GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma crashed to a second successive defeat last night, as AC Milan beat them 2-0.
It was an all-round disappointing display as Patrick Cutrone and Davide Calabria scored the decisive goals for the visitors, who go within six points of Roma. Here are the three main things that went wrong. Defence lacked organisation Roma's back four of Bruno Peres, Kostas Manolas, Federico Fazio and Aleksandar Kolarov looked remarkably disjointed for a unit that has played together fairly often this season. Milan's second goal highlighted this, as the defence looked wildly out of shape, allowing Calabria to run through for his first ever Serie A goal. Solutions are still required for the poor showing in this critical area of the pitch, giving Eusebio Di Francesco a lot to work on. Little service for Schick With Edin Dzeko out of form, Patrik Schick was called to the starting lineup, but the service given to him was limited. The Czech striker offered more movement up top than Dzeko has recently, but his teammates failed to create chances for him. In particular, there were several unsuccessful crosses. Schick did okay when he had the ball, but he saw all too little of it over the 90 minutes. The lack of service he received makes it no wonder that his fellow forward Dzeko has looked so frustrated recently. EDF's decisions were poor Pressure will no doubt be growing on head coach Di Francesco if the negative results continue. With the team dropping off in the second half for the second time in a week, it begs the question of what the coach says at half time. Is there a link between his half time team talks and the team's performance levels dropping? There could well be. His substitutions weren't necessarily the right decisions as well, with Stephan El Shaarawy once again not featuring, in a game in which he could definitely have had an impact. There's something suspicious about SES's lack of gametime recently, perhaps indicating a disintegration in his relationship with the coach. Final Thoughts Things aren't about to get any easier for Roma, with a trip to league leaders Napoli next up. If the team play like they did against Milan, they will stand little chance of getting a positive result. EDF will have a lot to think about before that game if he is to avoid a repeat of the disappointment of Sunday.
0 Comments
Roma's final fixture in February pits them against seventh-placed AC Milan.
The Lupi will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of losing 2-1 to Shakhtar in the Champions League in midweek. Milan are currently on a good run of form after a slow start to the season. Under their former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, they have gone the last eleven games unbeaten, keeping clean sheets in each of their last four games. The most recent of which saw them progress to the Europa League Round of 16 by beating Ludogorets 1-0, setting up a tie with Arsenal. Milan made headlines by spending big in the summer, but it is one of their homegrown players who has been catching the limelight recently. 20 year old striker Patrick Cutrone has scored 13 goals in 31 games this season, more than summer signings Nikola Kalinic and Andre Silva have managed combined. He will be just one of the players Roma's defence will have to keep an eye on tonight. Roma's squad is bolstered by the inclusion of January addition Jonathan Silva for the first time. Rotation is expected from Eusebio Di Francesco, with Lorenzo Pellegrini likely to be recalled to the starting lineup, and Patrik Schick potentially being a starter. A win for Roma will help cement their place in the Champions League qualification spots, but in order to get it they will have to do what four of the last five sides to face Milan have failed to: score at least one goal. Today's choices for Five-a-Side Friday, where fans pick their dream all-time Roma five-a-side team, come from Tom Woods.
Name: Tom Woods Location: Manchester/Liverpool, England Team: GK – Maarten Stekelenburg I am also an Everton fan, so it would be great to have a player who has represented both teams in the side. He’s not the best, but Stekelenburg gets the nod. DF – Ashley Cole Hardly Roma’s greatest ever player and didn’t leave the club on the best terms, but Ashley Cole was quality on his day and it would be nice to have a compatriot in the side. MF – Me I don’t know if this is allowed, but if I was picking my fantasy Roma team I would, of course, want to be playing myself! To pull on the jersey and play with the other players I’ve listed would be an absolute honour! FW – Gabriel Batistuta I was very young when Batistuta was playing, but he was one of the finest forwards of his generation. He’s one of those iconic names from my childhood and also helped Roma to the Scudetto. Not too shabby. FW – Francesco Totti Who else? The man is a living legend and has had a career like no other. I’ve grown up loving Totti, and he is one of the greatest players to ever grace a football pitch. I don’t think there are any fans who would leave Il Capitano out. Roma sacrificed a one goal lead in Ukraine last night, as Shakhtar Donetsk came from behind to win 2-1.
