GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
There's been a lot of hype surrounding Cengiz Under since his arrival at Roma.
Signed in the summer, the young winger is a raw talent who could go on to achieve big things in his future at the club. Indeed, given sporting director Monchi's reputation for finding hidden gems at young ages, there will be great expectations on Under to become the next on that list. During the season so far, the Turkish forward has not been a first choice player. Given his age, that is understandable. Under, 20, is a long-term prospect who is far from the finished article. But the signs are there for a very bright future. With injuries to Diego Perotti, Gregoire Defrel and Patrik Schick, Cengiz could have a major chance to impress in the weekend's game against Milan. Given that Alessandro Florenzi is still working his way up to the full fitness needed to start week in week out (it will take time after such a long time on the sidelines, but he is making good progress), the probability of Under playing in the game increases further. It will be a big game for Under to prove his credentials in. The toughest opponent he will have faced for a sustained period of time with Roma so far (he was only given 10 minutes against Inter), he will have to show his confidence to step up if he is called upon. He must not be fazed by the Giuseppe Meazza crowd or by the occasion. Fortunately for Roma, Milan's form has slightly stalled of late, contrasting the pre-season promise of a Scudetto challenge from the former greats. They were beaten by Sampdoria and Lazio, while their victories over Udinese, Spal and Rijeka would have been expected anyway. So Roma - and Under - can enter the game confident of bringing home the three points. Cengiz, who will presumably play on the right wing, will come up against a top opponent in Milan left back Ricardo Rodriguez. Under will have to use all his skills and pace to get the better of the highly-rated full back in what could be a key battle in the game. If he does manage to beat Rodriguez, Cengiz Under could make a major contribution to the outcome of the game. Consequently, he would increase his chances of selection after the international break, even in the big games scheduled for October. This is Under's biggest chance yet to make an early positive impression at Roma.
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Roma enter tomorrow night’s Champions League clash at Qarabag in good form, having gone unbeaten in four games, and conceding only one goal. The Giallorossi will be expected to return from Azerbaijan with all three points, but the game might not be as easy as it looks on paper.
As addressed, Roma come into the game in good form, currently sitting 5th in the league table. Edin Dzeko has scored 6 goals in 5 Serie A games so far this term, and he will be hoping to get off the mark in the Champions League tomorrow, after failing to net against Atletico Madrid. The Bosnian has started the new season in superb form and has shown his value to the club with his goal tally. He could be a key performer on the night. There have been plenty of positives for Roma so far, and the team will be optimistic they can continue their purple patch of form tomorrow evening. However, opponents Qarabag have also started their domestic season in fine shape. They sit top of the Azerbaijan Premier League after winning all five of their games so far. Just as Dzeko has begun the campaign well, Qarabag also have a striker finding the net frequently, as 20-year-old Mahir Madatov has scored 5 in 5 for them in the league. Roma’s defence will have to be aware of the Azerbaijani youngster. Qarabag’s first fixture in this year’s Champions League group stage didn’t quite go to plan, as they were brushed aside 6-0 by Chelsea. But in reality, they were never expected to return from Stamford Bridge with any points. Chelsea are the top seed in the group after winning last season’s Premier League, while Qarabag are the bottom seed. However, the team from Baku will be keen to show they are not simply here to make up numbers. For any fourth seed, on paper, the best chance of getting a result would be at home against the third seed – which is exactly the situation Qarabag will find themselves in on Wednesday. Hence, they will enter the game with the intention of denying Roma the three points. Historically, Roma don’t have a good record in Eastern Europe. For example, in 2015-16 (the last time Roma featured in the group stage of the Champions League), Rudi Garcia’s team lost 3-2 at Belarussian side BATE Borisov. That side didn’t look accustomed to the climate, and put in a poor performance. Euesbio Di Francesco will be hoping his men don’t do the same tomorrow, in his first away Champions League match as a coach. Fortunately, the weather forecast for the match looks to be of a decent temperature (although rain seems likely), and Roma should be able to play their normal game. Whether in Eastern Europe or a hotter environment, the Giallorossi haven’t won an away Champions League match since 2010, when goals from Jeremy Menez, Francesco Totti and Leandro Greco helped Claudio Ranieri’s side to a 3-2 win over Basel. Perhaps tomorrow’s