Complete Report Card for AS Roma's 2014-15 Season so Far
After announcing themselves as genuine title-contenders in Serie A last season, Roma have continued to improve this term under Rudi Garcia.
The summer transfer window saw a number of high-profile recruits arrive in the Italian capital, and though they could have been given an easier draw on their return to the Champions League, the Giallorossi now look head and shoulders above everyone else in Italy, save for their old rivals Juventus.
The Italian top flight is now on its winter break, with Roma sitting three points behind Juve in the table after 16 games played.
The second half of the Scudetto race promises to be very exciting indeed, but while calcio takes a Christmas breather, we'll rate Roma's stars and their performances so far.
Goalkeepers
1 of 7
Morgan De Sanctis
Last season, Morgan De Sanctis was one of Roma's most consistent and important players. The veteran 'keeper was unwanted at Napoli but proved a reliable pair of hands for the Giallorossi—who had struggled to find a dependable stopper for a long time.
So far this campaign, the 37-year-old's form has been less assured. De Sanctis is still capable of excellent performances, but the occasional howlers that sometimes undermined his talents at Napoli have creeped back into his game and they have sometimes—the last-gasp equaliser against CSKA Moscow in Russia, for example—cost his side dearly.
Looking at the stats—FoxSports.com has a neatly presented list of the relevant numbers—makes it easier to assess De Sanctis' contribution more accurately, taking the whole picture into account rather than lingering on those sporadic, game-changing mistakes.
Only Gigi Buffon has conceded fewer—six to De Sanctis' eight—and the Roma player has been forced into action far more times than his Juve counterpart.
The Giallorossi also had a brand-new back line this season due to departures and injuries, and going into the new year it remains somewhat unsettled. Those changes are bound to have had an effect on the man between the posts, and at times he's been held accountable unfairly for the mistakes of others in front of him.
Grade: B-
Lukasz Skorupski
Roma's Polish reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski has only featured four times in all competitions this season, and in those games did little positive or negative to leave an impression.
Important matches such as the 3-2 loss to Juventus and the 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich were opportunities for the 23-year-old to make his mark, but though he might have done more, the ex-Gornik Zabrze player can't be blamed for either loss.
Grade: N/A
Right-Back
2 of 7
Maicon
Injury has meant that Maicon only managed 12 starts in all competitions for the first half of 2014-15, but when he's fit the Brazilian remains among the best in the business in his position.
The 33-year-old still has the pace and physicality to change a game—as he did against Genoa in mid-December—and few full-backs in European football are more of a threat going forward on their day.
The stuttered nature of his season this far means that his performances haven't always been of the very highest quality, but if Roma can keep him fit in the new year Maicon will play a huge role in any success they may yet achieve.
Grade: B
Vasilis Torosidis
Vasilis Torosidis is somewhat underrated, and though he's not a player of the very highest class, he has been important for Roma this season due to Maicon's fitness issues.
The 29-year-old Greek lacks the game-changing ability of the very best full-backs and struggles against top-quality wide players, but particularly in the league, against smaller sides he is a reliable squad player and one who can never be faulted for work rate.
Grade: B-
Alessandro Florenzi
It's hard not to love Alessandro Florenzi. The hometown hero has featured on both sides of the attack this season, played a game in central midfield and made two appearances as an emergency full-back.
Both times the Roman played at right-back, he was surprisingly effective. Given his usual position, it's only natural that he looked more comfortable when on the ball, going forward, but the 23-year-old gave a fine account of himself and solved a worrying problem for his manager. Don't be surprised to see him back in at right-back later in the season.
Grade: A (for effort)
Centre-Back
3 of 7
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
A lot of Roma fans worried that the departure of Mehdi Benatia to Bayern Munich in the summer would hurt the Giallorossi at the back, but even with Leandro Castan's long-term medical issues, Rudi Garcia hasn't had too many problems at centre-back.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa's arrival on loan from Newcastle looks like a stroke of genius from the club's transfer chief Walter Sabatini. The 25-year-old Frenchman cost just £1 million for the season, and the purchase option of £4.5 million on top of the loan fee seems a bargain based on his current form.
Yanga-Mbiwa settled in immediately at the Olimpico and brings title-winning experience from his time at Montpellier.
Grade: A
Kostas Manolas
Kostas Manolas was one of Europe's most in-demand defenders in the summer, and Roma quickly snapped him up when nothing more could be done to stop Benatia's move to Munich.
The 23-year-old Greek made a name for himself in his homeland with AEK Athens and Olympiakos, and has 16 caps for the national team despite being so young.
Manolas has been a near-constant presence in the starting XI this season, with only Miralem Pjanic and Radja Nainggolan playing more minutes in outfield positions.
His impact has been overwhelmingly positive, too, and though he cost the Lupi an estimated €14 million, his signing looks like a shrewd one because he's only likely to improve as a player—and increase in value—over the coming seasons.
