Gasperini's three tactical shifts drive Roma to top of Serie A

Paulo Dybala's return from injury is excellent news for Gian Piero Gasperini, but it brings a tactical dilemma, as Matías Soulé has raised his level considerably during Dybala's absence, mainly playing on the right flank. That is the area of the pitch Dybala also considers ideal for showcasing his qualities, so the coach must find a way to fit both Argentinians together without sacrificing the good form Soulé has shown in recent weeks. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Soulé has used his compatriot's injury to become an increasingly central figure in Roma's attacking play. Starting on the right, he can receive the ball on his stronger foot, cut inside and look for a shot or a through ball for team-mates. It is a position that lets him make the most of his strengths, and he has been offering particularly convincing performances from there. The problem is that Dybala also prefers that flank. When Gasperini has had both players available at the same time, he has often chosen to deploy the Joya on the right and move Soulé to the opposite side. That arrangement could now be reconsidered, precisely because of the growth of the former Frosinone player. One option under study could be to use Dybala on the left, leaving Soulé free to start from the right. The No. 21 has enough technical quality and experience to adapt to other areas of the final third, although he naturally prefers to receive the ball on his left foot. Gasperini, moreover, considers versatility a fundamental trait of his attacking players. The alternative is to alternate the two Argentinians, even during matches, using Dybala's recovery to increase rotation in a department that has had to cope with numerous absences in recent weeks. Dybala has resumed partial training with the group and, barring setbacks, will be available for the match against Parma on 21 November. His return could therefore change Roma's attacking balance, but this time the certainty to build from is an increasingly prominent Soulé. It will be up to Gasperini to decide how to make the most of both players without holding back the development of the younger of the two Argentinians.

Paulo Dybala's return is imminent, with the Argentine already taking part in group work at Trigoria yesterday. Some caution is being taken, but barring any further setbacks, Dybala will be available for Parma and is very likely to start. That creates a welcome headache for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, because Matías Soulé has flourished in Dybala's absence, producing a series of top-level performances at the moment the Joya was missing. Both Dybala and Soulé prefer to play on the right, where each offers his best. When Gasperini has had both available, he has almost always kept Dybala on the right and moved Soulé to the other flank. Yet Soulé has shown during Dybala's absence that he works much better on the right. Gasperini, for whom wide players, whether attacking or on the flanks, must be able to play on both sides, will decide. The Roma coach may this time move Dybala to the left, given his greater capacity to adapt and his higher quality compared with Soulé. The analysis comes from Andrea Pugliese in La Gazzetta dello Sport, which describes the situation as a "sweet problem", and in some ways a "good problem", for Roma. The question now is what becomes of Soulé, whose form has been excellent precisely as Dybala was sidelined.

Paulo Dybala is set to return to the starting XI at the Tardini against Parma when Serie A resumes, after recovering from the muscle discomfort that had kept him out, but his comeback creates a tactical puzzle for Gian Piero Gasperini. Roma's attacking output has been markedly higher in the matches Dybala has missed, a statistic that has put the spotlight on how the Argentine and Matías Soulé can work together. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma have averaged 1.38 goals per match in the 16 games Dybala has started, with 0.5 of those goals scored in the first half. Without him on the pitch, across 25 matches, the average rises to 3.33 goals per game, with 7.5 scored in the first half. The gap does not diminish Dybala's quality, but it raises questions about the fluidity of the team's attack. The central issue is whether Dybala and Soulé can coexist or must alternate. In the games Dybala has missed, Soulé, a former Frosinone player, has operated on the right flank, delivering high-level performances and finding greater consistency. Gasperini now has two similar attacking midfielders who like to occupy the same area of the pitch. To let both play without losing menace, the coach is considering moving Dybala to the left flank.

Roma's priorities have shifted: a backup for Wesley is no longer a priority, and the club are now focused on strengthening their attack ahead of the winter window. The January market opens early this year, on 28 December, between Christmas and New Year, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly hoping for at least two signings, both in attacking roles. The forward line is short of numbers, and reinforcing it is the absolute priority. Lorenzo Pellegrini will not return until 2027, while Paulo Dybala remains a question mark over his physical condition. Gasperini wants two attacking players. Compared with the summer, the priorities have changed. In the final days of the summer window Roma had also looked at a backup for Wesley, but that is no longer a priority. The coach is willing to keep his group of four wide players, largely thanks to the emergence of Lulli. The 2007-born player has quickly become a fixed point for the Giallorossi and sits ahead of Rensch in the pecking order on the right, often putting pressure on Molina. Balde was recently offered for that role, with his agent the same as Mora's, but all talks are currently frozen. Part of the reason is that a proper transfer summit has yet to take place, and part is that Roma will hunt for forwards to strengthen the attacking unit. Endrick is at the top of the list, but Gittens, van Bommel and Leweling are also under close watch. Kvernadze is considered more difficult to land.

