Roma’s early season has acquired a clear identity under Gian Piero Gasperini: force the game forward, recover the ball quickly and find goals from across the team. Six matches into the campaign, the Giallorossi have already produced a substantial response to their new coach.
The decision
Gasperini’s Roma have scored 15 times in their first six fixtures across Serie A and the Champions League, an average of 2.5 goals per match. The figures reflect a side playing with a high line, sustained pressure and an immediate desire to win possession back once it is lost.
Donyell Malen has supplied the centre-forward’s contribution, but Roma’s start has not depended on one scorer. Matias Soulé and Tiago Mora have found goals from advanced positions, while Manu Koné, Bryan Cristante and Niccolò Pisilli have added from midfield. Mario Hermoso has also contributed, underlining how widely the responsibility has been spread.
In all, nine Roma players have scored when domestic and European games are combined. Among Italian clubs, only Inter and Sassuolo have had more different scorers at this stage. The wide areas remain the one part of the side still finding their rhythm, but the rest of the team has already offered Gasperini several routes towards goal.
The encouraging element for the club is that the attacking output has not come at the expense of defensive order. Roma have conceded only three league goals, the second-best record in Serie A. Their goal difference of +11 is currently ahead of Inter’s +7 and Milan’s +6.
That balance is central to the new chapter. Roma are committing players forward, yet have retained enough control to avoid becoming exposed. It is an early indication that Gasperini’s demands have been understood not merely as an attacking instruction, but as a collective responsibility.
Sunday’s picture
The larger change may be seen in Roma’s approach to the leading opponents. Last season, direct meetings repeatedly slowed their ambitions: the only victory in those matches came at the Olimpico against Como, with draws and defeats making up the remainder.
This time, Roma have beaten Fiorentina and Atalanta, then earned a hard-fought draw against Inter. Those results do not settle anything in a long season, but they have changed the atmosphere around the side. Roma have faced stronger opposition without retreating from their plan.
Malen, Koné, Soulé, Mora, Hermoso, Cristante and Pisilli have been the most visible figures in the opening weeks, yet the wider story belongs to the collective. Gasperini has asked Roma to play at a demanding tempo, and his players have made an immediate case that they can sustain it.
