There are dream starts, and then there are dream starts. What we’re witnessing now already feels like the best start since Rudi Garcia led Roma to a perfect 10-0 start in the 2013-2014 season. With back-to-back 4-0 wins in their pockets, this Roma is finally sporting the sheen of a Gasperini team: quick, relentless and ready from the start. By steamrolling Fiorentina and Lecce on consecutive Mondays, Roma remains the picture of perfection, with an unblemished record across the board.
Shepherded once
again by Donyell Malen, who now has five goals in his first two seasons and an unbelievable 19 goals in his first 20 Serie A matches. With a brace to add to last week’s hat trick, Malen is already lapping the field in the capocannoniere race.
So, it should come as little surprise that he kicks off this week’s saintly version of S&S.
The Saints
Donyell Malen
He may not have matched the incredible standard set in last Monday’s victory, but Malen put on a hell of a show against Lecce: five shots, two goals, one key pass, and one dribble. My favorite thing about Malen is that he makes it all look so effortless. You seldom see him even grimace.
Incredible signing. Simply incredible.
Paulo Dybala
As with last week, Malen is closely followed by Dybala, who continues to play like he’s 28. In 84 minutes yesterday, Dybala was Roma’s primary creator, doling out four key passes and playing a match-high 14 balls into the final third. So far, so good. But 174 minutes across two matches—two blowouts at that—is a bit concerning, given his recent history.
Still, the beauty of having several essentially interchangeable attackers is that it affords Dybala more rest.
Dybala is the key to everything. He could make or break Roma.
Mario Hermoso
Last week, we lumped the back line together under one halo, but today we’ll shine a light on the Spanish defender. Roma’s handsome gentleman center back was aces against Lecce, turning in 13 defensive actions and a game-high 11 recoveries while winning 80% of his duels.
Matías Soulé
The fan favorite has fallen into the transfer web in recent weeks, with his name linked to clubs as varied as Fulham and AC Milan. While he was a bit more passive than Dybala, Soulé still made a major contribution in Roma’s 4-0 victory, creating chances, making timely off-the-ball runs, and, of course, scoring the third goal of the match, capitalizing on a rebound two minutes after Malen completed his brace.
Roma was so overwhelming yesterday that all 11 starters deserve an appearance on the Saints’ list, but we’d be remiss if he didn’t mention Rodrigo Mora, who flashed some Messi-like movement while scoring his first goal for the Giallorossi.
Things will get more difficult going forward, but Roma seems ready to roll this season.
