GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma return from the international break on Sunday with a home clash against rivals Napoli.
The Giallorossi will be looking to make it two home wins out of two under Claudio Ranieri, but the general mood is low following a 2-1 away loss to SPAL before the break. In Napoli, Roma come up against a side who are much more comfortable in the race for Champions League qualification. Carlo Ancelotti's side are second in the table, 13 points ahead of fifth-placed Roma. However, like the Lupi, Napoli could also be said to have fallen short of their targets this season. An even greater 15 points separate them from league leaders Juventus, and after last season's effort, the Partenopei will surely have wanted to have mounted a stronger challenge. Nonetheless, they go into Sunday afternoon's fixture as favourites, with Roma still suffering a number of injuries and struggling for form. In view of the matchup, here are three key points from Ranieri's pre-match press conference on Friday. Olsen to be given vote of confidence Goalkeeper Robin Olsen has come in for a lot of criticism recently thanks to a series of errors, with fans growing less confident in him with every passing game. However, despite the calls for Antonio Mirante to be given the starting berth in goal, it appears that Ranieri will stick with the Swede for Sunday - and the remainder of the season. "I think Robin is an excellent goalkeeper," revealed the coach. "I was keeping tabs on him even before he joined Roma. He has my full confidence.” Manolas may not be risked The international break has given key defender Kostas Manolas the chance to recuperate from a minor injury, and the Greek should be back in the squad for Sunday's encounter. However, with an eye on the midweek fixture against Fiorentina, Ranieri may not start him and put him at risk of being out for longer. “I have a number of players who are close to returning. Kostas will train with us today. They all want to play and show they're available in this tough spell so that's great news. It's up to me to make the calls. He's told me he wants to play but I want to assess everything carefully.” Time to move on from the Dzeko-El Shaarawy feud The loss to SPAL was overshadowed by a reported fall-out between attackers Edin Dzeko and Stephan El Shaarawy. However, Ranieri has insisted that the feud is a thing of the past, and that both are ready to give their maximum for Roma again. "What happened between El Shaarawy and Dzeko is the normal sort of thing that happens in every family. It's all sorted now and that's the main thing.” The coach also confirmed that the decision to take El Shaarawy off at half-time in Ferrara was purely tactical, and not in relation to the dispute. “The lads are used to playing 4-3-3 and I'd asked the wide players to do something a bit different in a 4-4-2. It was a tactical change at the start of the second half, unrelated to the disagreement they had.” However, El Shaarawy will not be involved on Sunday due to a calf injury picked up on international duty. Expected lineup: Olsen, Karsdorp, Fazio, Jesus, Santon, Zaniolo, Nzonzi, Cristante, Perotti, Dzeko, Schick Kick-off time: 2pm GMT, 31/3/19 UK viewing details: Free Sports (from 1:55pm)
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It's set to be a busy transfer window in the summer, as Roma could be forced into a rebuilding project to help rectify the mess that departed sporting director Monchi has left the club in.
It would be reasonable to expect a vast array of departures and arrivals - a strategy that has not always worked for the club in the past, but feels necessary as things stand. With Champions League qualification looking like a diminishing prospect, Roma's summer activity could be restricted. The man in charge of transfers this summer - whether that is Ricky Massara or someone else - will have some big decisions to make in order to transform Roma back into a strong, competitive unit. Among those decisions will be those related to players who will have just a year left on their contracts. Do they deserve to be offered an extension, or should the club cash in while they can? Here are those 11 players, and what Roma should do with them. Juan Jesus For the past three years, Juan Jesus has been a relatively dependable back-up option in defence. He may not be the strongest, or have the best reading of the game, but he can offer a solution when needed. However, despite his bit-part role in the squad, he remains one of the club's highest earners. As much as he has been a decent alternative at the back, it's unrealistic for a non-starter to be on his kind of wages. With that in mind, Roma should look to sell him in the summer. Roma should be able to recoup the €10m they spent on him in 2016, which can be reinvested into more economical options. Federico Fazio Federico Fazio joined Roma in the same summer as Jesus, and has had mixed fortunes in the capital. His first season, in which he played in a back-three under Luciano Spalletti, was immense, earning him the nickname of 'Il Comandante'. In his second season, he was still a starter, but his performance levels dropped slightly as new coach Eusebio Di Francesco favoured a back four. This season has been his worst in Rome yet, but it may still be worth keeping hold of him. At his age, he probably has little-to-no resale value, so Roma should utilise his