“Angelino didn’t have a muscle or a joint problem. The tests were ok and he started training again yesterday. In the last few weeks he’s been training separately but training quite well. When the doctors give the all-clear for him to play, we’ll use him.
“It hasn’t been an easy week because lots of players have had niggles or flu, like [Manu] Kone and [Neil] El Aynaoui. I still need to have a look at Wesley. I don’t think we’ll risk him tomorrow but we’ll see this afternoon. [Tommaso] Baldanzi and Dybala had the flu. It wasn’t exactly the week I hoped for.
“However, we still have some ‘highlanders’ who never ease up and are always present. I’ll try to take everyone to Cagliari, but I have to consider that we have a Europa League game on Thursday and then Como the Monday after.”
Gian Piero Gasperini shared the health updates before the Cagliari-Roma game. With Angeliño and Wesley both out, Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas are likely to start on the wings. Çelik will keep playing at right wing back, and we should see a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka, and Mario Hermoso.
Gasperini discussed the minor issues Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui have dealt with all week. This has led some publications to speculate that Niccoló Pisilli could get a rare start. And Gasperini spoke about Pisilli’s role with El Aynaoui leaving soon for AFCON.
“Definitely, but also on the back of what he’s doing in training. I stuck with the midfield we had because they were doing really well. At the start El Aynaoui still needed to adapt. I had to stick with him for a bit but then he produced some superb performances. [Bryan] Cristante is a guarantee too. Pisilli has found himself up against three highlanders who didn’t leave much space for him, but I very much believe in him. As I said before, I’d rather he were playing regularly than for him to become a problem for me. But I’d like for him to be able to play here.”
We speculate that Koné probably starts this match with Cristante, but Pisilli could see playing time sooner rather than later. Much of the rest of the press conference focused on Dybala’s role in the squad and the decision between the false 9 and true 9 formations that Gasperini has used in recent matches.
“When you find yourself without Ferguson and Dovbyk at the same time, you look for the best alternative solution within the squad. You look for speed, technique, one-twos, keeping the ball on the ground. Remember the goal that [Lorenzo] Pellegrini had disallowed against Cremonese when Baldanzi was playing? Obviously you try to exploit the qualities of the players you have available. If you’re without those two players [Ferguson and Dovbyk], you look for the best qualities you can find within the squad. It’s not that [Matias] Soule or Pellegrini can’t do that job. In theory anyone could play there with their individual skill set.”
“Dybala’s only problem is whether he can play. Otherwise he can’t play there or anywhere else. The problem is he had that run of games up to the one against Milan, and that was very good, but it was three or four and then we had this little setback. The only problem with Dybala is having him at his best. This week he was unavailable until today because of this flu. He trained on his own yesterday. Today he was back with the team. Obviously Dybala is a key player for us but we need to try and get the consistency he’s only at in brief spells.
“There are lots of ways you can play in attack. It depends on the skill sets available to you. Baldanzi did well against Cremonese and against Napoli on Sunday he had a clear chance too. [Playing at centre forward] is not his position and we know that, but we’ve been without Ferguson and Dovbyk, and Dybala covered for us until he was no longer available. He did very well. If you want to play with him at centre forward, you have to play a certain way. If Ferguson or Dovbyk play there, they offer different attributes, but that’s football, isn’t it?.”
Gasperini wouldn’t specify which way he’d go, but since Dybala and Baldanzi are limited in training this week because of the flu, we’ll probably see Ferguson start. Soulé and Pellegrini will likely be supporting.
ROMA (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Çelik, Cristante, Koné, Tsimikas; Soulé, Pellergini; Ferguson.
