What's it gonna take?

What will it take for us to end this season in that 2nd place spot?

My thoughts:

- Rudi needs to rediscover his confidence ASAP. He was the catalyst behind last season with his infectious enthusiasm and his ability to unite this locker room. It's no coincidence that with the loss of his confidence (undoubtedly shaken by Bayern) that the players lost theirs too.

- We need to kill this home match hoodoo. The players are clearly very nervous to play at home and as such they are afraid to make mistakes, which stifles our ability to take risks and thus reap the rewards of those risks. The players simply can't win the matches they need to win if they can't express themselves in front of their own fans.

- The players, the manager, the director of sport, the directors, and definitely our president all need to get humble and stop expecting the results to come. We play with a chip on our shoulders instead of with a point to prove and this is getting us nowhere.

- Rudi must change his tactics and the approach to the remaining games. I don't mind the 4-3-3 much, but he's got to get this team attacking the box more. Long shots from 25 yards out is simply not going to get it done. This links directly back with our inability to take risks.


I can think of many more things we have to do to stay in the CL, but the above are the most pressing for me.

Thoughts, lads?

I agree totally with your thoughts.

Rudi clearly lacks a plan B, though the finishing has been so poor recently then with better (or more confident) strikers things could be different.

Lots of fault lies on Sabbatini as well. Basically all transfers recently have been quite awful, exept Manolas. Maybe Doumbia will find his feet but I cant see this happening this season.
Sadly we will have Yanga-Bwiwa next season also, possibly Astori too. Manolas-Castan or Manolas-Romagnioli would be fun thogh.

I would wait with selling Itrube, give him another season.

Staying in top 3 is vital. Otherwise most top players might leave. And Garcia.

If Garcia wants to stay then he must stay above Lazio. If we could take the chances we have then we might do it. Ljalic needs to get more involved, easlily the best forward if hes having a good day.

Yeah agree as well. It's not surprise to those who follow Ligue 1 that Rudi has no Plan B. Sports warned us of that when he was first appointed.

I agree completely on the finishing. That's probably the most damning problem we have right now, as seen in this Inter game. We simply haven't been scoring enough to warrant max points in many of these games. 1 goal a game is not going to win us matches unless our defense is better, which it isn't.

Staying top 3 is indeed vital as we need to stay in the CL. However, if we finish 3rd and Lazio 2nd, that's all she wrote for Rudi. As for Saba, I think he leaves either way after that winter mercato. I'd be very surprised if he stays though I think its harsh to judge him for a 30-day period after he's done so well for us over the last 2 years or so.

This have gone from bad to worse after the defeat to Inter.

Garcia makes no sense - Totti off, Keita in. And we needed to attack.

2 wins on the trot then. That derby coming up is going to be absolutely tasty.

Not quite on the same scale as the the Coppa, but this is gonna be crucial for not just the table and thus our season, but the mentality of this team and its outlook going into next season. A rebuilding phases is once again coming...nothing can stop that now and the damage it will do to the team's chemistry, but it would help to not have to do it after another demoralizing defeat to our biggest rivals in a crucial match.

Just need to get by Milan now. Easier said than done. Even when they play awful, they raise their level for us. So weird to say that about a team of that pedigree these days...

Two win in a row with few positive points
Florenzi-Torosidis were better than any other duet we used as fullbacks
we didn't use mbiwa so we conceded less
i was great to see Florenzi's confident to take the chances instead of passing the ball ad hoping someone else does it

Then again both openers were lucky goals( Gk error and defenders), Milan is a tricky game despite their bad run of form. I think we need Pjanic to be at his best if we want to take 3 points from that game.

Milan doing exactly what I thought they'd do. Stepped up their game as they always do when we come to town. Just looked the better side all game.

We didn't deserve that penalty and we didn't deserve to win. I'm pretty sure we still don't deserve 2nd on evidence.

Will Florenzi ever get a position?

Not under Garcia he won't. I still think he's best deployed as a midfielder with license to get forward and support the attack. That's where he thrived under Zeman and at Crotone and the Primavera before that.. Not a winger and sure as hell not a full-back though he's serviceable enough in both roles depending on the opposition.

I see him as a universal player on the right side in a central midfield of 3,with a more defensive player in the middle and a more creative player on the left.Seems like a perfect fit,I hope he won't be wasted.

Florenzi is a perfect mezz ala , it is not a case Zeman who plays just with the 4-3-3   wanted him back in Roma , infact he was perfect for his game

Lets end this season in CL. Get an new coach, get rid some scum, invest in youth, give them playtime and see what happens. Medicore 30+ players time in Roma should be over.

time for something more radical. We need more players with passion, like Florenzi. Roma should be special. Not just a job for a player.

If we finish 2nd, then I think Rudi deserves to stay. His tactical stubbornness is uber annoying and his substitution and squad selection even more so, but we know what he can do when he has the right players playing the way he wants them to play. We can't pretend last season didn't happen just because we're unwatchable right now.

Unless there is a better option then yes, he deserves to stay. Just hope we dont end up with medicore Italian coach, a la Mazzarri

Hey guys! As much as this year has been tough to watch we are still in 2nd and that is an achievement in itself. Although it's not what most of us have wanted to see this season we have been consistent. RG deserves to stay at the helm, but Sabatini should resign or take a role as head scout.

Also, whoever is our manager and director of sport next season must together identify which players are untouchable in this squad. For me, Pjanic, Stootman, Flo, DDR, Totti, Castan, Manolas and Nainggolan(must find a way to keep) are the backbone of this team. Everyone else is interchangeable.

Surely Pjanic isn't that untouchable

He isn't anymore. Not after the season he's had unfortunately. Uncle Jimmy made it very clear that everyone has their price. Lamela had one and so too did Benatia and Marquinhos, who were all considered untouchable. Pjanic is in that boat too now. Strootman will be next summer if he recovers fitness and form next season.

Rudi most definitely deserves to stay given he's taken Roma to two runner-up positions in his two years... realistically, Roma has little to no chance to win Serie A given the talent gap with Juve. Until you guys buy that level of talent to bridge the gap, it's a pipe dream to win.

Yanga-Bwiwa of all peaople decided the derby though 1-1 goal was his fault..he was nowear near the lazio player who scored..

Still got lucky, our defense looked very shaken and unsure. Specially fullbacks