experience and let him see out his contract. Yes, he is another high earner, but is slightly better than Jesus, so he could be retained for stability. However, he cannot be the starter any more. A new defender must be signed to take his place in the lineup. Aleksandar Kolarov Another player whose time with Roma has been a mixed bag, the renewal of Aleksandar Kolarov depends very much on his fitness and performance levels. At 33 years old, he's not in the best shape of his career, although you can't fault his effort. With that in mind, a similar scenario to Fazio could ensue - let him stay at the club for the final year of his contract, but give the starting left-back role to a younger player (Luca Pellegrini, perhaps?) and use Kolarov as an experienced back-up. Stephan El Shaarawy There can be no doubts about this one. With the way he has performed this season, it's essential that Roma offer Stephan El Shaarawy a new contract. The winger is enjoying his most prolific season in years, finally shedding the inconsistency which meant he had never been a definite starter in the past. Now, he can be a cornerstone of the new Roma project, and having surpassed 100 appearances for the club, it's time for him to be given even more responsibility in the group. Edin Dzeko This could be the toughest call of the summer. There's no denying that Edin Dzeko has been one of Roma's best value-f0r-money purchases of (perhaps) all-time. Signed for €15m in 2015, the Bosnian has gone on to score 85 goals for the club, propelling him into the Giallorossi's top ten all time goalscorers. That means each of Dzeko's goals has cost the club just over €175,000. To put that in perspective, iconic Scudetto-winner Gabriel Batistuta scored at a rate which meant each of his goals cost Roma over €1m. Thus, Dzeko's efficiency is clear to see. However, this season hasn't been his best, and if Roma need to raise funds, he will be one of the players looked at first in terms of having a decent value. Is Patrik Schick ready to step up and be the first-choice striker instead? He's shown promise recently, but perhaps needs to score five goals before the end of the season to convince the club they could let Dzeko go. Likewise though, if Dzeko can rediscover his scoring touch, he could also deserve a one-year extension. It would be a difficult decision to part ways with Dzeko, but if the money is needed, maybe it'd be the right one. That being said, with Inter Milan hovering, it's important not to sell to a rival club where he could have an impact. There will be enough interest in the Premier League if Roma do decide to sell. Andrea Romagnoli Moving on to the players who are currently out on loan whose Roma deals expire in 2020, goalkeeper Andrea Romagnoli hasn't enjoyed the best season. His loan spell to Serie A side Renate was cancelled in January without him making an appearance, and following a switch to Pistoiese, he is still yet to play. It's probably best for Roma to let him go this summer. Elio Capradossi Elio Capradossi's future hinges on the composition of Roma's defence by the end of the summer. The Italy youth international made two appearances for the first team last season after being recalled from a loan, and did reasonably well. If Roma are in need of depth at centre-back but have limited funds, he could be brought back as a fourth-choice for the position. He's played 11 times for Spezia in Serie B this season, although he hasn't featured since January. But if Roma need the cover, Capradossi won't cost them anything. Maybe he's worth keeping hold of, at least until the winter transfer window. Alessandro Bordin A 20-year-old Primavera player who has seen little gametime with Perugia in Serie B this season, it's probably best for Alessandro Bordin to be moved on this summer. Daniele Verde It seems like an eternity since Daniele Verde burst onto the scene in Rudi Garcia's Roma side of the 2014-15 season, and with that in mind, it's surely time for him to find a permanent new home. Various loan spells have brought decent levels of success, but not quite enough for him to warrant a place in the first team squad back at Roma. He's scored two goals in 18 La Liga games for Real Valladolid this season, and with the Spanish club retaining an option-to-buy, he could well settle there. Ezequiel Ponce Like Verde, Ezequiel Ponce seems to have been on Roma's books forever, but is still without a first team appearance. Nonetheless, he has shown plenty of promise this season, scoring 14 goals in 23 games for AEK Athens in Greece. It's the first time he's really shown his ability in front of goal, and if Roma need a back-up striker in the event of Dzeko leaving, then why not give Ponce a chance to replicate that form in Italy? Umar Sadiq Yes, he's still owned by Roma. The striker who impressed at 18 years of age with two goals in the 2015-16 season has since been loaned out to everywhere from Italy through Holland and Scotland, and back to Italy again. None of those spells have really cemented the potential he showed in a handful of appearances under Garcia, and the summer could finally see him sold. With two goals in eight games for Perugia this season, perhaps the Serie B side would be interested in signing him permanently. The weekend saw the senior Italy debut of Roma's brightest prospects, Nicolo Zaniolo, increasing the already healthy number of internationals in the Giallorossi's present squad.
