Aston Villa vs Liverpool???WHO CARES! JUVE & ROMA @ CESENA!

By: gianfranco z | August 11th, 2007

Today’s friendly taking place in Cesena will be a nice test for Ranieri’s men following up the Trofeo Birra Moretti. Any match is always a battle when it is against the Giallorossi regardless of the competition . With the EPL getting underway and most of europe preparing to go full swing the players can sense this and will start to show more and fight to impress their coaches. Speaking of the coaches, Spalletti and Ranieri both are heading into this match full steam ahead, knowing it is an important match to evaluate their own teams progress and guage the opposition. It is impossible to predict lineup’s for preseason friendlies but i’ll give it a go today.

Juventus
Buffon
Birindelli-Andrade-Criscito-Molinaro
Brazzo-Nocerino-Almiron-Nedved
Trezeguet-Del Piero

Roma
Doni
Panucci-Mexes-Juan-Tonetto
Aquilani-Brighi
Esposito-Taddei-Giuly
Totti

We are without Zebina, Chiellini, Palladino, and Grygera through various injuries and without Camoranesi for his annual mystery dissapearing act. Ranieri may choose to go with Criscito on the wing instead of Molinaro and place Legro or Boumsong in the center. Birindelli is on his last legs and im hoping Grygera and Zebina stay healthy this season or Brazzo can fill in because our defensive depht is WEAK. Selling Balzaretti was so, so, so dumb. Molinaro has not showed much but Criscito and Andrade are playing well so far. In midfield with Marchionni out and Camo still not fit things arent as jolly as they should be. Nocerino and Almiron have been outstanding this preaseason, Tiago like I said will need time to adapt to Serie A and to playing with Almiron. Brazzo by the way is Hasan Salihamidžić’s nickname which I will refer to him as for the most part since we all can agree Salihamidžić is not spelling friendly. This match may also open Ranieri to possibly adopting Roma’s 4-2-3-1 formation, since we now have the central midfield depth to carry it out.

Buffon
Grygera-Andrade-Criscito-Chiellini
Nocerino-Almiron
Camoranesi-Tiago-Nedved
Trezeguet

Obviously Trez is interchangeable with Del Piero, or Camoranesi or Tiago can be replaced by il Capitano. It is late in the preseason to try experimenting now, but it would have been a nice thought especialy with Nocerino (Physical, ball winner) and Almiron’s (skilled creative passing, setting up attacks) complimenting talents.

Higlights from the friendly last season’s Roma – Juve friendly
Juve & Roma fans engaged in heated debate years ago