Temp Agency Sends In Replacement

By: chris | February 14th, 2008

First of all, I’d be remiss if I didn’t applaud Martha for the contributions she’s made to the offside since her arrival. I personally found the page through her - first post was one involving Marco Borriello and STDs, which details the quality of my google searches - and ended up staying. Behind the scenes (yes, there is one), when Martha informed us of her departure, we immediately realized nobody could match her (insane) productivity and quality, which I think says it all. So after chairs stopped flying and Charlie Steiner finished asking us to follow him to freedom, we decided, since Italy is one of the more popular pages here, a decision would have to be thought out. In the interim (at least, I guess), I’m here.

And yes, I’m a Roma fan. Nonetheless, I can be unbiased when it calls for it. I suspect this page calls for it. However, if say, oh I don’t know, Inter gets a slightly generous penalty call some time soon (purely hypothetical, I know), I’ll call them out on it. Same goes for Roma, or anyone else for that matter. Fair enough? Cool. (Occasionally I also get an intelligent thought which floats through my brain, but it’d be safer just to lower your standards.)

The News

(I’m still trying to work out how the setup will go for the time being, so I’m just going to try and copy Martha as much as I can.)

Breaking news from Milan (horrible, I know): Ronaldo severed another tendon. It’s sad, as it looks like his career’s pretty much done. (And by done we mean he’s likely headed to MLS now.) Uncle Fester has offered a shoulder to cry on, which is obvious, duh - they’re a “family”. Doc says it’ll take 9 months of rehab, but it’s “up to him” whether he plays again. If he does return, well, no one can really question his desire again.
Oh yeah, a game was played as well, despite paling in comparison to the Ronaldo injury. Milan took all that momentum of the last few weeks and crapped the bed at the San Siro, only managing to take a point off Livorno. That takes them to one point behind the Viola for The Holy Grail that is spot #4. Nico Pulzetti gave everyone a nice little party favor, to be viewed here.
Fiorentina took down Champions League Cinderellas Rosenborg up in Norway today, 1-0, on a goal from Addy Mutu. So that’s a nice start in the two legged tie, but not exactly a passage through. Rosenborg did beat Valencia twice and take a point away from Stamford Bridge. They ain’t pushovers. (Also, Per Ciljan Skjelbred is an animal.)
The suits up at Juve are being wholly unoriginal about their search for a gifted playmaker for next season. Everyone knows about Rafael van der Vaart, but the talks surrounding him have kinda sorta cooled recently (thank Christ). Then there was Diego, something which Werder Bremen was having no part of. So they went from German based to German based. Now, as a potential alternative to the alternative, they’re going from Diego to Diego - this one Diego Capel from Sevilla. Kid’s 20 and his agent is even surprised about the interest, saying “Capel’s only focus at the moment is doing well for the Rojiblancos.” Somebody send that to RvdV. (And CC: Amauri and his agent while you’re at it.)
Fernando Torres is so enamored with life in England that he’s already making future plans to switch from red to red & black in the boot. You’ve played for Liverpool for 7 motnhs, Fernando. 7 months. Shut it.
Gigi Buffon is “loving every minute” of this Inter bashing in the press. Hey, a year in Serie B will make a guy bitter.