For a long time against Udinese it looked as though Roma were finally going to drop points this season, but eight minutes from time Michael Bradley finished off a well crafted counter-attack to send the Giallorossi back to Rome from northeast Italy with all three points.
Their task was made all the more difficult with Maicon’s red card midway through the second half, robbing Roma of one of their most dangerous threats on a difficult pitch – Udinese had not lost at the Stadio Friuli in Serie A for more than a year and had only been beaten on home turf four times since Roma’s last win there in April 2011.
With an opposition also shorn of the pace of Gervinho or the inspiration of Francesco Totti, the home side may have expected to take the initiative and exploit their numerical advantage
Instead Rudi Garcia showed his tactical nous and pulled off Marco Borriello for Marquinho, leaving Adem Ljajic as the furthest point forward in what was something between a 4-4-1 and a 4-5-0.
“When we had 10 men we had to play with strict lines and exploit speed and set pieces”, Garcia explained. “That’s why Borriello came off – we needed pace”.
The Giallorossi defended solidly enough with 10 men, though Federico Balzaretti’s overhit pass infield nearly cost them as the ball fell to Antonio Di Natale but the striker shot wide from 18 yards.
In the 82nd minute, Garcia’s plan of using swift breaks forward rather than using Borriello as a target man paid off. Miralem Pjanic picked out Kevin Strootman from inside his own half, the Dutchman’s touch took it away from Danilo and, as the Udinese defence dropped off, Strootman had the time to pick out Bradley who passed it into the corner from 20 yards.
Roma saw out the final minutes with some resolute, determined defending to record a ninth straight victory at the start of the season – unparalleled in Serie A history. “Things were complicated by the red card but we did well to fight”, Strootman declared afterwards. “At half time we promised ourselves we would win. This win is thanks to everyone”.
Bradley echoed the Dutchman’s thoughts, emphasising the togetherness of the team. “This is a united group – we had to know how to suffer when we were down to 10 men. The coach asked me to help out the defence and get involved with moves forward, and the moment came to get forward and Kevin gave me a great pass”.
There is a lot to be said for the team spirit that has been instilled in the side since Garcia took over, which I have talked about in this column before. But this is just one facet of the professionalism within the camp; Garcia has stuck by a core of players in his starting elevens (six players have been involved in every game, and another four have missed just one) but not once has someone like Nicolas Burdisso or Vasilis Torosidis complained of a lack of game time.
With another two games coming up this week, the coach may give opportunities to some of the fringe players. Maicon will be suspended for Thursday’s home game against Chievo, with Torosidis the likely replacement at right back, and Garcia recently spoke of his faith in young pair Gianluca Caprari and Federico Ricci who he has no concerns about calling on if required.
Although Chievo and Torino – Roma’s opponents on Sunday – are both without a win in the last five, there should be no room for complacency from the Giallorossi. It will be Garcia’s job to ensure that there is no let up in determination and focus after stiff tests in the last three games, but instead to keep the winning run going in the next three fixtures against Chievo, Torino and Sassuolo.
While Roma face some of the teams in the lower reaches of the league, their rivals have far tougher fixtures. Totti’s return is also being tentatively pencilled in for late November, by which time his team may have extended their current five point lead at the top of the table. Nothing should be taken for granted – let’s not forget that previous incarnation of this Roma side have slipped up against the less fancied sides in the league numerous times before – but it’s nine wins and counting now…
Nice one mate. Just one critique.. it was De Rossi who made the pass to Strootman.. Pjanic was already replaced my Marquinho. Keep it up!