Roma Season Review Roundtable, Part II: Tactics, Trends & Results

In part one of our Season Review Roundtable, we focused solely on the players. From Romelu Lukaku's MVP-caliber performance to Paulo Dybala's fitness issues to the emergence of Mile Svilar, we touched on the biggest player-centric storylines from this season. Roma may have fallen short of fifth place, but if new Technical Director Florent Ghisolfi hits all his marks this summer, Daniele De Rossi and the Giallorossi should be in the thick of the Champions League hunt next season.

In part two of our roundtable discussion, we're expanding the scope beyond the players, focusing instead on the season's results, including tactical trends, Roma’s struggles against the big clubs, and so much more. Enjoy!

Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images

Roma can’t make a dent against clubs near the top of the table. So, what gives? Is it mental? Tactical? An ancient curse? Or is it simply a matter of talent?

JonAS: We already have an ancient curse in Rome: the Trigoria burial ground. I think it’s part talent and part mental. You can’t deny Inter, Milan and Atalanta have better players at some positions. And these long periods of drawing/losing against the top clubs will certainly leave its scars after a while. Players are almost ‘afraid’ to start these kinds of games because they always end wrong. So they are vulnerable to mistakes. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

ssciavillo: It’s really frustrating and hard to explain. I think talent-wise only Inter is head and shoulders above Roma. I’m sure tactics and injuries played a part in some of the results too—Bologna this season, for example. But when you see the way Roma completely dismantled Milan in the Europa League, it shows that they can play with all of these sides if they’re feeling confident and set up right tactically. So, for me, it comes down to a mental hurdle more than anything.

I’m curious to see if this changes under De Rossi at all once he has a full offseason to create a side in his image. After all, in eight league matches against teams in the top half of the table, Roma only went 2-3-3 under him with the only wins against Lazio (7th) and Torino (9th). So, the managerial change didn’t change much in terms of results.

Bren: Great point there. If anyone can get this squad to play with pride, passion, and fury, it’s De Rossi. He never shrank from any opponent as a player, so I have confidence that he can instill a level of confidence that no other Roma manager could, which is also where his reputation and legacy as a player will help his credibility as a manager.

But, speaking to the actual question here, I think it’s merely a matter of talent, which, in turn, is a matter of finances. Inter, Juve, and Milan can each legitimately run two-deep at every position. Roma can’t. So if our A-Team is hurt, tired, or simply having an off night, then it’s a wrap.

Certainly, the accumulated effects of those tactical and financial issues begets a mental block or a persistent feeling of inferiority, so it all lines up…in a perfectly shitty and completely demoralizing way!

Jimmy: I think it’s equal parts mental and financial. Mentally, there’s a belief that the club just isn’t Juventus, Milan, or Inter. That’s a belief that bears out in the all-time record, but it needs to be stated now: at its best, Roma’s talent has matched the talents at those clubs. The results just haven’t translated to the point where Roma feels like an Italian Tottenham now.

Financially, the lack of CL makes it so that Roma has a starting eleven that can handle playing a Juventus, Milan, or Inter on any given Sunday, but most likely can’t handle the strain of fighting through multiple competitions with elite opponents. It’s the Europa League curse, honestly, and I do think that the moment Roma gets Champions League money, half of Roma’s issue here will go away with proper investment.

Photo by Elianton/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

Was there anything Mourinho could have done differently to save his job in January, or was the writing already on the wall? Were there any Mourinho-style traits that could have helped Roma down the stretch?

JonAS: Not really, it was your typical Mourinho’s third-season syndrome. Maybe if he benched Rui sooner for Svilar, but then again, the difference in the first few weeks after his dismissal and DDR’s debut was sky-high. It looked like players felt freed from José’s reign. One thing was certain: Mourinho would never survive 2023-2024

ssciavillo: I thought maybe Roma would’ve been spared the third-season syndrome after the Conference League trophy and Europa League finals appearance, but I guess it’s a real thing. I don’t think there’s much he could’ve done to change things. It seems like the us against the world siege mentality and antics that go along with it seemed to have worn off this season. As JonAS said, maybe a change in goal could’ve sparked the team and saved a result or two. But I don’t think there was a magic pill for him to paper over the results of the first half of the season.

Bren: It’s so difficult to say. I do believe he had a genuine affinity for his players, the club itself, and the city, so I never doubted his intentions. In the end, it seemed like the mounting frustrations of working under a specific set of conditions unique to Roma got the better of him. Throw in his unwillingness to deviate from his defense-first approach, and the third-year swoon was probably inevitable.

