GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Riccardo Calafiori has been called up to the senior Roma squad for the first time, just a year after a serious injury threatened his career.
The 17-year-old defender suffered a devastating knee injury in the UEFA Youth League last October, but after making a scoring return to action for the Under-19s recently, Calafiori has now been brought into the first team fold by Paulo Fonseca, as several members of the squad look to overcome injury issues of their own. With the squad further depleted by the absences of Bryan Cristante (ruled out until 2020), Nikola Kalinic (out for around two months) and Davide Santon (battling flu), Fonseca has had to turn to the youth sector to complete a 19-man squad for Thursday's Europa League tie with Borussia Monchengladbach, with promising midfielder Alessio Riccardi also included. There is a chance that the 18-year-old, who made his senior debut in a Coppa Italia game in January, could play some part in the match, given that the midfield options are very limited. Jordan Veretout is the only fit natural central midfielder, while Javier Pastore played there for most of the game against Sampdoria at the weekend - although his ability to play three games in a week is questionable. Nevertheless, it is Pastore who is expected to start alongside Veretout on Thursday. Roma have one win and one draw from their Europa League campaign so far, most recently being frustrated in Austria by Wolfsberger. Monchengladbach, meanwhile, have just one point after drawing with Istanbul Basaksehir - although they currently lead the way in the Bundesliga, with one point more than Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund or RB Leipzig. The game gets underway at 5:55pm UK time, and will be available to watch via the BT Sport red button service.
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Roma had to settle for a point after a fiery clash with Cagliari on Sunday ended as a 1-1 draw - much to the anger of senior figures at the club.
Everyone from president Jim Pallotta to sporting director Gianluca Petrachi and coach Paulo Fonseca - who was sent off at full-time for arguing with the referee - has vented their anger at the officiating, with Roma going behind via a penalty conceded by a Gianluca Mancini handball, and seeing a last-minute winner chalked off for a foul by Nikola Kalinic.
Admittedly, both decisions were probably correct - even though the free kick that was given against Roma immediately before the penalty should never have been awarded - but the referees had no control over the game in general. The club have not seen so many decisions go against them in one game, rightly or wrongly, since the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in 2018, when two clearcut penalties were not spotted by the referee, which if converted would have sent Roma into the final. The ramifications of the decisions may not have been so high against Cagliari, but they still cast a large shadow over what should have been an entertaining game between two decent sides, and may come back to haunt the Lupi. But it is important to take a step back from all that. This website was built to talk about Roma, not referees. And if Roma find themselves short of a target by the end of the season, it will likely not be because of the officiating in this game, but some greater theme that prevented the side from getting the results they required. So here is a dissection of the issues that the team could control. Possession play beginning to decline Roma started the season playing their most fluid possession-based football in years. Fonseca quickly implemented his style and, for the first time in a long time, Roma were playing attractive football. Recently, however, that has started to come undone. Not helped by the physical nature of the match or the early injury to Amadou Diawara - with another key component, Lorenzo Pellegrini, already on the sidelines - Roma struggled to string a series of successful passes together. Of course it is difficult when the squad is thin on the ground and has to be rotated often, but there is certainly room for improvement in this aspect of the game. Roma have shown they can do it before. Full-backs falter One area in which injuries have really hit the squad is in the full-back positions. Since the start of the season, only Aleksandar Kolarov and the infrequently-used Davide Santon have avoided time out. Against Cagliari, it was Kolarov and Leonardo Spinazzola who flanked the defence, and neither showed what they are really capable of. In many games, Kolarov's crossing has been an outlet for Roma, but on Sunday it was aimless. His balls into the box were struck without real direction or with so much power that no attacker would ever arrive on the end of them. As for Spinazzola on the opposite side, he had fewer opportunities, but even less came off well for him. Fonseca needs to be wary to keep all his options for these roles on their toes, so that the main choices avoid fatigue