Gasperini's Methods: Molina Thrives on the Left

Nahuel Molina has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's shrewdest tactical decisions in the opening weeks of the season, deployed on the left side of Roma's defence—a position unfamiliar to the Argentine defender throughout his career. Molina has responded with a commanding display, contributing an assist for Manu Koné's opening goal in the match against Inter. The positional experiment is yielding the intended results, with Molina declaring his comfort in the new role: "I feel very good on the left." The former Atlético Madrid player, who arrived at the end of August without participating in the summer's pre-season training alongside his teammates, has earned public praise from Gasperini, who said: "Molina is a solid and mature world champion; the coach saw it right." His versatility will allow Gasperini to rotate him and Wesley across both flanks. While Roma prepare for their next Serie A fixture on 11 October against Como, the squad will train at Trigoria with a reduced group. Beyond the international players scattered worldwide, injured players Wesley (muscular strain) and Bryan Cristante (lower back pain) will remain in Rome. The staff has received positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. The Roma captain, returning to availability after a physical problem, will use the two-week break to regain match fitness and arrive at full capacity for the resumption of official matches.

Manu Koné has added his name to Roma's early-season scorers with an unexpected contribution. The French midfielder scored twice against Inter—his first career brace—and has already matched his maximum goal tally from previous seasons in the giallorossi shirt, all by September. Gasperini is working to develop this attacking dimension alongside improving the team's mental approach. The relationship between coach and player has been marked by ups and downs: in May, Gasperini was unimpressed with Koné's performances when his focus appeared to be on the World Cup rather than securing Champions League qualification, and at Turin he was critical of his cameo appearance. Yet there is another side to the story. Gasperini fought to prevent Koné's departure to Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window, recognising the midfielder's value. Against Inter, Koné was the standout performer, not only for his goals: he made zero dribbling mistakes, won two of four duels and completed 85 per cent of his passes. There is a Roma that functions with Koné and one without him—a pattern already evident last season. Without him, the giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League in the double-header against Bologna and struggled in Serie A between March and April, missing eight league matches during which they failed to earn three points in half their fixtures. Donyell Malen withdrew from international duty for the latest fixture, declining a call-up from new national coach Xavi due to a muscle strain. Wesley and Bryan Cristante will also remain at Trigoria.

Nahuel Molina, signed to play on the right, is earning regular minutes on the opposite flank under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical redesign. In the match against Inter, Molina operated on the left wing for the second time in quick succession, and his performance yielded immediate reward: his cross set up Manu Koné's opening goal. The position remains almost foreign to Molina's career—he has played on the left just nine times in his entire playing history—yet Gasperini appears increasingly convinced it can become a stable part of his tactical arsenal. Gasperini had signalled this ambition before the season began, describing Molina as a player capable of "playing anywhere". The Argentine world champion brings greater offensive propensity than Zeki Çelik, his predecessor on the right, and offers Roma added tactical flexibility. Molina's early weeks were complicated by fitness demands—he arrived behind in pre-season preparation and had to chase his teammates' conditioning—but that gap has narrowed substantially in recent matches. Against Inter, his movement revealed overlaps, off-the-ball runs and renewed conviction in attacking the byline, the cross for Koné's goal a visible symbol of his growing confidence. Gasperini is retracing a path already worn by Wesley, the Brazilian left-back who also arrived with traits suited to the right before discovering fresh offensive possibilities on the opposite flank. Wesley now operates on both flanks; Molina is heading the same way. Emanuele Lulli continues to press for minutes as well, creating depth in the fullback positions. Gasperini's repeated assertion—that no first-team hierarchy of starters and reserves exists—finds its clearest proof in Molina's trajectory: initially overlooked, he waited, adapted to an almost unknown role, and is now returning forcefully into rotation. The direction may have seemed wrong on paper. The results, so far, appear correct.

