From Mourinho’s Legacy To De Rossi’s Vision: The Mid-Season Roma Transition Under Daniele De Rossi Tactics- Tactical Analysis

The sacking of José Mourinho to begin the calendar year marked the beginning of an incredible change of fortune for those invested in AS Roma.

Having guided them to their first piece of silverware in 14 years after beating Feyenoord in the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League final, Giallorossi fans were certainly bemused by the decision to dismiss such a beloved and legendary figure.

However, with tactical issues and apparent negativity creeping into play, it would appear that the Portuguese manager left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Roma ownership.

With this in mind, the decision to select Mourinho’s successor was equally as unexpected, as they hired Daniele De Rossi on a short-term contract.

Whilst the former defensive midfielder certainly embodied the city of Rome in his 18-year career for his hometown club, his managerial CV was particularly unimpressive after a minimal stint at SPAL was cut short after only four months.

However, this tactical analysis and scout report will begin to highlight how De Rossi’s expansive tactics and offensive freedom have allowed his Roma side to flourish in the past few months.

This analysis will begin to address Danielle De Rossis philosophy and preferred setup, shedding light on his project and ability to assemble an attacking powerhouse with enough output to dwarf the most successful teams in Serie A since his appointment.

The change of formation and initial shape

When beginning to highlight how AS Roma has transformed their future over a matter of months, it is important to address how they got into the negative period in the first place.

As we know from his decades in elite football, José Mourinho represented a more conservative footballing style, focused on solidity in the defensive line but more of a passive method of pressing.

His frequently used 5-3-2 created an opportunity for three central defenders and three central midfielders to sit deeper and negate spaces to play through the centre of the pitch, dropping into a low block with more defensive-minded wing backs.

His desire to prevent attacking opportunities for their opposition when caught in transition led to Roma losing their attacking fluidity and forcing the ball forward into their final third with minimal accuracy.

Whilst this conservative stance was extremely fruitful in knockout competitions, where conceding goals was vital to winning, it was apparent that this way of playing was detrimental to their league campaigns. They found themselves ninth in Serie A before Mourinho was sacked.

On the contrary, Danielle De Rossis style of play has undoubtedly rejuvenated the attacking spark and excitement within his squad.

Opting for the more progressive 4-3-3, he allows his defensive line to remain compact but offers an additional element of creativity.

Both the left back and right back are given increased freedom to impact play in the final third.

His system has appeared to reinvigorate the majority of Roma’s creative talents, playing nicely into their strengths. As a result, we have observed a significant increase in attacking output.

This is only further supported by the standout performances from dynamic stars like Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala, who have been released from their shackles and given the freedom to orchestrate for Roma.

The element of tactical flexibility is also imperative for success at the highest level- something that De Rossi has recognised and begun to incorporate depending on the strength of the opponent.

Due to this Roma side’s familiarity with the more traditional variations of the five-at-the-back formations, De Rossi has produced variations of the 3-5-2.

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