Giallopazzi - the Roma fanzine with attitude. January 2008.
Whilst the team is still looking for the kind of consistency that could propel them into the top three, there have been signs that our beloved
Giallorossi are heading in the right direction, particularly in the Champions' League where Roma took 16 points out of a possible 18 in Group D, which also included Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Panathinaïkos. And did so without conceding a single goal.
Serie A has been a different matter. The home defeats against Milan and Udinese, along with unlucky defeats in Piacenza, Ternana and Lecce, have seriously hampered Roma's chances of catching runaway leaders Milan. The prioritary objective remains direct qualification to next year's Champions' League, with Inter, Udinese and Juventus the main obstacles along the way.
Manager Dello Spliff obviously felt, as did most of the fans, that it was now time to reap the benefits of the financial turnaround the club has undergone since his arrival. In mid-December Russian striker Kerzhakov arrived on a free transfer, arranged the previous summer, which proved to be the first of a series of major signings during the winter
mercato. The biggest of these was Djibril Cissé, bought from Liverpool for thirty million Euros. The need for a killer striker was painfully obvious at times, and Dello Spliff eventually lost patience with Claudio Pizarro's inconsistency. With Juventus interested in the Peruvian, Roma were able to sell him for a tidy twenty-five million Euros.
Rejuvenation proceeded apace with the sales of both left-backs, Heinze and Parisi, to Sevilla and Bologna respectively. Arsenal's Gaël Clichy was the
Giallorossi's next big catch; the young Frenchman had been followed for several years now by the Roma manager, and despite the large fee the move has generated considerable excitement amongst the fans. Christian Pander was brought in from Schalcke 04 for 2.3 million Euros as cover for Clichy.
Last, but by no means least, was the arrival of another Arsenal player, midfielder Cesc Fabregas. With his contract entering its last year, the north London club agreed to let him join Roma for a fee of around fifteen million Euros. It is thought Dello Spliff sees the young Spaniard as a long-term replacement for the ageing Francesco Totti, for although Alberto Aquilani has shown signs of true quality, he does not yet have the stature required to assume the mantle of first-choice playmaker.
In their first appearance for the club as starters, Clichy, Fabregas and Cissé were all very impressive, helping Roma to a thrilling 5-3 win against Juve at the Delli Alpi, a result which
Giallorossi fans are hoping will mark a turning point in the club's fortunes in Serie A.
As ever, we have been prowling around the edges of Trigoria, digging in the dirt to uncover a handful of gems for our faithful readers:
"That's twice now I've asked to be transfer-listed. Why? I just felt like it, that's why. Anyway, the boss turned me down both times. I'm not sure I can be bothered to ask again. Besides, things are a little less boring since Djibril and his ugly girlfriend have turned up." Christian Chivu (Where's The Camera?)
"The people here laugh at my lederhosen. I miss my Mütti." Michael Rensing (Homesick Puppy)
"On our first meeting, the gaffer told me: 'I could have bought the club a couple of second-hand jet fighter planes, but instead I bought you'. I had goosebumps all over." Gaël Clichy (Don't Mention Ashley Cole)
"Dónde está el banco más próximo, por favor?" Cesc Fabregas (Wanderkid)
"What an amazing place! I've never seen anything like it. I was like a kid let loose in a sweetshop. I just know I'm going to love it here." Djibril Cissé (Outside Prada)
"Morning lads. You know where the bucket and the brushes are, don't you?" Davide Dello Spliff (Likeable Slave Driver) 
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