Gian Piero Gasperini told the Corriere di Bergamo that his big goal for AS Roma was to win the Scudetto within three years of taking over. And get this: his squad is sitting *top of the table* after just five matches this season, making that bold claim look a lot less grandiose than it first sounded. We’re talking about a club that’s only taken home the Scudetto three times in 100 years, so this kind of early-season form? It’s turning heads big time.
From Decade-Long Drought to Scudetto Talk: Roma’s Wild Ride
Gasperini, at 68 years old, is off to a flying start in his second year. Last season, his first at the helm (2025-2026), Roma pulled off a third-place finish. That was huge, ending their nearly decade-long Champions League drought! But even with that big win, the team struggled to truly nail down what a classic Gasperini squad looks like. They weren’t quite mastering his hallmarks: the relentless pressing, slick progression, or consistent chance creation.
So, for him to be talking Scudetto within three years while still, at times, finding their footing? It seemed ambitious. But now, in his second year, with Roma absolutely killing it at the top of the table after five games, the stakes are sky-high. Everyone’s asking the same thing: is this early success the real deal, or is it just a flash in the pan? The numbers are starting to paint a picture, and it’s looking like Gasperini might just be getting this team to click. That 2-1 win against Atalanta, where Matias Soule bagged a goal, was a prime example of them grinding out a result.
The ‘Avalanche Approach’ Is Finally Here
When you think of Gasperini’s football at its absolute peak, you picture an attacking torrent. His best teams, like those with Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel, or Donyell Malen, were goal-scoring machines. Where did those goals come from? His famously aggressive pressing system, dubbed the “Avalanche Approach.” It’s all about continually tilting the pitch towards the final third, pinning opponents back, forcing turnovers, and creating chances out of sheer suffocating pressure. It’s a core concept in so many sports, really.
While it’s way easier to pin an opponent back on a basketball court than on a huge football pitch, Roma is finally mastering the gritty, hard-working aspects of Gasperini’s tactics. We’re talking about their Passes Per Defensive Action (PPDA) numbers finally reflecting that high-pressing intensity. This metric literally measures how many passes an opponent makes before Roma swoops in defensively. It’s all about on-the-ball actions, showing how much they’re getting into opponents’ faces and disrupting their flow. It seems the Roma players are truly embracing the tactical vision, making that Scudetto goal feel a lot more tangible than it did just a few months ago.
Can they keep this insane pace? The early returns are absolutely screaming “yes,” but the real test is whether Gasperini’s tactical stranglehold can last the entire season. Every match from here on out is another chapter in what could be an unforgettable season for Roma.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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