Gasperini: ‘Roma need to start worrying if we can’t score’ against Plzen

Gian Piero Gasperini admits Roma strikers ‘need to look in the mirror and ask’ why they aren’t scoring after the Europa League loss to Viktoria Plzen. ‘We need to start worrying.’

The Giallorossi are in a poor spell of form, as this was their third defeat in the last four competitive games, all of them at the Stadio Olimpico.

Paulo Dybala converted a penalty and Leon Bailey went close, but Roma continue to struggle when it comes to scoring goals.

In his post-match interview, Dybala said Roma were “sluggish and lacking in determination,” so does Gasperini agree?

“I think the team fought to the final minute, tried to get the game back on track, so I don’t think it’s a matter of sluggishness,” the coach told Sky Sport Italia.

“We were sluggish in the finishing, that is true. There are many players who haven’t scored for a long time, so they need to look in the mirror and ask why that is. It’s because evidently there are problems, if we hadn’t converted a penalty, we would not have scored again today, despite spending most of it in the opposition final third. We need to reflect on that.”

Most notably, it is their second consecutive Europa League loss after conceding cheap goals and not managing to turn the situation around.

Here they were 2-0 down after 23 minutes as Prince Adu turned Jan Ziolkowski to score, then moments later Cheick Souaré fired a screamer into the far bottom corner.

“At the start, we lost possession cheaply, yet the defence is the only thing keeping us afloat at the moment. They did very well to prevent dangerous counter-attacks in big spaces, so overall the performance remained positive.”

Gasperini caused controversy too, hauling 20-year-old Ziolkowski off the field just 30 minutes into his first start for the club.

The mood is turning in the Stadio Olimpico, as there were some jeers when Artem Dovbyk was substituted, then more at the final whistle.

“Confidence comes from results and performances. There were so many spaces we could’ve been incisive in, but if we weren’t, then we have to reflect on that. It was not a match where the opposition closed up all the spaces. We weren’t harmonious enough in creating those situations, getting the shots away inside the penalty area,” continued Gasperini.

“Now we need to improve our efficiency upfront, because we create all the time and then don’t convert, it’s not enough. These are the players we have, so all of them must try to get another assist, another shot inside the area rather than from distance.

“We need to take that step up in quality, otherwise every performance will be read negatively based on the result, when I have seen some good overall moves. The attack is what wins you games, and we absolutely need to resolve that.”

Roma have gone behind to early goals five times this season and only once managed to turn it around, beating Fiorentina 2-1.

“Undoubtedly, going a goal down is never positive. When we did take the lead, we won the game. If you don’t score goals in situations like the one we were facing tonight, then you need to start worrying,” concluded Gasperini.

Manu Koné went off at half-time, in this case it was a forced change due to a knock to the ankle that means he could also be in doubt against Sassuolo this weekend.