The first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie was a real game of two halves, with the Roma that showed up in the second half looking like a completely different team to the one who had put in a solid first 45 minutes. Here are the positives and negatives from the first leg defeat. + Crucial Away Goal After scoring the vital away goal, all Roma need to do to reach the quarter finals is beat Shakhtar 1-0 at home. This has been Roma's favourite scoreline this season, so all they need to do is repeat it and they will have made it to the final eight of the tournament. + Dzeko and Cengiz Link Up to Score The goal came from a good passage of play between Edin Dzeko and Cengiz Under. Under made a good run forward to exploit the space, with Dzeko spotting the Turk's movement. The striker then played a very good through ball to Cengiz, who finished for his first Champions League goal. Dzeko had a good understanding with Mohamed Salah last season, and perhaps this could be the beginning of a new partnership with Cengiz, which could benefit them both. - Full Backs Torn to Pieces Much of Shakhtar's joy came down the wings, and it's fair to say Roma's full backs - especially Alessandro Florenzi - were annihilated. Florenzi couldn't deal with the threat posed by Bernard on Shakhtar's left wing, causing real problems for Roma's defence. When Bruno Peres replaced him, a similar pattern continued. Aleksandar Kolarov wasn't as poor as the two right sided full backs, but still looks a shadow of the player he was earlier in the season. It's a problem that needs addressing before the second leg. - Midfield Bypassed Roma's midfielders struggled to get into the game, in particular Radja Nainggolan. Eusebio Di Francesco has recently changed the team's formation to utilise the Belgian in a more advanced role, but he is not playing as well there as he did last season. Behind him, Kevin Strootman and Daniele De Rossi weren't terrible, but didn't have as large an impact on the game as they could have. Final Thoughts Despite the second half collapse, Roma hung on to ensure they remained just one goal behind in the tie. This was in part due to the continued heroics of Alisson in goal, who now must surely be regarded as one of the best keepers in the world. It's a result that keeps Roma in the competition, and if certain issues are resolved before the second leg, they still stand a very good chance of going through. Champions League action returns for Roma on Wednesday night, as they face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Round of 16.
The match takes place in Ukraine and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm UK time. Roma enter the game on the back of a three-game winning streak, although truth be told, the team haven't been playing at their most efficient levels. Earlier in the season, Eusebio Di Francesco's team took the Champions League by storm, navigating their way out of one of the toughest groups in first place. The 3-0 win at home to Chelsea was the pinnacle, as the Giallorossi shocked the Premier League champions. Form has fluctuated since then, but with three successive wins now recorded, Roma will go into the game with renewed optimism. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian League has only just returned from a ten-week winter break, so Shakhtar have only played one competitive game in 2018. They showed no signs of rustiness, however, as they defeated Chornomorets 5-0. Facundo Ferreyra and Marlos both got two goals, before Viktor Kovalenko completed the scoring late on. For that game, they opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, just as Roma have done recently. The result ensured they remained in first place in their league, three points ahead of Dynamo Kyiv. In terms of Shakhtar's own Champions League fortunes this season, they have already come up against Italian opposition. In the same group as Napoli, they recorded one win and one loss against the Serie A leaders, ultimately finishing ahead of them in their group. They also beat Manchester City 2-1, so are certainly an opponent to be taken seriously. Roma's 21-man squad for the game is almost at full-strength, with Maxime Gonalons and Rick Karsdorp injured, and Jonathan Silva ineligible. It's an opportunity for Roma to make another good statement in the Champions League. Can they return from Ukraine with an important away goal, or better still, a first leg victory? Roma will be hoping to follow up their 5-2 win over Benevento as they take on Udinese on Saturday.
Eusebio Di Francesco's men travel to the Stadio Friuli for a 2pm UK time kick off tomorrow. Udinese have found a new lease of life under Massimo Oddo, winning half of their games since he took charge in November. Most recently, they lost 2-0 to Torino. Earlier in the season, Roma beat Udinese 3-1, with a goal from Edin Dzeko and a brace from Stephan El Shaarawy. Roma's squad is returning to full strength, with Daniele De Rossi available again after making a substitute appearance last week. Di Francesco is expected to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation utilised in recent games. As for the opponents, they have been using a back three of late, and are likely to do the same again tomorrow. The game could be a perfect platform for Roma's man of the moment, Cengiz Under, to showcase his abilities against better opposition. The youngster is in superb form, with three goals and one assist in his last two games, and he will be hoping to build on those successes. Now Roma are back in the top four, they will be looking to stay there, and a victory over Udinese tomorrow will be important to do so. It will be a tougher challenge than the last couple of games, but buoyed by the returns of Radja Nainggolan and Lorenzo Pellegrini from suspension, Roma will be hoping they can extend the run of positive results to three matches. The Five-a-Side Friday feature continues as another fan submits their all-time dream Roma five-a-side team.