match presents the best opportunity to put that record right. Of course, there are many reasons to believe that Roma will be victorious tomorrow. The last few games have shown that Di Francesco’s tactics are starting to click with his new squad, and the results are following. A win against Qarabag would make it four on the bounce, clear evidence that the coach is proving his doubters wrong and beginning to build something at Roma. His squad enter the game as favourites to pick up three points, and they will be disappointed with anything less. If all goes to plan, a win would put Roma in a very favourable position in their Champions League group. The other fixture this matchday is between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, a game you wouldn’t bet against culminating in a draw. Thus, if Roma won, they would be joint top with Chelsea after two games. Or, if Atletico won, being the home side, but Roma won by a bigger margin, Roma would find themselves top on goal difference. In a group Roma weren’t expected to get out of, that would be a very healthy start. For some, Roma’s recent form may be put down to the level of opposition the side has faced, with Verona, Benevento and Udinese not being the toughest obstacles to remove. Those same fans will surely look at tomorrow’s opponents as another side that won’t provide too stern a test for the team. But Roma would be taking a risk by underestimating Qarabag, and will need to take their opponents seriously. They should win the game, but shouldn’t treat it as if it will be easy. Rather than viewing it as the end of a favourable run of fixtures, they should see it as the springboard to propel them for a challenging October. A win will help provide momentum for the upcoming ties with AC Milan, Napoli and Chelsea. Hard work tomorrow will ensure they enter those following games with high confidence. Five games into Eusebio Di Francesco’s reign as Roma head coach, one thing has become clear about his approach to his job – something in stark contrast to his predecessor Luciano Spalletti.
Whilst last season Spalletti knew his best eleven and rarely changed it, Di Francesco has favoured rotation in his team selections so far. Not once has he named an unchanged line up. Rotation has its advantages and disadvantages, but, with only one defeat this term, Di Francesco seems to have found its good side. There are some arguments that suggest changing the line up too frequently decreases the stability of a side, and therefore impacts results negatively. One area of the pitch where stability is key is in defence. It is essential that the back line understand each other’s games and are used to playing with one another. However, this season Roma have used several different centre back pairings. We have seen Manolas-Jesus, Manolas-Fazio, Moreno-Fazio, Fazio-Jesus, and even a switch to a back three in the latter stages of the game against Atletico Madrid. Yet despite all these changes, Roma have kept four clean sheets in five games. Given that the best combination at centre back is still unknown, that is a remarkable statistic, and one that can only be a positive. Perhaps it can be explained by the incredible form of Alisson in goal. The Brazilian keeper has started the season in fine form as he looks to secure his place as his country’s number one, a task he has a very good chance of achieving. Alternatively, we could suggest that the quality of opposition that Roma’s defence has come up against hasn’t always been the best. But the fact remains that the various defensive partnerships used so far have helped protect Roma’s goal. And, importantly, the players have shown they can adapt to playing with whoever they are alongside. It’s not just the defence that has been swapped and changed. Roma’s fixture against Benevento on Wednesday saw numerous line-up changes, including a long-awaited debut for Maxime Gonalons in midfield. Indeed, Di Francesco has now used all the midfielders in his squad on at least one occasion this season. All seem to have seized their opportunities; for example, Lorenzo Pellegrini claimed plaudits for his performance against Verona. This competition in the middle is essential for Roma’s progress this season. First choice players like Kevin Strootman and Daniele De Rossi will now be kept on their toes, knowing there are other players in their position also worthy of a starting berth. In turn, this will ensure those first teamers are playing at the best of their abilities, to make it harder for their coach to leave them out of his line-up – and that can only help the team. Finally, we have also seen rotation in the attacking third. Edin Dzeko has been one of just three players to have started every game for Roma this season (the others being Alisson and Aleksandar Kolarov), and has been consistent, with five goals to his name. On the wings though, several different players have had their chance to shine. Diego Perotti and Stephan El Shaarawy, as expected, have shown they will give EDF numerous headaches as they fight for the left wing spot. The choice between the two is hotly debated by Roma fans, and both are sure to see plenty of action on the pitch this season, as they seek to definitively