Roma: What the Giallorossi Must Do to Challenge Juventus in 2014 and Beyond

AS Roma has given Europe one of its best early story lines to begin the 2013-14 season.

A year ago the capitol club had one of the most talented rosters in Europe but badly underachieved.  Coach Zdenek Zeman's attack-at-all-costs tactics led to a terrible defensive record, and he was sacked halfway through the season.  The team finished sixth in the league and then was embarrassed in a derby final in the Coppa Italia, falling 1-0 to Lazio in a completely uninspired performance.

Frenchman Rudi Garcia arrived to right the ship, but fans were distressed when the highest-profile move the Giallorossi made were the sales of Erik Lamela and Marquinhos for a combined €65 million.

But Garcia used those two big sales to make a number of smaller moves that have vastly improved the side.  The biggest was the €17 million purchase of coveted Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman.  Also arriving were center-back Mehdi Benatia (Udinese, €13.5 million), forward Adem Ljajic (Fiorentina, €11 million), full-back Maicon (Manchester City, free) and winger Gervinho (Arsenal, €8 million).

All have had a hand in Roma's epic start to the season.  Strootman has scored twice and is second on the team with five assists.  Benatia is making a case as Serie A's best center-back this season and, considering the discrepancy in transfer fees between the Moroccan and the man he replaced, Marquinhos, the shrewdest move of the summer window.  Maicon has started 10 games and helped lock down Roma's right flank.  Ljajic has scored three times, as has Gervinho, who has been rejuvenated by his reunion with Garcia—his coach at Lille—after Arsene Wenger rarely used him in his proper position.

These contributions—combined with a league-leading six assists from ageless captain Francesco Totti and the emergence of youngster Alessandro Florenzi (four goals) as a winger—has led Roma to an unbeaten run that has now stretched to 13—the first 10 of them victories.

But in spite of being one of only four teams in Europe's Big Four leagues without a loss, Roma now stands second in the Serie A table, a point behind two-time champions Juventus.  The fall from the top was caused by a string of three straight draws that highlighted Roma's major weakness—depth.  This will need to be addressed if the Giallorossi expect to vie with Juve for the title—and to compete in Europe in the future.

Whereas Juventus—to use the champions as an example—has a ridiculous amount of squad depth, Roma is relatively thin on all levels.  It was particularly exposed when injuries to Totti, Gervinho, Ljajic and Mattia Destro decimated the front line to the point that Garcia was forced to use Marco Boriello—a player Roma has been trying to rid itself of for the last two seasons—as his primary center-forward until the injury bug bit him too.

Destro, who hasn't been able to play all season due to injury, should be back and a serious striking option sooner rather than later.  A club update (via Sky Sports) said that Totti was "improving" but will miss a few more games.  His targeted return date is the December 16 match against AC Milan.  Ljajic has been back playing, but the Serbian starlet hasn't scored a goal since September.

Roma's roster was built for a year without European competition, so a squad this thin isn't necessarily a bad thing.  But to compete against the likes of Juve down the stretch, the January transfer window must be used to beef up the team and allow for more rotation and more options.

The Bianconeri can put out an emergency lineup in defense—as they did against Livorno this weekend—and still put in a dominant performance.  They are similarly deep in the center of midfield and at forward—only on the wings do they have problems if someone becomes unavailable.

Roma, on the other hand, may be able to withstand the odd week or two without a key player, but extended absences would expose a lack of quality beyond the starting XI.  If injuries pile up at any one position—as they've done at the forward spot this season.  Totti's injury in particular has been killer—they went from averaging 2.75 goals per match in their first eight games with Totti to scoring four in five games since he went down.

James Pallotta must use the Janary transfer window to add quality depth to his team, particularly in the forward positions.  One possible option would be Galatasaray's Burak Yilmaz.  The Turkish forward is tied for fourth in goals and third in assists in the Turkish Super Lig, and while he hasn't found the net at the rate he did a year ago in the Champions League he has averaged nearly three shots per match and worked hard for his team.

Acquiring Yilmaz would also get under the skin of their archrivals, as Lazio was in for the striker during the summer until talks broke down in the last hours of the transfer window.

Yilmaz is not the be-all and end-all of what Roma has to do if they are to take the step from great story to great club.  Roma's defense has only conceded three goals all season, but any injuries to the back four—Benatia in particular—could prove disastrous.  They are similarly thin in the midfield.  Any injury to preferred trio Strootman, Daniele De Rossi and Miralem Pjanic would force Michael Bradley—who is having a subpar season at the club level this year—or Marquinho into service.  It would be a significant drop in quality. 

Given Garcia's ability to get the most out of smaller-scale transfer moves, the coach can probably be trusted to keep the squad competitive until the opening of the team's anticipated new stadium.  The new facility should bring Roma the same financial benefits it gave Juventus, giving them extra power to their transfer activity.

Roma probably isn't ready for the big-time in Serie A.  Juventus has enough depth to grind the Giallorossi into submission by season's end.  The team needs to cast their eye to the future.  To be competitive on the elite level, Roma needs to beef up their roster.  Otherwise, drop-offs in form like the last three games will be the norm when injuries strike.