Juventus 2, Roma 0: Player Ratings

Yesterday’s Spherical 21 fixture between Juventus and AS Roma was a kind of contests the place, in the event you seemed solely on the stat sheets, you’ll have assumed Roma wiped the ground with Juventus. Between their increased possession price, taking 4 occasions as many pictures as Juve, and successful extra corners, aerials, tackles, and dribbles than the Previous Woman, Roma held numerical sway over Juventus. And even the superior stats, which weren’t fairly as unbalanced as the standard numbers, nonetheless painted Roma as slender victors.

However, as properly all know, video games aren’t selected paper; there is a motive they’re performed on the pitch in any case. And in yesterday’s match, Juventus made essentially the most of their scant alternatives on aim, making Roma pay for his or her minor defensive miscues, whereas Paulo Fonseca’s bunch struggled to seek out any efficient area behind Juve’s compact protection.

As you might have guessed from the considerably ominous tone of the primary two paragraphs, we’re not passing out any halos after yesterday’s defeat.

The Sinners

Roger Ibañez

I am a bit conflicted on this choice. On the one hand, the precedent has been set: you are able to do completely nothing unsuitable for 99% of your shift, however in the event you give away a aim, draw a purple card, slap Gianluca Lapadula within the face, blaspheme, or make any form of egregious psychological mistake, all your good deeds are rendered moot and you are a sinner. However, then again, Ibañez’s personal aim was—not acceptable or excusable—however no less than explainable.

Ibañez probably did not see Gianluca Mancini behind him when he made a play on the ball, however had he completed nothing and simply let it run by way of, Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a step and a half on Mancini, was proper there and sure would have had a simple tap-in aim.

I had an outdated baseball coach who was fond of claiming that he may tolerate bodily errors however not psychological errors—you needed to pay for these ones with laps or additional fielding follow. In my eyes, Ibañez’s coronary heart and thoughts had been in the best place, however his precise try and deflect the ball was terrible.

This can be a powerful one however, even setting this error apart, Ibañez is in a little bit of a funk for the time being.

Bryan Cristante

Roma’s captain for the day did not have any obtrusive Ibañez-like errors, however because the ostensible creator in midfield, Cristante merely did not minimize the mustard yesterday. In 62 minutes yesterday, Cristante managed little greater than going 4-4 on long-ball makes an attempt: no key passes, no on-target pictures, and no profitable dribbles.

He wasn’t precisely horrible yesterday however he did not actually assist Roma’s trigger both.

Caught In Between

Picture by Chris Ricco/Getty Photos

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Roma’s first-half MVP performed all 90 minutes yesterday and was answerable for three of Roma’s fourteen pictures on aim. He additionally chipped in a single keypass, pulled off two profitable dribbles, and intercepted three passes. Mkhitaryan was stable all-around yesterday, and undoubtedly Roma’s best-attacking participant, but it surely merely wasn’t sufficient.

Gianluca Mancini

Mancini, who now seems to be third in Roma’s captaincy line, was the Mkhitaryan of the backline: stable however a bit underwhelming contemplating the result of the match. Mancini received 4 aerials and three tackles yesterday, whereas additionally making an attempt two pictures and finishing one profitable dribble. No actual complaints, however we will not give both of those guys a halo in a 2-0 defeat.

This is to higher days. Roma have a barely simpler activity subsequent week after they host fifteenth place Udinese, so let’s hope for extra halos subsequent weekend.