Five Things We Learned: Spalletti's tactical flexibility pays off once again

Roma secured a crucial 3-1 win over Chievo on Thursday evening, ensuring they ended 2016 on something of a high.

Our columnist looks at five key points from the contest...

Bounce-back, comeback win

After the disappointing of losing to Juventus on Saturday, the Giallorossi bounced back strongly by getting the job done against Chievo, recording their ninth straight league win at home this season in the process.

The result wasn't as straightforward as the scoreline suggested, however, as the Giallorossi had to comeback from a goal down to secure a hard fought victory.

Indeed, Luciano Spalletti's ability to inspire his troops to continue fighting when the chips are down shone brightly once again here, something he was duly proud of when speaking after the match.

"It was a delicately poised match, but they showed professionalism and determination," explained Spalletti. "Right from the first minute, they showed they wanted the three points and they made sure they got them by playing with quality and competitiveness.

"It was a well-deserved win. The team worked hard from the first minute until the 90th – I want to congratulate my players because they’ve ended the year in exceptional fashion."

El Shaarawy shines

Stephan El Shaarawy reminded everyone yet again of his capabilities by putting in a stirring, game-changing shift from his left-wing station. While the 24-year-old's wonderfully taken free-kick to draw Roma level in the dying embers of the first half was the highlight of his performance, his contribution extended far beyond this.

The way he'd cleverly drift infield from the left to occupy the half spaces served as a fine platform for him to thrive. By doing so, on top of making room for his wing-back, Emerson Palmieri, to motor forward into and positioning himself in a great position to link up with Radja Nainggolan, this also allowed him to receive possession in a more central position. This meant he could use his pace and trickery to cut inside from a terrific starting point and access the box and his preferred shooting locations far more easily.

His four key passes, two successful dribbles and five shots - along with the fact he was fouled four times - illustrated what a force his relentless attacking threat and creativity was for his side going forward.

“That was what we wanted after the defeat [last week]," a delighted El Shaarawy explained. "We were keen to end the year with a win and that’s what we’ve done.

“I’m always trying to score. It was the first free kick I’ve taken in a proper match and it turned out well. I’ve always remained calm and accepted the coach’s decisions – I want to thank him for everything. I feel relaxed and all I’m trying to do is to keep moving forward and giving my all."

Pass out smoothly from the back

Roma did a fantastic job of passing out smoothly from the back throughout the match. Spalletti's decision to deploy three central defenders, in combination with the dropping movements of Kevin Strootman, saw Roma hold a crucial 4 v 2 numerical superiority against Chievo's two forwards.

Unsurprisingly, smooth progression of their attacks ensued as a result of this, with a spare man present for the home side at all times. Another example of Spalletti getting his strategy spot on this most definitely was.

Vermaelen returns to league action with a solid 90 minutes

Having endured a lengthy stint on the sidelines through injury, Thomas Vermaelen's return to the starting lineup was very promising indeed. Alongside Federico Fazio and Antonio Rudiger, the Belgian stopper hardly put a foot wrong against Rolando's Maran's probing side. Remaining concentrated and disciplined over the course of the 90 minutes, his solid body of work will be a huge confidence boost for the former Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona man. By the numbers, his four won aerial duels, two tackles, two interceptions, five clearances and one blocked shot accentuated his encouraging outing.

3-4-3 formation bears fruit

Being a manager who's never afraid to change formation based on his available personnel or depending on the opposition, Spalletti's decision to go for a 3-4-3 here worked a treat. The formation gave the side great attacking impetus, excellent defensive cover and quality occupation of the most dangerous attacking areas.

Moreover, the way Roma's wingers were instructed to venture inside to link up in and around the 10 spaces, which also ensured the wing-backs could give vital width in advanced areas, saw Chievo constantly on the back foot.

The tactically sophisticated Spalletti's brave decision making has certainly been a feature of his time in charge of Roma, and tonight was another example of his acuity in this regard paying off handsomely.