Roma seek for solutions for Chelsea visit
Reuters - Monday 03 November 2008, 02:00
By Paul Virgo
ROME, Nov 3 (Reuters) - AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti is
struggling to find solutions to his side's growing form crisis
before Luiz Felipe Scolari's Chelsea steamroller comes to town
for Tuesday's Champions League Group A clash.
Roma's weaknesses were exposed again in Saturday's 2-0
defeat at Juventus, a fifth consecutive loss in all competitions
which has left them one place above the Serie A relegation zone.
The smooth passing game that gave them a domestic runners-up
spot in the last two seasons is nowhere to be seen and the
defence is fragile, shipping 17 goals in nine league games.
"I can't understand why we are unable to react after
conceding a goal. We are soft, passive, in the hands of the
opposition," Roma's former Chelsea defender Christian Panucci
told reporters.
"It's a really bad moment for me and I confess that I can't
eat."
Spalletti tried all sorts in the second half in Turin,
switching winger Rodrigo Taddei with French playmaker Jeremy
Menez, midfielder David Pizarro with striker Stefano Okaka and
Panucci with fellow fullback Cicinho -- all to no effect.
CHELSEA CANDIDATE
But the coach, a candidate for the Chelsea job before it
went to Scolari, believes his side really lack confidence rather
than tactical nous.
"This side need enthusiasm and tranquillity to play well and
at the moment we have neither, which makes it hard to produce a
positive reaction," Spalletti said.
Roma's inspirational captain Francesco Totti is a doubt for
Tuesday after he missed the Juve game because of pain in the
knee he had surgery on last season.
Italy midfielder Alberto Aquilani also looks set to miss out
again with the thigh problem he sustained in the 1-0 defeat at
Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.
All of which will make the swaggering London side, who went
top of the Premier League with a 5-0 demolition of Sunderland on
Saturday, confident of consolidating their position as Group A
leaders.
Chelsea have seven points from three games, three more than
Romania's CFR Cluj and four more than Roma and Bordeaux.
Manager Scolari told the club website (www.chelseafc.com)
that French striker Nicolas Anelka will start on Tuesday after
his hat-trick against Sunderland even though Didier Drogba came
off the bench following a month out with knee and ankle knocks.
He also said Ashley Cole was unlikely to travel to Rome
after the left back limped off on Saturday, with Wayne Bridge
poised to fill in.
Scolari is also without injured defender Ricardo Carvalho
(hamstring) and midfielders Michael Ballack (both feet) and
Michael Essien (knee).
Probable teams:
AS Roma: 32-Doni; 2-Christian Panucci, 5-Philippe Mexes,
4-Juan, 17-John Arne Riise; 11-Rodrigo Taddei, 16-Daniele De
Rossi, 7-David Pizarro, 20-Simone Perrotta, 9-Mirko Vucinic;
19-Julio Baptista
Chelsea: 1-Petr Cech; 17-Jose Bosingwa, 33-Alex, 26-John
Terry, 18-Wayne Bridge; 10-Joe Cole, 12-John Obi-Mikel, 20-Deco,
8-Frank Lampard, 15-Florent Malouda; 39-Nicolas Anelka
Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)
(Editing by Rex Gowar)
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