wherever possible. Antonucci makes an impression Playing further forward was someone who, like Santon, has not been afforded many opportunities thus far: youngster Mirko Antonucci. The winger, who had a fairly positive pre-season, came on as a substitute for the second game running, although this time he was called into action much earlier to replace the injured Diawara. Of all the attackers, Antonucci looked the most likely to make something happen. Justin Kluivert kept running into traffic, while Nicolo Zaniolo was forced to try and make the most of half-chances, and Edin Dzeko looked weary. Antonucci could consider himself unfortunate to have been taken off in the second half, but that was probably a reflection of the fact that he has not played much competitive football at this level. If he is to be truly integrated into the side, he needs to be given more regular 15 minute cameos here and there, so that he can be ready when called upon. There is something promising to work with. Cristante becoming captain material With Romans Alessandro Florenzi and Lorenzo Pellegrini out of the squad, and Federico Fazio left on the bench, there were a lack of leaders on the pitch. Edin Dzeko wore the captain's armband, but his approach has always been to lead by example rather than words - still undoubtedly valuable, but maybe not what Roma needed in the heat of the moment. The next most senior player, ex-Manchester City teammate Kolarov, fought for Roma's corner at every opportunity when things weren't going their way, but beyond that, it was unclear who the armband would have fallen to if Dzeko had been taken off. Perhaps the most likely candidate would have been Bryan Cristante, someone who is growing in confidence. The midfielder has earned his place in the lineup through his work rate rather than his quality - his passes often went astray in the opening minutes - but that can be enough for him to be a beating heart of this post-De Rossi team. Cristante was involved in the confrontation with the referee after the full-time whistle, as was Mancini. The younger Italian players are showing their passion for the cause.
Fonseca's fury a positive sign The final moments of the match, and the ones that followed the full-time whistle, were even uglier than the action that had taken place on the pitch. Fonseca showed no restraint as he confronted the referee, receiving his marching orders as a result. But, like the players who also made their voices heard, this passion is a good thing going forward. Fonseca seems well suited to dealing with the highs and lows of managing at a club with as much pressure as Roma. He thrives on the rollercoaster of emotions, some of which should maybe be kept a little more in check, but ones that show he is embodying what the fans are feeling. Can a supporter ask for much more in a coach beyond the tactical expertise which Fonseca has already largely established? They want to see a group of people displaying the same passion as them, led by a manager who encourages those kind of expressions. He has only been at Roma for a few months, but it seems that Fonseca has already got caught up in the emotions of what it means to follow this club. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Spinazzola 4; Mancini 6; Smalling 7; Kolarov 5; Cristante 7; Diawara 7; Kluivert 6; Veretout 6; Zaniolo 6; Dzeko 6 Subs: Antonucci 7; Kalinic 4; Santon N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Smalling Bryan Cristante is in line for a change of position when Roma host Cagliari in their return to Serie A action on Sunday.
After drawing with Austrian side Wolfsberger in the Europa League on Thursday, the focus returns to domestic action, with Paulo Fonseca being forced to name his thinnest squad of the season so far. With Davide Zappacosta adding to the long list of long-term absentees and Alessandro Florenzi out with the flu, Fonseca has been able to call up just 19 players for the Stadio Olimpico showdown. And not even all of those are at full fitness, with Javier Pastore unlikely to start after doing so in midweek. Consequently, Cristante or Jordan Veretout will be deployed as a trequartista, with the former more likely having done so occasionally at Atalanta. Admittedly, he does not have all the technical qualities required to excel in the role regularly in this system, but will be hoping to make an impact from that position with his usual determination and energy. It was a similar formula that helped Radja Nainggolan succeed in the position during his time with Roma. The Belgian midfielder will be hoping to inspire on his return to his former stomping ground, having re-signed with Cagliari after one season at Inter Milan. Nainggolan commented in the run-up to the game that he would have liked to finish his career at Roma - who will be wary not to allow him to show them what they are missing. Cagliari have won both of their away games this season, including against title challengers Napoli most recently. The Sardinian outfit have renewed optimism and will be