Many of those internationals are experienced players who arrived at Roma having already pulled on the national shirt dozens of times. However, Roma has proven to be successful in developing young talent, and helping those that have not yet featured on the world stage develop into important players for their countries. These are the 10 most recent players who were given their international debuts during their time at Roma. Nicolo Zaniolo (March 2019, Italy) This season has seen Zaniolo emerge as one of Italy's most important players for the future, and national coach Roberto Mancini has been aware of his potential all along. Zaniolo was given his first Italy call-up before he had even made his Roma debut, or even played at U21 level internationally, but didn't get to spend any time on the pitch. Since then, he has grown to prominence even further with impressive goals in Serie A and the Champions League. The humble midfielder finally got to make his senior Italy debut on Saturday, entering as a late substitute against Finland. It surely won't be the last time he plays for the Azzurri. Leandro Paredes (June 2017, Argentina) A player whose stock rose significantly during his time with Roma - thanks also to a fundamental loan spell at Empoli - Leandro Paredes arrived at the club in 2014 from Boca Juniors in his native Argentina. In his final season with the Giallorossi before departing for Zenit St Petersburg, the midfielder impressed, making 41 appearances in all competitions. At the end of that campaign, he was rewarded by Jorge Sampaoli with his senior Argentina debut - a full six years since his last youth international appearance, at U17 level. Paredes marked the occasion by scoring in a 6-0 win over Singapore, but he left Roma less than a month later. Alessandro Florenzi (November 2012, Italy) After a season-long loan with Crotone had given Alessandro Florenzi the experience he needed to kick on his professional career, the midfielder returned to Roma intent on nailing down a place in the first team. That he was able to achieve, and three months into his first season back in the capital, he was selected by Cesare Prandelli for the senior national team. Whilst injuries have disrupted his progress in his later career, Florenzi remains an integral part of the national setup, and has more than 30 caps to his name. Panagiotis Tachtsidis (November 2012, Greece) Making his international debut on the exact same day as Florenzi, the midfielder, who was 21 at the time, made his Greece bow against Republic of Ireland. He spent a sole season at Roma, making 23 appearances in all competitions, but beyond that, he still remained in the eyes of his national selectors enough to warrant a place in their 2014 World Cup squad. Leandro Castan (October 2012, Brazil) It still feels like a case of what might have been with Leandro Castan. The Brazilian defender was imperious for Roma in his maiden campaign in Italy, which saw him called up for the world's most successful national team for the first time. Sadly, he only made one more cap, before a cavernoma was discovered in his brain that would keep him out of action for months. It was a long road to recovery for the left-footer, and he was finally released by Roma last year. Since, he has fortunately been able to find regular playing time again, in his homeland with Vasco da Gama. Mattia Destro (August 2012, Italy) Mattia Destro was a player whose light shone brightly for a short period of time, before he disappeared into mediocrity. After a 12-goal season for Siena in 2011-12, the striker was snapped up by Roma for an eight-figure sum. Sixteen days after making the transfer, Destro was given his Italy debut in a friendly against England. Seven further caps would follow over a two-year period, but he missed out on a place in the 2014 World Cup squad, and only played seven minutes of international football after that. Fabio Borini (February 2012, Italy) Fabio Borini made his Italy debut against the USA, midway through the season he spent on loan at Roma. His goalscoring exploits - he netted 10 times for the Giallorossi across the campaign - earned him a place in the nation's squad for Euro 2012. However, he did not play at the tournament, in which the Azzurri reached the final. Dani Osvaldo (October 2011, Italy) Three months after joining Roma from Espanyol, Argentine-born Dani Osvaldo seized his opportunity in the absence of some of Italy's main forwards. The controversial striker had previously represented Italy - the country of his great-grandfather's birth - at U21 level, and made the step up to senior international football in a victory over Northern Ireland. Jeremy Menez (August 2010, France) Two seasons with Roma had brought 69 appearances for then-23-year-old Jeremy Menez, and Laurent Blanc gave him his first start for France in a friendly with Norway. The winger featured heavily for his national team over the next two years - during which time he left Roma for PSG - and earned a place in their Euro 2012 squad. Max Tonetto (June 2007, Italy) Max Tonetto's one and only Italy cap came in June 2007, as he started at left-back against Faroe Islands in a qualifier for the next summer's European Championships. The Azzurri won 2-1 through a Filippo Inzaghi brace. Even though he lasted the full 90 minutes in that game, and went on to win the Coppa Italia with Roma the following season - the campaign in which he made the most appearances of his career with over 50 - Tonetto was never capped by Italy again. He retired in 2010, having made just shy of 300 appearances in Serie A. The current international break has already seen a pair of Roma players tick off some notable landmarks, with Edin Dzeko becoming the first player to ever reach 100 caps for Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Nicolo Zaniolo coming on for his senior Italy debut.
