Opinion: Fonseca re-organises his troops to find the right path

“Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast,” said Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Good Roman Emperors, some 1900 years ago.

Roma now lies in the hands of another tactician, battling the ups and downs that come with a first-year tenure. Perhaps Paulo Fonseca has reflected on these words by one of the few men who could sway the people of Rome the same way he is trying to - using tactical and philosophical thought.

Fonseca arrived last summer and took charge of team that lived and breathed the 4-3-3 formation, yet many tools within its arsenal were yet to be uncovered. Just as Aurelius’s reign was synonymous with conflict, Fonseca’s first half of the season saw injury crises and unexpected wins against Napoli and AC Milan, but the new year was met with cold runs, more injuries to key players, and an ever-shifting starting lineup.

Then, of course, came the stoppage to the season as Italy and Western Europe suffered the Pandemic. Roma would not see competitive action for almost four months.

When play did return, it was under certain conditions. The remainder of the season would span throughout late June and into early August, in the country’s warmest months. There would be little time to study the opponent, as matches would be played twice per week.

The ability to deploy two extra substitutes added another factor into the game plan. Just as the manager seemed to tighten the reins, outside factors had loosened his grip.

Play resumed against Sampdoria, and the Giallorossi took advantage of a Fabio Quagliarella-less side as Edin Dzeko scored two incredible goals. Roma suffered however, struggling to find a rhythm to their play. The rust was apparent when Amadou Diawara played a slack ball that gifted an early goal to the visitors, a sign of difficulties to come.

Roma then succumbed to three defeats within a week. Milan were finding their legs and clicking on the pitch; Udinese’s counter attacking took advantage of Fonseca’s high defensive line; and Napoli exploited the wide spaces. Precious points were gained against the Giallorossi, and automatic qualification to the Europa League was suddenly threatened.

The lot had been cast. Fonseca now needed to adapt, to find formation best suited for his players. He evaluated the skill sets of the locker room, and the player profiles who showed extra ambition to lead the team back to success.

Along came the 3-4-2-1 formation.

Parma was the first test. Roman press and social media outlets ran wild when the lineup was announced, confirming rumours that a new formation would be deployed. Suddenly, there was a new buzz.

Bryan Cristante was deployed at the centre of the three-man-back-line. It seemed Roma’s woes were about to continue though when the referee called a penalty kick against him just eight minutes in. But after calming their nerves and settling into the new shape, confidence built.

The Lupi scored seven unanswered goals over the next three matches before Hellas Verona finally broke the streak with Matteo Pessina’s wonderful flick-on. Nevertheless, the Giallorossi won all three.

There have been several subplots that have made the 3-4-2-1 successful. Firstly, the emergence of Roger Ibanez. The Brazilian centre-back has made several last-gasp-tackles, showing a rare, courageous quality as a sudden leader of the backline. Seemingly overnight, he has become a fan favourite that leads by example, out-powering his opponent and driving play forward from deep positions. There’s little argument that he’s an essential part of this mini-revolution.

Leonardo Spinazzola and Bruno Peres have been completely reinvented. Liberated by the space to push forward, the former has dug in to create a plethora of scoring opportunities, and the latter has outplayed his opponent at every chance. In the winter transfer window it seemed imminent that Spinazzola was seeking new opportunities to find playing time, and now it is virtually impossible to imagine the tactical shape without him.

Peres meanwhile, at 30 years-old has grasped the last-chance-saloon opportunity. He’s reinvented himself as a workhorse, with blistering stamina and speed, demanding the ball and creating combinations down the right flank.

His two goals against SPAL - the second being particularly noteworthy - were scored by a player who was full of confidence and enjoying his game.

Amadou Diawara’s shift to a more defensive role in front of the centre-backs has freed Jordan Veretout into his natural, central role. With the allowance to spring just a little more forward and between the lines, he continues to outmuscle and outrun his adversary.

The Frenchman has morphed into the warrior so desperately needed to fight in the centre of the pitch, and a quality missed since the days of Radja Nainggolan.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s form has been a byproduct of his fitness. One of the most talented players in the league, the Armenian forward has assumed responsibility as the offensive magician. His piercing runs and incalculable dribbling have been uncontrollable for the opposition, allowing the rest of the team to integrate into the attack.

Last weekend’s match against Inter Milan was one of Roma’s best matches of the season. The dominating wins in the new shape built a new self-esteem to the side. It was the culmination of being broken down, and a manager that looked at himself in the mirror, reflecting on the qualities his team had, and how to best express them.

Fonseca has adapted to the lot that has been cast, reinventing his game and the tactics he’s predicated his career on. Further confirmation then came in the 6-1 thumping against SPAL.

In less than one full season, Fonseca is showing versatility, an adaptable mentality, and – right now - a winning philosophy too.