looking to pose a threat to a Roma side that have already faltered at home against Genoa and Atalanta. Roma have not conceded a goal against Cagliari at the Olimpico since 2013 though, so will be hoping to use the opportunity tomorrow to get back to winning ways. The game kicks off at 2pm UK time and will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 2. Roma earned their first away clean sheet by edging Lecce 1-0 on Sunday afternoon, to keep the pressure on the early pace-setters. After losing to Atalanta in midweek, Roma bounced back, with Edin Dzeko heading home his 92nd goal for the club. His former Manchester City teammate Aleksandar Kolarov missed a golden chance to double the advantage, when his penalty was saved. It wasn't as wide a margin as fans would have hoped for, but the important thing was to return to winning ways and continue Paulo Fonseca's unbeaten run on the road. Dzeko developing in the air For a player with a 6'4" frame, Edin Dzeko has never been as suited to an aerial game as many might expect. The striker has flourished with his feet at Roma, using his strength and positioning to reach the numbers he has achieved. While his height is an obvious threat, he hasn't always been able to use it to his advantage. Even at the age of 33, though, Dzeko is showing that a player can still improve. Recently, he has been brilliant in the air, with his last two goals being scored with his head - a last-gasp winner over Bologna, and another game-decider on Sunday. But it was not just in the box that Dzeko demonstrated his importance to the team. Particularly in the second half, he won a number of headers in the middle of the park from long balls forward, creating chances aplenty for the likes of Justin Kluivert and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to run on to. While he has not always been famed for this part of his game, Dzeko has shown a willingness to develop, and as a result, he dominated.
Wasteful wingers That said, Kluivert and Mkhitaryan did not necessarily make the most of the chances that came their way. They were among the prime culprits as Roma demonstrated more poor decision-making in the final third - perhaps epitomised when Nicolo Zaniolo failed to play an easy pass across to Kluivert towards the end of the game, which would almost definitely have led to a second goal. Had Roma been as effective in the final third as they were in the middle of the park, the scoreline could have been three or four. However, Kluivert fell back to his old tricks of being indecisive and not backing himself with his pace - with which he created danger on the odd occasion that he trusted himself - whereas Mkhitaryan's first touch was loose. Both players are capable of more and have shown their qualities on several occasions in the past, but were equally frustrating against Lecce. Diawara dictates the play One of the players who succeeded in having an impact on the game behind the attackers was Amadou Diawara. Making his first Serie A start for Roma (and only his third appearance overall), the summer signing from Napoli was always an option for his teammates in the centre of midfield. Diawara offers a very different style to the man he replaced in the starting lineup, Bryan Cristante (who seemed to commit more fouls when he came on than he managed touches of the ball in a five-minute cameo). Whereas Cristante has earned his starting berths this season through graft and energy, also playing some decent long balls, Diawara performs better in the short game. He rarely misplaced a pass as he gave fluidity to Roma's transition from defence to attack. He surely warrants more appearances in bigger games. Language no barrier for leader Smalling Another summer signing making his second start of the season was Chris Smalling, who kept his place in the side after a man of the match debut against Atalanta. This time around, he played just as well, and was able to gain the three points and clean sheet that his performance deserved. His tackling was well-timed as ever, save for the foul that earned him his first yellow card in Serie A. But aside from his playing ability, the thing that impressed most was the way he held the backline together. With the relatively inexperienced Gianluca Mancini starting alongside him rather than Federico Fazio, Smalling assumed the senior role, and despite his grasp of the Italian language only being basic so far, he appeared to have no problems instructing his teammates where to go, or remonstrating with the referee if he disagreed with a decision. Just as he wants, the Englishman has the potential to grow into a leader during his time with the club. Busy schedule catches up with Kolarov Overall, it was an afternoon of mixed performances, despite the positive result. One of the players towards the lower end of the spectrum was Kolarov - who in general has been outstanding this season. However, against Lecce, the struggles of a 33-year-old being ever-present - in a system which requires him to cover a lot of ground - were evident.