However, throughout Roma's history, not all of the club's best players have also shone on the international stage. Legends such as Roberto Pruzzo - the club's second highest goalscorer of all-time - and Sebino Nela - one of the greatest defenders to ever represent the club - both made less than 10 international caps. Indeed, several Roma greats never got to pull on the international shirt even once. Here is a lineup, in a 4-4-2 formation, of iconic Roma players who were never capped by their countries at senior level. GK: Fabio Cudicini (Italy) Despite being widely heralded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, Fabio Cudicini often found himself behind others in the pecking order for the Italian national team. A Coppa Italia winner with Roma in 1964, Cudicini also impressed at club level with AC Milan, where he is a member of their Hall of Fame. DF: Domenico Maggiora (Italy) Making more than 100 appearances for Roma in a six-year spell in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Domenico Maggiora won the Coppa Italia twice with the Giallorossi. He moved to Sampdoria in the summer before Roma's Scudetto-winning season of 1982-83. DF: Armando Tre Re (Italy) One of Roma's earlier captains, Armando Tre Re's leadership was never called upon by the Italian setup. He played in Serie A for eight seasons, also having spells with Livorno and Napoli, but was relegated twice - once with Livorno and once with Roma - never featuring in a side that finished higher than sixth. DF: Sergio Andreoli (Italy) The man who preceded Tre Re as captain, Sergio Andreoli won Serie A with Roma in his first season with the club, back in 1941-42, but his young age at the time meant he didn't attract the attention of the national team. DF: Emidio Oddi (Italy) Joining Roma in the summer after they had won their second Serie A title, left-back Emidio Oddi played a big part in helping the side reach the European Cup final in his inaugural campaign in red and yellow. He stayed at the club until 1989, but was never considered for international selection. MF and captain: Agostino Di Bartolomei (Italy) Perhaps the most famous of them all to have never been capped, iconic former Roma captain Agostino Di Bartolomei played in Serie A for over a decade. The playmaker led Roma to their second Scudetto in 1983 and also featured in three Coppa Italia-winning sides and the team which lost the 1984 European Cup final to Liverpool. Italy's neglect of him remains one of the most questionable topics in calcio history. MF: Giorgio Carpi (Italy) Giorgio Carpi was one of Roma's founding players in their debut campaign of 1927-28, and went on to spend a decade with his hometown club. He never scored for Roma, but was still an important enough figure to earn a place in the Hall of Fame in 2017. MF: Rodrigo Taddei (Brazil) A player who was successful for Roma in a number of different positions, winger Rodrigo Taddei was eligible to play for either the country of his birth, Brazil, or, through his citizenship, Italy. However, despite making more than 250 appearances for La Magica and winning three trophies during his time in Rome, he was never called up by either national setup. MF: Odoacre Chierico (Italy) Roman-born Odoacre Chierico enjoyed a successful career with Roma, spending four years with the club during the heyday of the early 1980s. Once a Serie A winner and once victorious in the Coppa Italia, the winger was an important man for Nils Liedholm, but he evaded the attention of then-Italy coach Enzo Bearzot. FW: Arturo Chini Luduena (Argentina) Arturo Chini Ludena had dual nationality allowing him to represent either Argentina or Italy, and he did play for the latter at B level. However, even though he scored more than 50 goals for Roma, the first foreign player in the club's history was never given a senior call-up. FW: Rodolfo Volk (Italy) Another member of the first ever Roma squad, Austrian-born Rodolfo Volk recorded a vast array of impressive achievements with the Giallorossi. He scored the first ever goal in the Derby Della Capitale in 1929, as well as scoring the first official goal at the legendary Campo Testaccio stadium the same year. He was prolific for Italy's B team, scoring five goals in as many matches, but was never given the opportunity to prove himself for the first team. Subs (all Italy apart from Panto - Argentina): Luigi Brunella (DF), Stefano Desideri (MF), Cesare Augusto Fasanelli (MF), Paolo Pestrin (MF), Miguel Angel Panto (FW), Maurizio Iorio (FW), Giuliano Taccola (FW) Yesterday, Roma president James Pallotta released a passionate statement defending the club following controversial comments from recently-departed sporting director Monchi.
