Fan View: Supporters on season targets, Serie A favourites, signings and more

With the new Serie A season getting underway this weekend, we felt it was time to take the current temperature of the Giallorossi fanbase.

With enthusiasm growing following the victory in the Europa Conference League last season and then the addition of some big names in the summer, we asked five fans what they think the expectations should be for this season - and also how they feel things have changed around the league over the course of the summer.

Here's what they had to say...

Coming after the Europa Conference League triumph, what are your expectations for Roma in the 2022-23 season?

Marco/@Marco_D: “After finally ending a 14-year trophy drought, I expect to find a team that’s ambitious in wanting more success. I expect the team to have significantly narrowed the gap with the title-contending teams and to push them as far as we can this season. With the quality added to the starting XI and bench, a top four finish should be the realistic aim. Let’s not rule out a deep run in the Europa League either.”

Courtney/@CourtneyGordini: “So. Many. Goals. I also expect the best goal differential in the league. It’s then implied we finish in the top four.”

Kris/@krispucci: “I really believe we can win the Europa League, especially with the wonderful transfer market that we have had this summer. Along with that, I believe we will also finish top four to secure our place in the Champions League… although that would be redundant when we win the EL.”

Wayne/@WayneinRome: “Get back into the Champions League and reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. But I will say that they have it in them to do even better than that, and lift another trophy this season.”

Chris/@cdesantis05: “I expect us to be heavily motivated and build on it. Ownership and management have done an excellent job so far in laying the groundwork and I fully expect to make a run at the Coppa Italia and/or Europa League, as well as securing our spot in top four.”

Last season we saw Jose Mourinho use a variety of formations throughout the season, which do you think most fits the current side?

Marco: “A variation of the 3-4-2-1 that we’ve mostly been playing over the course of the last two seasons. Attacking wise we have such great options that getting everyone in when fit is going to be a huge challenge for Mourinho. There’s also the option to move into a 4-2-3-1 with a Wijnaldum/Matic pivot and the ‘fab 4’ of Pellegrini, Dybala, Zaniolo, and Abraham up front if we’re in need of a result or facing a side we won’t need to defend very often. Tactically we’re very flexible this season.”

Courtney: “I think a 3-4-2-1, but I see the midfield taking on a diamond shape. I don’t think a 3-5-2 makes as much sense now, given the talent on the attacking wings.”

Kris: “This is something I have struggled to understand last year. Perhaps Mourinho was just trying to figure out what formation best suited the players he had at his disposal. Traditionally he has used four at the back, but I really have come to like the 3-4-1-2 and believe that this is what he will use based on the bolstering of our midfield and forward lines this summer.”

Wayne: “Given the re-entry of Leonardo Spinazzola and emergence of Nicola Zalewski, it’s only natural to keep the wing-backs in attack with a three-man-defence supporting it. In attack it makes the most sense to have Paulo Dybala and Zaniolo mixing their positions in supporting Tammy Abraham, with Lorenzo Pellegrini in a more withdrawn attacking role. On paper it's a 3-4-2-1.”

Chris: “It’s hard to tell what is going to fit our current side the best and I think it is a good problem to have just due to our heavy attacking unit. I think it’s going to depend on the match and who’s fit and how Mourinho would like to line up. Ideally I think we are best set-up to run a 3-4-2-1 at least for the time being until Gini is up to speed then I see the possibility of a back four in a 4-2-3-1.”

What are your expectations for Paulo Dybala this season – and is there one other player you think will be crucial to how the team performs this season?

Marco: “For Roma to be able to have signed a recent ‘Serie A Player of the Year’ winner is an unbelievable testament to where our owners have managed to take us as a club in such a short time. All Dybala has to do this season is to be available to play, because someone who is so incredibly talented is always going to produce those moments of magic when he steps onto the pitch.

“One other is Nemanja Matic. At 34, he’s no longer the workhorse he once was, but in Serie A he should be able to adjust to the flow of the game nicely and provide the cover for our attacking talent. If he’s able to take on the intense schedule in a truncated season, we should be able to challenge for our objectives this season.”

