GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
With the January transfer window now open, it's a good time to reflect on the current state of the squad, and how the newer members of the squad have done so far.
Many Roma fans were excited for the arrival of new sporting director Monchi in the summer, and whilst everyone is aware that this will be a long-term project, the additions he made in his first transfer window with the club have had varying levels of success. Here's a grade for the performances of each of the players Monchi brought in in the summer so far. Hector Moreno: C- A player that Monchi has admired for some time, Mexican defender Moreno hasn't seen much action at all. With Kostas Manolas, Federico Fazio and Juan Jesus ahead of him in the pecking order, the 29-year-old has been limited to just six appearances in all competitions. It's somewhat strange that we haven't seen him at left back, given the amount of football Aleksandar Kolarov has had to play, and the claims when he joined the club that he could also play that position. Rick Karsdorp: N/A Sadly for Karsdorp, and for the many fans who believed he would solve the club's issues at right back, injury has been cruel to the Dutchman. Signed with a knee problem, he missed the start of the season, and on his first appearance back, he ruptured the ACL of his other knee, sending him to the sidelines again. Lorenzo Pellegrini: B Returning to the club he grew up at, Pellegrini came back to Roma from Sassuolo at the end of June. So far, the young Italian has looked to be a good acquisition for the future. He has creativity on the ball and work rate off it, and scored against his former club at the weekend for his second goal of the season. He is definitely making a good start to his Roma career, and can go on to become a cornerstone of this midfield. Maxime Gonalons: C- One of the players who was expected to fight for a starting place, Gonalons has been largely underwhelming. Signed with great experience at Lyon, he played very well against Chelsea away, but on other occasions has made too many errors. He will be hoping to improve over the second half of the season. Cengiz Under: C Cengiz Under has a bright future, but has understandably been limited to a handful of appearances so far. He looks good on the ball, but is currently lacking a goal. With a bit more experience and confidence, that will come. Gregoire Defrel: D Defrel has found it difficult to adapt to a different role on the right, ultimately failing to produce any quality of note. Perhaps unlucky not to have been given a chance in his natural centre forward position, he is another forward without a goal to his name. Aleksandar Kolarov: A Undoubtedly the best signing made by Monchi in the summer. At €5m, Kolarov has been a real bargain, and his performances at left back have been pivotal to the success of the team. He has taken the headlines for his ability with the dead ball, scoring two free kicks, and has also been exceptional in open play. The Serbian has been a revelation for Roma. Patrik Schick: B- Signed in a deal that will become a club record, Patrik Schick has had to wait for his opportunity to impress at his new club due to injury. Now fully fit, he has been utilised as either a right winger or a striker. He scored his first goal for the club in the Coppa Italia loss to Torino in December. He's certainly promising, and, with gears still to go through as he continues his return to the pitch, should be aiming for at least ten goals this season. Overall: C Many of the players brought in over the summer are long-term solutions, from whom too much shouldn't be expected too soon. The younger additions are in general making the right first steps in their Roma careers, whilst the form of some of the more experienced arrivals has been mixed. Collectively, all these players have allowed Eusebio Di Francesco to rotate for different competitions, which has been pivotal to the team's success in the Champions League. However, recent weeks have indicated that the squad isn't yet complete, which may prompt Monchi to act in the January window.
1 Comment
Amos
2/1/2018 06:08:21 am
Spot on, on everything. Just to add to your conclusion, James Pallotta did ask for patience as this was to be a sort of "new era". The "Monchi Reign of Power" if you will and would take some time to implement. I have to say, from what they promised, the club is right on track to achieve their objectives. My opinion is that the mercato went almost as it should have and the players acquired were for the benefit of the new system either financially or on the field. Monchi's only real fault is not replacing Salah. Having said that, it could just be a ploy to let Mahrez, or whoever, drop in value. From what I hear of Monchi, there most definitely is a plan. On top of that plan, he will work harder than anyone to make it hapen.
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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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