Roma's attack firing on all cylinders: nine goals ahead of last season's pace

Roma have scored 14 goals in their opening five Serie A matches of the 2026–27 season, a dramatic improvement on last season's pace. The club sits joint top of the table after four wins and a draw—the draw coming against Inter—and the attacking output tells the real story of Gian Piero Gasperini's arrival taking hold. In the equivalent five-game stretch of 2025–26, Roma managed only 5 goals. Now, led by Donyell Malen, who was named Serie A's best player for September, the team scores nearly three times as much and has increased the volume of shots on goal by more than 50%. Both seasons saw Roma accumulate 12 points after five matches in 2025–26 and 13 points this year—a single-point gain—but the underlying performance has shifted fundamentally. Last season Roma scraped results with minimal effort, distributing goals sparingly across their opening run. This season the squad produces far more, applying Gasperini's principles with growing confidence. The club kept its core group and added pieces in the summer transfer window, and the combination is now delivering the high-intensity football the coach demands, featuring man-to-man marking and high pressing from the start.

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 have scored 14 goals in their opening five Serie A matches of the 2026–27 season, a dramatic improvement on last season's pace. The club sits joint top of the table after four wins and a draw—the draw coming against Inter—and the attacking output tells the real story of Gian Piero Gasperini's arrival taking hold. In the equivalent five-game stretch of 2025–26, Roma managed only 5 goals. Now, led by Donyell Malen, who was named Serie A's best player for September, the team scores nearly three times as much and has increased the volume of shots on goal by more than 50%. Both seasons saw Roma accumulate 12 points after five matches in 2025–26 and 13 points this year—a single-point gain—but the underlying performance has shifted fundamentally. Last season Roma scraped results with minimal effort, distributing goals sparingly across their opening run. This season the squad produces far more, applying Gasperini's principles with growing confidence. The club kept its core group and added pieces in the summer transfer window, and the combination is now delivering the high-intensity football the coach demands, featuring man-to-man marking and high pressing from the start.

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.