Monchi left Roma in March, a little under two years since his appointment, as the two parties reached a mutual agreement to part company. The 50-year-old has since returned to his former club Sevilla, where he took those of a Roma persuasion by surprise with some accusations against the club's ownership. "I left Rome for a simple reason: we realised that the idea of the ownership was different than mine," he claimed. "The president thought it was better to go to the right, I to the left. It was not right to continue like this." Pallotta has since hit out at Monchi's comments, revealing his frustration at the poor job done in Rome by the former goalkeeper. These are some of the lessons we learned from the president's statement. Monchi is to blame for the club's crisis It's a position that many people held already, but Pallotta's comments have just added fuel to the fire that Monchi is the one to be held responsible for the desperate situation the club find themselves in. "I gave him 100% control to appoint the coach he wanted, to employ the assistant coaches and the performance staff, to manage the scouting and to bring in the players he wanted," Pallotta confirmed. "If you look at our results and our performances, it’s clear that this hasn’t worked." Monchi was given free rein over his project at Roma, but certainly did not deliver. Pallotta provided him with huge funds to sign players and appoint staff, but that money was wasted by the Spaniard on those not up to the task of helping Roma achieve their targets. Many of the players he brought in have under-performed, meaning Roma are in danger of missing out on key objectives. Roma's reputation at stake and club keen to protect it Pallotta didn't need to respond to Monchi's claims. The Sevilla man was just making a passing comment about his change of direction. But Pallotta was aware of the bad light the club could have been painted in. He didn't want Roma to come across as a club troubled with disagreements at the top. Roma have a reputation to protect and build upon, and Pallotta took it upon himself to ensure it remained as positive as possible. His statement was a staunch defence of the way the club has been run. Yes, some fans may be angry at him for appointing Monchi in the first place, but he made it clear that he did so with the best of intentions. It's inconceivable that anybody could have seen Monchi's tenure going this badly. And it didn't need to end with the club looking like the worse side of the two. Pallotta cares Often a divisive figure, with some fans upset at his lack of presence in Rome, Pallotta has shown through this statement just how much he cares about the club as a brand and a sporting organisation. He freely admits that, since November, "our season was going from bad to worse and everyone could see that the coach was struggling to get a reaction out of the players." He recognised the peril that Monchi had put Roma in. Pallotta wanted to change that. He knew that Roma needed to change things up. A Plan B was a necessity that Monchi couldn't provide. Indeed, when the time came for Roma to veto Monchi's wishes and sack Euesbio Di Francesco, it proved to also be the final straw for the sporting director. The club took the responsibility that Monchi couldn't, in order to reserve a fraction of hope for the remainder of the season. Yes, Pallotta cares, more than some fans realise. His admission that Roma "are in danger of missing out on finishing in the top three for the first time since 2014" seems to genuinely hurt him as much as it does the supporters. Pallotta still has big ambitions for Roma, even if certain things have taken longer than he would have wanted. But deep down, his passion for the club is there. And that's why he took the decision to act. Claudio Ranieri will once again have a depleted squad at his disposal as Roma travel to face SPAL on Saturday evening.
Roma got through Ranieri's first game in charge since his return without influential figures such as Edin Dzeko, Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas, and in tonight's trip to Ferrara, several big players will be absent again. Aleksandar Kolarov missed the win over Empoli through suspension, but he hasn't returned to the matchday squad for the SPAL clash. With Davide Santon a minor doubt as well, Juan Jesus or Ivan Marcano could be forced to fill in at left-back, with the other pairing the returning Federico Fazio in the centre of defence. Lorenzo Pellegrini also remains among the absentees, while Alessandro Florenzi is suspended after picking up a red card against Empoli. However, there is some good news, as Dzeko has returned to the squad. Therefore, it's likely that we will see him play alongside Patrik Schick in the first proper taste of Ranieri's 4-4-2 system. For SPAL, the main danger man will no doubt be former Atalanta striker Andrea Petagna, who has scored 10 goals in 25 Serie A games this season. A forward with physical presence, Roma's defence will need to be wary of his threat. The game kicks off at 5pm UK time, and will be shown on Free Sports, with coverage starting from 5:15pm. Claudio Ranieri's return to the Roma dugout got off to a winning start after goals from Stephan El Shaarawy and Patrik Schick gave them a 2-1 victory over Empoli on Monday night.
The win - their first in the month of March - sees them keep the pressure on the top four, with just three points separating them from Inter in the race for Champions League qualification. Roma were down to the bones for the game, with several high-profile absences through injury and suspension. Nonetheless, they gritted their teeth and held strong to see out the three points. It wasn't all that pretty, but it was never going to be with so many players unavailable. Here, Giallorossi Yorkshire analyses which three players stood out most, and the three that struggled in the game. Stars Stephan El Shaarawy Opening the scoring with a superb strike from outside the box, El Shaarawy was a positive outlet for his side. His confidence seems to be growing week upon week, and a symbolic moment came when he was handed the captain's armband for the first time following Alessandro Florenzi's red card. It symbolised the senior position that El Shaarawy has now assumed, and he led by example, trying to manage the game by keeping hold of the ball for as long as possible. He also adapted well when he moved to a more central striking position, allowing him to link up well with the energetic Patrik Schick. Steven Nzonzi The French midfielder hasn't always shown what he's capable of this season, but he definitely found a rhythm against Empoli. He made several interceptions to disrupt opposition attacks and was confident in possession. Nzonzi was the controlling force Roma needed at the core of the action. Justin Kluivert The winger was a bright spark and always made himself an option with his positive thinking and forward runs. His pace caused countless problems for the ageing Empoli defence, and helped Roma get on the front foot. It should also be noted that he won the free kick that led to the winning goal. He will be hoping to kick on now for the final few games of the season. Strugglers Bryan Cristante Whilst his midfield partner Nzonzi impressed, Cristante was often sloppy in possession, giving the ball away when Roma could have created chances. The Italian played at an almost leisurely pace and also picked up a yellow card. It was far from his finest outing. Juan Jesus With Kostas Manolas injured and Federico Fazio serving a one-match ban, Jesus had to step up in defence, but it didn't go as well as planned, as the Brazilian spectacularly headed into his own net in the 12th minute. Alessandro Florenzi He may have got the assist for the winning goal, but more often than not, Florenzi's crosses were imprecise and failed to beat the first man. It's been a tough week for the full-back, who capped it off by getting sent off - albeit due to a harsh decision from the referee. Overall thoughts Roma stopped the rot by getting back to winning ways, and that's all that matters. Players will return over the next few weeks to supplement the starting lineup and add cover and quality where it is needed. The result is a step in the right direction that allows Roma to look forward rather than behind them. This is a platform to build on. It's the first game of Claudio Ranieri's second spell in charge of Roma tonight, as the Giallorossi entertain relegation-threatened Empoli.
