Opinion: 3 notable performances from win over La Viola!

Roma grabbed a comfortable 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Sunday night, as Pedro and Leonardo Spinazzola were on target to add another three points.

We’ve picked out three individual Roma performances that stood out from the third league win of the season…

CHRIS SMALLING

Having come through 60 minutes of the Europa League draw with Young Boys in midweek - his first appearance since permanently rejoining Roma this summer - Smalling helped Roma to back-to-back clean sheets with another authoritative performance at the heart of their defence.

The Englishman has seamlessly slotted back into the centre of Roma’s back-three and his vocal, commanding figure in the side is remarkably reassuring - it is no coincidence that Roma have chalked up those successive shutouts with Smalling back in the side.

With Roger Ibanez continuing to be aggressive and athletic in stepping out to break up attacks, and Gianluca Mancini happy to get involved in physical battles across the pitch, Smalling's composure, ability on the ball and organisation of the Giallorossi back-line already has Fonseca’s men looking more water-tight overall.

LEONARDO SPINAZZOLA

Going into this weekend, Roma’s raiding full-back had attempted more dribbles (29) than any other player in the league so far and his marauding runs down the left have shaped some of the Giallorossi’s most penetrating attacks since Paulo Fonseca introduced the current 3-4-2-1 formation that has had so much success.

But prior to the visit of Fiorentina, the 10-cap Italy international hadn’t a great deal to point to in the form of hard evidence of his importance to Fonseca’s new-look Roma.

That all changed on Sunday night as Spinazzola raced onto Antonio Mirante’s long ball forward, showing the pace that has put the fear up opposition defences before applying a composed finish that put his side ahead and Roma fans will be hoping it’s the first of many decisive contributions from the 27-year-old this season.

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN

The Armenian - who laid it on a plate for Pedro to make it 2-0 - now has four Serie A assists this season, to keep him top of the charts and the 31-year-old is proving a creative force in Roma’s potent-looking attacking trio.

Fiorentina had ample warning in the first half as Mkhitaryan so nearly released his Spanish teammate beyond the visitors’ defence with a pass only seen by those two footballing visionaries, and his eventual supplement for Pedro’s second half tap-in was another perfectly placed provision.

Those moments of magic are eye-catching and Mkhitaryan does it time and again, but what is possibly more impressive is the forward's defensive work as he constantly harries opposition into mistakes that allow Roma to win the ball back in dangerous areas - something critical to Fonseca’s high-pressing brand of football.