After 6 wins from 6, 18 goals scored, the most of any side in Europe's top 5 leagues, and only one goal conceded - incidentally also the least in all of Europe's top 5 divisions, Rudi Garcia's A.S. Roma are one of, if not THE in form team in all of Europe.
The numbers don't lie and the numbers have left viewers of calcio in awe of Rudi Garcia's new look Roma. Suggestions by the media that Roma may even mount a challenge for the title has been met with trepidation by those at Trigoria. Daniele De Rossi was quick to tell the media that Roma were by no means the strongest team in the league, capitano futuro is adamant; their ambitions remain to qualify for European football after a shambolic 2012-13 season which culminated in Coppa Italia defeat to bitter rivals Lazio.
Similarly, Alessandro Florenzi has echoed De Rossi's thoughts, saying that "it's not nice to stay at home in the week". Florenzi, has been in fine form recently and has already scored 3 goals in 5 games. When asked if Florenzi was the new Simone Perrotta, the 2006 World Cup winner said; "Yes but he cannot miss as many chances as I did". "He has enormous potential and can do well for the Roma cause" added Perrotta. Perrotta would know, he was pivotal in all of Roma's recent title challenges from the past decade or so. While often surrounded by considerably more talented individuals like Francesco Totti and Mirko Vucinic, Perrotta excelled during his time at the capital club and was a firm fans' favourite.
Indeed the English born Perrotta thrived under Luciano Spalletti, a manager whose footballing ethos is not too dissimilar to Rudi Garcia's. When Florenzi arrived back at the club he grew up in under Zdenek Zeman last season, there was mild apprehension as to how the youngster would fare in the top flight after a solid season with Crotone in Serie B. The iconic Czech coach brought the young Roman back to incorporate him in his demanding 4-3-3 system. It was a baptism of fire for Florenzi, who performed reasonably well in what was a difficult season for all involved. His goals tally, interestingly, was also the same amount Perrotta managed in his first season at Roma. Under Rudi Garcia he has already matched the previous seasons goals haul and with Roma playing such enterprising football, who's to say Florenzi won't hit double figures this term?
Garcia has also reinvigorated Gervinho, whom he pursued with conviction over the summer transfer window. Gervinho's signature coincided around the time of Erik Lamela's departure to Tottenham Hotspurs, a move that had the Roma fans in disillusionment. The Argentine was easily Roma's best player, bar Francesco Totti, last season so the Roma fans' disdain for the Gervinho transfer was understandable. And yet after finding his feet, Gervinho looks like the player that helped Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2011, the player who had impressed as much, if not more than, Chelsea's Eden Hazard. His form has been met with surprise by many, but is it really? Gervinho stood out under Garcia in France after all and to see the fleet footed Ivorian regain his joie de vivre under Garcia again, this time in Serie A, is a sight to behold after his nightmare spell with Arsenal.
Roma's midfield trio of Miralem Pjanic, Kevin Strootman and De Rossi meanwhile have been absolutely dominant. Pjanic has averaged 2.3 dribbles per game and 1.8 key passes per game as well as racking up 3 assists. Meanwhile Strootman too has managed 3 assists and has made an impressive total of 8 key passes in all of the first 6 matches. Defensively the Dutchman, has been equally impressive, with 3.4 tackles per game and 1.4 interceptions per game. Meanwhile, Daniele De Rossi has cut down on his reckless challenges but has still been a figurehead for the Roma midfield defensively, as he positions himself just in front of the back four. The Roma vice-captain has averaged 3.3 interceptions per game so far this season, which illustrates perfectly how well Daniele De Rossi has blocked the passing lanes to the oppositions forwards. The three all have individual qualities that in itself puts them amongst the top midfielders in Italy at the moment but it's their understanding of each others movements which have impressed. The injury to the equally impressive Michael Bradley has been cushioned by the fine form of these 3, but the American will no doubt be of use as the season progresses. Finally, Roma appear to have cover for when an injury to an important member of the team happens.
The midfield three have moved the ball amongst themselves effortlessly when transitioning and Francesco Totti dropping deep as a 'flase nine' has undoubtedly helped with Roma's bossing of the midfield third. The position that Totti takes up is also another similarity between Garcia and Spalletti. The Italian currently in charge of Zenit St. Petersburg, created/stumbled upon (take your pick) the 'false nine' system when his Roma side were plagued by injuries in 2006, and his deployment of Totti in that role has seemingly been picked up on by Garcia. The evergreen Totti has been superb, while only managing one goal so far he has managed 6 assists, 4.5 key passes per game and he's been fouled the most times of any Roma player this season, proving that despite new talents he remains Roma's danger man. Building on from last season's brilliant performances Francesco Totti, even at 37 years old, doesn't look like he's slowing down.
But it's not all sparkle in offence and atrocious defending for Roma, this season they've been solid at the back, and as mentioned this is in no small part due to the defensive capabilities of Strootman and De Rossi, but also the signing from Udinese of Mehdi Benatia who has looked solid in the heart of the Roma defence. The defender has also contributed in attack, poppin up with 2 goals already thus far. That said, while the defence does look much improved upon from Zeman's tenure (most defences usually do when compared to the Czech mavericks lackadaisical defensive organisation), Roma have yet to be put under real pressure from their opponents thus far and that could all change when they travel to the Giuseppe Meazza to face a similarly revived Inter under Walter Mazzari next week. The following week they host 2nd place Napoli at the Olimpico in the derby del Sole, both will be intriguing matches as well as early tests to gauge how far Roma have come from last season.
So can A.S. Roma win the scudetto this season? Well, there's no way to answer that definitively after so few games, in fact it could be that this is just another false dawn and Roma are nothing more than the flavour-of-the-month. But there is just a quiet confidence, and one senses it emanating from the players and staff, that this could be a good year for Roma, maybe the likes of Juventus and Napoli have too much for them despite their involvement in Europe, but a place in Europe is certainly within the realms of possibility for Rudi Garcia's giallorossi.
*all stats courtesy of WhoScored