)
Mourinho will hope that his return to the bench will inspire AS Roma when they take on AC Milan in their next Serie A match.
It has been a disappointing start to the season for Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma, with one draw and a defeat in their first two games.
I Giallorossi started their season with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Salernitana before suffering a 2-1 defeat in their clash against Hellas Verona.
Those were two disappointing results for Roma, considering they were the favourites going into the two games.
)
For a side with top four aspirations this season, these are the type of games Roma should be winning, especially when one takes a look at their record against the top sides in the league.
)
17:18 - 25.08.2023
Jose Mourinho opens up on potential AS Roma move for Lukaku
AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho has hinted that the club could add a new striker before the transfer window shuts.
It does not get easier for Roma as they face one of the favourites for the league title in their next match.
The Yellow and Reds will take on AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico this Friday in a match they cannot afford to lose.
AC Milan will go into the game as the favourites after starting their season with two wins out of two.
However, the good news for Roma is that their manager, Jose Mourinho, will be in the dugout, having missed the last two due to suspension.
Mourinho will need to make some changes for Roma to get a positive result against AC Milan. We look at what the self-acclaimed special one must do to get a positive outcome against the Rossoneri.
Find a way to play Dybala and Aouar
Last season, Roma’s major creative outlet was Paulo Dybala, which showed in the 12 goals he scored and six assists he created.
Mourinho’s men clearly struggled when there was no Dybala, which probably explained why the Portuguese tactician had to sign Houssem Aouar from Olympique Lyon on a free transfer.
)
Aouar has been brought in to help lessen the responsibilities on Dybala, but it appears Mourinho is not ready to play them together.
While it was understandable in the first game as Dybala was missing due to a suspension, Mourinho’s decision to leave Aouar on the bench in the game against Hellas Verona was baffling.
)
16:34 - 23.08.2023
Mourinho announces new four-year contract
AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho announced that he will continue his long-standing relationship with Adidas.
The Portuguese tactician went with Dybala and Pellegrini as his two creative outlets, but those two struggled to have an impact on the game despite Roma dominating possession.
Pellegrini may be the captain, but he is no creative midfielder, and time has shown that. Yes, he gets into good positions, but that is all for nothing because Roma simply do not create enough from open play.
Mourinho is known for his conservative approach because he prefers to have balance, but it will not take anything away from him if he takes more risks. After all, his 3-5-2 style has not worked in the first two games.
It is still early in the season, meaning Mourinho can always experiment with Dybala and Aouar's partnership.
Their little time on the pitch in the clash against Hellas Rona brought results, with Aouar pulling one back for Roma.
There is no better time to test this partnership than in the clash against AC Milan. The duo will definitely give Roma more creativity and an attacking threat in the final third, which is what they need going into the match on Friday night.
Drop Rui Patricio
Rui Patricio is into his third season at AS Roma, but the goalkeeper has never been one to instil confidence.
He is not assuring and one mistake from letting in a goal. This was the case in the 2-1 loss to Hellas Verona, failing to deal with a routine shot from outside, which allowed Ondrej Duda to tap home the rebound.
)
It is important to note that this is not an isolated case. In the last two seasons, Patricio has made six errors leading to a goal in the Italian top-flight, the sixth highest in this time frame.
A team cannot progress if the goalkeeper is unreliable. If Mourinho and Roma are serious about challenging for the top four, then they may need to drop Patricio, starting from the game against Milan.
Start Romelu Lukaku
All things being equal, Romelu Lukaku will be announced as Roma’s latest player before the weekend.
Lukaku’s incoming is a big boost for Roma, considering their strikers were poor last season. Andrea Belotti went all season without scoring a league goal, while Tammy Abraham scored just eight goals.
In contrast, Lukaku played a key role in Inter Milan’s run to the Champions League, having won the top scorer award in the league a few seasons ago.
Mourinho may feel it is too early to play the Belgian, but if he is fit, Lukaku should get at least some minutes against Milan because he may just be the X-factor Mourinho’s men need.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)