Francesco Totti has spent his entire 23-year career at Roma, playing more matches and scoring more goals for the club than anyone in their history. But he will be 39 years old in September and they need to prepare for the future

“I think people all over the world know that Gerrard has been a Liverpool legend. He’s spent many years playing for one team and has always fought for that club. He should be respected and thanked for everything he’s achieved.” These words were bestowed upon departing Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard by none other than Francesco Totti, though, if their names and clubs were switched, the Italian could well have been referring to himself.

The year 2015 has proven to be definitive for teams whose successes have long been interwoven with individual icons. Totti’s elaborate sashays embodied Roma for a generation, just as Gerrard’s combative vigour did for Liverpool and Xavi’s intricate passing did for Barcelona.

Refusing to leave the clubs they adored as boys and grew to represent, these three players – while completely different in style on and off the pitch – were inevitably bound to pose their respective clubs the exact same question: what would they do without them?

Barcelona were proactive in finding a solution to Xavi’s eventual departure at the end of this season, gradually phasing out their legendary midfield metronome in favour of Ivan Rakitic and altering their style of play to suit. Liverpool were more clumsy in dealing with Gerrard as his time with the club petered out in a series of disappointing instances, though, if anything, those moments made the process of moving on easier.

Roma, however, are still Totti-reliant. Fans have been born, learned or been taught to love Roma, grown up experiencing the highs and lows of following the club and started to buy alcohol (legally) in the time since Totti made his debut. The emotional connection between the man and the club is still strong, though Giallorossi coach Rudi García must now loosen the hold that bond has over his team selection if Roma are to move forward positively.

Totti is a world-class veteran at 38 and although his continued appearance within the starting line-up is in itself a testament to his longevity, it is also an indicator of the sentimentality Roma have seemingly been trapped by in failing to usher their ageing genius into a less active role sooner. With another year to run on his contract, the ageing Roman superhero still finds himself called upon to rescue his team despite his dulled reflexes.

Every now and then he will do something to once again justify why he has been so worshipped for so long, such as his two-goal salvo against Lazio back in January. Single-handedly, he hauled Roma back into the match and earned them a point that, with the added benefit of hindsight, was crucial. Such game-changing performances are dwindling, though. They are now an exception as opposed to the norm.

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Roma beat their city rivals 2-1 in the second Derby della Capitale of the campaign on Monday, a victory that secured their status in the Champions League group stages next season. Totti started but on 61 minutes there was a familiar yet unbecoming sight: he was substituted.

The game was goalless at the time, Roma had failed to assert themselves and Totti was left to slunk off the pitch after a frustrating afternoon in which he had received the first booking for a foul he committed after being caught in possession. That was the story of his match; he was off the pace. Furthermore, it is perhaps the overarching theme of a Roma season in which attacking impotence has been their greatest bane.

With just 53 goals from 37 league games, Roma’s is the worst offensive record in Serie A’s top six. Only three teams in the entire league have drawn more games and their lack of killer instinct in the final third is clearly the predominant factor behind those dropped points. Since being humiliated 7-1 at home by Bayern Munich, Roma have put together successive wins on just four occasions, and none of those runs have gone beyond two matches. Their hopes of winning the title were paralysed by their inconsistency; the abundance of draws putting paid to their chances of keeping in touch with Juventus.

Midway through the season Roma took the decision to sign cunning Ivorian goal-poacher Seydou Doumbia for a fee of just under £13m to replace the outgoing Mattia Destro. The investment suggested the club had begun a much-needed re-examination and wanted to keep alive the idea of playing with an out-and-out centre-forward, an option that would likely require the relegation of Totti to the bench.

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Garcia’s 4-3-3 has until now been predicated on Totti’s use as a false nine flanked by two wingers. It’s a role Totti has embraced throughout his Roma career, often with great success. Although naturally a trequartista, Totti became the faux-spearhead of Roma’s attack under Luciano Spalletti’s management.

In Spalletti’s renowned 4-6-0 system, he was given the freedom to operate between the opposition’s midfield and defence. It caused difficulty for opposing centre-backs, who were unsure as to where they should be and who they should mark. However, these days Totti is far easier to get to grips with, and Roma’s resultant lack of penetration may leave them searching for another system in the summer.

On Monday Roma played with emphasis on the counterattack, which came as a surprise given that they have been a possession-oriented team for a considerable amount of time. They sat deep defensively and looked to spring into attack at speed down the flanks. Plainly this did not suit Totti, who cut an isolated figure unable to keep up with the quick transitions from defence to attack. When the wingers, Juan Iturbe and Alessandro Florenzi, burst forward and looked for options, their captain was rarely in sight.

Nonetheless, Roma had just 37% of possession and still won. The way they played in this match may have been a one-off, or it could hint towards a longer-term change of style. If so, Roma would not be the only team to renounce the ball in favour of greater efficacy this season, as one look at Arsenal can confirm. A switch to a more orthodox version of the 4-3-3 – with a centre-forward instead of Totti as a false nine – could provide extra cutting edge to their counterattacks. Perhaps that is where García must go next if his side are to challenge Juventus in future. If anything can sell the idea to him, a vital derby win should.

• This is an article from Tactical Calcio

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