GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Today's team on Five-a-Side Friday, where Roma fans choose their all-time dream five-a-side team made up of Roma players, has been chosen by Italian journalist Belinda Malfetti.
Name: Belinda Malfetti Location: Rome, Italy Team: Alisson Becker: After only one season, I consider him definitely one of the best goalkeepers in AS Roma’s history, known for his crazy reflexes and wanted by all the top clubs in the world. Waiting for his future to be defined, in my opinion it would not be easy at all to replace him. Aldair: The number 6's rightful owner, after him only worn by Strootman with his permission. “Pluto”, as he was nicknamed, mixed strength and technique, known for his leadership which led AS Roma to the conquest of the “Scudetto” in 2001. Falcao: Arrived in Rome as a normal player, he left as a champion. I personally have to thank him for my love and passion for this crazy team, known for transforming completely Roma’s way of playing, leading to the Serie A title in 1983. Radja Nainggolan: If I think about a five-a-side soccer player I think about Radja Nainggolan, he is a good ball-winner, thanks to his pace, hard-work, tenacity and strength. Nicknamed Il “Ninja” for his ability in tackles, I consider him one of the most complete midfielders in the world. Francesco Totti: “The king of Rome”, “er pupone”. There are not words that can describe his greatness and his loyalty for this club. His legend will last forever, a source of pride of all Roma fans all around the world. Definitely a nice story to tell to our grandchildren.
0 Comments
Every Friday on Giallorossi Yorkshire, a Roma fan submits their all-time dream Roma five-a-side team. Today's team has been chosen by Ajay, the founder of the AS Roma India fan club.
Name: Ajay Menon Location: Mumbai, India Team: Alisson Becker - Sweeper Keeper. Could also play in midfield and grab an assist or two. Daniele De Rossi - Cleaning up when Alisson goes on an adventure. With DDR in a 5-a-side team, opponents can only dream of getting past him. Stephan El Shaarawy - Technically, Stephan ‘il Faraone’ is up there with the best. I bet he would be a super hit in futsal or small sided games. Francesco Totti - The leader amongst men. Nothing else to write about. Antonio Cassano - For nostalgic times when Totti and Cassano created telepathic magic on a football pitch! Every Friday on Giallorossi Yorkshire, a Roma fan selects their all-time dream five-a-side team made up of Roma players. Today's team has been chosen by Nir Maoz.
Name: Nir Maoz Location: Haifa, Israel Team: In goal, Alisson. We have never had a keeper like him before, world class. Defence, Cafu. Great player, but picked completely for the Sombrero on Nedved. Midfield, Daniele De Rossi. No one bosses the midfield, stopping the opposition like prime DdR, even to this day. The attackers, Antonio Cassano and, of course, Francesco Totti. Pure magic between them, sparks that could break any opponent, and do it with style and some crazy moves, I did say Cassano. Hope you enjoyed my choices. Forza Roma It's Friday, which means it's time for another dream Roma five-a-side team on Giallorossi Yorkshire. Today is the turn of a fellow Leeds-based Roma fan.
Name: Dec Campbell Location: Leeds, England Team: Doni - Not exactly known for their rich history of goalkeepers, at least not in my generation. I’ve gone for Doni, a loyal servant for Roma during his six-year stint, most notably for his influence in-between the sticks during Roma’s back-to-back Coppa Italia triumphs. He just gets the nod over Alisson due to experience in the capital. Juan - The man mountain, for me, an underrated figure in Roman football. His goal against Inter at the Olimpico in our 4-0 demolition of the Milan giants will live long in the memory. Daniele De Rossi - No doubt a popular choice throughout this series. Our new leader, forged from the remains of the Colosseum, there is no hating this man. Watching him dominate opponents in midfield while simultaneously being the clubs playmaker is a joy to watch. Francesco Totti - Again, there aren’t enough superlatives to describe our love for this man. The most underrated player in the history of the game, the man literally chose a less-illustrious career in terms of trophies to play for his beloved Rome. Every through-ball, every chip of the keeper and every flick would make even a Lazio fan smile (probably not). The only man in Italy more popular than the pope. Mirko Vucinic - A controversial choice due to his later commitments to Juventus, but a legend in my eyes nonetheless. Another big player in my early decision to follow the Giallorossi, his pace and power was a joy to watch. The man loved to score screamers, a cult hero in my eyes and a player I will never forget. Every Friday on Giallorossi Yorkshire, a Roma fan selects their ideal all-time Roma five-a-side team. Today is the turn of Peter Gibbs.