Ranieri will be hoping to inspire the team to their first win of March, after disappointing performances in the Derby Della Capitale and Champions League saw Eusebio Di Francesco lose his job. Whilst the level of the opponent gives Roma a good chance to put those wrongs behind them, a number of absences are causing complications to their preparation for the clash. As many as seven first team players are absent, with Edin Dzeko, Federico Fazio and Aleksandar Kolarov suspended, and Daniele De Rossi, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Cengiz Under and Javier Pastore injured. Five Primavera players have been called up as reinforcements, including Alessio Riccardi, who made his senior debut in the Coppa Italia win over Virtus Entella earlier this year, and Zan Celar, who is top scorer for the U19s this term. Due to all the absentees, there won't actually be many major decisions for Ranieri to make. However, the coach must choose whether or not to drop goalkeeper Robin Olsen for Antonio Mirante, after the Swede's recent struggles. As for the opponents, Empoli have only won one game in 2019, and are yet to win on the road all season. The stats, then, certainly favour Roma, but let's see how they cope without the influence of so many key players. Claudio Ranieri is all set to begin his second spell as Roma coach, with his debut in the dugout coming tomorrow against Empoli.
Ranieri was appointed on Friday to take over from Eusebio Di Francesco, signing a contract until the end of the season. The bad patch of form which led to Di Francesco's sacking has seen the chances of the side reaching the top four diminish. However, with Ranieri's positive outlook, there is hope that the team can turn things around and achieve their target. Here are five things the new coach will have to solve in a short space of time if that is to occur. Sort out the defence It's an unenviable task that's easier said than done. Roma have already conceded more goals in Serie A this season than they did in the entirety of last season, and there's still 12 games to go. However, perhaps it isn't a lost cause. Whilst Federico Fazio has been poor this season, he did stand out for the right reasons in his first two seasons with the club, so maybe with some small tweaks - a deeper line, for example - he could rediscover his form to become a reliable partner for Kostas Manolas again. Likewise, Juan Jesus and Ivan Marcano - who are set to start together against Empoli - have played better in the past with Roma and former clubs, so maybe they can improve. If Ranieri can bring some stability to the defence and just make Roma hard to beat again, then it will be a good platform to build from. Get Edin Dzeko firing again Another experienced player who has been slightly off-colour this season has been Edin Dzeko. The striker is still yet to score at home in the league and has netted just seven Serie A goals this term. Somewhat surprisingly, none of those goals have come against fellow members of the 'big six' - Juventus, Napoli, Lazio and the two Milan teams. Dzeko has lost his mojo as a big-game player, but is the kind of forward that just needs one thing to fall his way before a scoring run starts. Ranieri has already hinted that he will play Dzeko alongside fellow striker Patrik Schick, which could help him receive more chances - it nearly worked in Di Francesco's last game, against Porto, as Dzeko got more involved after Schick came on. Play Zaniolo in a central position Nicolo Zaniolo has been the breakout star of the season, but his recent performances from the right wing have left a little to be desired. Whilst patience is needed with the youngster, it's clear that most of his best displays so far have come when he has played more centrally. In the 4-4-2 that Ranieri is expected to use, Zaniolo has enough energy to feature in the central midfield pair, or he could even play as a false nine, with a licence to drop into the attacking midfield role. Either way, playing centrally gives him more freedom to have an impact on games, and should get the very best out of a very good player. Make a bold decision with the goalkeepers Robin Olsen has come in for some stick recently, and Ranieri now faces a tough decision. Does he keep Olsen as his number one, or give the starting berth to Antonio Mirante? The latter has done reasonably well in his four appearances this season, keeping two clean sheets. From the initial pictures of Ranieri meeting the players, it seemed like he got on instantly well with Mirante. The coach needs to make a strong decision over which keeper to prioritise. That player could well still be Olsen, but a clear focus is needed from the off. Restore Alessandro Florenzi's confidence Alessandro Florenzi looked completely downtrodden after giving away the penalty that led to Porto's winning goal on Wednesday. The vice-captain needed to be consoled by teammates Daniele De Rossi and Lorenzo Pellegrini, as well as opposition veteran Iker Casillas. True, Florenzi has been poor for some time now, in comparison to his old standards, but he might be able to rediscover the passion and determination to win that made him a good player in the first place. If anyone can benefit from Ranieri's insistence on positivity and starting with a clean slate, it could easily be Florenzi. It's the opportunity he needs to leave previous mistakes behind him, knuckle down and rediscover his best form. Final thoughts Ranieri has a short space of time to work with this team, and even if he does well, who knows if his stay will be extended beyond the current season? That doesn't seem to faze the 67-year-old, who is determined to get Roma back where they belong in the short-term. As a supporter of the club, he will want to see positive changes as much as the fans at the stadium. And with a bit of unity, he might be able to steer Roma back in the right direction. It's all change at Roma, with sporting director Monchi exiting the club less than 24 hours after the dismissal of head coach Eusebio Di Francesco.