Consecutive weeks of Serie A following midweek action led to signs of fatigue from the usually dynamic full-back, whose crosses did not reach their usual level of accuracy. And while it would be unfair to over-analyse his penalty miss - he is generally excellent from 12 yards - there was something about his run up which did not look right, perhaps signalling tired legs. That said, he remains one of Roma's strongest players, and will undoubtedly be relied on again from the spot. Jordan Veretout, who often assumed the responsibility for Fiorentina last season, was the only real alternative taker on the pitch, and one miss should not move Kolarov down the hierarchy. Fortunately, Leonardo Spinazzola has returned to fitness, meaning the Serbian should be able to get the rest and recuperation he needs and deserves after a blistering start to the season. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Florenzi 6; Mancini 5; Smalling 7; Kolarov 5; Diawara 7; Veretout 6; Kluivert 5; Pellegrini 7; Mkhitaryan 6; Dzeko 7 Subs: Zaniolo 6; Spinazzola 5; Cristante N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Diawara Roma are aiming to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they take on promoted side Lecce on Sunday afternoon.
Midweek saw Paulo Fonseca's unbeaten start to his Roma career come to an abrupt halt after a 2-0 defeat at home to Atalanta. However, there is little time to rest and reflect, as Sunday's clash provides an appropriate opportunity for seventh-placed Roma to return to winning ways. Lecce, who like Roma are known as the Giallorossi in a nod to their shirt colours, are competing in Serie A for the first time in seven years, and have started with six points from their first five games. Key players among their squad include former Roma midfielder Panagiotis Tachtsidis, one-time Milan striker Gianluca Lapadula, and captain Marco Mancosu - who has started his first season in the top flight this decade with four goals from midfield. Since regaining their Serie A status, Lecce have not yet earned a single point at home. So far, their only triumph at Stadio Via del Mare has been against Serie B side Salernitana in the Coppa Italia third round. Meanwhile, Roma are still on an unbeaten away run stretching back to March - although only two of those six matches were wins. Fonseca is expected to switch things up again for this encounter after deploying a rotation policy so far, to varying degrees of success. Among the more fatigued players who could drop out are Federico Fazio and Bryan Cristante - with their places possibly being taken by Gianluca Mancini and Amadou Diawara. With Mancini returning from a one-match suspension, the squad is also bolstered by the inclusion of Leonardo Spinazzola, with a long-term injury ruled out after the full-back limped off in the Atalanta defeat. With options limited, the former Juventus man could start at right-back again. The game kicks off at 2:00pm UK time, and will be shown live on Premier Sports 2. Paulo Fonseca fell to his first defeat as Roma coach on Wednesday night as Atalanta won 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico.
On a disappointing evening, goals from Duvan Zapata and Marten De Roon sank Fonseca's side, condemning them to their first loss of the season. A sluggish Roma never really found their rhythm, with Atalanta playing like the home side despite the venue - forcing Fonseca into changes, which did not make the desired effect. Solid start for Smalling Among the few players who could hold their heads high was debutant Chris Smalling. The on-loan Manchester United man was handed his first appearance after a minor injury, taking suspended Gianluca Mancini's place in the defence. While he wasn't able to mark his debut with a clean sheet, he looked the most likely to prevent the opponents scoring. The Englishman was strong and composed in the tackle, putting in a well-timed last-ditch challenge on Josip Ilicic near the end of the first half, preventing the attacker from having a one-on-one with Pau Lopez, and further showing his strength by taking the ball off Duvan Zapata in the second half. For a signing that did not convince all fans at first sight, Smalling did enough to make a positive first playing impression in front of his new home crowd. Florenzi's flaws not related to position The second goal for Atalanta highlighted a worrying lack of organisation at the back from a set piece. Alessandro Florenzi's positioning was all wrong, with his body shape not facing his marker. Hence, he was not able to prevent De Roon from sneaking in at the backpost for an easy finish. The reaction to this error has been hyperbolic from both those who attack Florenzi and those who defend him. It is worth remembering that he does have value, and is one of Fonseca's only options at right-back currently. His supporters argue that he has been played out of position as a full-back for the majority of his career. But there are two flaws in this argument. A player's position on a field is not the one they adopt for a set piece. Anyone should be able to do their job when assigned a task in their own box for a free kick or corner - whether they are a striker, midfielder or defender. Secondly, Florenzi is as much a right-back now as he is any other role. He has been played in that position for too long, that it has worked to his detriment. He has, in some respects, forgotten how to play in what may be called his 'natural' position as a winger. Perhaps that was one of the reasons Fonseca quickly moved him back