think we should have given Zeman until the end of the season.
Now we just wasted this whole season, have a team filled with 50% Zeman players, and have been training Zeman's tactics since day 1.

Bad knee-jerk reaction by the management IMO.
Should have gave him until the end of the season.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 7:08pm

Shibby

Ms. Campanale making stuff up again and bashing Roma...

"...two error-prone goalkeepers jostling for position and openly insulting each other"

Stek and Mauro have been cordial to one another, with the only hiccup being Stek questioning management for the need to bring in another keeper. No insults were flung between the players themselves.

I really think Suzy is obsessed with Roma and needs to deal with her issues regarding La Magica.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 6:15pm

John McGowan

Happy to see him gone.....Good attack but awful defending - need to go back to basics and do what Italian teams to best and build from the back.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 5:06pm

Sam De Martino

Showing Zeman the door was best bit of business. Torosidis as mentioned cant defend, we didnt need him, we need top quality defenders. Agree about Nico Lopez he deserves a chance and with destro injured could be his chance to shine. He looks a good player and scored great goal agaisnt catania in first match of season. He was never given a chance under that idiot Zeman. I am hopeful things will start to improve now. We are 6 points from 5th, europa place, its still possible for 5th and win coppa.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 3:04pm

NIC

roma sacking zeman only leads to more questions, and NOT too more solutions. but, i agree with the directors, even though i would of likes zeman to see out till june to continue on the roma project. the favorable results were just NOT coming and everyone could NOT just stand by till/if they arrive. since the start of the season, roma looks more like a 10th place team, rather then a team fighting for 1, 2 or 3rd place. of course a team with quality, but most of the final scores said other wise.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 2:52pm

Big Al_Dair

What would have been a disaster would have been offloading Stekelenburg, De Rossi or any of the other players Zeman ignored to stoke his own ego then sack him the next day. Although I don't think he was right to say it publicly, Stek had a point - with 2 international goalkeepers already at the club, why waste what little money there is to bring in a 3rd keeper (especially when we had already signed Svedkauskas?). I really hope Stek is spoken to about what he said then re-instated to the team.

on the 4th February, 2013 at 2:18pm

Michele

Stekelenburg's failed escape aside, this is a great transfer market for Roma.

Zeman out means Pjanic, Burdisso, Stekelenberg and most importantly, De Rossi, can get back into a side that has been crying out for a bit of steel, quality and experience.

Sorry to see Zeman go, but he's just not the right man to lead a team with title ambitions. Imagine playing his 4-3-3 in Europe...

on the 4th February, 2013 at 1:04pm

@No10_Manny - Forza Juventus

Hard to make a verdict!?!? It was a terrible transfer window for them, for all the good and future prospect players they have in attack and keeping de rossi which are good signs for the club, there defence is such a let down! I would have gone for ogbonna myself let him prove his worth in series A and there are countless defenders either expierenced or young they good have signed to help out the back line or lead them!

on the 4th February, 2013 at 12:06pm

Moh

Roma's best transfer was sending Zeman packing...

on the 4th February, 2013 at 11:58am

@BadgerLXXXVII

Since I have been a Roma fan they seem to shoot them selfs in the foot season by season, may be one day our luck will change! Forza ROMA!

on the 4th February, 2013 at 11:43am

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