One black mark against his name is the needless red card he earned against Juventus. The pointless display of frustration and petulance after Alvaro Morata took him down was perhaps understandable given the pressure of such a big game, but it possibly cost his side a point against their rivals because his sending off left the Giallorossi undeniably weakened. Hopefully, he learned a valuable lesson.
Grade: A-
Davide Astori
Davide Astori cost Roma €2 million for the season, with the option to buy (here's the official club statement, in Italian) for another €5 million come May. With Castan, Manolas and Yanga-Mbiwa already on the books, the loan was a cheap way to add more class to the defence by bringing in a player with almost 200 Serie A games under his belt as well as international experience with Italy.
At 27, Astori still has a long career ahead of him, and though he's found it difficult to cement a regular place in the starting line-up, whenever Garcia has called upon the Lombardian he has performed admirably—most notably back in October when he strung together two man-of-the-match performances against Chievo Verona and Sampdoria.
Castan will hopefully return to the squad in time, and great things are expected of young Alessio Romagnoli in the long-term, but based on the evidence of his first six months in the Italian capital, there's definitely room at the club for a player of Astori's ability should both parties wish to make his move permanent.
Grade: A
Left-Back
4 of 7
Ashley Cole
So far, things haven't worked out for Ashley Cole at Roma.
The 34-year-old made a brave move coming to Italy when his contract expired at Chelsea, but England's most-capped full-back hasn't settled in Serie A. Six months in, it's hard to find that many positives to mention about the 11 games he's played for Garcia.
It was hoped that Cole's natural talent and experience would outweigh his age, and that the excitement of a new challenge could invigorate him in much the same way that it rejuvenated Maicon on the opposite flank the season before. Unfortunately, Cole looks a shadow of his former self, his skill appears to be on the wane and he looks completely out of sorts in his new surroundings.
Of course, after spending his entire career in London, learning a new language in a new country was never going to be easy. Given his achievements, Cole deserves more time to prove his worth. Unfortunately, time isn't something that a top club in search of silverware can afford to give him.
Grade: D
Jose Holebas
With all the fanfare surrounding Cole's signing, Jose Holebas' arrival from Olympiakos almost went unnoticed. But while he and the Englishman got off to a similarly slow start in Italy, after some time to settle it is now Holebas that looks like the obvious starter.
Since his influential debut goal against Inter back in November, he's only gotten better, and if another full-back arrives in the January transfer window it will be Cole, rather than the 30-year-old Greek international, who should worry.
Grade: B
Midfield
5 of 7
Daniele De Rossi
No one is under more pressure to perform at Roma than Daniele De Rossi. His fellow Roman Francesco Totti is almost immune to criticism at this stage in his career, and isn't expected to be the game-changer twice a week, either. De Rossi, by contrast, has yet to win a title with his hometown club and is still at the height of his powers.
And playing in the centre of midfield in front of the defence, he is the dynamo that keeps the Giallorossi going. When the Lupi's vice-captain underwhelms, it's always painfully obvious, because his team-mates rely on him so heavily.
De Rossi's game is defined by energy and passion—even if sometimes, you get the feeling that he'd be more effective if only he cared a little bit less—but he's also a brilliant passer of the ball.
Recent seasons have seen him relinquish his attacking aspirations in favour of a much deeper, defensive role, but like any other world-class midfielder, Roma's No. 16 is a potential game-changer in almost any position.
2014-15 hasn't been his best season so far, but that's only because he's set the bar so high for himself already.
Grade: B
Miralem Pjanic
Simply put, Miralem Pjanic is one of the world's most exciting midfielders. The Bosnian is an elegant playmaker with an eye for goal and the ability to shrug off his marker before slotting seemingly impossible passes through defences.
His three goals and four assists from midfield only scratch the surface of how important the 24-year-old has been so far, and if the Giallorossi are to make a push for the Serie A title, Pjanic will play a huge part in it.
Grade: A+
Radja Nainggolan
Radja Nainggolan promises commitment, energy and physicality whenever he pulls on the Roma jersey, and the Belgian is now almost undroppable for Garcia.
At Cagliari, the only criticism that could have been directed at him was that he didn't score enough goals, but the 26-year-old has become far more effective going forward this season and has so far notched up three assists and three strikes of his own.
Grade: A+
Seydou Keita
Seydou Keita is no longer the player he was under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, but the veteran Malian was an excellent addition to the Roma squad last summer, providing Garcia with options and more strength in depth.
The 34-year-old settled quickly into Serie A, and has made more appearances than many predicted he would in the midfield. Versatile and hard-working, most managers would be happy to have him at their club and it wouldn't be surprising to see his one-year deal extended.
Grade: B
Kevin Strootman
Despite the fact that Kevin Strootman has been out of action since suffering a serious knee injury against Napoli last March, the Dutchman continues to be one of the most in-demand midfielders in European football.
Reports continue to circle, such as this one from Rob Dawson in the Manchester Evening News, linking Strootman with Manchester United and his old manager, Louis van Gaal.
The ex-PSV star has made two appearances recently as he continues to work towards full fitness. It's unlikely that the club would allow him to leave in January, so hopefully he can have a much bigger impact in the second half of the season.
