Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season
they made a few changes this summer, but were able to keep del neri (wich was most important) and to give some proper replacement for almost all the players who left.
tissone went back to udinese (Jesus Christ what a team Marino is building up.... last week he they signed domizzi too!). it's a big loss, but i reckon Padoin has what it takes to fill his shoes.
padoin (as tissone) is quite an unusual central midfielder. he's not a pure central midfielder, definitely not a playmaker, and he isn't even a proper trequartista (advanced midfielder). he "lives between the lines", but slightly behind the ideal advanced midfielder's spot. theese kind of players don't help a lot in covering, neither they support the strikers as advanced midfielders usually do. They keep wandering on the 3\4 of the pitch, looking for a chance to cut inside (they have a good shooting ability), and by doing this they also help the fowards by attracting one of the cbs over themselves. they also provide some "high pressing on the ball carrier in the opponent's midfield. Their main features usually are shooting, cutting inside (with a good timing), first touch passing.
Actually i noticed quite a lot of this kind of players are “flourishing” in serie a lately (Simplicio, hamsik, inler, dessena, aquilani, tissone, padoin himself…)…. Must be some sort ot a “new generation role”.
anyway, having padoin, i don't think del neri will miss tissone a lot.
plus they signed one of the most promising young playmakers in europe; Cigarini (great signing).
langella and lazzari left, but they replaced them with garycs (who had a very good season at napoli last year) and Cerci, an amazing young winger who had a fantastic growth in the last 3 years. last season he was awesome at Pisa and i think he's ready for the big step in serie a: this guy is one of the hottest prospects in italy in his role.... he might really have a bright future.
they lost muslimovic but they were able to keep floccari, who was supposed to join palermo (:censor
.
all in all their team is even stronger than last season, as they were able to cover almost all the holes left by the departures, but honestly i can't see them repeating last season's great performances, coz lazio and genoa are just too good this season (and i think torino too has what it takes to have a great season..... if de biasi will be able to exploit his fantastic team).
moreover there's one departure they weren't able to make up for; carrozzieri will be missed and i guess their weak spot is the cb couple.
anyway del neri has all the players he needs to display his football; a deep lying playmaker, 2 very good options on the sides and a reliable striker. they should be able to reach a spot in the middle of the table (from 12 to 14 place i think).
Roma look very confident and are not Totti-centered due to his injury
was absolutely inspirational tonight, it was as if he played the part of a magician the way he bamboozled the Zenit backline...the only way they could stop him was by literally kicking him... o well he then made them pay the ultimate price by surely scoring one of this competitions best goals
. maybe one of the most promising defensive lines in europe, having 2 young talents like chiellini and de ceglie (i heard they were both great last night), but i honestly think there are better defensive lines in europe and in italy aswell. 
