Stramaccioni: Roma can dictate the tempo against Como; Dybala carries more decisive impact than Paz

Roma face Como in a tactical battle between Fabregas and Gasperini, two coaches with contrasting philosophies seeking to dictate play. Gasperini is considering deploying Rodrigo Mora on the trequarti in support of Dybala and Malen, a move with both technical and tactical significance. Against Como's four-man defence, this setup would allow Mora to exploit space between the lines and combine quickly with two players whose strengths complement each other: Dybala's ability to read situations others miss and Malen's capacity to attack space immediately. Marten de Roon is expected to anchor midfield, providing equilibrium and tactical knowledge of Gasperini's systems crucial against Como's possession-based approach. Evan N'Dicka is favoured over Leonardo Balerdi in defence, with Nahuel Molina and Wesley operating on the flanks. The match's decisive factor may lie on the wings. Como build superiority through passing and draw pressure to free players in space; Roma counterpress through individual aggression and advanced recovery. The fullbacks will be fundamental, needing to support attacking play without leaving the corridors Como exploits. Molina and Wesley could prove decisive both in pressing and by forcing Como's wingers to defend, preventing Fabregas's side from developing their game with continuity. The sides have met twice previously in contrasting circumstances. At the Olimpico, Roma imposed themselves through intense pressing, with Wesley scoring the decisive goal. In the return fixture, a side lacking clear attacking reference points gradually lost shape and ceded initiative to Como. However, this Roma present different offensive possibilities. The presence of Malen, Dybala's talent and Mora's potential deployment offer Gasperini solutions capable of troubling a well-organised team like Fabregas's. Roma must start aggressively, press immediately and prevent Como from gaining confidence in their passing patterns.

Roman radio stations offer their verdicts on Roma's upcoming fixture against Como, with opinion split on Gasperini's midfield selection. Simone Valdarchi from Radio Manà Manà suggested that whether Gasperini opts for Pellegrini or Rodrigo Mora will not represent a defensive choice, but rather depend on each player's willingness to press Como's build-up play from the start. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio Mattino flagged the Champions League context as a conditioning factor for both sides, noting that a long international break brings uncertainty and that reaching +6 on Fabregas's Como would be significant for Roma. Mario Mattioli, also of Radio Radio Mattino, dismissed concerns about midfielder Marten de Roon. "I don't understand the doubts about de Roon," Mattioli said. "He is an inexhaustible engine in midfield." Mattioli acknowledged Como as a strong team but stressed that Roma's squad carries greater experience overall. He characterised the Giallorossi as flying on the wings of enthusiasm despite some organisational gaps in certain areas of the squad. The discourse reflects the prominence of Rome's radio culture, which hosts a unique ecosystem of stations, journalists, former players and opinion-formers who shape debate around the club in ways unmatched elsewhere in Italy.

Roma routed Sorianese 20-0 in a training match at Trigoria on 8 October, with Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini among the standout performers in a session that has given head coach Gian Piero Gasperini fresh insight into his squad ahead of Sunday's fixture at Como. The friendly's primary value lay not in the scoreline—inevitably skewed by the gap in category between Serie A and the Eccellenza Laziale side—but in the individual responses Gasperini observed. The attacking third remains the only genuine area of tactical debate for the Como trip, and Mora and Pellegrini both delivered encouraging displays. Mora, deployed alongside Paulo Dybala in support of Donyell Malen, continues to hold the edge as favourite to start at the Sinigaglia, having returned from Portugal Under-21 duty with strong match sharpness. The Portuguese midfielder arrives with significant minutes on his legs and showed immediate brilliance upon his return. Pellegrini, meanwhile, has made considerable progress in his recovery from a lengthy injury layoff and used the international break to work uninterrupted at Trigoria. He responded well in the test, though Gasperini appears likely to favour Mora's greater match rhythm for the opener—Pellegrini has not featured in an official match for several months and may be introduced from the bench as the game develops. Matías Soulé, by contrast, stands further down the pecking order for Como after only recently returning from Argentina, where he has been completing recovery from his intercontinental travel. The broad picture presents three contenders for one starting spot, but Mora has gained ground on his rivals in recent hours. The outcome will become clear when Roma face Como on Sunday.