I’m not sure De Rossi needed to carry over any specific Mourinho tactics or traits, but his vaffanculo attitude came in handy every now and then!

Jimmy: Nah. Writing was on the wall, and it was clear that beyond the poor results, Mourinho was losing the locker room. It looks like Mou is about to head to Fenerbahce, and to that, I say: best of luck and thanks for the ECL title. Not too much ill will there on my part.

Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images

The De Rossi hire was a smashing success in the first month or so but came crashing down to earth late in the season. Did that rattle your confidence in DDR, or were these ordinary growing pains?

JonAS: Like they say, the honeymoon period is over. It was nice while it lasted, but in the last couple of weeks, we saw the same old boring, dull displays. Also, Daniele’s stubbornness to use the 3-5-2 annoyed me.

But facts are facts; Daniele did a better job than Mourinho this season, so he deserves a fair chance. After January, very few people thought Roma would have a shot at CL qualification until matchday 38. Time will tell if we were too quick to praise DDR as our next Ferguson.

ssciavillo: After what we saw to start his tenure, I still believe De Rossi is the right man to lead Roma going forward. We all knew that there was some new manager bounce aided by a soft schedule and that those early results were unsustainable when the Europa League kicked back off, and Roma had the gauntlet of fixtures in the league the last two months of the season. However, there were signs that the players responded to him well and that he brought some crash ideas to the squad. I’m hoping that a full preseason will give him the opportunity to really have him express himself as a manager and lead to better results next season.

Bren: Nope. I never once wavered. Still haven’t. In a sense, I think experiencing nearly the full gamut of the Roma managerial experience in such a condensed time may be a boon to his growth. We’ve seen how he deals with adversity, how he manages a shallow and injured squad, and how he handles the press (and pressure) after wins, losses, and everything else in between.

He seldom, if ever, passed the buck, played the victim, or grandstanded. He was serious, humble, dedicated, and genuinely committed to making Roma a better club. What mattered over these past four months was proving he could lead from the sidelines, handle the media, and speak to, motivate, and console his players when necessary. These are the skills that make lengthy and successful careers.

The tactical nous will develop over time. Soon, he’ll develop a keener sense of what he wants on the pitch and what types of players are necessary to make that a reality. Once he has that set, the in-match and week-to-week adjustments will become second nature.

I’m fully on board. There is literally no one else I’d rather have leading this team.

Jimmy: Can I just copy and paste Bren’s answer here? More seriously, I was skeptical of DDR heading into this season but now I am 100% in the tank for capitano futuro. Ride or die, bad boys for life.

Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images

To his credit, De Rossi went full bore in Europe and the league. Was this a mistake? Should he have focused on Serie A instead? What approach should he take next season?

JonAS: Well, it’s a discussion you simply can’t win. Focus on all competitions, and fans say you’ll run the team into the ground, it’s not realistic, we don’t have enough depth etc. Focus on Serie A or Europe alone and fans say we must not put all our eggs in one basket, it’s too risky, it’s a loser mentality,… I’d say: just try to win the next game. One step at a time and see where it brings ya.

ssciavillo: I believe that whenever you’re in a competition you should strive to do your best in it. So, I would never say mail in the Europa League, especially when Mourinho built up that European pedigree over the last two seasons. The same goes for not trying to win every league match to try and win a European trophy. Plus, there’s no proof that shows that if Roma focused on one competition or the other, they’d be in the Champions League next season. So, I agree that he did the right thing. And I’d say he needs to do the same next season. After all, if Roma is going to strive to be among Serie A and Europe’s elites, then you need to try to win as much as possible.

Bren: Yeah, I suppose it’s easier said than done. Not many managers would openly throw in the towel for an entire competition. Having said that, this club DESPERATELY needs to return to the Champions League. Any minor competition outside of the league is just a distraction towards that end.

It’s a shame the squad didn’t have enough depth to survive both competitions, but I think that speaks to the importance of returning to the CL and getting that extra revenue. It’s definitely a mess of circular logic, but getting to the Champions League, by hook or by crook, will help them break this cycle.

Jimmy: I would hate it if Roma had thrown in the towel for any competition, let alone a competition where Roma could actually win something. We do need Champions League football, but I don’t want to get there by developing a losing mentality.

Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images

What lessons can Roma learn from some of the supposed “smaller” clubs they faced this year, like Atalanta and Leverkusen? Would those models work in Rome?

JonAS: Scouting and smart transfers. I mean Ederson, Djimsiti, De Roon, Koopmeiners, Hincapie, Frimpong, Tapsoba, and Palacios; these aren’t deals like Abraham, Schick, or Iturbe. Smart, cheap buys, no big stars, but hard-working players who really give 110%. And yes, sometimes those guys come from smaller leagues like Scotland, Switzerland, or the Netherlands instead of England or Germany.

ssciavillo: I agree with JonAS. It’s having a smart, sustainable transfer strategy that brings in players to help the manager execute his vision, while also having the patience for some of these players to come good.

Bren: Yeah, you nailed it, Jonas. The only thing I’d add is that part of the reason Atalanta has been so successful, in addition to the scouting network, is consistency. While they’ve had to sell off star players, they’ve stood by Gasperini year after year; he’s enjoyed a level of job stability that doesn’t exist in Rome.

If we wanted to weave together these two analogies, if De Rossi can become Roma’s Xabi Alonso, and if the club sticks by him, then yes, I think Roma can implement those models.

Jimmy: Yeah, it just showcases the power of a good scouting department. I think Tiago Pinto’s work was largely excellent, and I think he’ll be very successful with Bournemouth. However, he had to dig Roma out of the hole that Monchi (and others) created in Rome, not to mention the Financial Fair Play shenanigans that consistently haunt this club. Going the Full Walter Sabatini Route and looking for wonderkids in South America is a dangerous game, but I think that Roma needs to lean a bit more into finding the hidden gems going forward if they want to get to CL with Europa League money.

Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images

It’s probably too soon to accurately define “De Rossi Football,” but how would you describe Roma’s style of play under DDR this season? What worked, what didn’t, and what are some areas for growth?

JonAS: I appreciate DDR likes to play directly, on the ground. No long balls from Rui Patricio to Lukaku anymore, but a passing game. More Spalletti, less Mourinho. Not be afraid to take the fight to the big boys (like Milan in the Europa League or the derby win).

But I think his idea of football is too complicated/demanding for the current crop of players. I’m talking about fitness, passion, and positional awareness. Guys like Svilar, Paredes, Dybala, and Mancini are capable, but it’s not enough, we need harder, better, faster, stronger players. And I totally didn’t steal that line from Daft Punk!

ssciavillo: It’s definitely a more progressive modern brand of football with direct passing and pressing of the opponent than we saw under Mourinho. And that’s a breath of fresh air. But we will need a full preseason and the right players to play this way. I think that’s why you see players like Chiesa and Bellanova being linked that can push the wings and run at people. I don’t anticipate Roma absorbing 65% possession to teams like Inter as often. I’m excited to see what it looks like next season with proper training time and some fresh faces.

Bren: There’s definitely some Spalletti influence behind what we’ve seen from De Rossi so far. And you’re correct to say that Roma doesn’t currently have the exact type of players necessary to play such an intense, up-tempo style. If De Rossi wants a model of how to successfully implement that, he just needs to walk across the hall and check in with Alessandro Spugna, who has successfully installed a similar system with the Giallorosse.

What worked was simply the switch to four at the back and a more direct, ground-based approach, as you suggested, Jonas. There’s nothing ground-breaking about that, but it did stand in contrast to Mourinho’s style, at least in the latter days of his tenure with Roma. The biggest struggle I saw from DDR over the past four months was the teams’ inability to break a high press, but that could have as much to do with sheer exhaustion as anything else.

I think as De Rossi gains more experience, he’ll find new ways of counter-punching, so to speak. The past four months were really a trial by fire, and he clearly did enough to warrant a new contract. Now, give him a full summer and some fresh recruits, and I think we’ll have a clear idea of what De Rossi-ball is all about.

Jimmy: I appreciate the changes from MouBall, just like the rest of the guys, but I agree with Steve — I want to see what a De Rossi side looks like tactically after a full summer window and training camp before trying to interpret how he views the game of football. He himself has said that he was working with spare parts and trying to not rock the boat too much after taking over mid-season, so I’ll be watching very intently to see just how Roma moves forward and reshapes the squad in the coming months. There will certainly be a lot of moving parts!

---

Check back tomorrow for part three, where we tie it all together and focus on what this season means for the dawn of the De Rossi era.