It's fair to say that Monchi didn't live up to expectations at Roma, and the pressure seems to have got to him, as he reached a mutual agreement to leave after less than two seasons. Monchi will be remembered for orchestrating some big sales at Roma - with the likes of Alisson Becker, Radja Nainggolan and Mohamed Salah moving on under his stewardship - but it's the incomings that have come under even more scrutiny. Even with the big cash generated from those sales, Monchi didn't always replace the talent effectively, opting for depth rather than improvements to the starting lineup. One or two key players he brought in will stand out as a legacy of his brief tenure, but many will be remembered as disappointments. Here is a rundown of all his signings that made a senior appearance for the club, ranked from worst to best. 19. Javier Pastore One of Monchi's most expensive additions, and certainly his most disappointing. Pastore has been an embarrassment to the team with his lazy attitude and lack of desire. It always seemed like a pointless signing - Pastore didn't fit into the 4-3-3 system that Di Francesco was using at the time, had struggled with injury in recent years, and was past his prime. What's more, for Monchi to offer a 29-year-old player a five-year contract was ludicrous. 18. Jonathan Silva Remember him? When, in Monchi's first season, Aleksandar Kolarov was suffering from burnout and Roma needed a genuine alternative at left-back, Monchi decided to bring in an injured player who was struggling for gametime at Sporting. It's still baffling to this day. 17. Hector Moreno A player that Monchi had pursued for a long time, but it didn't go as he would've hoped. Moreno made just six appearances at the back end of 2017 before quickly being moved on to Real Sociedad. A huge impact, then. 16. Maxime Gonalons On the face of it, this initially seemed like a decent signing. Roma needed someone to gradually take over from Daniele De Rossi in holding midfield, and former France international and Lyon captain Gonalons could well have been that man. Alas, he struggled to adjust to the demands of Italian football, and rarely put in a good performance. Another one to soon be moved on, he joined Sevilla after just one season. Incidentally, he has only made five appearances there all season. 15. Ante Coric Coric could turn out to be a decent player after all, but with just 19 minutes of Serie A action to his name so far, it doesn't seem like this was the wisest move from Monchi. Roma's midfield has been overcrowded this season, meaning there has been no space for the Croatian to develop. Time will tell if he goes on to become a top class player, but for now he seems like a waste of money. 14. Gregoire Defrel He could have been a suitable vice-Dzeko, but Defrel didn't cope well with making the step up to Roma. Often being deployed out of position on the wing made things hard for him, but even so, he looked out of his depth and not strong enough to compete at the highest level. His form for Sampdoria this season has been much-improved, so perhaps there is still a player in there and Roma just didn't use him right. 13. Ivan Marcano Marcano can go into the same category as Gonalons. At first sight, it seemed like a shrewd move. Picking up an experienced player on a free transfer in a position where Roma needed to improve - it all sounded good. However, Marcano has struggled to nail down a regular place in the side, and doesn't appear to have the required physicality. 12. Rick Karsdorp This one could have been a lot lower if it hadn't been for Karsdorp's resurgence in 2019. When Roma desperately needed cover at right-back, Monchi for some reason decided to sign a player for the role who was already carrying an injury. Those problems kept Karsdorp away from the team for the majority of his debut season, meaning the uninspiring Alessandro Florenzi and Bruno Peres had to share the position. However, on the odd occasion this term, Karsdorp has come into the side and shown enough quality to suggest why Monchi put his faith in him. Future performances could definitely see his position on this list rise. 11. Robin Olsen Whilst some of the criticism Olsen has come in for this season has been a tad unfair, he was hardly the most inspiring replacement for Alisson. True, most keepers worldwide would have been a downgrade on the Liverpool-bound Brazilian, but fans were probably hoping for a better replacement. He has put in some decent performances, and he remains a starter for Sweden internationally, but he has made some high-profile blunders this year which suggest Roma should have been a bit more bold in bringing in a new keeper. Still, on the balance of things, he probably deserves a second season to prove his worth. 10. Antonio Mirante The other goalkeeper brought in by Monchi in the summer - as well as Daniel Fuzato, who is yet to appear for the first team - Mirante just pips Olsen in this list due to the lower expectations on him. Mirante has been a capable back up so far, and probably has some justified arguments to say he should have started more matches. His experience will come in handy during his time at Roma, but even so, he still seems like a downgrade on last season's number two, Lukasz Skorupski. 