Roma vs Monza

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Thanks to their turbulent start to the season, AS Roma now finds themselves in the 10th position with 11 points as they head into their ninth-round fixture, trailing tomorrow's opponents, Monza, by just one point. This situation would have seemed unimaginable back in August, considering the presence of star players like Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku on the team. However, due to a combination of unfortunate events, subpar performance, and the usual string of injuries, Roma stumbled out of the gate at the beginning of this season.

Yet, a significant portion of the credit for Roma's recent resurgence towards the top of the table can be attributed to Romelu Lukaku's outstanding performance at the start of the season. The powerful Belgian striker has single-handedly propelled the Giallorossi from the bottom ranks to within striking distance of the upper echelons of the league. Lukaku's exceptional form, marked by four goals in his last three matches for Roma, has enabled Mourinho's team to secure back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season, defeating Frosinone and Cagliari before the break.

Normally, we don't pay excessive attention to off-field controversies leading up to what appears to be a straightforward league match. However, given that both clubs are grappling with off-field distractions, it's worth noting. During most of the international break, Roma's public relations team has been actively addressing allegations related to an illegal betting scandal that has implicated several high-profile players, including Nicola Zalewski and Stephan El Shaarawy. The club issued a statement expressing its support earlier this week.

While Monza hasn't been embroiled in this scandal, they are confronting a different, but equally complex situation involving their marquee summer signing, former Atalanta playmaker and World Cup winner, Alejandro Gomez, affectionately known as "Papu." Gomez received a two-year suspension for doping after testing positive for terbutaline in October last year while playing for Sevilla.

With Dybala expected to miss the upcoming Sunday match against Monza, Mourinho was immediately asked about how he plans to adapt without his talented Argentine attacker. Although the most apparent solution would involve Andrea Belotti and Romelu Lukaku leading the offensive line in tandem, Mourinho remained characteristically enigmatic when pressed on the matter.

Indeed, having both El Shaarawy and Azmoun at his disposal provides Mourinho with extra options for situations like the one he's facing. However, given that Belotti and Lukaku have been responsible for six of Roma's last eight goals, Mourinho can deliberate all he wants, but the decision is clear: Belotti and Lukaku are currently in excellent form, so it would be wise for Mourinho not to tinker with their success.

Roma has only managed to win 50% of their matches in all competitions this season, but when they score early, they tend to come out on top. In four of their five victories this season, Mourinho's team has found the back of the net within the first 20 minutes and has shown a knack for scoring again in the following 15-minute interval. Roma's +5 goal differential between the 16th and 30th minute is the best in the league.

After securing three wins just before the international break, Roma is looking to continue their resurgence on Sunday when they host Monza at Stadio Olimpico. Despite their improved results this month, the Giallorossi still trail their visitors by a point in the Serie A standings and are already lagging behind in Italy's top-four race.

In the matches preceding the international break, Roma won their last two league games while also achieving a Europa League victory against Swiss side Servette. They scored six goals and conceded only once.

Their victories against the promoted teams, Frosinone and Cagliari – the latter featuring a two-goal performance from their new star player Romelu Lukaku – brought Roma as many wins as they had in their previous 14 Serie A fixtures. Now, they have the opportunity to secure three consecutive league wins for only the second time this year.

Despite Mourinho's team sitting just above arch-rivals Lazio in the standings, they still remain several points behind the leading teams. Therefore, they will be eager to capitalize on their home advantage this week before visiting Inter at San Siro.

While Roma's performance has been inconsistent when playing away from home, at Stadio Olimpico, they have kept the most home clean sheets of any Serie A club in 2023, with a total of nine. Among Europe's top five leagues, only Barcelona (12) has recorded more.

Since the start of the season, only Scudetto-holders Napoli have faced fewer shots than Mourinho's well-organized team, which will soon resume their European campaign with the first game of a two-match series against Sparta Prague next Thursday.

However, before they focus on European competition, they aim to continue their unbeaten record against Monza in Serie A, having earned four points from their meetings with the club last season: a 3-0 win at the Olimpico, in which Paulo Dybala scored his first goals for Roma, and a 1-1 draw in an away match in May.

Despite not having beaten Sunday's opponents since their promotion to the top flight, Monza has managed to defeat notable teams such as Juventus and Inter. In their second season in Serie A, the Biancorossi have already accumulated 12 points, which is five more than they had at the same stage during their inaugural Serie A campaign. They currently find themselves in a more favorable position, closer to the top four than the relegation zone.

Monza, who recently secured a 3-0 victory over Salernitana, remains undefeated at home and hasn't suffered a defeat anywhere since early September. This impressive performance can be attributed to their strong statistics on both ends of the field. After eight rounds, only Napoli and Inter, who are title contenders, have attempted more shots than Raffaele Palladino's team. Additionally, goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio has not conceded a goal for an impressive 348 minutes, marking the longest ongoing streak without conceding a goal in Europe's top five leagues.

While it might be a considerable challenge to keep players like Lukaku in check for the full 90 minutes, Monza has a chance to achieve four consecutive clean sheets for the first time in their short Serie A history. Even if they don't manage to do so, it's evident that the Lombardy club is once again a strong contender for a top-half finish.

AS Roma, on the other hand, hasn't had a great start to the 2023/24 season and will be aiming for a much-needed win when they face Monza in Serie A on Sunday. Jose Mourinho's team had a promising campaign that faded last season, and their current performance suggests they are closer to the bottom of the table than the top. Unless they secure a win, they risk falling further away from a European spot for the next season. Mourinho is expected to depart from the club at the end of the season and would want to leave on a positive note.

Monza is proving that their previous season's performance was not a one-time success and is within reach of the fifth spot. If they manage to secure all three points at the Stadio Olimpico, they can close the gap to defending champions SSC Napoli in fifth place to just two points.

Roma had a decent run before the October international break with consecutive wins, and they'll aim to continue that streak. They earned four points from their two games against Monza in the previous Serie A season and will hope to repeat that success this year. This analysis explores how both teams might line up on Sunday and the tactics they could employ.

Jose Mourinho's team is gradually hitting their stride and hoping that the international break hasn't halted their momentum. With a string of upcoming matches, they can't afford to drop points easily.

Monza may be newcomers to Serie A, but they've adapted well to the top Italian league and surprised stronger teams last season. They continue to excite fans and will present a tough challenge to Roma.

Roma will be missing their captain, Lorenzo Pellegrini, as he's still recovering from a hip injury. Star forward Paulo Dybala is also unavailable, but it seems that Chris Smalling is set to return to the squad. Whether the Englishman will be risked in this weekend's match or saved for the clash against Inter Milan is yet to be determined.

Mourinho is expected to stick with his 3-5-2 formation, with Rui Patricio in goal, shielded by the defensive trio of Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante, and Evan Ndicka.