Nahuel Molina has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's shrewdest tactical decisions in the opening weeks of the season, deployed on the left side of Roma's defence—a position unfamiliar to the Argentine defender throughout his career. Molina has responded with a commanding display, contributing an assist for Manu Koné's opening goal in the match against Inter. The positional experiment is yielding the intended results, with Molina declaring his comfort in the new role: "I feel very good on the left." The former Atlético Madrid player, who arrived at the end of August without participating in the summer's pre-season training alongside his teammates, has earned public praise from Gasperini, who said: "Molina is a solid and mature world champion; the coach saw it right." His versatility will allow Gasperini to rotate him and Wesley across both flanks. While Roma prepare for their next Serie A fixture on 11 October against Como, the squad will train at Trigoria with a reduced group. Beyond the international players scattered worldwide, injured players Wesley (muscular strain) and Bryan Cristante (lower back pain) will remain in Rome. The staff has received positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. The Roma captain, returning to availability after a physical problem, will use the two-week break to regain match fitness and arrive at full capacity for the resumption of official matches.

Nahuel Molina, signed to play on the right, is earning regular minutes on the opposite flank under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical redesign. In the match against Inter, Molina operated on the left wing for the second time in quick succession, and his performance yielded immediate reward: his cross set up Manu Koné's opening goal. The position remains almost foreign to Molina's career—he has played on the left just nine times in his entire playing history—yet Gasperini appears increasingly convinced it can become a stable part of his tactical arsenal. Gasperini had signalled this ambition before the season began, describing Molina as a player capable of "playing anywhere". The Argentine world champion brings greater offensive propensity than Zeki Çelik, his predecessor on the right, and offers Roma added tactical flexibility. Molina's early weeks were complicated by fitness demands—he arrived behind in pre-season preparation and had to chase his teammates' conditioning—but that gap has narrowed substantially in recent matches. Against Inter, his movement revealed overlaps, off-the-ball runs and renewed conviction in attacking the byline, the cross for Koné's goal a visible symbol of his growing confidence. Gasperini is retracing a path already worn by Wesley, the Brazilian left-back who also arrived with traits suited to the right before discovering fresh offensive possibilities on the opposite flank. Wesley now operates on both flanks; Molina is heading the same way. Emanuele Lulli continues to press for minutes as well, creating depth in the fullback positions. Gasperini's repeated assertion—that no first-team hierarchy of starters and reserves exists—finds its clearest proof in Molina's trajectory: initially overlooked, he waited, adapted to an almost unknown role, and is now returning forcefully into rotation. The direction may have seemed wrong on paper. The results, so far, appear correct.

Roma go into the international break as league leaders following a draw with Inter, but with several players nursing injuries that Gasperini will have time to manage. Wesley remained in Rome with a right thigh muscle strain and should need about a week to recover fully before the trip to Como. Bryan Cristante stayed behind as well, sidelined by lower back pain that prevented him from joining Italy's national team camp. Donyell Malen was forced to withdraw from the Netherlands squad due to muscle fatigue, while Manu Koné's condition is being assessed after an demanding performance against Inter. Gasperini has an interesting group available for work at Trigoria during the break. Goalkeepers, Mario Hermoso, Devyne Rensch, Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala will all remain in the capital, excluded from their respective national team duties for various reasons. Pellegrini warrants particular attention: the number 7 has only recently returned from a long layoff and still needs to build match minutes, rhythm and match fitness. Gasperini is reportedly considering organising friendlies during the break to maintain match sharpness for players staying at Trigoria and accelerate recovery for those needing competitive action. The three-week break is crucial preparation for what follows. When the season resumes, Roma face nine matches across twenty-eight days, spanning Serie A fixtures from Como to Sassuolo and Champions League ties against Real Madrid, Slovan Bratislava and Manchester United. The depth of the squad will need to deliver more than theory—rotations, quick recoveries and an expanding pool of players capable of matching the standards of the regulars will be essential. Roma arrive at the break top of the league with renewed confidence, and Gasperini has the time to rebuild before the relentless stretch begins.