early on in the game. While his passion and commitment are an obvious benefit, the captain still has a lot to learn - and they are mainly lessons he should know better by now. Where were you, Amadou? One of Roma's main downfalls was their inability to maintain possession for sustained periods of time. The Giallorossi's passing play has generally been fluid under Fonseca, but was much more frustrating against Atalanta. Central midfield duo Bryan Cristante and Jordan Veretout, who have both played well recently, struggled to provide the glue to the buildup play. Consequently, players like Aleksandar Kolarov reverted to long balls from the back, which clearly did not suit Roma's game. Someone who could have helped Roma change that would have been Amadou Diawara. The former Napoli man is arguably the most suited midfielder Roma have with regards to a possession game. He can bring calm to the centre of the pitch, and at €20m is a valuable investment from whom more gametime should be expected. Fonseca should have seen that something needed to change in the middle, and that Diawara was the ideal player to affect things. Tactical tweaks need time For the first time this season, Fonseca ditched his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation around a quarter of an hour into the game, adapting to a 3-4-2-1. The switch did not work. If anything, pressure was invited onto Roma, who also suffered in attack. While it is a positive that Roma have a backup plan, these things need to be tried and tested beforehand. Reports did suggest that Roma had used a back three in training, but if that had been effective, it was not translated onto the pitch. There were numerous friendlies where Fonseca had the chance to work these things out in a game-based scenario. Fonseca has worked quickly to instill a philosophy into his new players, and for the most part, their game has improved as a result. Straying from that, then, was maybe not the wisest solution. However, it remains important for Roma to keep a Plan B in their system - these ideas cannot be written off straight away. Lack of width concerning When playing against a back three, often it is prudent to exploit the spaces in behind the wing-backs and attack from wide zones. Roma's setup did not allow them to do that. Even when they started with a 4-2-3-1, the external players were Alessandro Florenzi and Nicolo Zaniolo, who unusually were not inverted. Even so, neither caused much of a threat out wide. When Roma switched to a back three themselves, it left Florenzi and Leonardo Spinazzola as the advanced full-backs tasked with providing the width. Neither were able to do so - with statistics showing the latter's average position to be narrower than central midfielder Jordan Veretout. Admittedly, some of that data may be skewed given that Spinazzola started at right-back, but even after switching to the left, his tendency was to play very narrow. Later on, Roma finished the match with Edin Dzeko and Nikola Kalinic as strikers, with Pellegrini and Henrikh Mkhitaryan tucked right in as narrow attacking midfielders behind them. As Justin Kluivert - another player who could have been called upon to make a difference - watched on from the bench, Roma failed to make the most basic advantage out of a system which led to them being out-thought and outworked. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Fazio 5; Smalling 7; Kolarov 5; Florenzi 5; Cristante 5; Veretout 5; Spinazzola 6; Pellegrini 6; Zaniolo 5; Dzeko 6 Subs: Jesus 4; Mkhitaryan 4; Kalinic 4 Coach: Fonseca 3 Man of the Match: Smalling
Roma face one of their toughest tests of the season so far when they host Atalanta on Wednesday night, in the first midweek Serie A match of the campaign.
Atalanta broke up the natural order in the league last season by finishing above the likes of Roma, Milan and Lazio in the table, earning their first ever Champions League qualification. Their European curtain-raiser ended as a 4-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, however - one of several mixed results they have endured so far. Roma are one point above them in fourth place, having started with an unbeaten run that now stretches to five games in all competitions under Paulo Fonseca. Atalanta showed last season that they can pose a threat to any team, so will be eager to be the ones to put a halt to Roma's run. One player Roma poached from their opponents over the summer was Gianluca Mancini, the defender who was sent off in the win over Bologna at the weekend. That suspension means English centre-back Chris Smalling will come into the lineup for his debut, having shaken off a knock which had kept him sidelined since the Derby Della Capitale draw with Lazio. That swap is unlikely to be the only change that Fonseca makes, given the intense schedule facing the team at present. Fatigue appeared to be creeping in for some players on Sunday, so this could be another opportunity to rotate the squad - not that it will be an easy match. Bryan Cristante is another former Atalanta man who has been a regular for Roma in the first few games, and formed part of an effective double midfield solution with Jordan Veretout in the last two league outings. That partnership could continue, although Amadou Diawara will also be eager for opportunities. Nicolo Zaniolo was also on the bench at the weekend, but will be pushing for a starting berth again, having replaced Justin Kluivert early in the second half. The game kicks off at 6pm UK time, and will be shown live on Premier Sports 1.
