The Giallorossi Yorkshire post-match diary: Salernitana 0-1 Roma

Roma’s season is underway and it was a winning start against Salernitana on Sunday night courtesy of a deflected Bryan Cristante goal.

This season, Giallorossi Yorkshire’s match analysis will follow a diary-style format, offering personal insights into how each game under review went. Here is the first instalment…

And we’re off. It was a decent way to get the season up and running, even if we had to settle for the one-goal margin in the end. In August, there are various things to take into account – high temperatures, new players, changing systems – that mean results sometimes don’t hit maximum expectations. The important thing is to win.

Roma did that and can be happy with how they went about it. In the first half especially, I thought we looked lively with our link-up play. Tammy Abraham was probably the quietest of the Fab Four but the others in behind were showing some signs of integration. Nicolo Zaniolo’s strong running was a positive, but he could have sharpened up in his finishing. Still, he looks leaner than last season and could be effective if he stays.

He perhaps epitomised most how we could have been a bit more clinical, both in terms of finishing and the decision making before that, but the fluidity will come with time. Chances that were missed were mainly down to bad luck, rather than bad technique. To me, things seemed to be heading in the right direction.

In the midfield, I thought Lorenzo Pellegrini started well in his new deeper role – not something entirely unfamiliar to him – but dropped off towards the end of the first half. His passing wasn’t what I’d normally expect of him, while he will have to get up to speed with what he can and can’t do closer to his own goal (as seen with one scare in the second half), but I still think he can be functional in the role.

Next to him, though, Cristante was a candidate for man of the match. His goal may have had a hint of luck, but you make your own luck. By taking on a weak-footed shot on the edge of the box, he made something happen.

I haven’t always been Cristante’s biggest fan and – not unknowingly – overlooked him in a recent article about various ways Roma could line up. I would still expect a fitter Gini Wijnaldum or Nemanja Matic to start instead of him, but if you get the shirt, you should make your claim to keep it, and with a combative performance, Cristante did that.

He just needs to stay alert all 90 minutes, while his marking and spatial awareness is still a negative point for me, but he was more physical than expected in a game that was definitely of that nature.

I have at times questioned Cristante’s talent, but have always been of the opinion that he has one of the best attitudes in the squad. With that, he can keep competing for his place. Not bad.

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Either talent or attitude alone can only take you so far. It is rare for a player to possess both equally – which is why it’ll be hard, but not impossible, for someone like Daniele De Rossi to ever be replicated – but someone who showed good amounts of both, I thought, was Paulo Dybala. The only new signing sent into the starting lineup, he showed he can put in the hard yards and impressed with his dribbling ability too. He wasn’t shy of duels and although the debut goal was lacking, he looks like someone who grows into games and hopefully will grow into the season.

For what it’s worth, I also saw some good signs from fellow new boys Matic and Wijnaldum when they came on. All in all, it was a physical game that will have helped dust off the cobwebs and get both sides back up to competitive speed. As I mentioned, the rhythm will come with time, and next week’s clash with Serie A newcomers Cremonese should be another helpful test. There certainly is excitement this season and I hope this feeling of eagerly awaiting the next game can continue long into the new year.