Courtney: “Expectations for Dybala are aligned with any experienced, international superstar. Love his ability to score from the tightest of angles, and hit shots from outside the box. But Chris Smalling remains the next critical link for us. His leadership and experience will be essential for a young and varied back line to follow (shoutout to Rui Patricio as well for similar reasons).”

Kris: “Dybala is a jewel as his nickname suggests. I think his creativity and his technical ability (along with the fact that he can play as an attacking mid or forward) will make all the difference for us. I am excited about the vibes he brings to the team and the fans (just like ‘Batigol’ did). His unveiling event was simply amazing.”

Wayne: “The best season of his career - not necessarily in numbers, but in contribution to the play and in joy to his game. I’m thinking of those early Palermo years, where he smiled throughout his play. It was a beautiful thing, an art form.

“Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini will be fundamental to the team’s performance. He’s the missing link between midfield and attack, and his growth has been tremendous under Mourinho - physically and mentally.”

Chris: “I think Dybala is going to be itching to have a better year than last season and prove that when fully healthy, he’s the best player in Serie A. I think a full year of Spinazzola is going to be crucial with how well we do also. He is basically like a new signing this season to Mou and I think having him for a full season on the left flank is going to do wonders from a creativity standpoint and is just another ‘new’ weapon to the Mourinho arsenal.”

Do you think Serie A is stronger or weaker overall this season, and how do you think the top teams have strengthened (or not) over the summer?

Marco: “Serie A isn’t the powerhouse league it once was, but I for one love the competitive balance that we currently have. As a whole, we may not have spent the crazy amount of cash as the Premier League, but almost from top to bottom clubs have made extremely smart signings to raise the level of talent within their squads. All the top teams in Italy have strengthened over the summer, but they also all have different problems to sort out, and that should make the upcoming season even more interesting.”

Courtney: “Ask me after we see a few games, not sure if these moves are the lightning rods everyone needs them to be (except for Roma, of course). I was expecting more from Atalanta, Lazio, & Milan, while Roma, Juve and Inter did well. Napoli might have done something awful or brilliant. Let’s see.”

Kris: “I am a Serie A fan all the way, but interestingly, I think that as Roma have become stronger, Serie A as a whole has become weaker. Although we see the return of players like Lukaku and Paul Pogba, we have also seen talents such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Lorenzo Insigne and Franck Kessie leave to other leagues.”

Wayne: “I look at the quality that left this year like Koulibaly and Gianluca Scamacca, as well as the prospects such as Aaron Hickey and Mikkel Damsgaard, and feel that the league needs a few economic shifts to make it competitively well-rounded.

“On the other hand, a superstar Pogba rejoins Juventus, Milan signed an intriguing player in Charles De Ketelaere, and Napoli’s mercato is built for long term success. There’s a major strength disparity, the top teams have grown much stronger - but we’ll definitely have a few David v. Goliath moments on our hands, and it’s always fun to watch Goliath fall.”

Chris: “I think it has gotten stronger in some spots and weaker in others. There’s a clear favourite to win the league but at the same time to me I think it’s still up in the air and is going to be another fight til the very end just like last season.”

Which non-Roma new signing across the league do you think will have the biggest impact this season?

Marco: “Paul Pogba at Juve. He was their major summer acquisition who was supposed to come in and take over their midfield but is already such a huge question mark going into the season. With his injury it’s unknown what his performances will be and if he’ll even make it through it. If he’s unable to play for them for much of the season it would be a massive swing in what they’re able to compete for and will likely pull them from a Scudetto fight to one for the top four.”

Courtney: “Angel Di Maria or Pogba are probably the most predictable answers, but I’m going to say Andre Onana for Inter. An obvious weak spot for the squad, he can make the difference.”

Kris: “I think Bremer to Juve will be huge for them.”