A last-gasp winner from Edin Dzeko gave Roma their third consecutive win on Sunday, as Bologna were beaten by the Giallorossi.
For Paulo Fonseca's first game away from the Stadio Olimpico, Roma reverted to the lineup that had beaten Sassuolo the week before, having rotated for the Europa League win over Istanbul Basaksehir. And while it wasn't the most exhilarating performance, they got the job done for the third time in eight days. Aleksandar Kolarov gave Roma the lead with a brilliant free kick, before being adjudged to have made a foul in the box, leading to Bologna's equaliser from the penalty spot. Pau Lopez made his best save yet for Roma to deny Roberto Soriano, before Gianluca Mancini was sent off for a second yellow card. Even though it looked like the game was heading for a draw, some quick thinking from Jordan Veretout took Roma up the pitch in the dying seconds of the game, before Lorenzo Pellegrini picked out Dzeko with a perfect cross, leaving the striker with a simple header to make it 2-1. It means the unbeaten start to the season continues, with Roma rising into the top four for the first time since May 2018. Roma also become the first team since Juventus in February to beat Bologna at their own stadium.
Kolarov crossing the outlet Roma made full use of their width thanks to both full-backs pushing on. Between Kolarov and Alessandro Florenzi, it is clear that the former has the far superior crossing ability, and Roma took advantage of that. Kolarov played in more inviting deliveries in the first half alone than many full-backs manage in an entire game. And his free kick goal showed yet again just how good he is at striking a ball.
Sometimes the Serbian doesn't get the credit he deserves, but he has started the season in scintillating form. However, the one disadvantage of the full-backs being pushed up so high - Kolarov's average position was practically in line with the wingers - was that Bologna exploited the areas they had vacated when countering. For a mid-table side, a wing duo of Ricardo Orsolini and Nicola Sansone can be really dangerous, and the pair caused problems for Roma throughout the game. It is something for Fonseca to reflect upon against the bigger teams. Disjointed attack down to fatigue In contrast, Roma's front four struggled to find any kind of connectivity for large parts of the game. Striker Dzeko and attacking midfielder Pellegrini cut frustrated figures, while Justin Kluivert was peripheral and Henrikh Mkhitaryan faded after a decent start. Fortunately for Roma, there does not appear to be any identifiable long-term problem that is being masked by good results. Instead, the quartet's struggles can be attributed to the fact that they have all played a lot of football already this season. With another midweek game coming up against Atalanta, Fonseca will have to get the balance right in his rotation policy again, to make sure he has a fresh attack, that still makes the most of his in-form players. Pellegrini under pressure If there was one question to be raised of Pellegrini, it would relate to how he is coping with his new-found game-changer role. The Roman has been a level above the competition in terms of his quality in the first few games, but Sunday was one of those days where nothing really came off for him in normal time. Is that because he is adapting to the increased pressure on him to match his impressive standards regularly? Does he have the mentality to thrive in a leadership role, with his team relying on him more than ever? In added time, he suggested the answer was yes. After Veretout's surge forward, Pellegrini had the ball at his feet, knowing that it was likely to be Roma's last chance to steal a winner. When it mattered most, he plucked out a perfect cross for Dzeko, giving the Bologna defence no chance. It may have been a struggle for most of the 90 minutes, but Pellegrini has shown that when the going gets tough, he can still make a difference. Wake up call for Mancini Given that he was essentially signed as the replacement for Kostas Manolas, Gianluca Mancini hasn't quite lived up to the standards of his predecessor yet. After a mixed start to the campaign, with some good and some bad displays, the former Atalanta man received Roma's first red card of the season, due to two bookable offences. The first challenge was definitely a yellow, and while the second appeared a little harsh, it should still serve as a wake up call for the defender. He is still finding his place in the Roma backline, and once he settles in among his new teammates, he should be fine. However, he may have a thing or two to learn about concentration and reading the game from centre-back partner Federico Fazio - who turned in another positive display. Veretout finding his place One new addition who seems to need no time at all to fit in is Veretout, the architect of the winning goal. The former Aston Villa and Fiorentina player started a second consecutive Serie A game in midfield, and showed some positive signs. Early on, his range of passing was impressive - just like midfield partner Bryan Cristante, who has been transformed recently. Veretout began to give the ball away a bit in the middle of the match, and picked up a yellow card in the 64th minute. But after that booking, he knuckled down and got back to what he had been doing in the first half an hour or so. His determination in the run leading to the goal was commendable, and fans will surely relate to the passion he showed in his celebration after Dzeko nodded the ball in. Roma might just have found the man to transform their midfield.