Nahuel Molina has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's shrewdest tactical decisions in the opening weeks of the season, deployed on the left side of Roma's defence—a position unfamiliar to the Argentine defender throughout his career. Molina has responded with a commanding display, contributing an assist for Manu Koné's opening goal in the match against Inter. The positional experiment is yielding the intended results, with Molina declaring his comfort in the new role: "I feel very good on the left." The former Atlético Madrid player, who arrived at the end of August without participating in the summer's pre-season training alongside his teammates, has earned public praise from Gasperini, who said: "Molina is a solid and mature world champion; the coach saw it right." His versatility will allow Gasperini to rotate him and Wesley across both flanks. While Roma prepare for their next Serie A fixture on 11 October against Como, the squad will train at Trigoria with a reduced group. Beyond the international players scattered worldwide, injured players Wesley (muscular strain) and Bryan Cristante (lower back pain) will remain in Rome. The staff has received positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. The Roma captain, returning to availability after a physical problem, will use the two-week break to regain match fitness and arrive at full capacity for the resumption of official matches.

Manu Koné has added his name to Roma's early-season scorers with an unexpected contribution. The French midfielder scored twice against Inter—his first career brace—and has already matched his maximum goal tally from previous seasons in the giallorossi shirt, all by September. Gasperini is working to develop this attacking dimension alongside improving the team's mental approach. The relationship between coach and player has been marked by ups and downs: in May, Gasperini was unimpressed with Koné's performances when his focus appeared to be on the World Cup rather than securing Champions League qualification, and at Turin he was critical of his cameo appearance. Yet there is another side to the story. Gasperini fought to prevent Koné's departure to Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window, recognising the midfielder's value. Against Inter, Koné was the standout performer, not only for his goals: he made zero dribbling mistakes, won two of four duels and completed 85 per cent of his passes. There is a Roma that functions with Koné and one without him—a pattern already evident last season. Without him, the giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League in the double-header against Bologna and struggled in Serie A between March and April, missing eight league matches during which they failed to earn three points in half their fixtures. Donyell Malen withdrew from international duty for the latest fixture, declining a call-up from new national coach Xavi due to a muscle strain. Wesley and Bryan Cristante will also remain at Trigoria.

Nahuel Molina, signed to play on the right, is earning regular minutes on the opposite flank under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical redesign. In the match against Inter, Molina operated on the left wing for the second time in quick succession, and his performance yielded immediate reward: his cross set up Manu Koné's opening goal. The position remains almost foreign to Molina's career—he has played on the left just nine times in his entire playing history—yet Gasperini appears increasingly convinced it can become a stable part of his tactical arsenal. Gasperini had signalled this ambition before the season began, describing Molina as a player capable of "playing anywhere". The Argentine world champion brings greater offensive propensity than Zeki Çelik, his predecessor on the right, and offers Roma added tactical flexibility. Molina's early weeks were complicated by fitness demands—he arrived behind in pre-season preparation and had to chase his teammates' conditioning—but that gap has narrowed substantially in recent matches. Against Inter, his movement revealed overlaps, off-the-ball runs and renewed conviction in attacking the byline, the cross for Koné's goal a visible symbol of his growing confidence. Gasperini is retracing a path already worn by Wesley, the Brazilian left-back who also arrived with traits suited to the right before discovering fresh offensive possibilities on the opposite flank. Wesley now operates on both flanks; Molina is heading the same way. Emanuele Lulli continues to press for minutes as well, creating depth in the fullback positions. Gasperini's repeated assertion—that no first-team hierarchy of starters and reserves exists—finds its clearest proof in Molina's trajectory: initially overlooked, he waited, adapted to an almost unknown role, and is now returning forcefully into rotation. The direction may have seemed wrong on paper. The results, so far, appear correct.

