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Roman Soldier: Working Class Takes Roma To Heaven In Derby Della Capitale
The Lupi have claimed Rome’s bragging rights and Vince Masiello focuses on Sensi’s ‘sweet revenge’ and the ‘unusual suspects’ who stole the show…
| Bet: | Returns: | Siena £32.00 | Draw £32.00 | Roma £22.50 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Siena £33.00 | Draw £32.00 | Roma £22.50 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Siena £32.00 | Draw £31.00 | Roma £22.50 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Siena £31.00 | Draw £32.50 | Roma £23.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Siena £29.00 | Draw £31.00 | Roma £23.00 |
|
Dec 9, 2009 2:00:51 PM
It’s a testament to the depth of the Roma squad that they could afford the luxury of an off day and still come out on top in the Derby della Capitale.
As Marco Cassetti rippled the net to send the Giallorossi fans into ruptures with only 13 minutes left on the clock, a complacent smirk must have crossed Rosella Sensi’s face.
The Maggica population turned against the President last summer after one of the most frugal transfer campaigns in recent history and the departure of home-grown hero Alberto Aquilani to Liverpool.
Amid financial woes and speculation that prospective buyers had stepped up their interest in the club, Rosella was forced to weather the storm as Roma approached the new campaign with a virtually unchanged squad.
And after Roma were swept aside by Genoa and Juventus in the opening two games of the Serie A season, not a single soul was ready to bet on the Giallorossi climbing back into the high quarters of the table.
Well, the last few weeks have painted a completely different picture and the Lupi are now a single point behind the Champions League places, much to the dismay of Sensi’s detractors.
Honestly speaking, a title bid was never an option this season, even for Roma’s most optimistic supporters, and who knows when it will be again. Champions League qualification is the appropriate dimension of this club these days and I must tip my hat off to Sensi.
Roma will find themselves in a better long-term financial health thanks to her careful spending policy without presumably suffering any sort of backlash results-wise in the short term.
And what seems beyond dispute is that this last part owes a lot to Claudio Ranieri. He may have inherited a side in free fall after Luciano Spalletti’s departure, but has worked wonders with his ‘bunch of has-beens’, as some pundits colourfully wrote off the Giallorossi after their wretched start.
Ranieri’s well-organised, no-frills and pragmatic approach to games might not be pleasing on the eye, but he has evidently filled his troops with an indomitable spirit which showed on Sunday.
As a desperate Lazio huffed and puffed against a seemingly dormant Roma to claim a morale-boosting win in the Stracittadina that would have been a panacea to all of their current ills, the Lupi admirably hung on before delivering the killer blow.
And yet it wasn’t the big names who stepped up in time of need. Two members of the ‘working class’ took matters into their own hands – and feet - for a change.
Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Sergio and defender Marco Cassetti became the unlikely heroes and undeniably earned the eternal gratitude of the Giallorossi faithful.
Cassetti strokes home the winner
The shot-stopper had been something of an unknown quantity at the Olimpico since his arrival on a free transfer in 2006 and, in retrospect, it’s fair to say that Spalletti criminally failed to identify his true potential.
The Tuscan used to describe him as “the best third goalkeeper in the world”, a tag that posed a bit of a conundrum. In fact, I’m still wondering if that was meant to be a compliment or some kind of amusing persiflage.
Julio Sergio made a single appearance in a friendly test during Spalletti’s reign and was on the brink of leaving the Italian capital for Serie B side Grosseto over the summer.
Then Ranieri came along and the ‘German’ finally found his place in the sun. And fellow Brazilian Doni has perhaps resigned himself to being only a reserve for the remainder of the season after watching his compatriot perform heroics week in week out.
And Sunday’s game was a prime example. His one-handed reaction save from Stefano Mauri is by far the strongest contender for save of the season in Serie A so far. No words can adequately describe the meaning of that moment, the excitement of the Roma fans and the desperation of the Laziali whose screams stuck in their throats.
It was like a slap in the face to the Giallorossi who sparked into action and found the breakthrough via another unexpected source, another ‘day labourer’ who patiently waited to reap what he had sown: Cassetti made his way into unknown territory and showed Roma the stairway to heaven.
Vince Masiello, Goal.com
As Marco Cassetti rippled the net to send the Giallorossi fans into ruptures with only 13 minutes left on the clock, a complacent smirk must have crossed Rosella Sensi’s face.
The Maggica population turned against the President last summer after one of the most frugal transfer campaigns in recent history and the departure of home-grown hero Alberto Aquilani to Liverpool.
Amid financial woes and speculation that prospective buyers had stepped up their interest in the club, Rosella was forced to weather the storm as Roma approached the new campaign with a virtually unchanged squad.
And after Roma were swept aside by Genoa and Juventus in the opening two games of the Serie A season, not a single soul was ready to bet on the Giallorossi climbing back into the high quarters of the table.
Well, the last few weeks have painted a completely different picture and the Lupi are now a single point behind the Champions League places, much to the dismay of Sensi’s detractors.
Honestly speaking, a title bid was never an option this season, even for Roma’s most optimistic supporters, and who knows when it will be again. Champions League qualification is the appropriate dimension of this club these days and I must tip my hat off to Sensi.
Roma will find themselves in a better long-term financial health thanks to her careful spending policy without presumably suffering any sort of backlash results-wise in the short term.
And what seems beyond dispute is that this last part owes a lot to Claudio Ranieri. He may have inherited a side in free fall after Luciano Spalletti’s departure, but has worked wonders with his ‘bunch of has-beens’, as some pundits colourfully wrote off the Giallorossi after their wretched start.
Ranieri’s well-organised, no-frills and pragmatic approach to games might not be pleasing on the eye, but he has evidently filled his troops with an indomitable spirit which showed on Sunday.
As a desperate Lazio huffed and puffed against a seemingly dormant Roma to claim a morale-boosting win in the Stracittadina that would have been a panacea to all of their current ills, the Lupi admirably hung on before delivering the killer blow.
And yet it wasn’t the big names who stepped up in time of need. Two members of the ‘working class’ took matters into their own hands – and feet - for a change.
Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Sergio and defender Marco Cassetti became the unlikely heroes and undeniably earned the eternal gratitude of the Giallorossi faithful.
Cassetti strokes home the winner
The shot-stopper had been something of an unknown quantity at the Olimpico since his arrival on a free transfer in 2006 and, in retrospect, it’s fair to say that Spalletti criminally failed to identify his true potential.
The Tuscan used to describe him as “the best third goalkeeper in the world”, a tag that posed a bit of a conundrum. In fact, I’m still wondering if that was meant to be a compliment or some kind of amusing persiflage.
Julio Sergio made a single appearance in a friendly test during Spalletti’s reign and was on the brink of leaving the Italian capital for Serie B side Grosseto over the summer.
Then Ranieri came along and the ‘German’ finally found his place in the sun. And fellow Brazilian Doni has perhaps resigned himself to being only a reserve for the remainder of the season after watching his compatriot perform heroics week in week out.
And Sunday’s game was a prime example. His one-handed reaction save from Stefano Mauri is by far the strongest contender for save of the season in Serie A so far. No words can adequately describe the meaning of that moment, the excitement of the Roma fans and the desperation of the Laziali whose screams stuck in their throats.
It was like a slap in the face to the Giallorossi who sparked into action and found the breakthrough via another unexpected source, another ‘day labourer’ who patiently waited to reap what he had sown: Cassetti made his way into unknown territory and showed Roma the stairway to heaven.
Vince Masiello, Goal.com
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