Roma's summer recruits have been involved in 36.5% of the club's goals this season, with 15 of the team's 41 strikes involving one of them. Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on seven players who were not part of the squad in the last match of the previous campaign: Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Leonardo Balerdi, Rodrigo Mora, Emanuele Lulli, Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis. Lulli came up from the Primavera. Molina has been the most-used player, with 751 minutes, one goal and two assists. He is followed by De Roon (732 minutes), Balerdi (639), Mora (595), Lulli (546), Castro (370) and Koulierakis (225). Gasperini has given minutes to every summer arrival, including the Primavera graduate, showing confidence in the quality of the new players. Mora has been the most productive, with four goals and two assists. His recent form, with a sharp improvement in the latest matches, has eased doubts about the investment made in the summer, reported at €25 million plus 50% of a future resale, for a valuation of €50 million. Across all competitions, the new players have taken part in 15 of Roma's 41 goals. By comparison, at the same stage of last season, Massara's summer signings from that campaign had contributed to just three goals: Wesley with one goal, Ferguson with one assist and Tsimikas with one assist.

Former Roma player Vincent Candela has urged the club not to settle for less, backing Gian Piero Gasperini's approach and insisting the side can push Inter until the end of the Serie A title race. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Candela praised Gasperini's work, the progress of Matías Soulé and the solidity of the midfield, while also highlighting the impact of Donyell Malen. He also sent a message to the transfer market: "If a couple of missing pieces arrive, we can have even more fun." Roma return to training at Trigoria tomorrow afternoon, and Gasperini is set to gradually bring back Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar. Svilar, recovering from a stress fracture in the fifth toe of his foot, will undergo a new check-up. Koné and Nahuel Molina will remain at Trigoria during the break. Molina's recall to the national squad has been halted by the club, a call-up that would have meant returning to the capital just two days before the league resumes. Gasperini's side have set a new record in the club's history, scoring 31 goals in the first 11 Serie A matchdays, a figure never previously reached. The previous best was 28 goals in the 1960-61 season. Roma remain unbeaten in Serie A, as are Lazio, and among the top five European leagues they share this record only with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Roma have also not lost at the Stadio Olimpico for over a year.

Police in France have cut the number of tickets available to Roma supporters for the Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain, reducing the away allocation at the Parc des Princes from 2,376 to 1,500. The move, reported by Daniele Aloisi in Il Messaggero, is linked to a friendship between PSG's ultras and Napoli's supporters, which has raised public order concerns for the French authorities. Tickets go on sale from today at 12:00. The decision comes as Roma prepare for the fixture in Paris on 25 November. Dybala has returned to partial training with the group in Trigoria, nearly a month after the injury he picked up against Real Madrid on 14 October. Yesterday he showed sharp touches and scored in a training-ground game, which is good news for Gasperini. Gollini's return has slipped, but it is not a cause for concern. Rensch is heading towards missing the trip to Parma's Tardini. Roma fans will still be present at the Parc des Princes, although the decision on Parma remains on standby. The goal is for the squad to be fit for Paris on 25 November.

Paulo Dybala has returned to group training at Trigoria and is targeting Roma's trip to Parma on 21 November, while Endrick moves closer to a possible January loan move from Real Madrid. Roma's January market, however, is still waiting on answers from the Friedkin Group. Among the day's headlines, Gian Piero Gasperini is still awaiting clarity from the owners on his budget, and Lookman is back in the frame. Dybala has taken part in part of the session with his team-mates. Mancini is also showing encouraging signs after a problem with his hamstring. Svilar and Gollini are continuing with differentiated work, while Rensch remains out. Journalist Matteo Moretto rates the chances of a loan move for Endrick at 70 per cent, naming Roma as the main Italian suitor. The Brazilian's willingness to find more regular football will be decisive, but the deal would still need the approval of Real Madrid and of Mourinho. Endrick has played only 140 minutes in seven appearances this season, according to Corriere dello Sport, which also reports that he has turned down a move to AC Milan while Sporting Director D'Amico continues to follow him. Roma remain interested, but there is no agreement yet and there is international competition. According to Corriere della Sera, Gasperini and D'Amico do not yet know the budget available for January. A meeting with a representative of the ownership could take place in the coming days. Gasperini wants reinforcements to support the team's ambitions, but without financial guidelines D'Amico is struggling to turn sounding-out into negotiations. Il Messaggero reports a salary threshold of four million euros. Alongside Endrick, D'Amico is evaluating PSV's Ruben van Bommel and Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling, two wide players whose profiles appeal to the coach. Loan formulas remain central to the plans. Repubblica reports that Roma are monitoring Lookman, who has lost ground at Atlético Madrid under Simeone and stayed on the bench for ninety minutes in their most recent match against Barcelona. The Nigerian is a former Atalanta player who has been coached by Gasperini. There has been no transfer request and no official approach from the Spanish club, but his profile matches Roma's attacking needs. Elsewhere, agent Diego Tavano has spoken about Bove's departure from Roma, recalling a tough confrontation in August 2024 with Souloukou and Ghisolfi. According to the agent, Bove never wanted to leave Trigoria and the solutions initially proposed were not welcome. Bove later joined Fiorentina and returned emotionally in front of the Curva Sud. In an interview with Marca, Lorenzo Pisilli's team-mate Niccolò Pisilli described Gasperini as an excellent coach he learns from every day, and expressed gratitude to Mourinho, who gave him his first-team debut. Asked about the captaincy comparisons with Totti and De Rossi, he said: "They made the history of the club."

