De Rossi and the rags

Daniele De Rossi has expressed his relief about turning down a move to Manchester United in favour of staying at Roma.
The Old Trafford outfit made a summer bid for the Italian international, but the Roman opted to commit his future to his hometown team.
The Corriere dello Sport is today indirectly quoting a telling statement from the 30-year-old regarding the failed move.
“Thank goodness that I didn’t move to Manchester, otherwise I would have committed suicide by now…” they claim he stated.


Don't think he's one for the window then  

Just gets better....and coming from a player that would have been ideal for them!!  

I suspect, with them languishing in seventh place, 11 points off the top and with Newcastle breathing down their necks, De Rossi isn't the only top player who will be contemplating not moving to the swamp.

Given they couldn't lure the likes of De Rossi last summer, when they were league champions, I seriously doubt they'll manage it this month.

If they can't lure any quality in January, they almost certainly won't get CL next season and they'll not just struggle in next summer's window (which will already be difficult enough with the World Cup), but the missing CL income will mean they can't afford to get anyone the year after, either.

Before we know it, they'll have gone the same way Liverpool did in the nineties - clinging on to their past glories whilst trying desperately to stay relevant. Their 20 league titles will be as hollow as the CL trophy in permanent residence in Anfield's trophy cabinet.

It's hard to feel sad when your local rivals fall on hard times, but the sheer arrogance that's poured out of that club, which we've all had to endure regardless of who we support, makes their downfall all the more entertaining.

Let's just hope we don't have a string of fuck-ups in the top six now...

I think we've hopefully had our blip now...let's face it, I for one thought that we would struggle for a top 4 spot back at the beginning of November....the loss of Vinny K, then Silva out and then when we lost Sergio.....I honestly thought we wouldn't be able to compete as well as we have done.

I think that Bayern win was a massive turning point in our season...the confidence that must have given the squad, to see a second string team come from 2 goals down, to win 3-2 at the home of the European champions and end their incredible home run, was no doubt a catalyst for the past 6 weeks.

If we can keep, Zab, Vinny, Yaya, Fernando, Silva and Sergio fit until the end of the season (4 months)...and see what Jovetic is like whenever he decides to get fit, then with the marked improvement in form of Nasri, Navas now looking to be up to 'speed' with the PL and the work he has to do off the ball, Negredo already showing his class, Milner proving what an excellent sub he can be...I can't see another 'major' blip this season...that's not to say we won't lose games, go out of the CL etc.....but cannot see another run of losses like Sept/Oct/Nov

I think the fact that he wants to stay and play football in the most corrupt country in Europe, rather than ply his trade in the best league in the world says all that needs to be said about the club in question.

I still can't get over this so-called "poor away form" that keeps getting bandied about. We've dropped 4 points out of the last ten games - granted, all on the road, but we've not lost since early November and we've had one draw in all competitions since then. Granted, we've only just managed back to back away wins, but we've hardly been getting thrashed on the road even when we haven't won. A bit more clinical finishing would've seen us win them, I reckon.

Where's the butchering of the rags' home form, which mirrors our away form of 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses? Or the crucifying of Liverpool, whose away form is worse than ours? Chelsea and Everton have only won 4 on the road too, how come they're not being chastised for poor away form?

Anyway, let's see if we can duplicate our 67/68 season, where we lost 4 of our first 12 games and still won the league   

leopold wrote:I still can't get over this so-called "poor away form" that keeps getting bandied about.  We've dropped 4 points out of the last ten games - granted, all on the road, but we've not lost since early November and we've had one draw in all competitions since then.  Granted, we've only just managed back to back away wins, but we've hardly been getting thrashed on the road even when we haven't won.  A bit more clinical finishing would've seen us win them, I reckon.

Where's the butchering of the rags' home form, which mirrors our away form of 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses?  Or the crucifying of Liverpool, whose away form is worse than ours?  Chelsea and Everton have only won 4 on the road too, how come they're not being chastised for poor away form?

Anyway, let's see if we can duplicate our 67/68 season, where we lost 4 of our first 12 games and still won the league   

Can you think where we would be if we won 2 out of those 3 losses? 2 of those games we should've won, as you say, but for poor finishing. I think the away form 'issue' has been put to bed now since the Bayern game....we just need Negredo to get back to scoring ways, as he's missed quite a few chances lately, but I'm sure like any striker, getting the likes of Aguero back will mean more freedom and chances in better positions...as with Dzeko, he does more of the chasing and closing down that Aguero generally does...so has looked a little tired by 60-70 mins.

Well, we lost four games, but we should've beaten Cardiff and Villa and bagged a draw at Chelsea and Sunderland, which would put us seven points clear at the top by now and a mighty 18 ahead of the rags, which I think would be enough to see them surrender the title in record time.

I agree with you, I don't think our away form is anything we need to worry about any more, but it bugged me that even on MOTD on Wednesday night, 51 days after we last lost a match, we're still getting berated for a so-called poor away record which is mostly made up of two defeats and a draw in our first 4 away games.  We've played six since then and won half of them, not to mention a full house of away wins in the CL - one of which was at the European champions - and two away cup wins.

Maybe I should flip this on it's head.  Let them keep cracking on our away record is crap, because we seem to be doing better while they've been labouring it.

De Rossi and The Rags is a good name for a band