Roma Radio Panel: Ranieri and Gasperini Relationship 'Irreparable', Ownership Under Fire

Radio pundits were largely united in their verdict on Roma's recent draw with Napoli, with several praising head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and debating the referees' decisions. Speaking to Tele Radio Stereo, Corsi said: "A team that goes behind and, after giving everything, starts again, goes behind once more and equalises... there you need conviction, mental and physical strength. Gasperini has given this motivation that the Roma players haven't had for years. Right now Italy doesn't have the money to buy the great players, and the important thing is identity. And Roma now have an identity, and Gasperini is Roma right now." Pes, also on Tele Radio Stereo, was less convinced by Wesley's performance. He said: "At Napoli, Wesley did not convince me fully... very much in the shadows, perhaps one of the worst performances in giallorosso. Now we'll see if he plays tomorrow, because Gasp could change the line-up there." Piero Torri, speaking to Manà Manà Sport, said: "Perhaps it was the best Napoli of the season, but Roma did not steal anything. I am convinced that if Roma had gone ahead it would have ended up very close. Napoli at one point you crushed them with a defence set up, imagine if they had to open up to recover the result." Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista focused on the refereeing and on Wesley. He said Wesley was probably told to mark Politano on his right side, but "marking him on the right does not mean 'step aside', because on the cross he really did step aside. A real defender does not do that, and Wesley now and then has a lapse." He argued there was a difference in treatment between Malen's red card and the non-sending-off of Rafa Marin for the foul on Wesley, adding that the error was made on Malen because neither his nor Rafa Marin's challenge was a red card. He added: "If I don't want to be the protagonist as a referee, I give the yellow, then if it's a red the VAR tells me." Mattioli, on Radio Radio, said the match was very beautiful and contested despite the errors that are part of football. He said: "I didn't like Beukema's attitude, third-category, at a very delicate moment of the match. I would not underestimate Napoli; I have seen important players return to the level of their fame, and they can resume the path worthy of their strength." Pruzzo, also on Radio Radio, was harsher on Beukema: "He threw himself to the ground, he made a terrible impression, if he had stayed on his feet perhaps he would not have let his side concede a goal." He said he agreed with almost nothing about the game: "It was a festival of errors. Napoli threw away two points with a conduct of the match I struggle to understand. Roma struggled a lot but managed to get through it, and in the end it is an acceptable draw." Nando Orsi, on Radio Radio, defended the entertainment value of a 3-3 scoreline, saying: "Why do games that finish 3-3 have to be ugly? I don't understand... Thank goodness there are no more 0-0s. Were there errors? But what error is there in Anguissa's goal?"

Roman radio pundits have given their verdicts on Roma's draw at Napoli, with several focusing on the performances of Wesley and Gollini and on Roma's attacking problems. Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo (92.7) said: "At Napoli, Wesley didn't convince me fully. He was very much in the shadows, and it was perhaps one of the worst performances in giallorosso. Now we'll see if he plays tomorrow, because Gasp could change the team there. I've heard a lot about Gollini. In my opinion, he's putting in a performance worth a pass mark." Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport (90.9) argued that the match narrative had been too kind to Napoli. He said: "I read an enthusiastic narrative about Napoli and a bit less about Roma. I didn't see Napoli dominate the first hour. The run of play was in Roma's hands, as they wanted to win it, and Napoli were countering. Perhaps it was Napoli's best performance of the season, but Roma didn't steal anything. I'm convinced that if Roma had gone ahead, it would have ended up being a tight game." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio (104.5) was critical of the match as a whole. He said: "Beukema threw himself to the ground, he made a terrible impression, and if he had stayed on his feet perhaps he wouldn't have let his side concede. I agreed with almost nothing in the game; it was a festival of errors. Napoli threw away two points with a way of playing I struggle to understand. Roma struggled a lot but managed to get the better of it, and in the end it's an acceptable draw. There are clear attacking difficulties when Malen is shut out, and in January they are thinking about addressing it." Nando Orsi, also of Radio Radio (104.5), focused on the positions of Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala. He said: "Soulé is left-footed, he likes coming inside onto the pitch and he plays better there. In my view, Dybala has nothing to do with it and isn't some kind of submission; for me it's purely a question of roles. He plays better there. Having two players like that and using them both could be a problem, because I think Dybala on the left doesn't perform at his best either."

Roman radio pundits were divided after Roma's 3-3 draw at Napoli, with debate centring on the match, Gollini, Wesley and Gian Piero Gasperini's tactics. Gianluca Piacentini (Rete Sport) said: “A glass half full given how the match had gone, but there is regret at how it developed, and that 3-2 goal. Without it, I think Roma would have won.” He added: “Roma have lost points to their rivals, but you have already played Atalanta, Inter, Napoli and Como and not lost. There is a step forward. In my view Roma's 18 points are worth more than Milan's, and more than Lazio's 22.” Piacentini also criticised Allegri, saying: “He is ageing badly.” Fabio Petruzzi (Rete Sport) praised the spectacle, saying Roma “deserved at least the draw” after the 2-2 score, and that “nobody thought the match was over at 2-0.” He said Roma had “made that Premier-style step” and was “hard to beat, never gives up”, though he disliked the Napoli counter-attacks Roma allowed. Petruzzi praised Gollini's “great saves” and said he made no error on McTominay's third goal. David Rossi (Rete Sport) said: “Overall it was not one of the best Romas of the year, there were moments when it did not look like the usual Roma. But Napoli have a strong side, they finished second last year. It was enough for a Roma not at 100% to leave with a point from a difficult ground.” Mario Corsi (Tele Radio Stereo) said Gasperini had given players a motivation that Roma's players had lacked for years. “Gasperini is Roma at this moment,” he said, adding that when the coach wanted Balerdi and De Roon because “they are two captains”, it meant he wanted to give the side an identity. Paolo Cosenza said the match had been “a wasted opportunity” and that he had been convinced Roma would win from 2-2, adding that Gasperini was “immense” with his substitutions but had not convinced him with the starting line-up. Lorenzo Pes said Wesley had been “very much in the shade” and that it was “perhaps one of the worst performances in giallorosso”, adding: “On Gollini I have heard many things, but I think he played a sufficient match. For me he is a normal goalkeeper, perhaps a little less.” Valentina Catoni (Tele Radio Stereo) argued: “We met a Napoli that had been battered for two months and then suddenly recovered form. I don't understand the disappointment of those who say we gifted them two points.” She noted Roma went to the Maradona without Svilar, Koné and Dybala, “three heavy starters”. Piero Torri (Manà Manà Sport) said Roma “did not steal anything”, and that the real error was Gollini's on Spinazzola's shot, where he “should have held it rather than parried it.” Daniele Lo Monaco (Radio Romanista) criticised Wesley's positioning on the cross and questioned the treatment of Malen's red card compared with Rafa Marín, while Roberto Pruzzo said Beukema had “thrown himself to the ground” and that Soulé had done what he does best. Nando Orsi argued that Soulé is left-footed and suits cutting inside, and that using both Soulé and Dybala could be a problem.