Name: Peter Gibbs Location: Bedford, England Team: Alisson Becker: I suppose I'd better choose him while I can. Without his saves, would Roma be in the CL next year? He has made that kind of difference to the team. Decisive, instinctive and superb. For me, he has been what we've been crying out for in a goalkeeper, for as long as I can remember. Cafu: I have a real soft-spot for Aldair but I'll go for this guy... Ridiculously gifted and made defending cool! Il Pendolino was an iconic player who deservedly won pretty much everything there is to win. Daniele De Rossi: I had his ability (foolishly doubted by myself at the time) pointed out to me by a very friendly local, on one of my first trips to watch Roma. I couldn't take my eyes off his control of the midfield throughout the game, and ever since. A bruising, honest, beating heart of the team. Deserves wider acclaim. Francesco Totti: What can anyone say that hasn't already been said? A fantastic footballer, icon and example. The sheer audacity to attempt to try, and skill to actually pull off such footballing vision and brilliance, are what defines a true great in my eyes. I wish I had a fraction of his skill, and many more players had his loyalty. Gabriel Batistuta: I'm front-loading my team! Blame Zeman... Anyway, definitely one of our best 'bombers'. A spectacular attacker. Batistuta and Totti sum up calcio for me. Fascinating, almost exotic, and rock 'n' roll football! How I've moaned about lacking a forward of his dependability for so many years! This week's edition of Five-a-Side Friday sees a team with players from each of Roma's three Scudetto triumphs.
Name: Paolo Campbell Location: North West, England Team: Guido Masetti - Goalkeeper who won Roma’s first ever Scudetto success and also picked up two World Cup winners medals. Cafu - One of Brazil’s all time great defenders who Il Pendolino played over 100 times in Serie A for Roma and was a key factor in their Scudetto success in 2001. Aldair - Brazil have never had too many great centre-backs but Aldair was one of them. In 13 seasons at the club he made 415 appearances, winning the Scudetto in 2001 with Fabio Capello Bruno Conti - Could be Italia's greatest winger, he made over 300 Serie A appearances for the club winning the Scudetto in 1983. A tricky wideman who could run rings around most players, he played a big part in Italia's 1982 World Cup win. Francesco Totti - Enough said. Giallorossi Yorkshire's regular feature, Five-a-Side Friday, returns - as two players are picked for the first time.
Name: Anton Petrov Gaydarov Location: Birmingham, England Team: Goalkeeper: Ivan Pelizzoli Cafu – One of the best right backs Roma has ever had and of the best in the world for his generation. Won World Cup and Serie A title. World class player · Daniele De Rossi – True Roman. Doesn’t impress with techniques and pace but definitely the heart of the team. At his age still plays amazing football and did lead his team to CL semi-final. · Mohamed Salah – His amazing pace and skills were fully developed in his spell at Roma. He showed everyone that he is a world class player and went on to prove it last season. Definitely one of the best wingers/forwards we had in long time. Francesco Totti – The one and only Totti. Never changed the colours of Roma. Arguably the best player in Roma history and we are so privileged to have witnessed his magic on the pitch. Won the Scudetto and World Cup. (Sub: Kostas Manolas – He’s been the main man in defence for long time now. He shows incredible passion to play for the club and always gives everything in the games. Playing at his best, he can stop any opponent. Always shows real spirit and character.) Coach: Fabio Capello Which five Roma players make today's team on Five-a-Side Friday? Take a look here.
