Has Gian Piero Gasperini lost his magic touch, or have Roma’s forwards really been that bad? Roma fans have been asking themselves this question for the past two months. Gasperini built his reputation
as an attacking genius, elevating humble Atalanta from obscurity to a title contender thanks to an offense that overwhelmed opponents with its pressing, positional fluidity, and vertical movement. Combining that approach with talented players like Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, and summer signings such as Wesley and Evan Ferguson had Roma supporters frothing at the mouth.
But now, two months later, Gasperini’s vaunted attack has yet to emerge from the shadows. With only seven goals in their first seven league matches, Roma’s offense ranks among the lower third of the table, alongside teams like Udinese, Cagliari, and Torino. However, thanks to a defense that has allowed just three goals—the fewest in the league—Roma is only two points behind league leader AC Milan as we approach Matchday Eight.
While it takes a proverbial village to raise a football team, the blame often falls on the strikers when your offense struggles. It may be unfair to place the blame solely on them, but with only one league goal between Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson—two players with a combined transfer value of nearly €80 million—they have contributed almost nothing through the first two months of the season.
And following Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Viktoria Plzen, in which Roma’s only goal came from a penalty kick, the Gazzetta dello Sport suggested that the club might move on from both of their struggling strikers. Whether starting alone or playing in tandem, Dovbyk and Ferguson have failed to make an impact, scoring just one goal in 10 competitive matches. And while Gasperini has rarely called them out publicly, his decision to play without a striker in the starting lineup speaks volumes.
Gasperini’s dissatisfaction could spur immediate movement on the transfer market. The GdS suggests that Roma could part ways with Dovbyk and Ferguson this January, selling the former and returning the latter to his parent club. In their place, Roma has been linked with Manchester United attacker Joshua Zirkzee, Nottingham Forest forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, and Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David.
Of course, replacing two forwards during the tight winter transfer window isn’t easy, but it’s becoming clear that Gasperini’s vision for Roma is being hindered by his struggling strikers.