Wayne: “Pound-for-pound, it’s Luka Jovic. Fiorentina are waiting for the right striker to take the reins after Dusan Vlahovic, and at 24 he’s gained valuable experience as Karim Benzema’s understudy (even if his time in Madrid didn’t go exactly to plan). Vincenzo Italiano likes his wide men to whip crosses into the six-yard box, and he’ll thrive on that. Look for him to get back to his best.”

Chris: “I think Romelu Lukaku will have the biggest impact next season. If he can continue where he left off with Inter they will be a force to be reckoned with with still a lot of fire power.”

Give us one bold prediction for the 2022-23 season…

Marco: “Roma will add the silver star to their jersey by winning the Coppa Italia. As we’ve seen in Europe, Roma are generally a very good tournament side but have had a poor domestic record over the last few seasons, when historically we’ve been one of the most successful clubs in the Coppa Italia. Last year we got our taste of a trophy in the Conference League, and I think the squad will be desperate to get back to the Circo Massimo to celebrate again.”

Courtney: “I have two: Monza will be a flop (apologies to the underdog empaths) and that Pioli bails from Milan (before or after they fail to take the Scudetto) to replace Mancini at Italy.”

Kris: “If I am going bold, I have to say Roma. I have inklings of 2000-01!”

Wayne: “Tammy Abraham for Capocannoniere. With a year of league experience under his belt, he now has a serious supporting cast.”

Chris: “Roma will finish top two. I think we are going to be underestimated all season and motivated from the Conference League win as well. Mourinho now has more weapons of choice to work with also.”

Excluding Roma, who do you think starts the season as title favourites and why?

Marco: “Historically it’s the northern clubs who win the Scudetto, and it’s hard to look past them once again this year. It’s easy to dismiss Milan as being the early favourite to win it all, but last year they proved everyone wrong that they could win by being more than the sum of their parts. Inter are their biggest competitors at the moment, who have a very deep and experienced team built for challenging for the title, and probably should have won it last season as well. Juventus are further back of those two and have more than a few question marks currently especially at the back and in midfield, but I personally never like to count them out of figuring out cunning ways to win.”

Courtney: “Inter. They have an axe to grind, they did well to cut bait this summer, and the return of Lukaku (plus Mkhitaryan, Onana, Bellanova) will keep them atop the table.”

Kris: “I would have said Juve but with Chiesa and Pogba being injured, that would leave me to go with Inter - as much as it pains me to say.”

Wayne: “Milan, they’re the champions. Their core has remained the same, and the roster has only gotten deeper with Divock Origi and ‘CDK.’ Kessie was just going through the motions last year anyway, so his omission is not worth fussing over. I had question marks over Stefano Pioli, and at times Milan looked only just above average - but he found a way to win, and that must be respected.”

Chris: “I think Inter are easily title favourites once again. They’ve made some solid signings this off-season. Especially with getting Lukaku back, it's going to help their attack tremendously if he picks up where he left off. He already has familiarity with his teammates and once he gets on the same page with Inzaghi they’re going to be great. It also helps that it will be Inzaghi's second season at Inter so I think they can only get better from here.”

Quick-fire time. Who will be in the bottom three this season?

Marco: “Lecce, Cremonese, Spezia.”

Courtney: “Cremonese, Salernitana, Spezia.”

Kris: “Lecce, Cremonese, Monza.”

Wayne: “Cremonese, Lecce, Sampdoria.”

Chris: “Lecce, Cremonese, Salernitana.”

And who will be in the top four this season?

Marco: “Inter, Milan, Juve, Roma.”

Courtney: “Roma, Inter, Milan, Juve.”

Kris: “Juve, Inter, Milan, Roma.”

Wayne: “Roma, Juve, Milan, Inter.”

Chris: “Inter, Roma, Milan, Juve.”

Special thanks to Wayne Girard for his contribution to this article.

All the opinions expressed in this piece are those of supporters, and do not necessarily reflect the stance or opinion of the club.