Player Ratings: Lopez 7; Florenzi 4; Mancini 5; Fazio 7; Kolarov 7; Cristante 7; Veretout 7; Kluivert 5; Pellegrini 5; Mkhitaryan 6; Dzeko 6 Subs: Spinazzola 5; Zaniolo 5; Jesus N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Cristante
Roma venture away from Stadio Olimpico for the first time this season when they travel to face Bologna on Sunday afternoon.
After an unbeaten first four games on home turf (with the draw against Lazio technically an away game), Roma are hoping to continue their promising start - but will be coming up against another side with big ambitions. Bologna are also undefeated so far this season, having seen their fortunes improve massively since the appointment of Sinisa Mihajlovic midway through last season. And ever since the news that the former Roma player is battling with leukaemia, the troops have been rallied, with Bologna fighting for their coach - most recently coming from two goals down to beat Brescia 4-3. In reality, though, they are yet to face anyone of Roma's level, and the Giallorossi will be eager to assert their dominance in their quest to prove their top four credentials. Having not lost on the road in half a year, Roma have an impressive record to protect. Fatigue may be the other main concern, given the quick turnaround after Thursday's Europa League win over Istanbul Basaksehir. Fonseca opted to rotate his lineup for that clash, with sufficiently rested Lorenzo Pellegrini and Alessandro Florenzi likely to return to the starting eleven. Guaranteed to take to the pitch from minute one, barring a late injury, are Bryan Cristante and Jordan Veretout, with Fonseca confirming the midfield pair would start the game. That means Amadou Diawara, who made his first start on Thursday, will drop out of the lineup against his former side. Chris Smalling remains out of the squad due to injury, but Fonseca hopes to have him available next week, while Davide Zappacosta and Cengiz Under also stay on the sidelines. The Stadio Renato Dell'Ara was one of the scenes of Roma's more miserable moments from last season, when Bologna beat Eusebio Di Francesco's side 2-0, but much has changed since then. Fonseca has his new side playing much better football, and will be hoping to make it five games unbeaten as Roma coach. Kicking off at 2pm UK time, the match will be broadcast live on Premier Sports.
Roma began their Europa League campaign with a 4-0 win over Istanbul Basaksehir on Thursday night, extending their unbeaten run to 13 games.
