Here we are in mid-February, the season therefore well underway. AS Roma remains at a level in the standings where we did not necessarily expect it, in any case not above Juventus, Lazio, Atatanta and Napoli. She is third before the 23e Serie A day and seems to withstand winter. Last season and after a start to the season just as successful as this one, it was during these months of January and February 2020 that she let go. This time, it is well established in the peloton of pursuing Milanese despite its irremediable inability to beat the other “big guys” in the championship. Another particularity for the Louve 20-21: its defensive friability. Defense Giallorossi is the worst in the Top 10 and the other four Top 5 teams have conceded at least ten goals less than her.
Benevento, the perfect example
For this 23e match of the season, Paulo Fonseca’s team moves to the lawn of Benevento. The first leg is the perfect example of Roman (in) ability. Victory at the Stadio Olimpico with an offensive festival (five goals scored, five different scorers) but two goals conceded against what is today the 14e Serie A attack. All of AS Roma summed up in this score (5-2), namely a very efficient team in the opposing area, very bad in their own. After the meeting a question is asked to Paulo Fonseca, in a press conference, about his defense: “The first goal is lucky and apart from the penalty, the team was balanced”, He dodges before continuing by explaining that Serie A is an offensive championship, that it is good for the image of Italian football… Otherwise, he speaks of psychological shortcomings or absence of revolt; very abstract explanations while the examples multiply (the slap of the derby, the seven goals conceded in four days against La Spezia, the two against Cagliari).
Slowness
Let us therefore try in our turn to understand these Roman defensive failures. Since the Covid stop last season, the team has evolved with three central defenders, two pistons and two midfielders. Leonardo Spinazzola, on his left side, is very carried forward, which does not favor full coverage of the pitch. Also, the two midfielders have a lot to do, to the detriment of defensive replacement. On one side Jordan Veretout throws himself, presses and on the other Gonzalo Villar organizes the game from a remote position. But the Spaniard does not have the character of a recovering midfielder. More simply, the problem of the Roman defense is also… the level of the defenders. It is in this sector that the individuals are the least good of the group and at each kick-off, it is a little who will make the fewest mistakes. Federico Fazio, Chris Smalling, Gianluca Mancini, Roger Ibanez, Marash Kumbulla, Bryan Cristante… All of these men have already been responsible for gross fouls leading to a goal. Last match and last example with this first insane raise of Cristante directly on Deulofeu, who then missed his face to face with Lopez. Another point in common with them: the slowness of the profile. As soon as they can, AS Roma play high enough, which does not favor the three axial ones when it comes to running towards their goal. They are tall, rather thin and slow. It is perhaps also a greater diversity of profiles (and therefore complementarity?) That it would lack among defenders.
With such defenses, what can Paulo Fonseca hope for at the end of the season? The podium, although he has clung to it for many weeks, seems to escape him. The Champions League? The trend is not optimal for the Portuguese coach since since the start of the calendar year, Atalanta (17 points) and especially Lazio (19) have taken more points (16 for ASR). Not enough to panic either when on the lawn of Benevento, AS Roma could chain a second clean sheet in a row. Dizziness.
–