Roma's radio phone-in shows debated the Friedkin Group's position in football following reports of the sale of Everton, with opinion divided on whether the move signals a strategic retreat from sport or a commitment to focus solely on Roma. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport argued the Everton sale could be a precursor to exiting Roma: "The sale of Everton by the Friedkin could be a step towards also selling Roma. They invested first in the stadium and then in the club there. Here in Rome they did the opposite. It may be they realised football is not the business they imagined and are liquidating. When there is final approval for the stadium construction, they could decide to leave Roma too." Tiziano Moroni took the opposite view, seeing the move as freeing resources to concentrate on Roma. Checco Oddo Casano suggested Everton's position in England and location offered poor strategic returns, though he too speculated the Friedkin might eventually sell Roma. Piero Torri expressed hope the sale was genuine, saying: "If the Friedkin have only Roma, it is better for us." On the pitch, David Rossi criticised Gasperini's approach to midfield strength: "There is one thing Gasperini is very wrong about: the number of central midfielders Roma needs to have available. I think four is too few, given the type of strain they undergo. When one gets injured, you have only one substitute at midfield. If there is an unfortunate suspension or something else, you are left with two central midfielders for two places. An ambitious squad cannot go into a grind like the one coming up with three midfielders for two spots. There is another aggravation: Pisilli is a different kind of reserve from all the others—more of an alternative than a reserve. If you need a thinking midfielder, that is another weakness." On Rodrigo Mora, Francesca Ferrazza of Tele Radio Stereo said: "The problem for Mora is that he needs time, but Roma has no time. He would need to be protected and sheltered, and for that another player should have been signed to give him time to grow. Instead he has to be a starter already, because you have Soulé who is adapted to the left, you have Pellegrini, and you have nothing else. The point seems clear to me: Mora would need to be sheltered, but we have no time for it." Mario Corsi backed Mora's quality and urged Gasperini to start him at Como. Roberto Pruzzo suggested Pisilli deserved midfield minutes on Sunday. Mario Mattioli rated a draw as the most likely result at Como, defending Marten de Roon's fitness despite his age: "I have followed him always—he is an inexhaustible motor. He has 35 years, and well, there are players who have an athleticism and longevity that others do not. Perhaps he cannot play every match, but we will see his contribution in the coming matches."

Andrea Stramaccioni has outlined his tactical views on the upcoming Como–Roma fixture, arguing that the two clubs have made significant progress since last season but Inter retain an edge. "Senza dubbio sarà una sfida tra due squadre che hanno dimostrato di essere cresciute tantissimo nel finale dello scorso campionato e hanno ricominciato più forti e competitive. L'Inter però ha ancora qualcosa in più, anche se il gap si è ridotto," the DAZN analyst said. Stramaccioni highlighted Roma's home victory over Como last season as a blueprint for the contest. Roma's approach then centred on suffocating Como's quality and cutting off their creative outlets. He noted that Gasperini and Como's Fabregas have met four times in Serie A—each winning twice—and on each occasion Roma fielded a midfielder in the trident to provide tactical balance: Pasalic and Samardžić in the two matches against Atalanta, and Pellegrini in the two against Roma. "Quindi assolutamente sì, Lorenzo sarebbe perfetto per avere maggiore duttilità tattica," Stramaccioni said of Pellegrini's capacity to drop deep and provide equilibrium. He added that if Pellegrini were unavailable, Gasperini could deploy Matías Soulé in a more defensive role during phases without possession, as the club managed against Inter. On the battle between the playmakers, Stramaccioni separated Paulo Dybala and Como's Paz: "Sono due giocatori che fanno innamorare chi ama questo gioco." Dybala, he argued, has won everything and operates as a second forward with greater determining power, while Paz possesses crystalline talent and functions as a number ten capable of dropping deeper or drifting right. "Ad oggi, però, Paulo è leggermente più determinante nella Roma di quanto non lo sia Nico nel Como," Stramaccioni concluded.

Roma's media panel debated squad selection and the Como fixture ahead of the club's return to action after an international break. Carina highlighted Gasperini's challenge in a congested fixture schedule: following weeks without the full squad available for training, the manager faced a first full session yesterday, 8 October, with today marking the real start of preparation. The key tactical doubt lay on the left wing—between Mora and Soulé—with Mora favoured so far due to more days at Trigoria, though that contest remained fluid. "Chi non giocherà a Como, giocherà contro il Real Madrid," Carina noted, pointing to Como's importance as a league fixture before the Champions League showdown. With only three central midfielders in the squad, Pellegrini's potential return offered vital depth; the pundit called Como–Roma "the most important match for Gasperini, not the Real Madrid one." Torri, speaking on Mana Mana Sport, predicted Soulé would start the Como match "if he is well." "Gasperini will assess him over these two days, and if he is fit, he will play," Torri said. Dybala and Malen were automatic selections. Pruzzo underlined the value of a healthy Pellegrini, noting that returning him to the three-man midfield would create a fourth option—"an alternative you must have." He stressed that beating Como would maintain Roma's level and force Como's manager Fabregas to chase a result against Fiorentina, establishing "a certain gap" in the standings. Orsi and Mattioli backed De Roon as a reliable midfield presence. "De Roon can start quite comfortably," Orsi said. "He doesn't move the centremidfield dynamically, but he already knows Gasperini's tactical systems." Mattioli called De Roon "an inexhaustible motor" with "incredible athletic longevity," though he acknowledged the midfielder cannot play 96 matches. "His contribution will come. I believe Roma can come away with points—I do not know if a draw or a win." Pes reflected on José Mourinho's tenure, commenting: "At an emotional level, Mourinho's period was a moment of truly great unity. Budapest could have been the crowning of his season with Roma—he would have entered history, and there his adventure ends. A season that finished badly and became worse with the De Rossi question. There were certainly better Roma sides in terms of play, but emotionally something unique was created: Mourinho left a mark on Roma. Against Como it is an open, difficult match to read. But Roma can win it, if it has more desire than it showed against Inter. I think Roma will hardly fail."

