week 4: Roma match preview

By: j | September 23rd, 2008

Later today, Luciano Spalletti leads the Giallorossi to Stadio Luigi Ferraris to face Genoa in what is already turning out to be a very important match for both clubs.

Throughout the course of arduous Serie A campaign, the league schedules two mid-week matches, one each in September and October. These are quite “unique” matches as they not only stress the depth of the squad but tactical play of the managers. For a Football giant such as Roma, which is additionally involved in the Champions League this further complicates the issue and could ultimately be one of the hidden factors in this match.

The complexity of a mid-week match for Roma is without question quite significant and will play a major role in deciding tactics. After a troubling start in which Roma tied its opening match to Napoli and then sufferred successive losses to Palermo and CFR Cluj in the Champions League, they broke into the victory column with a resounding 3-0 victory over Reggina. Unfortunately this has done little for Mr. Spalletti who faces one of the most demanding fan-bases in the world and now must deal with five matches in just a day over two weeks. Following this match in Genoa, Roma faces a cagey Atalanta at home and then travels to the French countryside to tangle with Bordeaux in their second Champions League match. Following a already short week and with full knowledge that another loss in the Champions League will be their undoing, I suspect the Giallorossi are balancing the need for victories domestically and the reality of the European stage. This will naturally call into question on tactical decisions on the lineup and while a institution of its magnitude can dip into a wealth of talent, the injury factor looms large. Notable already for the exclusion of one Mr. Francesco Totti as well as Marco Cassetti, Juan and David Pizarro for the lineup although they will however have Alberto Aquilani and Max Tonetto back as well as a fully-fit Philippe Mexès.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Rossoblu are from all-accounts fully fit, including Andrea Gasbarroni and the question will be whether Raffaele Palladino will play opposite to Diego Milito or Giuseppe Sculli retain his spot. Additionally will the solid performance of Boško Janković on the weekend against Palermo, will he move into the starting grid or remain as a substitute to inject pace and movement in the later stages of the match. As with each of Genoa’s matches this campaign the work of Domenico Criscito, Giuseppe Biava and Matteo Ferrari are critical to success.