For Roma to be second in Serie A and just three points behind Juventus is no mean feat given some of the Giallorossi’s problems at the back this season.
Vasilis Torosidis, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Maicon, Leandro Castan, Davide Astori and Daniele De Rossi are capable of doing a job in defence but they have all spent some time on the sidelines.
And, we should not forget that full-back Federico Balzaretti is still a Roma player as he struggles to overcome a pelvic injury that could end his career.
Rudi Garcia’s side’s problems have been further compounded by the fact that former Arsenal and Chelsea legend Ashley Cole hasn’t been especially convincing at left-back and seems on the verge of losing his starting place to the Greek international, Jose Holebas.
Given the problems with injuries and form, the decision to send promising young defender Alessio Romagnoli to Sampdoria seems strange but it comes with the silver lining that another youngster, Michele Somma, made his Roma debut away at Atalanta.
Yet, in spite of Roma’s lack of a consistent back line and the loss of Mehdi Benatia to Bayern Munich over the summer, they hold the second best defensive record in the league. This is testament to the quality of their midfield and Garcia’s tactical acumen. Unfortunately their record in the Champions League is more questionable as the 7-1 defeat to Bayern Munich and the last-minute equaliser conceded to CSKA Moscow immediately spring to mind.
In essence, the Lupi are proving the old adage that attack is the best form of defence with their midfielders and attackers setting out to dominate the opp
osition and pin them down in their own half. Radja Nainggolan has been exceptional in midfield and the Belgian does a little bit of everything for his team.
His energy and commitment allows him to protect the defenders behind him and still burst forward to force the opposition back.
De Rossi’s abilities in shielding a defence have been obvious for many years while fast wingers such as Juan Manuel Iturbe and Gervinho use their pace to relieve pressure on their defenders once the ball is cleared.
While Roma’s midfield is crucial to the side’s impressive defensive record in Serie A, the management’s recruitment strategy over the summer must be commended in that the squad now has just about had enough depth to survive a bizarre influx of injuries.
Yanga-Mbiwa didn’t look like the world’s greatest defender during his time at Newcastle but at Roma he has come in and done a job when the those further up the pecking order such as Kostas Manolas, Castan and Astori have been out.
The French international may not be top quality but he is reliable enough and Garcia acknowledged how important it was to have him back in the squad for the win at Atalanta even though he didn’t actually get on.
Kostas Manolas is only 23 and in his debut season in Serie A, but he has only missed two games and has drawn plaudits for his impressive form. He already looks to be a great summer signing. Manolas announced at his unveiling that he was not just one for the future but a centre-back ready to make his mark in a key position at a club challenging for the Scudetto.
His early season form, other than silly red card at Juventus, has backed up his bold words. It says great things about the entire squad and Garcia that newcomers have been able to come in, adapt and perform even if they have not had much time to acclimatise.
All in all, Roma’s ability to maintain a solid defensive record in spite of a horrific injury list pays tribute to the coach’s ability to build a team with an identity where the entire squad has a role to play and buys into the philosophy.
There has been no established back four and therefore no opportunity for a real understanding to develop between the defenders. Yet, despite all the chopping and changing, the players who have come have performed well and made their mark.
There are still issues to iron out such as the defending of high balls, but Roma have adapted remarkably well. If the Giallorossi can keep their defenders out of the physio’s room, they could be well on their way to becoming a proper miserly outfit as the chemistry develops and the stars get more playing time together.
And that will give Juventus even more to worry about.
