Roma review – season overview, trends, tactics and results

Despite enthusiasm for the team being off the charts, Roma performed below expectations during the 2023/2024 season.

Their campaign was marked by a series of highs and lows—the most notable being Roma’s decision to sack Jose Mourinho in mid-January, opting to replace him with club legend Daniele De Rossi.

Having led the Giallorossi to win the Europa Conference League title in 2022 and a run to the UEFA Europa League final the following year, “The Special One” was shown the door after 2.5 years with the club.

Most supporters who stay on top of the latest Roma news were hardly surprised by Mourinho’s sacking, but the appointment of De Rossi certainly turned heads.

But after nine months and over 50 matches played, it’s worth revisiting some of the best and worst moments as supporters anticipate a new season with potentially better results.

Roma season overview: the positives

Though we can agree that last season wasn’t the greatest for Roma, and the club’s sixth-place finish on the log was far from the fans’ expectations, the season wasn’t without some positives.

We saw top players like Dybala and Lukaku shining through the dark, with some pundits describing them as “big fish in a pond”. Lukaku found the back of the net 21 times in 47 appearances and assisted four goals throughout the season.

Dybala also had an impressive season, scoring 16 goals and turning provider 16 times for a total of 39 G/A, despite his injury woes.

Besides individual achievements, Roma had some highs during the season. They continued their trend of strong European performances and subsequently eliminated Feyenoord and Brighton in the Europa League. However, they fell just short in the semi-finals, losing out to German champions Bayer Leverkusen by one goal.

Furthermore, club legend Daniele De Rossi did well after replacing Jose Mourinho, who was sacked after 2.5 years with the club. He won six of his first seven league games, and fell just short of Champions League qualification.

Roma season overview: the negatives

Arguably their strongest area of the pitch the prior two seasons, Roma struggled significantly at the back throughout the 2023/24 campaign. The team conceded 46 goals in 38 league games, which was one of the highest among the top 10 teams.

They were particularly weak at both fullback positions and lack clear-cut, first-choice options on both flanks. On the right, Rick Karsdorp, Zeki Celik, and Rasmus Kristensen were all spectacularly average when called-upon.

Meanwhile, Leonardo Spinazzola suffered from his usual habit of “feast or famine” on the left—which forced Roma to dip into the winter transfer market and agreeing a deal for ex-Manchester City man Angelino.

Roma season overview: tactics and trends

In his very first game in charge of the club against Hellas Verona, De Rossi ditched Mourinho’s preferred 3-5-2 system in favour of a four-man defence and a 4-3-3 formation

While he didn’t make serious selection changes, he quickly built a team where his best players had suitable roles to be more expressive and effective. By simply identifying how to get the most out of his team, De Rossi helped rebirth several players that struggled under Mourinho’s reign, such as Leandro Paredes.

In the first nine fixtures, De Rossi’s team outperformed pundits’ predictions and betting tips. They scored in every match under him, with an average of 2.4 goals per game, and netted 22 times. It’s important to note that these top betting tips and predictions from experts are based on the team’s situation at the time.

As the season unfolded, we all saw that Roma went back to its expected level, as the goalscoring form dipped. They drew two and lost two of their five final league games as the Serie A came to a close.

The run shows a trend we all know about: Roma’s inconsistency. Talent-wise, only clubs such as Inter can boast a better team than Roma, but like the ancient Roman curse, the Roma problem is largely mental.

Roma 2024/25 preview and tactics

Barring a major change in tactics, De Rossi is expected to continue with the hybrid 4-3-3/4-3-2-1 formation he utilised last season. The system worked well and allowed Roma’s most creative pieces to thrive including Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Paredes.

Given he’s likely to continue with this formation, the Giallorossi must address the striker position given the departure of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian won’t return to the Italian capital following the conclusion of his one-season loan spell—forcing Roma to replace their top goalscorer from last season.

While the likes of Tammy Abraham are still on the roster, new technical director Florent Ghisolfi is certain to acquire a new #9 this summer—ideally one capable of partnering with Dybala.

We’ll see the changes he makes with a full preseason and the new signings that will potentially grace the Stadio Olimpico in the 2024/2025 season.