Send Obinna out in January and bring back Bobby. Plus we’ve spent too much $$ on Mancini and Quaresma to not be playing them in a Coppa Italia match; that’s where they work out the kinks.

Obinna had at least one howler that I recall: Genoa were on a break and I think Chivu (but I could be wrong – bad feed) was clearing when Obinna ran into him, knocking them both over. Luckily there were other players to deal with the loose ball, but boy, was it ugly.

I think Obinna is hungry to prove himself, much like Balotelli. That is why they tend to hold the ball and shoot when they should pass. Hopefully they will both grow out of it.

MAD, Muntari needs the break. I dont know what the problem was, but he was crazy dangerous against Genoa.

For more extensive highlights of the game, try these:

First Half
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR1LsVyNLKk

Second Half
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=051yS0T44cI

Extra Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyx6aFKbfpI&feature=related

The announcing is in Arabic but all are over 5 minutes each so show quite a bit of the action. I think Adriano’s failed bicycle kick is there (in the second half).

Got away clean, without a booking.

On a completely unrelated note, that is not to in any way infer that De Rossi – an important cog in the Roma machine- who missed a booking which just so happens to help Roma climb from the obscure depths of the table while the only player that is worth a damn is out injured for an extended period of time, Muntari will miss the Atalanta game due to an accumulation of yellows.

If our season is like interval training, then we are coming up to a sprint.

In the next six weeks we have 10 games including Coppa, League and Champions League.

Notable fixtures include Roma twice, the derby with the MATCH FIXING CHEATS who use our stadium and Manchester United.

This is part of the schedule is going to determine who is fighting for the scudetto. Personally, I think that the League is more important than any other competition. I hope that the team feels the same way.

Scarpi produced miracle after miracle. Otherwise, both Crespo (Johonna, in your intro before the line-up you wrote “Crepo” – a Freudian slip, perhaps?) and Adriano could’ve had hat-tricks… Even Adri’s penalty was well placed – it was a world-class save by the Genoa keeper.

And what’s up with the San Siro pitch? First Samuel slips against Cag-lee-aree then last night Maicon slips after a great run right before shooting… Both Maxwell and Adriano slipped a few times too.

Obinna is a good talent, but to me he seems to be too selfish. Any thoughts?

Also, the highlights video above does not show Adriano’s amazing bicycle kick and follow-up(s), and his clever back-heel, both of which were on target, but both … alas, again saved heroically by Scarpi. You could see Adriano saying, “I’m done with this guy” after he finally scored in the 75th…

/ducks away from Roma supporter backlash

I was glad to see Adriano and Crespo on the pitch. Adriano looked a little sluggish from what I saw in the second half. Mostly standing at the 18 waiting for someone to play him, rather than making a play himself. Yet when Maxwell played that cross he sure had a wonderful finish. On the PK he placed it well the keeper just made a nice save. Next time he needs to trust the amazing left foot he has and crush it with his laces.

As for Muntari I didn’t get to see a single minute he played so I can’t comment on the fouls. However, his ability to run down the Genoa winger after he rounded Toldo should make up for his blunders. I dont get using Obinna on the left side for him. O didn’t seem to want, or be able to, make a decent cross with his left. So that was kinda ugly.

And Chivu in the midfield is kinda dumb. He showcased his un-creativity in those highlights when he got in the box and just dribbled off the keeper. Real smooth.

Cant wait for the one-and-done with Roma.

I always say it is impossible to defend a great strike and that was one heck of a strike. If you force someone into a shot from there and the shot is of that quality, you have to applaud the person who shot it.