Marco Cassetti

[La_tempesta_cielo_68]

Need a few old heads. Galli was nearly 40 when he signed for us a better defender I am still to see.

+1, he was a class player

[LLST]

When you've already said that the squad's too big why sign an ageing Italian when you have two perfectly capable players at this level already? He's never played in England, he's probably slow as **** by now and won't be fit for at least a month anyway. Hodson's only going to get better.

[DrewH]

I wouldn't mind seeing Dicko leave if Cassetti joins. Have Pudil and Doyley battle it out for LB spot & Hodson and Cassetti battle it out for the RB spot.

[La_tempesta_cielo_68]

Pudil and Hodson first choice, Doyley and Cassetti back up. Dickinson down the road. It all makes perfect sense to me.

[hollywood]

forsyth is toilet.

[lm_wfc]

Doyley is capable of backup in both so why have an extra wage?

[La_tempesta_cielo_68]

Creative ball playing wing backs are vital otherwise the whole philosophy falls apart, Doyley and Dicko are pants with the ball, they are good traditional hoofball full backs. Square pegs and rouind holes.

[domthehornet]

I think at 35 he may be too old. And I'm guessing he wont be chuffed with a year long contract. If I was him I'd want longer.

[Malteser]

I know very very little about this player except what I've read online..but I note he's played in Serie A and is a full Italian international. Are we getting above our station a bit if we feel we should not be signing somebody of this pedigree? Maybe we are already getting used to international players coming to us since the Pozzo takeover and are getting choosy!! (I write this tongue in cheek!)

Each player has to be judged in isolation and not compared to others! It's crazy not to want this guy just because once a previous Italian manager signed a 30+ year old French fullback who wasn't a success. Or to say he is too old, when most of us here would have killed to have signed a 37 year old Kevin Phillips last summer!!

If Zola thinks he is a better player than what we already have in that position, then lets sign him! My only reservation is I like Hodson..and noted with just a tinge of sadness that Saturday's starting line up contained only one player who'd come through our ranks..and that was in the position Cassetti would play!

[wfcmoog]

Blondeau was a French international.

[Malteser]

I know.

[marica]

Hello to everyone!
First of all, sorry for my english...
I'm italian and I'm an AS Roma supporter from 20 years ago... and I'm fan of english football too...
I'm here for saying something about Marco Cassetti...
He has been for 5 years the best right-back we have had... Every year we thought that a new young player had to replace him... Every year we waited for a more famous player that signed for us... And every year Cassetti brought everyone on the bench, the young and the more famous player: the titular and, above all, the most reliable player was ALWAYS him, in Serie A and in Champions League too... Only in the last season, 2011/2012, the madness and arrogance of our (and thankfully EX) coach have put him aside... And the last was the worst season we had since years...
Cassetti isn't an AS Roma player because his contract is expired, but he's not "retired"... He still wants to play and is still in condition for doing it, but I think he does not want to play in Serie A anymore... It's a question of "heart" I suppose...
I can understand doubts about his no-familiarity with the Championship... but I can assure you that he is a real fighter, not an old mercenary, and that his experience might be useful to foster a new generation of full-back...
I wish you that he'll wear your team-jersey for real... You have just to be proud if this happens

[LLST]

Hello to everyone!
First of all, sorry for my english...
I'm italian and I'm an AS Roma supporter from 20 years ago... and I'm fan of english football too...
I'm here for saying something about Marco Cassetti...
He has been for 5 years the best right-back we have had... Every year we thought that a new young player had to replace him... Every year we waited for a more famous player that signed for us... And every year Cassetti brought everyone on the bench, the young and the more famous player: the titular and, above all, the most reliable player was ALWAYS him, in Serie A and in Champions League too... Only in the last season, 2011/2012, the madness and arrogance of our (and thankfully EX) coach has put him aside... And the last was the worst season we had since years...
Cassetti isn't an AS Roma player because his contract is expired, but he's not "retired"... He still wants to play and is still in condition for doing it, but I think he does not want to play in Serie A anymore... It's a question of "heart" I suppose...
I can understand doubts about his no-familiarity with the Championship... but I can assure you that he is a real fighter, not an old mercenary, and that his experience might be useful to foster a new generation of full-back...
I wish you that he'll wear your team-jersey for real... You have just to be proud if this happens

Hello Marica, I hope you are right. How slow is he?

[SM#16]

Thanks for that Marica, very insightful.

[marica]

Hello Marica, I hope you are right. How slow is he?

He may be slow, the age does not help him though and there's no use to deny it, but I have see young players as slow as him… I have see young players faster than him and incapable of crossing the ball or making a diagonal defensive or applying the offside trap… So, what is the point?

[SM#16]

The only time I could see it being an issue Marica, is that in this league you get a few teams (ourselves included in the past) who will just kick it from their goalkeeper/defence as far as they can, with the intention of a fast/strong striker running on to it. As a result play can stretch very quickly, so the slowest players could be caught out by this. However, if his awareness, anticipation and offside trap is good then it shouldn't be an issue.

At the moment we need full backs who can receive the ball with a great first touch, and have the speed in their brain and vision to work the ball out from the back quickly and move it around, not take a couple of seconds to think about things, then get scared when they're pressured and just kick it anywhere they can.

[wfcmoog]

Welcome Marica. I used to fancy you back in the 80s.

[La_tempesta_cielo_68]

So has he signed, or is this still all suposition?

[Knight GT]

So has he signed, or is this still all suposition?

Isn't that something for the bottom?!?!!

[UEA_Hornet]

We've now moved on to targeting his slightly younger rival Marco Kompacdisk.