Nahuel Molina, signed to play on the right, is earning regular minutes on the opposite flank under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical redesign. In the match against Inter, Molina operated on the left wing for the second time in quick succession, and his performance yielded immediate reward: his cross set up Manu Koné's opening goal. The position remains almost foreign to Molina's career—he has played on the left just nine times in his entire playing history—yet Gasperini appears increasingly convinced it can become a stable part of his tactical arsenal. Gasperini had signalled this ambition before the season began, describing Molina as a player capable of "playing anywhere". The Argentine world champion brings greater offensive propensity than Zeki Çelik, his predecessor on the right, and offers Roma added tactical flexibility. Molina's early weeks were complicated by fitness demands—he arrived behind in pre-season preparation and had to chase his teammates' conditioning—but that gap has narrowed substantially in recent matches. Against Inter, his movement revealed overlaps, off-the-ball runs and renewed conviction in attacking the byline, the cross for Koné's goal a visible symbol of his growing confidence. Gasperini is retracing a path already worn by Wesley, the Brazilian left-back who also arrived with traits suited to the right before discovering fresh offensive possibilities on the opposite flank. Wesley now operates on both flanks; Molina is heading the same way. Emanuele Lulli continues to press for minutes as well, creating depth in the fullback positions. Gasperini's repeated assertion—that no first-team hierarchy of starters and reserves exists—finds its clearest proof in Molina's trajectory: initially overlooked, he waited, adapted to an almost unknown role, and is now returning forcefully into rotation. The direction may have seemed wrong on paper. The results, so far, appear correct.

Roma's wing positions are now secure. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini no longer faces the tactical problem that troubled him last season: the absence of a quick, technical player on the opposite flank from Wesley. Last year, with Wesley as one of Serie A's strongest defenders on one side, Gasperini had to adapt by repositioning Zeki Çelik elsewhere. That constraint has lifted. Emanuele Lulli, young and rapid, is already providing assurances and proves ready for this campaign. But Roma have also landed another signing that drew less attention yet showed its value yesterday: Nahuel Molina. The Argentine is rising in fitness; the residual effects of the World Cup are passing. In the match against Inter, he was perfect. He contained Diouf, supported the attack, and was decisive in the final third with an assist for Manu Koné's first-half goal. Molina's skillset is there; consistency is the next step. He does not yet have 90 minutes in his legs, but the flanks now have valid masters. Wesley leads them, followed by the former Udinese player and Lulli. Gasperini can rely on all three without losing quality. The improvement from last season is enormous. The Piedmont-born coach plays through the flanks, favouring attacking football with pushing players who can contribute in front of goal. Now he has them on both sides. Molina is a top-level player. Lulli will be. The flanks have an owner on each side, and Gasperini can only be pleased.

Roma have strengthened their squad depth considerably this summer, moving beyond a reliance on a fixed starting eleven. Leonardo Balerdi has replaced Jan Ziółkowski as a key defender, Nahuel Molina has taken over from Zeki Çelik, and Marten de Roon has arrived to displace concerns about midfield depth. The arrivals of Emanuele Lulli and Konstantinos Koulierakis add further options across the back line. Gasperini, who last season was forced to deploy makeshift solutions—using Baldanzi as a centre-forward and reluctantly fielding Kostas Tsimikas and Zaragoza—now has genuine alternatives. In the match against Torino, Roma demonstrated they possess not eleven starters but at least sixteen capable players. Balerdi showed himself to be a commanding defender and leader in brief outings against Atalanta and Fenerbahce, confirming his qualities across all dimensions of play. De Roon's entrance in yesterday's fixture at Torino displayed the right attitude and the unconditional backing of Gasperini, who brought him to the club; his experience and assurance offset any reservations some may hold. Molina's addition means Roma can rotate their full-back options without sacrifice. Marten Lulli's emergence has made the remaining transfer market gap feel less troubling. Santiago Castro has yet to score but showed his capabilities against Atalanta and a goal will come; Gasperini is pleased with his on-field conduct. The club still awaits a final piece—possibly Rodrigo Mora—but the summer business by director D'Amico and Gasperini has been purposeful, securing functional players with the correct character rather than marquee names.