The Calcio Comment: Does Roma's squad suit Ivan Juric demands?
The Croatian coach has secured league wins against Udinese and Venezia, a draw against Monza, and a loss to Inter in the latest round of Serie A. Additionally, Roma has drawn and lost in the Europa League against Athletic Club and Elfsborg. In short, it hasn’t been a great start.
Does this surprise us? Not really. If you’ve followed Juric’s career, this is almost predictable. He’s a coach with solid ideas and skills but with very specific needs.
He requires players capable of executing his system to perfection, and most importantly, he needs time - time that was denied to De Rossi, who was sacked after just four games. Many of those matches were played while the transfer window was still open, meaning De Rossi didn’t even have his full squad at his disposal.
What’s happening at Roma is difficult to explain because, no matter how you look at it, it doesn’t make much sense. De Rossi came in January, turned the season around, earned his renewal on merit, and spent the summer preparing for a 4-3-3 formation that had already proven successful.
Yet, despite numerous new signings and a completely transformed squad, the ownership decided to hand the reins to Juric. He’s a capable coach, but far from being considered 'elite', and now, he’s struggling. So, what happens next?
There have been rumours of De Rossi’s return, but even if the ownership is willing to admit its mistake (and we don’t know if it is true), they’d need to consider whether De Rossi would be open to it. Roma’s recent 1-0 loss to Inter was perhaps most concerning not because of the scoreline, but because the team didn’t seem angry or even particularly disappointed.
The squad looks flat, lacking character, and seemingly still hasn’t accepted De Rossi’s sacking. A team like that is easy to beat, no matter the opponent.
Inter didn’t even need to play exceptionally well; a few good saves from Yann Sommer were enough because Roma practically handed them the win. The mistakes by Nicola Zalewski and Zeki Celik (especially the former) were glaring, but the real issue is that this Roma side doesn’t resemble a typical Juric team.
Yes, it takes time for a coach like him to implement his philosophy, but right now, Roma look adrift, and Juric is sinking with them, despite his best efforts.
New signings like Mario Hermoso, Mats Hummels, Saud, and Manu Konè aren’t contributing, and players like Matias Soulé and Artem Dovbyk are either misused or left isolated. Enzo Le Fée, struggling with fitness, has yet to make an impact.
Roma’s new acquisitions have given almost nothing to the team, and that’s a troubling fact. Another managerial change would be shocking, but at this point, nothing can be ruled out.
Juric will get more chances (not so many, it seems), but the pressure is mounting. Without positive results in the upcoming fixtures, his position could be in serious jeopardy.
Roma face a must-win Europa League match, followed by a tough game against Fiorentina, who recently thrashed Lecce 6-0. In short, two wins are essential.
Juric may need to change tactics or players, but doing so risks making unpopular decisions. If the Croatian coach wants to stay in Rome, he’ll need to find the courage to stick to what he does best, regardless of the consequences. Otherwise, it’s going to be tough for him to survive. Roma, what will you do now?