Six things we learned from Roma’s 1-1 draw at Porto

Flying start

In what was their first competitive assignment of the season, AS Roma started their match with FC Porto in ominous fashion, as they controlled possession adroitly and played with a slick tempo to their passing game. Helped by the movement of their attackers, chiefly Radja Nainggolan, Diego Perotti and Mohamed Salah, the away side constantly manipulated Porto's defensive setup to find space. Taking the lead on 21 minutes was a fitting reward for their fine opening.

Fighting spirit

Having secured an early away goal courtesy of Felipe's own goal on 21 minutes, everything seemed to be going to plan in the crucial away leg of Roma’s Champions League qualifier with Porto. But in the 41st minute, the red card shown to Thomas Vermaelen meant they had to play the remaining 50 minutes of the contest shorthanded. To Roma’s credit, however, they battled through to salvage a 1-1 draw, showing plenty of that fighting spirit that saw them come back from losing situations on countless occasions under Luciano Spalletti last season.

"Playing nearly 60 minutes with ten cost us so much energy,” explained an exhausted Nainggolan after the match. “We struggled, we suffered more in the second half but that’s normal. You can’t be 100% in the first game but we ran a lot. We got a result and now it is up to us to see it through at home."

Formation morphing

While Spalletti's teamsheet suggested he would use his familiar 4-3-3 formation, it was fascinating to watch Roma regularly morph into a shape that often resembled a 4-2-3-1, depending on Nainggolan's position. The Belgian was clearly given a licence to push forward and operate in true number 10 locations in order to add another layer of menace for the Porto backline to deal with. The tactic worked well too, for Nainggolan's quality on the ball and intelligent positioning created plenty of openings for he and his colleagues.

Perotti’s movement

It was important to note that while Nainggolan persistently pushed upfield, Perotti, Roma's left winger, would importantly counterbalance this by dropping deep into traditional central midfield positions to ensure Roma retained three players in the centre of the pitch. This gave Roma the platform they needed to retain possession, release Nainggolan and was also a key component in their first half-dominance.

Salah and Dzeko

The way Salah and Edin Dzeko linked up was another highlight, as they showed their terrific understanding of one another's tendencies. This was aptly illustrated in instances when Dzeko would notice Salah advancing forward down the right and he would swiftly get across to be a legitimate passing outlet. Then, when Salah passed into the Bosnian's feet, the Egyptian would continue his forward surge and Dzeko would duly oblige his runs by playing well weighted lay-offs back to him. The smoothness and efficiency in which these exchanges were undertaken really was unplayable at times.

Put simply, the two were a real handful for the Porto and Nuno Espirito Santo's team really struggled to come to terms with them, especially in the opening period. The fact Dzeko won 16 of his duels was a testament to his output.

Their defensive efforts were also notable when Roma went down to 10 men, which was something Spalletti touched upon after the match. "I thought [Edin] Dzeko was superb and so too was [Mohamed] Salah. In the second half they both toiled for the team and carried out their defensive duties well," he asserted.

De Rossi’s influence

Roma's inspirational captain yet again put in a shift full of grit, determination and intelligence. Defensively, he was always on hand to do the dirty work and track back to support his defenders. While on the attacking end, his distribution was of a customarily high standard, in a match where he attempted more passes than any other Roma player with 53. Even at 33, De Rossi showed why his experience, leadership qualities and understanding of the game are still so useful for his beloved Roma.