Every superlative imaginable has been laid upon Francesco Totti at one time or another. From hero to talisman, the AS Roma legend has recieved the highest praises, yet with the curtain soon to fall on his 23rd season in Serie A, his place in the team is at risk.
Roma’s manager Rudi Garcia was in defiant mood when it came to Totti last week. “Leave him alone” – he protested at journalists in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match against AC Milan. Totti came off the bench to score a penalty in the 2-1 defeat, but therein lies the problem. He came off the bench.
Totti has been a bit time player for Roma this season. He has seen his role in the first team decline as the campaign has progressed, starting only two of the last seven games. Just four goals in this calendar years sums it up.
It is Totti’s playing time in the league which is the most striking indicator of his fading impact on Roma. The season before Garcia took over, 2012-2013, Totti played 2,839 minutes for the Giallorossi in Serie A. That is in sharp contrast to last season, the first under Garcia, when he only managed 1,676 league minutes. This season’s stats are even more damning. Totti has played 1525 minutes in Serie A, which is only just over half of what he managed two seasons ago, although there are still three rounds to play. The remaining question is why this sudden drop of game time for il capitano?
“He needs to pass more… he does not make assists anymore.” That is the view of Totti’s Roma teammate Gervinho on his captain’s form. It was, however, not a serious comment and Garcia laughed off the statement, saying Gervinho was “joking.” But Gervinho does have a point.
Totti is on course for his worse combined goals and assists tally since 1996-1997, with just 15 to his name this season. This poor record stems from a change of tactics for Roma under Garcia, which has been to the determent of their veteran playmaker.
Throughout his career at Roma, the national hero has been the vocal point of Roma sides. Under Fabio Capello when Roma won the scudetto in 2001, Totti played just in behind goal machines Vincenzo Montella and Gabriel Batistuta, providing the ammunition for the deadly duo. With Luciano Spalletti at the helm, Totti was rejuvenated when critics were beginning to questions Totti’s ability as he moved into his thirties.
Totti was played as a striker in Spalletti’s revolutionary 4-5-1. As the lone forward Totti would drop deep, back into midfield and play long diagonal balls onto the quicker wingers such as Rodrigo Taddei and Mancini. This formation and his role within it suited Totti perfectly. Under Spalletti, Totti won the European golden boot in 2007 and helped Roma into back-to-back Champions League Quarter-finals.
Even in recent years under less successful Roma managers, like Luis Enrique and Zdenek Zeman, Totti was still the leading man. This has changed in the last two seasons. Under Garcia, Totti has been cast-aside as he does not suit the Frenchman’s philosophy.
During his two seasons at Roma, Garcia has played a fluid 4-3-3. Vital to the coach’s way of thinking is speed. His former player at Lille, Gervinho, was brought to Roma in Garcia’s first transfer window in Italy and lit up Serie A. The Ivorian international tore defences apart with his lighting quick runs, which helped Roma to 10 wins out of 10 at the start of last season. The January additions of Victor Ibarbo and Seydou Doumbia once again highlight Garcia’s stress on pace up-front. This is something that Totti does not have.
A serious ankle injury in 2006, which threatened to rule Totti out of the World Cup of that year, severely restricted Totti’s agility. The 38-year-old still limps around the pitch, but his creative ability has not diminished, as shown by his time under the Spalletti.
The role of creator under Garcia, however, has not been given to Rome’s favourite son. Miralem Pjanic has taken that mantle in the past two seasons. The Bosnian has been superb and fully rewarded Garcia’s faith in him but it has left Totti as non-instrumental part of Roma’s squad.
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“I will never cause Roma any problems.”
This was Totti’s reaction when rumours began to surface of him being unhappy with the current situation of Roma. It is clear that he wants best for the club. And yet despite his restricted role this season, he is still the Giallorossi’s joint top scorer on nine goals with Adem Ljajic. Although this highlights Roma’s awful record in front of goal this season, it proves that Totti is still vital to the team. Manager Garcia could do worse than revise his tactics to get the most out of Totti as Roma’s No.10 still has plenty to give to the cub he loves.
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