GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
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.
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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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October 2019
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