Even N’Dicka returned to full training after a successful AFCON and will be available versus Feyenoord. Since Chris Smalling logged a few minutes against Frosinone over the weekend, the Roma defense is now whole for the first time in the season.
According to Il Messaggero (via Tuttomercatoweb), Daniele De Rossi will finally be able to give some rest to those who carried it for months. Diego Llorente has already gotten a pair of breathers, with Dean Huijsen taking his place. Gianluca Mancini has been playing through a sports hernia but probably won’t be shut down completely.
The new Roma boss plans to use a four-man defense as his go-to. He’ll deploy a more numerous line from time to time when they want to protect leads. He’s considering a tweak to be stouter on the wings, primarily the right one, which has been a weak link.
The young skipper could move Mancini there as a defensive-minded fullback, giving Angelino and Leonardo Spinazzola more freedom to attack on the other flank. Rick Karsdorp, Rasmus Kristensen, and Zeki Celik have rotated at the position, but neither has been great.
Our Take on the Roma Defense
Ironically enough, they are in great shape now that José Mourinho is gone and they play a more proactive brand of football. Mancini wide would look a little weird. They can do it on the other side of the pitch with Ndicka too, but their right-backs are pedestrian.
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