Paulo Dybala has returned to partial training with the Roma squad at Trigoria, and Gianluca Mancini is also back in contention, with both targeting the trip to Parma on Saturday 21 November at 18:00. The sessions took place without the thirteen players currently on international duty, allowing head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to use the break to focus on recovering injured players and to rebuild a more complete squad for the resumption of the league. The most important development concerns Dybala, who took part in part of the session alongside his teammates. The Argentine is completing his recovery from the calf injury that forced him to miss the last few matches. His return to full involvement will be gradual, avoiding any rush that could risk a relapse. Mancini had been dealing with a right hamstring problem in recent days, which had forced him to withdraw from his national team call-up. His condition is not causing particular concern, and the defender is expected to be available as normal when training resumes. If there are no setbacks, both Dybala and Mancini could return to the matchday squad for Parma. Gasperini hopes to put at least some of the injury crisis of recent weeks behind him. There was also a differentiated training session for Mile Svilar and Pierluigi Gollini, who are aiming to return against Parma. Devyne Rensch is ruled out. The break has come at the right moment to rebuild the squad's rotation. The next objective is to progressively increase Dybala's training loads and to confirm Mancini's full physical fitness before giving the final green light for both to return to action.

Roma are accelerating their transfer activity and focusing their attention on the attack, with Endrick at the top of the list. The Brazilian reportedly wants more playing time after a first spell at Real Madrid in which he did not carve out the role he had hoped for. Roma are pressing to sign him on loan, but the route remains complicated: Milan are also following the situation, and the Spanish club has not yet decided whether to let him leave. Endrick is not the only name on Gian Piero Gasperini's mind. Among the alternatives are Jamie Gittens, for whom Chelsea have reportedly opened the door to a loan move, and Ademola Lookman, a profile that continues to attract interest. The name of Rodrigo Riquelme has also returned to the discussions in recent assessments. The priority has become adding quality and options in attack, temporarily putting the search for an alternative to Wesley on hold. Lulli played an important role in this change of strategy.

Roma's priorities have shifted: a backup for Wesley is no longer a priority, and the club are now focused on strengthening their attack ahead of the winter window. The January market opens early this year, on 28 December, between Christmas and New Year, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly hoping for at least two signings, both in attacking roles. The forward line is short of numbers, and reinforcing it is the absolute priority. Lorenzo Pellegrini will not return until 2027, while Paulo Dybala remains a question mark over his physical condition. Gasperini wants two attacking players. Compared with the summer, the priorities have changed. In the final days of the summer window Roma had also looked at a backup for Wesley, but that is no longer a priority. The coach is willing to keep his group of four wide players, largely thanks to the emergence of Lulli. The 2007-born player has quickly become a fixed point for the Giallorossi and sits ahead of Rensch in the pecking order on the right, often putting pressure on Molina. Balde was recently offered for that role, with his agent the same as Mora's, but all talks are currently frozen. Part of the reason is that a proper transfer summit has yet to take place, and part is that Roma will hunt for forwards to strengthen the attacking unit. Endrick is at the top of the list, but Gittens, van Bommel and Leweling are also under close watch. Kvernadze is considered more difficult to land.

Mario Hermoso is close to signing a new contract at Roma, with talks having begun last month and a two-year deal reportedly ready. The Spaniard has become one of Gasperini's trusted players after a difficult start to his time in the Italian capital, and his goal in Saturday's 3-0 win over Sassuolo was the latest confirmation of his value, according to Tuttosport's Stefano Gentili. Hermoso's current contract runs until 30 June 2027, after the club exercised its option to extend it last May. The club is now working to go beyond that date. Contract renewals for young players Lulli and De Marzi have already been settled, and the board is now focusing on the Spaniard. The new deal is being discussed as one or two years, with an option for a further season. The salary is expected to be lower than his current one, and both parties are keen to continue together. Signing has yet to take place. Hermoso has played 1,049 minutes so far this season across Serie A and the Champions League, with only Wesley having been used more by Roma. Gasperini, the coach from Grugliasco, has won him over on both a human and footballing level. Hermoso is reported to be fit both physically and mentally, and has rediscovered the feeling of being indispensable in the Italian capital.