establish themselves as first choice. The best way they can do that is to increase their end product, which will also give the team a better chance of winning. On the other side, things have been a bit more difficult. Gregoire Defrel hasn’t quite set the world alight in his time in Rome so far, but he has worked hard, and it should be stressed that he has done so in an unfamiliar position. Patrik Schick, although currently injured, is expected to be used in that role as well, and as the club’s record signing, will be expected to do well. And it has been Turkish wonderkid Cengiz Under who has started the last two games as right winger. Di Francesco certainly has plenty of options. The coach’s rotation could be pivotal to Roma’s success this season, as the team competes on three fronts. With a difficult Champions League group to navigate, the side’s biggest players will have to be in peak condition for the toughest games. Di Francesco’s variations in personnel will help this to be the case, allowing Roma to be competitive against any opponent. The coach’s man-management skills are very highly rated, and we will continue to see the reasons why over the duration of the season. Young members of the squad like Pellegrini, Under and Gerson will benefit from added gametime, and their more experienced teammates won’t be drained from playing too much. Squad rotation hasn’t always been the most successful method in football, but Di Francesco is showing that he knows how to do it well. His methods will ensure all of Roma’s players stay happy this season, and that they will consequently reach their potential with this team. To beat Atletico Madrid tonight, Roma must break down one of the most organised defensive systems in Europe.
Atletico under Simeone have become a well-drilled unit thanks to years of stability and rigorous work on defensive tactics. And with Jan Oblak's goal protected, their attacking flair players have freedom to cause danger. Roma will have to take a similar approach tonight and worry about defence before attack. When Roma have faced some of Europe's biggest teams in this competition in recent years, some large scorelines have resulted. First and foremost, Roma need to stop that from occurring again upon their return to Europe's most illustrious competition. Much of the defence's night will be spent keeping Atletico's danger man, Antoine Griezmann, at bay. Griezmann is one of the most exciting attacking players in the world, and Roma will need to mark him tightly and not allow him any space. This may be the job of the holding midfielder or one of the centre backs. If Roma don't get tight enough, then Griezmann will enjoy his evening and have a good chance of getting on the scoresheet, like Mauro Icardi did for Inter against the Lupi before the international break due to poor marking. Roma probably enter this game as slight underdogs, and that may work in their favour. Whilst Eusebio Di Francesco's tactics haven't always brought the best outcomes for Roma so far, his system at Sassuolo was built on a premise that his side were not expected to win the game. This could be the first scenario in his tenure as Roma coach which mirrors that situation. And we are all aware of how much success he had at Sassuolo playing that way. If he can get his new side to truly replicate that playing style tonight, Roma could pull off the unexpected. Tonight's game will likely be won in the middle of the park. Roma's midfield has often been suggested as being one of the best in Europe, and now it's time for them to prove that against a very good team. With Atletico expected to use a 4-4-2, and Roma preferring a 4-3-3, the home side will have an extra body in central midfield. Roma's midfield trio should look to keep the ball with their numerical advantage over a central midfield pairing. This will be harder than it sounds, as off-the-ball, Atletico's wide men will tuck in and limit the space, as the side has done so effectively over the last few seasons. But if Roma play on the counter when the wide midfielders are out of the game, they could utilise the spare man in midfield as they build an attack. A similar 3 v 2 situation will be created further up the field. Roma's inverted wingers will look to get around the central striker, probably Edin Dzeko, with all three in a close area. This could be problematic for Atletico's central defensive duo. Then it will be a case of getting as many shots off as possible, and hoping that Oblak, a fine goalkeeper, is having an off day. Even though Roma don't enter the game as favourites, they have reason to believe they can get something out of the game. At the weekend, Atletico only drew with a Valencia team that has struggled in recent seasons - a Valencia team that Roma are better than. Hopefully, Roma will have utilised the extra rest time after the Sampdoria postponement to prepare well for this game. Playing on the counter may not be the prettiest way to win, but could be a very effective method tonight. And as the home side, Roma will look to seize their opportunities to get a result in the UEFA Champions League. |
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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