9. Patrik Schick Roma parted with a lot of money to bring Schick to the club, in a deal which could eventually surpass their record transfer fee. He hasn't always carried that weight on his shoulders well. In his first season, the pressure he felt was visible, and after battling with injury, he made a few poor mistakes upon his return. This season has improved slightly - especially since his hiring of a mental coach - but he certainly hasn't provided value for money. However, it's beginning to look like he could develop and recapture the form he showed at Sampdoria with the right attitude. 8. Justin Kluivert The jury's still out. Kluivert is an exciting player with big potential, but has perhaps come to Roma too early in his career. He hasn't seen as much gametime as he would have liked - and probably would have deserved - but a change of manager could see him get a run in the team. There's plenty of time for Kluivert to grow. 7. Bryan Cristante Another expensive player who could eventually cost Roma €30m, Cristante has endured mixed fortunes with the Giallorossi. The Italian midfielder sometimes looks composed, but can ghost out of games. He's a long way off matching the 12 goals he scored for Atalanta last season, but at least he hasn't stood out for being bad. 6. Steven Nzonzi Arguably the marquee signing of summer 2018, Nzonzi arrived as a freshly-crowned World Cup winner to add more quality to the centre of the park - trying to do a better job of it than Gonalons did. That he has most certainly done, but he's still sometimes looked a shadow of the world class player he can be. He's done well enough, but hasn't shown what he is fully capable of. 5. Lorenzo Pellegrini In terms of potential, he would probably top this list, but Monchi can't take the full credit for his signing. When Walter Sabatini sold Pellegrini to Sassuolo in 2015, he inserted a buyback clause into the deal, which was duly exercised as one of Monchi's first decisions in Rome. After an inconsistent but decent first season, Pellegrini has kicked on this campaign, and is a player that Roma really need to build around for the future. 4. Davide Santon Many fans were disappointed when Santon came to Roma as a makeweight in the deal to take the popular Nainggolan to Inter. However, Santon has proved his doubters wrong by putting in some solid, if unspectacular, performances. Like Mirante, he will probably feel like he has done enough to earn more starts. But at just shy of €10m, he has been a shrewd addition who can offer cover in either full-back position. 3. Aleksandar Kolarov Another one that wasn't fully down to Monchi, but has still been a really shrewd purchase. Reportedly on the suggestion of his former Manchester City teammate Edin Dzeko, Kolarov came to Roma in 2017 when the club's other left-back Emerson Palmieri was injured. Kolarov made an instant impact on the team, scoring on his debut and emerging as a key leader. As mentioned above, he did start to suffer from burnout, but that was because of his exceptional levels of performance. He's had a few hairy moments this season, but is still standing out as a senior figure in the dressing room and will feel like he maintains a lot to contribute. 2. Cengiz Under Monchi arrived with a reputation for plucking wonderkids out of relative obscurity and seeing them become top class talent, and Under was perhaps the one player he brought to Roma who embodied that most. Few would have heard of his exploits with Istanbul Basakeshir in the Turkish Super Lig, but, after a patient first half to the 2017-18 season, Under really began to turn on the fire in a Roma shirt with a string of wonder goals in the first few months of 2018. His form has reportedly caught the attention of Bayern Munich and Arsenal, among others. Monchi himself is expected to end up at the latter, so Roma may need to be wary of the London club coming in for him. No doubt, though, that the Lupi would turn a huge profit in the event of a sale. 1. Nicolo Zaniolo He wasn't the inspiring name that Roma fans wanted to see following Nainggolan's exit. He'd never played in Serie A. He was only 19 years old. It just didn't look like he was going to be a first team player. But Zaniolo's hard work changed that. Now, he is the blossoming star of Italian football, catching the attention of fans inside the country and even beyond. He has been a bright spark in a disappointing season, impressing with his confidence, creativity and movement. He has now reached five goals for the club - some of them spectacular - and has started nine of the team's last 10 matches. Some have even heralded him as the new Francesco Totti and called for him to be given the number 10 shirt, and while that may be taking things a little too far, it can't be denied that Zaniolo has got every Roma fan excited for the future. And for less than €5m? He's looking like an absolute bargain. |
samuel bannister
Founder and editor of Giallorossi Yorkshire, who is also a columnist for Roma's official website about the women's team. Categories
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