Name: Ben S Location: Blackburn, England Team: Alisson: Hasn't been here long but already one of the world's best keepers. Had to be in my team. Cafu: Sir Alex Ferguson said the one player he wished he would have signed for United during his entire reign was Cafu. That tells you all you need to know about how good this guy was. Aldair: A beast of a centre back. So solid and dependable. 330 league appearances over 13 years for a team constantly chopping and changing speaks volumes about his ability. Francesco Totti: Do I even need to explain why? It was a choice between Falcao and Totti for this spot, but how can I not have Totti in my team?! 619 league appearances, 250 league goals. The man was on a different level in his hey day. Could have joined Real but opted to stay loyal to his boyhood club. A role model that all modern footballers could do with learning from. Gabriel Batistuta: My favourite player to have ever played the game. There wasn't much he couldn't do on the ball. Without Batigol we wouldn't have win the Scudetto in 2000-01. Still our record signing (until we sign Schick permanently). 5-2 was the scoreline as Roma defeated a bottom-three side for the second game in a row.
Benevento put up a good fight, but some moments of magic, from Cengiz Under in particular, ensured Roma kept hold of the three points, preventing an unlikely upset. Here are the positives and negatives to take from the game. + Defrel off the mark A home match against a struggling side presented the perfect opportunity for Gregoire Defrel to score his first Roma goal. On as a second half substitute for Stephan El Shaarawy, the Frenchman took a while to get into the rhythm of the game, but eventually started to have an influence. When Roma won a late penalty, Edin Dzeko quickly gave the ball to Defrel, and the ex-Sassuolo man duly converted to break his Roma duck. It could be exactly what he needs in order to develop his confidence. + Cengiz continues to impress Another player who scored his first Roma goal recently, Cengiz Under put in another good performance. He put in several good crosses with his weaker right foot, showing another facet to his game. One of those crosses led to a goal for Dzeko. The Turkish winger also added another two goals of his own - a pair of brilliant finishes. The first saw him react to the path of the ball and find the net first time, whilst the second was a moment of pure brilliance, as he curled the ball way beyond the goalkeeper's reach and into the goal at the far post. - Defensive solidity is disappearing Roma's early season showings were characterised by good defensive displays. However, against Benevento, the defensive unit looked far from assured. Two goals were conceded to a side who had only scored three on their travels all season. The second highlighted a lapse in concentration, which cannot be repeated against more clinical sides. This month, some more difficult fixtures await, with ties against Udinese, Shakhtar and Milan around the corner. Eusebio Di Francesco will have to iron out some of his side's inefficiencies before those games to ensure the results aren't negative. But all in all, the 5-2 win over Benevento should have provided certain players with additional confidence heading into those matches, as Roma look to revitalise their season. Roma entertain Benevento at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night as they look to record back-to-back wins for the first time in 2018.
Following last week’s victory over Hellas Verona, Eusebio Di Francesco will be looking to outwit another relegation zone opponent. Serie A’s bottom side have picked up just seven points this season, but the calibre of opponents they have taken points off has been reasonably impressive. They beat Chievo and Sampdoria, and drew against AC Milan. Roma, although vastly superior to their opponents in terms of technical quality, will have to retain high levels of focus in order to see out the game and ensure Benevento don’t take any points away from the capital. Roma’s squad for the match is a little depleted; Lorenzo Pellegrini is suspended after last week’s red card, Bruno Peres has been suspended by the club after his involvement in a drink-driving accident, and Radja Nainggolan is also ruled out. However, Daniele De Rossi and Patrik Schick have returned to the matchday squad after brief injuries. Three Primavera players, Devid Bouah, Alessio Riccardi, and Andrea Marcucci, have also been called up. Benevento recently captured former Arsenal and Manchester City full back Bacary Sagna, as well as ex-Spurs midfielder Sandro. Could the experience they have added help them in their unlikely bid to retain Serie A status? The side from Campania have failed to score in their last three games. Indeed, they are the league’s lowest scorers this season with just 13 goals from 23 matches. And whilst Roma have been far from the most clinical in front of net in this campaign, they will be confident of scoring more than their visitors when they face off, at 7:45pm UK time tomorrow. Every Friday, the Giallorossi Yorkshire blog will be featuring the all-time dream Roma five-a-side team of one fan. Today is the turn of Amos Fiocchi!
Name: Amos Fiocchi Location: Wisconsin, USA Team: Alisson Becker: Sometimes your club finds a player and (whether intentional or not) provides him the perfect circumstances to shine brighter than a diamond. No matter what he has earned his spot in our hearts. Cafu: One of the most decorated players to play for us (especially with his national team); he takes us all back to a time where the defense was not always our primary concern. His experience and leadership definitely made a difference in our last Scudetto. Radja Nainggolan: While his antics off the field occasionally raise questions, his professionalism on it is of no doubt. It is clear he loves the club, fans, and the city. Gabriel Batistuta: This guy was far and above our highest transfer when we acquired him and it was worth every penny. His impact and partnership with Totti were most necessary for the 00/01 Scudetto. Francesco Totti: His brilliance and creativity from game to game was a well that never ran dry. Of course, his leadership also goes without saying. |
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
|