Having picked up their first win of the league season on Sunday with a first half demolition of Sassuolo, Paulo Fonseca's men scored four again, only this time they kept a clean sheet as well. Ambitions are high for the tournament, and things could not have got off to a better start - especially with unfancied minnows Wolfsberger thrashing Borussia Monchengladbach by the same scoreline in the group's other game. Roma took advantage of an early own goal, with Edin Dzeko, Nicolo Zaniolo and Justin Kluivert adding to the tally to continue the positive start to the season. Fonseca finds the right balance It could have been easy for Fonseca to rotate his entire team, with a busy week of Serie A coming up that will see Roma face Bologna on Sunday and Atalanta on Wednesday. Indeed, the coach did take the opportunity to rest some players, with Gianluca Mancini, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Alessandro Florenzi getting a break - but a consistent spine was kept in the starting lineup. Defenders Federico Fazio and Aleksandar Kolarov, midfielder Bryan Cristante, striker Dzeko and winger Kluivert have been among some of the club's most consistent performers in their opening four games. All started the Europa League opener, and continued their bright form. Cristante put in his best passing display of the season - perhaps even his entire time at the club - by orchestrating play from the base of midfield. Dzeko was the ever-reliable focal point up front, scoring his 90th goal for the club as he closes in on a century. And the defensive duo also played their part in building play from the back. There was also the opportunity for the likes of Javier Pastore, Amadou Diawara and Leonardo Spinazzola to get much-needed gametime with their first starts of the season, while Nikola Kalinic came off the bench for his debut. All in all, Fonseca made the most of the opportunity to rotate. Nikola's Kali-Schick moment Kalinic's cameo did not make the best impression, though. After being played in with a glorious through ball from in-form sub Pellegrini, the new striker had yards to run at before what should have been an easy one-on-one finish. Instead, the former Fiorentina man pulled the trigger far too early, making it an easy save for the keeper. It was reminiscent of the chance Patrik Schick - the man he has replaced at the club - missed against Juventus in his first season. Fans will only hope that it isn't the start of a wretched spell in Rome like the one Schick went on to endure.
Praise for Pastore When Pellegrini was replaced by Pastore against Sassuolo, the attacking midfielder's arrival was met with a howl of boos from the fans. There could not be a greater difference between the perception of the two players - Pellegrini is Rome born and bred, one of the fans, and was comfortably the best player on the pitch that day, turning in one of the best individual displays seen at the club since the likes of Dzeko and Kostas Manolas in the famous Champions League win over Barcelona in 2018. As for Pastore, his time at Roma has been a disaster, due to injuries and a lack of quality. However, when the reverse substitution was made against Basaksehir, Pastore was applauded off the pitch instead. Particularly in the first 15 minutes of the second half, he had started to show some quality, beating opponents easily with his range of tricks. The end product was missing, as he couldn't quite set up a chance for his teammates, but he had done enough to begin the healing process with the supporters. Even so, a run of games will be hard to find given how well Pellegrini did when he replaced him. Zaniolo's versatility growing Another player who will still pose a threat to Pastore's chances is Nicolo Zaniolo, who delivered his best performance of the past six months. The promising midfielder hasn't started the season in the best form, leading to his omission from the senior Italy squad for the first time since his debut, but looks to be on the road to redemption already. Starting on the right wing for his first Europa League appearance, he caused problems for ageing full-back Gael Clichy all night thanks to his pace and strength. Whenever he has played out wide before, Zaniolo has looked wasted, but Thursday night showed that he is beginning to adapt to the demands of being a versatility man. He did not look out of place as he put in a man of the match display. Let's not forget that his first, and most famous, Roma goal came from the right-hand side, when he bamboozled the Sassuolo defence after cutting inside last December. Especially with Pellegrini making the number 10 role his own, Zaniolo can be a useful option on the right - as can Kluivert, whose goal came from that side of the box despite him playing as a left winger - while Cengiz Under recovers from injury. Lopez yet to fully convince Roma may have picked up their first clean sheet of the season, but not without a couple of nervous moments from Pau Lopez. High hopes are placed upon the Spaniard's shoulders after Robin Olsen's failure to live up to expectations last season. Lopez is the most expensive goalkeeper in Roma's history, but the credit for the clean sheet does not lie with his gloves. There was one moment in the second half when he came to claim a cross, but fumbled at it, only for the defence to spare his blushes. Of course it will take time for him to settle in - he quickly needs to gain a better grasp of the language than he did that cross - but has he made a memorable save yet? Even if he hasn't been terrible, Lopez needs to show his worth soon. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Spinazzola 6; Fazio 7; Jesus 5; Kolarov 6; Diawara 5; Cristante 7; Zaniolo 8; Pastore 6; Kluivert 6; Dzeko 7 Subs: Pellegrini 7; Veretout 4; Kalinic 4 Coach: Fonseca 7 Man of the Match: Zaniolo |
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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