Grade: N/A
Forwards
6 of 7
Adem Ljajic
Is 2014-15 the season that Adem Ljajic finally fulfils his enormous potential and makes the step up from young prospect to first-team regular? It certainly looks likely.
The 23-year-old has been "one to watch" ever since he broke into the Partizan Belgrade senior team back in 2008, and after a spell at Fiorentina and a mixed first season at Roma, the Serbian now seems to have developed into a mature, dependable forward.
Ljajic is currently the club's top scorer—but with just six goals, that fact should worry the Giallorossi slightly—and has been linking brilliantly with his fellow forwards, forming part of Garcia's fluid front line behind the main striker on both flanks.
He almost single-handedly won the game for the Lupi against Atalanta back in November, and were it not for his two goals against Sassuolo in December, they might have suffered an embarrassing home defeat. It will be interesting to see how much is still to come
Grade: A
Francesco Totti
Roma's evergreen captain continues to delight crowds and terrorise defenders, even at the grand old age of 38.
Rudi Garcia has been careful in his use of the club's talismanic trequartista—and it has paid off. Totti looks sharp when he plays, even if his return of four goals and five assists in all competitions isn't as large as he'd like it to be.
The iconic No. 10 made headlines when he scored a delightful goal—with his signature chip—against Manchester City after the English club had made a light-hearted joke about his inability to find the net against English teams.
He is currently the oldest active scorer in UEFA competitions, proving that he can still do it at the very highest level, too.
Grade: A
Gervinho
With just two goals in the league so far this term, Gervinho is some way behind his strike rate from last term, but the Ivorian has still been impressive for the Giallorossi, and his real importance to Garcia's attack can't really be measured in simple numbers anyway.
Much like Arjen Robben, on paper Gervinho's game seems a little bit one-dimensional: he runs very fast at defences and cuts in when possible. Just as with Robben, however, Gervinho's danger lays in the fact that while it's easy to know what he's going to do once he gets the ball, it's very difficult to stop him from doing it.
Romanisti will be hoping he can improve slightly for the second half of the season and get on the scoresheet more often, but even in his current form, the pace and work rate he offers means it's unlikely he'll spend much time on the bench.
Grade: B
Alessandro Florenzi
As mentioned earlier when discussing Florenzi's exploits at full-back, the dynamic young Roman brings plenty of vigour to the Roma attack whenever he plays, and he links the attack and the midfield excellently.
He's capable of pulling off the spectacular, too, and not just in front of goal. Calcio fans will fondly remember his grandmother-hugging celebration after his strike against Cagliari for years to come.
Grade: A
Mattia Destro
Being young and Italian, there's plenty of pressure on Mattia Destro to perform in Serie A. The criticism levelled at the 23-year-old is often unfair—he is, after all, the club's second top scorer—but he has been frustrating in front of goal this season and it doesn't seem to be working out for the striker at the Olimpico.
The Italian press are now linking him with a move away, as per the latest rumour from La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia).
He isn't as mobile as Roma's other forwards and would almost certainly benefit from being a team's designated frontman, receiving plenty of service, but it would still be a shame to see the Italy striker leave Rome without having fulfilled his obvious potential.
Grade: B-
Juan Iturbe
After a stellar season for Hellas Verona last year, on paper it looks like Juan Iturbe has taken a step back since joining Roma.
In truth, however, the Argentinian simply hasn't been as individually brilliant for the Giallorossi as he was for his old club because he's had to step up several levels in terms of quality and is now surrounded by a squad of excellent players—some of whom he has to compete with for a place.
Fitness issues have also limited his game time, and with just 354 minutes of league football under his belt so far, it's much too early in his Roma career to judge the 21-year-old.
He looks to have settled well in his new city and has already scored, so regular football the second-half of the season could get the best out of the exceptionally-talented winger.
Grade: N/A
Rudi Garcia
7 of 7
This season, Rudi Garcia has dealt excellently with losing three of his most important players—Benatia to Bayern Munich, Castan and Strootman to injury—while incorporating a host of new signings into his squad.
He's also had to cope with the added pressures of European football and the increased expectation that was inevitable after such a successful debut season in Italy last year.
His side are comfortably second in the table, just three points behind Juventus and still very much in the title race. Roma were dealt a blow by the Champions League draw, and even with the shock 1-7 defeat to Bayern, they can take positives from their return to UEFA's top competition.
For the majority of the squad, it was a new experience and the Giallorossi will be the stronger for it next year—especially if they take the Europa League seriously and try to learn as much as possible in a tournament that offers them the very real possibility of silverware.
At this juncture last term, there was a real sense that Juve were still a level above in Serie A and Roma, after an incredible start, were starting to wane. Twelve months on and it would be a very brave pundit who'd call the Scudetto race, while the Lupi look like a side on the brink of becoming even better before May.
Grade: A
What do you think of Roma's season so far? Let me know on Twitter, @ColliOBrien.
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