Roma's attack accelerates: 14 goals in five league matches, nine more than the same point last season

Roma are performing at a new level under Gian Piero Gasperini after a year of bedding in his methods. The club topped Serie A after five matches—four wins and a draw against Inter—level on points with Inter and Lazio. The most striking measure is attacking output: in the opening five matches of the 2025–26 season, Roma scored 5 goals; in the equivalent stretch this season, they have already scored 14, demonstrating a dramatic shift in how the team functions. Roma collected 12 points across the first five games last season and have now reached 13 points at the same stage this term, a modest gain—but the attacking numbers tell a different story entirely. The improvement reflects Gasperini's tactical blueprint taking hold at Trigoria. Roma's shot count has increased by over 50% in this opening run, and the team is now producing at a far greater volume than the measured approach of a year ago. The squad has been retained largely intact with reinforcements added in the transfer market, and is now executing Gasperini's core principles: man-to-man marking and aggressive high pressing. The attacking unit, led by Donyell Malen, is operating with precision and rhythm. Malen was named Serie A's player of the month for September, recognition of his contribution to Roma's early momentum. Simone Valdarchi's analysis in Il Corriere della Sera highlights that last season Roma relied on doing more with less—extracting maximum points from minimal attacking threat. Now, with the same points tally at the same stage, the underlying metrics show a team that has fundamentally upgraded its offensive threat and intensity, establishing the template Gasperini has built across his managerial career.

Niccolò Pisilli is increasingly central to Roma's plans. The midfielder has been a focal point for Italy Under-21 in recent days and has impressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. His playing time has transformed season on season: Pisilli has accumulated 154 minutes across Roma's first five league matches this season, compared to 42 minutes in the equivalent period of 2025-26. Already Pisilli has scored twice in the Serie A campaign to equal his tally from the whole of last season. That earlier campaign had seen him come close to a move to Genoa during the January transfer window. From the Italian national team's training camp, he expressed his ambitions openly. "I dream of winning the Serie A title at Trigoria and the World Cup with Italy," Pisilli said.

Roma have begun the 2026-27 season operating at the tempo Gian Piero Gasperini demands. After four wins and a draw in their opening five matches—including a result against reigning Serie A champions Inter—the Giallorossi sit joint-top of the table with Inter and Lazio on 13 points. The leap forward is evident in the numbers. Last season's equivalent opening run brought 12 points; this time Roma have gained one more. The offensive shift, however, is far more striking. In the first five matches of 2025-26, Roma scored five goals total. This season the attack led by Donyell Malen—who was named Serie A's player of the month for September—is scoring nearly three times that rate. Roma's shot count has risen by over 50 per cent. The improvement reflects Gasperini's first full campaign at the helm after a year embedding his methods into the squad. The forward production tells the story: Roma are generating substantially more in open play and translating that into finishing. Malen's form has been central to that upturn. The attacking shape and intensity correlate directly with Gasperini's tactical demands, which emphasize man-to-man marking and high pressing across the pitch. Roma have retained their core group of players while adding fresh pieces in the summer market, and the philosophy is now bedding in consistently across the season's early phase.

Julio Sergio has urged caution over Roma's title prospects despite their strong start to the season. The former Brazilian player, who came close to winning a Serie A title at Roma, acknowledged that Gian Piero Gasperini's side has narrowed the gap to Inter but stopped short of declaring them contenders. "On the level of performance I think Roma have got closer to Inter, who remain the team to beat," Sergio said in an interview with Il Tempo. "This year, though, Roma will also be protagonists in the Champions League, a commitment that takes a lot of energy away." Speaking about the club's readiness for a title challenge, Sergio was measured. He singled out Rodrigo Mora as a player capable of making a significant impact this season: "Rodrigo Mora I really like a lot and I'm sure he can be an important player over the course of the season." On Wesley's development, he identified consistency as an area for improvement. "He needs to be more consistent, not only from a physical point of view but also technically." Sergío lavished praise on goalkeeper Mile Svilar, placing him among the world's elite. "Currently, in my opinion, he can be considered among the three best goalkeepers in the world. He's a beast, he manages to be quick and has very good technique." Asked whether the partnership of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, both in strong form, could inspire a title push, Sergio remained unconvinced. "They are a great couple, but it is still too early to talk about winning the scudetto."

Roma are performing at a new level under Gian Piero Gasperini after a year of bedding in his methods. The club topped Serie A after five matches—four wins and a draw against Inter—level on points with Inter and Lazio. The most striking measure is attacking output: in the opening five matches of the 2025–26 season, Roma scored 5 goals; in the equivalent stretch this season, they have already scored 14, demonstrating a dramatic shift in how the team functions. Roma collected 12 points across the first five games last season and have now reached 13 points at the same stage this term, a modest gain—but the attacking numbers tell a different story entirely. The improvement reflects Gasperini's tactical blueprint taking hold at Trigoria. Roma's shot count has increased by over 50% in this opening run, and the team is now producing at a far greater volume than the measured approach of a year ago. The squad has been retained largely intact with reinforcements added in the transfer market, and is now executing Gasperini's core principles: man-to-man marking and aggressive high pressing. The attacking unit, led by Donyell Malen, is operating with precision and rhythm. Malen was named Serie A's player of the month for September, recognition of his contribution to Roma's early momentum. Simone Valdarchi's analysis in Il Corriere della Sera highlights that last season Roma relied on doing more with less—extracting maximum points from minimal attacking threat. Now, with the same points tally at the same stage, the underlying metrics show a team that has fundamentally upgraded its offensive threat and intensity, establishing the template Gasperini has built across his managerial career.

Roma have begun the 2026-27 season operating at the tempo Gian Piero Gasperini demands. After four wins and a draw in their opening five matches—including a result against reigning Serie A champions Inter—the Giallorossi sit joint-top of the table with Inter and Lazio on 13 points. The leap forward is evident in the numbers. Last season's equivalent opening run brought 12 points; this time Roma have gained one more. The offensive shift, however, is far more striking. In the first five matches of 2025-26, Roma scored five goals total. This season the attack led by Donyell Malen—who was named Serie A's player of the month for September—is scoring nearly three times that rate. Roma's shot count has risen by over 50 per cent. The improvement reflects Gasperini's first full campaign at the helm after a year embedding his methods into the squad. The forward production tells the story: Roma are generating substantially more in open play and translating that into finishing. Malen's form has been central to that upturn. The attacking shape and intensity correlate directly with Gasperini's tactical demands, which emphasize man-to-man marking and high pressing across the pitch. Roma have retained their core group of players while adding fresh pieces in the summer market, and the philosophy is now bedding in consistently across the season's early phase.