Investigating Roma’s Early Season Success

It is not every day when we get to witness history, so when an event of historic proportions comes along one must take a deep breath and simply marvel at the magic of such a momentous occasion. 

When A.S. Roma beat Chievo Verona last Thursday, they became the first team in the 115 year history of the Italian League Championship to win the first ten games of the season. 

Roma’s perfect ten have turned a club expected to hover around mid-table into a global sensation. 

Now, let us go over the reasons behind the success of the capital club this season. 

1. Rudi Garcia

It hasn’t been easy for Thomas DiBenedetto since he took over the reins at Roma in the summer of 2011. The American entrepreneur has been forced to recruit three separate managers in three years and after another disappointing season at the hands of Zdenek Zeman and Aurelio Andreazzoli, yet another summer of change beckoned for the Giallorossi. 

On June 12, 2013 the vacated managerial post was handed to Lille manager Rudi Garcia. 

The French tactician who masterminded Lille’s league and cup double triumph in 2011, gained fame for unearthing talents such as Eden Hazard, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy and Adil Rami to name a few. 

Rudi Garcia has a knack of getting the best out of the talents available at his disposal and that is exactly what the Frenchman is achieving at A.S. Roma. 

Under-performing players are suddenly becoming integral to the Giallorossi first team and good players have gained a touch of “world class” around them. 

Gervinho, much maligned at Arsenal, is producing the sort of form which made him one of Europe’s most sought-after wingers while at Lille. Young stars like Florenzi look older and wiser while old heads like Maicon and Totti seem a couple of years younger. Meanwhile, world class talents like Pjanic and De Rossi continue to be nurtured and developed. 

Garcia’a man management talents did not just leave an impact on the first-teamers with squad members coming in and performing well when called upon with Dodo, Torosidis and Marquinho as perfect examples. 

Suddenly, with Garcia at the helm, Roma’s mid-table squad seems good enough for a title challenge. 

2. Transfers

Thomas DiBenedetto comes from the “Moneyball” school of thought implemented successfully at the Oakland Athletics under Billy Beane and with the recently crowned World Series winners, the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox are owned by Fenway Sports Group (FSG) of which DiBenedetto is a partner. 

Moneyball is a methodology which originated within the statistics of Major League Baseball where players are rated on statistical values which influence the course of a baseball match. 

As a transfer strategy, Moneyball represents signing players based on their contribution to certain facets of play such as passing accuracy, pressing, crossing etc. Moneyball also focuses on acquiring talents who seem to have lost their way or seem to be underperforming for one reason or another – which allows the transfer to be negotiated at a lower value. 

DiBenedetto and the Roma board were heavily criticized in the summer for the transfer dealings which took place at the capital club. Roma supporters and Serie A pundits accused the owners of asset-stripping after the club brought in around 105 million euro in transfer outgoings. 

Marquinhos, Osvaldo and Lamela were sold for large transfer fees while Bojan, Stekelenburg and Tachtsidis also departed. 

With a clear transfer strategy and an ironclad football ideology, the capital club reinvested wisely by bringing in players who would make an instant impact on the starting eleven. 

Mehdi Benatia replaced Marquinhos, Ljajic and Gervinho covered for losing Erik Lamela and Bojan while Morgan De Sanctis took Stekelnburg’s spot as the club’s number one. 

The Stadio Olimpico also witnessed the arrival of Kevin Strootman to strengthen the midfield options after the retirement of Simone Perotta and the sale of Tachtisidis. Last but not least, Maicon joined on a free transfer from Manchester City. 

The new signings came straight into the first team with brilliant success which ensured that the likes of Marquinhos and Lamela are far from being missed. 

3. Tactics

Garcia, a philosopher with firm footballing principles, is an advocate of possession based attacking football which relies on clever movement, intricate passing and a high pressing game. 

Barring injury, Rudi Garcia lines up his Roma side in a progressive 4-3-3 formation with Totti as the mobile false nine. The defence is shielded by Danielle De Rossi while Pjanic and Strootman are allowed to foray into forward positions. The wingers Florenzi and Gervinho cut inside to add more numbers for the defenders to contend with while the fullbacks play a key role in the attacking third through their continuous overlaps. 

Garcia is not a gung-ho tactician though, his team is well drilled defensively and the high pressing game instigated by Roma’s attacking trio is crucial for quelling opposition attacks. In midfield, Strootman is tasked to cover for the forward movement of the left back while Florenzi and Pjanic drop back when needed to aid on the right flank. Benatia and Castan have formed a formidable partnership at the heart of Roma’s defence as the tactically adept Moroccan complements the physical prowess of Leandro Castan. 

Roma’s free flowing attacking football seems a page out Luciano Spalletti’s tactical notebook where the former Roma boss deployed an experimental 4-6-0 formation which kept all opposition defenders guessing due to the unpredictable movement from the team’s midfielders. 

This Roma side is not without a plan B though with Garcia and his charges showing tactical adaptability when required. The injury to Totti could have proven damaging to the fortunes of the capital club but Garcia modified the personal orders of his midfielders and wingers to get the best out of Marco Borriello as the battering ram. 

Garcia’s varied tactics are proving problematic to his Serie A counterparts and that has been critical to the success of the Giallorossi this campaign. 

4. Squad

Roma’s manager has been forced to make full use of his squad due to injuries and suspensions, pushing key players out of the starting line-up as Francesco Totti, Gervinho and Maicon, amongst others, were side-lined in recent weeks. 

The first team vacancies provided Rudi Garcia with an opportunity to test the mettle of squad members vying for first team berths and the likes of Ljajic, Borriello, Bradley and Dodo did not disappoint. 

19 different players have been utilized by Roma’s management in the 11 Serie A games this season – a sign that Garcia is willing to grant first team opportunities to those who work hard and show desire on the training ground. 

With motivation levels high and first team opportunities within their reach, Roma’s squad players are rising to the occasion and providing Garcia with plenty of selection headaches. 

5. Meanest Defence, Highly Prolific Attack

A.S. Roma seem to be a conundrum to the opposition on both sides of the pitch as they currently lead the defensive charts, while in attack, the Giallorossi, who scored 25 goals this season, lay second behind Inter Milan. 

The attacking stats would have been even better had Totti and Gervinho been available for the last three games against Udinese, Chievo Verona and Torino as Garcia’s man struggled to score more than one goal on each occasion. 

In defence, Roma are yet to concede a single goal at the Stadio Olimpico while De Sanctis has only been beaten twice away from home. The partnership of Benatia and Castan boasts the best defensive record across the European continent with just the single goal conceded. 

Conclusion

Rudi Garcia is building a title challenger based on defensive solidity and fluent attacking creativity worthy of the “La Magica” nickname. Roma’s perfect 10 is a wonderful achievement which bodes well for this young project and despite the recent draw with Torino, the capital’s undefeated club will continue to push for the Serie A title come next May.

Sources: http://www.transfermarkt.com http://espnfc.com http://www.squawka.com