Roma overtook its city rivals Lazio into second place with a well-earned 2-0 victory over Genoa.
The Giallorossi went in front thanks to a first half goal from January signing Seydou Doumbia. Roma had to wait until the last minute of the match
to secure all three points when Alessandro Florenzi completed a swift counter-attack to make it 2-0. The win would have been more emphatic if it had not been for another superb display from young Italian Mattia Perin in the Genoa goal.
Deadly Duo
When Roma signed both Victor Ibarbo and Doumbia in the January transfer window, there was not too many headlines written. This less than enthusiastic welcome for the pair continued for months after their arrival with neither player excelling in Rome. Yet this week has been a turning point for both of the players and their careers at Roma. The pair have started in Roma’s last two games, against Sassuolo and Genoa, with the side earning victories on both occasions. Doumbia scored the opening goal in both games and has started to show the form he displayed during his successful time at CSKA Moscow. Ibarbo meanwhile has not found the net but has been sharp in his last two appearances. Roma has made Ibarbo’s loan signing permanent this week, and he and Doumbia could well be the strike force that Roma builds upon for next season.
Fabulous Florenzi
Twenty-four-year-old Florenzi has had a fantastic week. He followed up his man of the match performance against Sassuolo in mid-week with a superb breakaway goal to wrap up the game against Genoa. Although Florenzi has spent all of his career as a central midfielder, Rudi Garcia has played the Italian international in recent months at full-back, where Florenzi has excelled. His defensive capabilities and relentless energy have seen him fit into Roma’s back line with ease. The player is fast becoming Roma’s most influential.
Defensive Turnaround
In recent months, Roma’s achilles heel has been its inability to keep hold of leads and clean sheets. It is now two clean sheets in a row for the capital club. The most striking thing about the last two games is the ease in which Roma has kept the opposition out, restricting its opponents to limited chances while veteran Morgan De Sanctis in the Roma goal has barely been troubled. After the match against Genoa, defender Kostas Manolas claimed that Roma’s defence put in a complete performance – he was right. Roma looked assured and confident handling Genoa’s attacking players. Four more performances like that from Roma’s backline from now until the end of the season would go a long way to securing automatic Champions League qualification for the Giallorossi, something that looked very doubtful last week.
A return for Strootman
Kevin Strootman has endured a terrible time at Roma. His first two seasons with the Giallorossi have been hampered by serious injuries. A knee injury meant he missed the World Cup last year in Brazil and the 25-year-old underwent surgery on that knee in February. Yet Strootman is edging closer to a return to the Giallorossi starting XI. He has only made six appearances this season but it is easy to forget how important Strootman can be for Roma. Last season he made 25 appearances in Serie A, helping Roma to its best finish for four years. Although Roma’s midfielder has looked settled in recent weeks, Strootman could well break back into the first team in the last four games of the season and could well have a big impact in the reminder of the season, thus helping Roma secure Champions League football. The last four weeks of the season could also serve as a springboard to help the Dutchman to return to his best for Roma in the 2015-2016 campaign.
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