d anyone emerge from the Anfield mauling with some Roma pride in the Football Italia Player Ratings?
Words: Tom Scholes Alisson: 5
A rating for each goal that went past him tonight. As much as I really rate and enjoy watching Alisson, he was quite poor this evening. However, blame for some of the goals cannot be placed at the Brazilian’s feet, as his defence left him with no choice but rush out or make errors he normally wouldn’t. Federico Fazio: 3
How on earth can anyone expect Fazio to play in a back three, in a high line, against this Liverpool attack? The system didn’t help the former Tottenham man, but dear me he was so poor! Looked thoroughly overwhelmed by everything at Anfield and was pretty much a fish out of water from first minute to last. I don’t actually think there are enough characters to fully describe how I feel about this Roma defence. Juan Jesus: 2
Inter fans know this version of Juan Jesus. In recent weeks he’s actually been quite good and looked like he may have shaken off any dodgy defensive performances, but nope, not on this occasion. He was the textbook definition of dreadful, making mistakes all night, being out of position and looked scarred out of his boots whenever Mohamed Salah ran against him. I’ve never given a rating of two before for a player, but try and give me reasons why he shouldn’t be rated this badly? Kostas Manolas: 4
When you have Salah on the edge of the box, trying to cut inside on to his left foot, what is the one thing you don’t do? That’s right, you don’t show him on to his left foot. Manolas mustn’t have gotten the memo on that one, as it was his lack of closing down and showing Salah on to his favoured side that allowed the Egyptian to open the scoring. Manolas did recover after the goal and looked somewhat better, but still not quite good enough. Aleksandar Kolarov: 5
I felt Kolarov wasn’t too bad tonight, but yet another player who wasn’t good enough in the large majority of the match. He got into good crossing positions and managed to hit the crossbar, but overall his delivery wasn’t too productive and defensively was often found lacking. Alessandro Florenzi: 4
I’ve got to be honest, I don’t actually remember Florenzi producing much tonight on the right flank. The Liverpool attack pinned him back so often that he almost completely abandoned his attacking duties. A very strange performance from someone who is usually so assured and experienced. Kevin Strootman: 4
Strootman is usually a calm and confident midfielder, but tonight he looked very much out of his depth. Liverpool just bypassed him, Radja Nainggolan and Daniele De Rossi all evening and Strootman couldn’t even get hold of the ball and try to create something. Again, very poor but you’d expect him to be better in the second leg.
Same as Strootman, just completely bypassed by quick passing from the home side and couldn’t cut anything out. The pace was always going to be some kind of issue for such a veteran player, but his positioning was all over the pitch tonight and occasionally completely lost track of whoever he was meant to be marking. Radja Nainggolan: 5
I expected the Belgian to add a bit of energy to the Roma attacks and pin the Liverpool defence back, but he didn’t do that as often as I or many other viewers expected. He was quite effective in the opening stages of the game and towards the end when Roma eventually staged a mini comeback but inbetween, he was relatively ineffective and out of the game. Cenzig Under: 4
Under was definitely one of the players to watch going into this tie with his pace and unpredictability potentially being a dangerous weapon for Roma, but he was hauled off at half time and was unseen for the majority of the first 45 minutes. Whenever he did get on to the ball, he didn’t produce anything productive or meaningful. Edin Dzeko: 6
Perhaps the only player who came come out of this game for Roma with a bit of pride after his goal and attempts at holding up the ball, Dzeko always looked like he was trying to piece something together, but for whatever reason it never quite worked. He’ll hope for more chances in the Olimpico than he got tonight, and you’ll bet your house that he’ll take at least one if it comes his way. Subs:
Patrik Schick: 5
Quite effective in the latter stages, but largely out of the game from his arrival at half-time. Maxime Gonalons: N/A
The former Lyon man came on for the tiring De Rossi half way through the second half and added a bit of stability in midfield, helped largely by the removal of Salah. Diego Perotti: 6
You’d expect Perotti to start next week following his brief showing, scoring a delightful penalty and attacking the Liverpool back four at pace. If Roma stand any chance of producing yet another ‘Romantada’, Perotti has to start.
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