Name: Thomas Lloyd Morgan Location: Middlesbrough, England Team: Alisson Becker - Been in imperious form and has more than stepped up the the plate with strings of top class saves. Looks like Roma have unearthed a gem in a top top keeper. A position which we have been lacking for a while now. Aldair - Solid defender, World Cup winner with Brazil, fifth most apps in the colours of I Giallorossi. More than deserves a place - oh and did I mention he's in the Hall of Fame! Daniele De Rossi - What more could you want in a midfielder than De Rossi? Hard working, crunching tackles, can read the game like nobody else and an eye for goal. The complete package. Maybe not the world beating player he was in his younger years but age has not stopped him being an important part of a Scudetto chasing Roma for the last four seasons. Also pretty crucial player in getting us into the semi finals. As well as two Coppa Italias and a Supercoppa. Gabriel Batistuta - The second of three Scudetto winners in this side. He had it all, a compete forward, quick, skillful and an eye for goal that was shockingly brilliant. Not much else you can say. Francesco Totti - Don't really need to say much about him to be honest do I, we all know this name and what he means, not just to the Romanisti, but also to the world and how he influenced the modern role of a number 10. A true living legend and dare I say it the greatest player, without a doubt, of his generation. He could have the trophy cabinet to prove it if he did make the move, like Cassano, to Los Blancos. But his name and what he stood for makes up for that. Il Bimbo de Oro would get a mention in any Roma 5-a side. Check out this week's team on Five-a-Side Friday, courtesy of a fellow Roma fan from Yorkshire.
Name: Barry Goulding Location: Barnsley, England Team: GK - Alisson Becker: He has the eccentricities of a Brazilian goalkeeper, which sometimes give you heart palpitations but he has been a matchwinner on more than one occasion this season. DEF - Cafu: Loads of pace and attacking flair, did no one tell Brazilian defenders that those attributes are not in a defender's job description? Cafu was one of the best. DEF - Kostas Manolas: I love this guy's passion. He wears his heart on his sleeve. We have seen better defenders but THAT goal against Barcelona and the subsequent celebrations was something I will never forget. MID - Radja Nainggolan: Tough and uncompromising, with the ability to dictate games, on his day he is up there with the best, capable of defence-splitting passes and he knows where the goal is. FW - Gabriel Batistuta: It took a lot for me not to have the King of Rome up front, l am sure he will find his way into many teams. Instead I have continued with the South American theme and chose Batigol. He was instrumental in the team that won the Scudetto and l think that earns him his place in my 5-a-side. See which five players this week's participant chose for his ideal Roma five-a-side team.
Name: Colin Withero Location: Tipperary, Ireland Team: In goals: Julio Sergio: I know a lot of people are thinking who? or what is this fella on? But Julio was a good shot stopper who never got a good run of games. But when he fractured his ankle late in the game against Brescia back in 2010 he stayed on because we were out of subs and even though he was in serious pain he managed several top drawer saves. Any man who gives that much for Roma deserves special mention. My two defenders are a pair that together had the best partnership we probably ever had. Philippe Mexes and Cristian Chivu together the were a forced to be reckoned with. Chivu with his pace and Mexes with his no nonsense tough tackles. They worked so well together and it's just a pity we didn't win as much as we should have with these two. In midfield: Daniele De Rossi: This man lives and breathes Roma. A one man wrecking machine that leads by example. He could have gone to other clubs and won lots more but he is Roman and he knows what it means to the Roma shirt. Up front: the one and only King of Rome... Francesco Totti. In my opinion our best ever player. Like De Rossi he could have gone to other clubs for big money and have a packed trophy cabinet at home but he loved Roma as much as we do. His passes and vision were second to none, just a fantastic player and a delight to watch. |
samuel bannister
Founder and editor of Giallorossi Yorkshire, who is also a columnist for Roma's official website about the women's team. Categories
All
Archives
October 2019
|