Roma face Como in a tactical battle between Fabregas and Gasperini, two coaches with contrasting philosophies seeking to dictate play. Gasperini is considering deploying Rodrigo Mora on the trequarti in support of Dybala and Malen, a move with both technical and tactical significance. Against Como's four-man defence, this setup would allow Mora to exploit space between the lines and combine quickly with two players whose strengths complement each other: Dybala's ability to read situations others miss and Malen's capacity to attack space immediately. Marten de Roon is expected to anchor midfield, providing equilibrium and tactical knowledge of Gasperini's systems crucial against Como's possession-based approach. Evan N'Dicka is favoured over Leonardo Balerdi in defence, with Nahuel Molina and Wesley operating on the flanks. The match's decisive factor may lie on the wings. Como build superiority through passing and draw pressure to free players in space; Roma counterpress through individual aggression and advanced recovery. The fullbacks will be fundamental, needing to support attacking play without leaving the corridors Como exploits. Molina and Wesley could prove decisive both in pressing and by forcing Como's wingers to defend, preventing Fabregas's side from developing their game with continuity. The sides have met twice previously in contrasting circumstances. At the Olimpico, Roma imposed themselves through intense pressing, with Wesley scoring the decisive goal. In the return fixture, a side lacking clear attacking reference points gradually lost shape and ceded initiative to Como. However, this Roma present different offensive possibilities. The presence of Malen, Dybala's talent and Mora's potential deployment offer Gasperini solutions capable of troubling a well-organised team like Fabregas's. Roma must start aggressively, press immediately and prevent Como from gaining confidence in their passing patterns.

Roma are working on multiple transfer targets for the January window beyond Endrick, the Brazilian forward who has caught coach Gian Piero Gasperini's eye. While Endrick is a striker and left-footer who has shown he can operate in a secondary role at Lyon, his arrival may prove redundant given Paulo Dybala's elevated form and Matías Soulé's recent return to top condition — both players already operate in the centre-forward areas where the Brazilian would likely be deployed. Director Tony D'Amico is therefore pursuing alternative options, with initial contact already made on two specific players. The first is Georgian left-winger Kvernadze, a right-footed player with an imposing physical presence, pace and goalscoring ability who could compensate on that flank for the different profile offered by Rodrigo Mora. The second is Ruben van Bommel of PSV, son of the former Milan and Barcelona midfielder and current Belgium coach. Van Bommel, born 2004, was sidelined by a serious injury last season but has since recovered and is back at peak fitness. Van Bommel has scored 2 goals and provided 4 assists, and has already gained early Champions League experience. Roma's recruitment staff view both players as capable of strengthening the squad in areas where tactical balance is needed.

Andrea Stramaccioni has outlined his tactical views on the upcoming Como–Roma fixture, arguing that the two clubs have made significant progress since last season but Inter retain an edge. "Senza dubbio sarà una sfida tra due squadre che hanno dimostrato di essere cresciute tantissimo nel finale dello scorso campionato e hanno ricominciato più forti e competitive. L'Inter però ha ancora qualcosa in più, anche se il gap si è ridotto," the DAZN analyst said. Stramaccioni highlighted Roma's home victory over Como last season as a blueprint for the contest. Roma's approach then centred on suffocating Como's quality and cutting off their creative outlets. He noted that Gasperini and Como's Fabregas have met four times in Serie A—each winning twice—and on each occasion Roma fielded a midfielder in the trident to provide tactical balance: Pasalic and Samardžić in the two matches against Atalanta, and Pellegrini in the two against Roma. "Quindi assolutamente sì, Lorenzo sarebbe perfetto per avere maggiore duttilità tattica," Stramaccioni said of Pellegrini's capacity to drop deep and provide equilibrium. He added that if Pellegrini were unavailable, Gasperini could deploy Matías Soulé in a more defensive role during phases without possession, as the club managed against Inter. On the battle between the playmakers, Stramaccioni separated Paulo Dybala and Como's Paz: "Sono due giocatori che fanno innamorare chi ama questo gioco." Dybala, he argued, has won everything and operates as a second forward with greater determining power, while Paz possesses crystalline talent and functions as a number ten capable of dropping deeper or drifting right. "Ad oggi, però, Paulo è leggermente più determinante nella Roma di quanto non lo sia Nico nel Como," Stramaccioni concluded.