Four Things We Learned: Roma exploit wide areas in Verona

Substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan clinched the three points with an injury-time strike, after Justin Kluivert and Diego Perotti had scored first half goals.

Huge road win keeps momentum going

Needing to dig deep to grind out another valuable win against Hellas Verona,Roma's spirited 3-1 triumph was a testament to how Paulo Fonseca has implemented his philosophy with his players.

Never giving up and fighting right till the end, the Giallorossi, who were pushed extremely hard by Ivan Juric's men, were good value for their victory.

Indeed, scoring three goals against one of the meanest defences in Serie A away from home was crucial towards Roma securing their third straight win, as they continually generated opportunities on their way to outshooting their foes 12 to eight.

Putting in a well balanced performance on both sides, Roma remain fourth on the table, with this display being an ideal precursor to their colossal clash against Inter Milan on Friday night.

“We got the win because we had a great attitude and real team spirit," Fonseca said afterwards.

"We were up against a side that defends well and shows a lot of aggression in defence. We didn’t move the ball well, but our attitude was excellent and that’s really important against this type of opposition."

Roma exploit spaces in the channels

Boasting two blisteringly quick wingers in Cengiz Under and Justin Kluivert, these two speedsters were vital in exploiting the space down the channels either side of the Verona back three. Identifying the vast space available here due to Verona fullbacks marauding forward, this was an avenue that frequently bore fruit for the Giallorossi.

Taking advantage of when Marco Faraoni or Darko Lazovic were pressing high or got caught high and out of position when Roma forced a turnover, Kluivert and Under were wide awake to the spaces open to them both in transition sequences or more methodical possession phases.

Not only did they expose their adversaries through shrewdly timed and directed diagonal (out to in) runs and when the wingbacks pushed out to press, but they also used rotations, overloads and opposite movements to open up the space by manipulating Verona's marking structure.

Indeed, Kluivert's scintillating infield diagonal run prior to his clinical finish, where he made the most of Faraoni being high, offered a glowing reference to the tactic's success.

Perotti a real difference maker

Introduced into the action in the 35th minute as a result of Kluivert's injury, Diego Perotti would go onto play an integral part in Roma running out with all three points by chiming in with a coolly taken penalty and a lovely assist. Demonstrating his experience and composure, his classy penalty was the perfect way to stamp his mark near the stroke of half-time

Offering a fine outlet to link play with his crafty movement and passing from his left wing post, the Argentine illustrated how effective he can be. Be it dropping deep nicely to assist build up, directing his runs cleverly, rotating smoothly with fullback Aleksandar Kolarov or generating space for teammates by drawing out opponents, these were all highlights.

Meanwhile, his distribution was also tidy too, as on top of combining neatly in close quarters with some neat layoffs and one-twos, he helped Roma seal the win with a lovely, deft assist for Henrikh Mkhitaryan's goal after notably drawing four Verona defenders.

Carrying the ball slickly and putting in some excellent defensive efforts to boot, Perotti illustrated what an asset his unique skill set is to Fonseca.

High pressing stifles Verona

Knowing Verona would be keen to pass out from the back, Fonseca devised a strong high pressing strategy that had the desired impact. Working particularly well in the first half, their man marking approach did a top job of limiting viable options to the ball holder, often forcing Verona into low percentage passes, turnovers or poor decisions.

To start with, Edin Dzeko, Kluivert and Under would mark the Mastiffs' three central defenders. Then, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Jordan Veretout would follow midfielders Matteo Pessina and Sofyan Amrabat, with an eye on ensuring they couldn't turn or receive in forward facing postures.

Roma's fullbacks would usually step out to Verona's wingbacks while Amadou Diawara would keep tabs on trequartista Valerio Verre, who looked to occupy spaces between the lines. Lastly, Gianluca Mancini and Chris Smalling would look after the opposing front two of Samuel Di Carmine and Mattia Zaccagni, and be given support from the fullbacks or midfielders if needed.

Although Verona found some joy when Roma retreated more into a mid block as the game wore on, their coordinated high pressing, that also saw them angle their harrying smartly to block pass routes behind them and shift intensely to the ball near side, successfully stifled many of the home side's forward forays.