GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma made it four games unbeaten on Saturday with a 1-1 draw away at Inter, a result that does no harm to their chances of catching the top four.
With AC Milan drawing to Parma earlier in the day, it was a major chance for Roma to finally rise into the leading quartet in Serie A again, and while they didn't get the win they needed to do so, it was far from a negative performance. Consequently, the Giallorossi remain just one point off fourth place. Roma's defenders stood out more than their attackers, with Inter dominating the ball. Claudio Ranieri's side showed resilience and solidity, making a big effort to keep their hosts at bay having taken the lead through Stephan El Shaarawy's tenth goal of the season. Ultimately, Inter did peg Roma back, but a point at San Siro is never easy. Here's how Giallorossi Yorkshire rated the players. Antonio Mirante - 6.5 It was a mixed afternoon for Mirante, who was starting his fourth game in a row. In the eighth minute, he pulled off a save of the season contender, somehow clutching the ball off the goalline to deny Lautaro Martinez's powerful header. However, later in the half, he fumbled at a long-range shot from Matteo Politano, in a moment which had the Roma faithful panicking. All in all though, Mirante is continuing to justify his selection ahead of Robin Olsen. Alessandro Florenzi - 5.5 Florenzi had quite the task on his hands, forced to nullify the double threat of Kwadwo Asamoah and Ivan Perisic down Inter's left-hand side. Roma's captain for the day went about his job with varying degrees of success. Sometimes he made a good block or challenge, but more often, he was bypassed by the direct nature of the Inter duo. Crosses over the top were a constant source of chances for Inter, and eventually it paid off, with Florenzi being caught out at the backpost for Perisic's goal. Federico Fazio - 7.5 He's starting to look like 'Il Comandante' again. Fazio has been steadily improving since the arrival of Ranieri, and on Saturday night, he continued his upturn in form. In the absence of Kostas Manolas, Fazio was the leader in the backline, showing heart and passion to protect Mirante's goal. When Mirante spilled Politano's shot as half-time approached, it was Fazio who was racing across the six-yard box to put in a challenge, preventing a follow-up shot from Matias Vecino. Juan Jesus - 8 Fazio's centre-back partner impressed in even greater measures. In the build-up to the game, the conversation revolved around the potential impact that Nicolo Zaniolo could have against his former club. But it was another ex-Inter employee, Juan Jesus, who was the real hero for Roma. Called into the starting lineup late, when Manolas was injured in the warm up, Jesus was focused from the off, winning several key challenges. He kept his attention levels high right until the end, putting in a big tackle to deny substitute Mauro Icardi late on. Aleksandar Kolarov - 7.5 The consistently inconsistent Kolarov had one of his better games, certainly in an attacking sense. He gave Roma their first real opportunity of the game, with a powerful left-footed effort from outside the box that flew just wide of Samir Handanovic's post. The full-back was visibly angry with himself that he hadn't hit the target, but what he had done was give Roma the impetus to start the game well. In the dying minutes, he nearly won Roma a penalty, somehow getting a shot away as he was pushed over by Keita Balde. Had he been a little less honest and gone to ground, VAR might just have been tempted to intervene. Steven Nzonzi - 6 Not one of his most noticeable performances. The midfielder won three aerial duels and made two tackles, as he played his part in nullifying former Giallorossi man Radja Nainggolan. However, he wasn't a major part in any of Roma's attacks, as the game seemed to pass him by a little. Bryan Cristante - 6.5 Cristante can also become a passenger figure on the pitch, but against Inter he was more heavily involved than usual. He played a big part in breaking up play to stop Inter counter attacks, trying to incite offensive moments of Roma's own. His passing was more accurate than usual, but he needs to start making more decisive contributions in the final third. Cengiz Under - 5 Handed his first start since January, the winger was brought off at half-time after a rather uninspiring 45 minutes. Cengiz tried to get in behind the Inter defence, but Asamoah defended well against him. Ultimately, he was reduced to a couple of snatched-at crosses, never really causing any danger. After a couple of months out, it will be a case of gradually getting back up to speed, but it looks like Under is a good few weeks away from his best. Lorenzo Pellegrini - 5.5 He had the right ideas, but the execution was a little off. Playing in the number 10 role, Pellegrini tried to create with through balls in behind, but they tended to be overhit. He had a disappointing left-footed shot near the start of the second half, sending it wide of the nearpost when he should have shown more composure. He could have no complaints about being brought off as Ranieri looked for more dynamism. Stephan El Shaarawy - 7 This season has been El Shaarawy's most consistent to date, and he capped it off with another wonder goal to bring up a landmark. His effort to break the deadlock showed intelligence and precision, as he beat the obstacles of Danilo D'Ambrosio and Vecino to get himself into a shooting position. His connection was clean, giving Handanovic no chance. It's the first time he's reached double figures for a season in a Roma shirt, and he fully deserves it. He didn't have too many opportunities beyond that, but the goal was good enough to make up for it. Edin Dzeko - 7 The assist for El Shaarawy's goal came from Dzeko, who was slightly better than he usually has been this term. His hold up play was creditable, and his ability in the air shone through again. He only managed one shot on target, though, and should have done better with an opportunity on his left side early in the game. Subs: Nicolo Zaniolo - 5 Replacing Under at half-time, Zaniolo's freedom was restricted as he had to help cover Florenzi on the right-hand side. When he moved into a more central position following Pellegrini's withdrawal, it was too late for him to have an affect on the game. He went on to pick up a yellow card, which will rule him out of Roma's next game. The immature challenges are something he needs to quickly learn from and remove from his game. Justin Kluivert - N/A Only got 10 minutes to make an impact, and did try to get at Asamoah. Given Cengiz's disappointing showing and Zaniolo's suspension, he may get a chance to start against Cagliari next week. Coach: Claudio Ranieri - 6 A point away at Inter is not an easy accomplishment, but Ranieri was able to guide Roma to it. The Giallorossi's improvements in the defensive phase continued to shine through, all testament to Ranieri's work. With several players unavailable again, most of Ranieri's decisions made themselves. But he is continuing to get on with the job without complaints.
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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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