Roma Head To London For Thanksgiving Throwdown Against Tottenham

I’ll keep it level with you: I don’t think of soccer when I think of Thanksgiving. For us Americans, Thanksgiving is a day for gratitude, American football, and tryptophan. Yet this year’s Europa League obligations have given Romanisti a reason to glance down at their phones during Thanksgiving dinner: a marquee matchup against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League. I can’t say that I’m feeling particularly thankful for Roma’s performances this season, but at the very least, tomorrow’s match represents an interesting opportunity for Claudio Ranieri and his squad.

That’s because I’m more optimistic that Roma can get a positive result from this match than I was in Ranieri’s inaugural match against Napoli. Now, don’t get me wrong, Tottenham is no slouch of a side; any side that can hand Manchester City a 4-0 beatdown can certainly do the same to Roma. Yet due to key injuries to Tottenham, as well as this crazy thing called hope, I’m helplessly hoping yet again that Roma might be able to turn their Europa League campaign into something worth writing home about.

What To Watch For

Is it Finally Hummels Time?

The rise of Mats Hummels as a real option for Roma in defense would go a long way toward putting the Giallorossi on track. The Ballon d’Or finalist arrived in Roma to great fanfare, but since then, he’s been either unavailable or, quite frankly, horrific on the pitch. It’s never a good sign when a new defender gives up an own goal and practically assists a second one during his limited time of the pitch. So why do the rumors that Hummels may start against Tottenham give me hope?

Part of the reason for that is the strong belief that good form is created through repetition. With some exceptions, even the best players need consistent play time to be at their best. While I don’t see Hummels ever kicking Evan Ndicka out of Roma’s starting eleven, Gianluca Mancini’s poor form in recent months suggests that there’s at least a sliver of an opening for the German defender to make a name for himself in Rome. I’m normally one to support the “senators” of a squad through thick and thin, but at this point, Roma needs to do whatever it takes to turn this season around. If that means Mats Hummels finally getting a serious chance in a Roma kit, I’m on board.

Will Roma’s Forwards Seize on Vicario’s Absence?

Injuries are a terrible yet regular part of any sport. They make any match less interesting than it could be, and the wrong injury at the wrong time can completely destroy a club’s hopes for the season. While Guglielmo Vicario isn’t Tottenham’s most important player (I’d say that’s Son Heung-Min) or even their most likely to score (that’s Brennan Johnson or James Maddison), it’s always a major blow to a side to lose the starting goalkeeper. Tottenham’s 4-0 victory over Manchester City was a huge win for the North London side, but it came at the cost of Vicario’s ankle. The Italian keeper looks set to be on the sidelines for months now, meaning he is assuredly out of tomorrow’s Europa League match.

Where does that leave the Giallorossi? Well, in theory, it could certainly give Roma’s forwards a chance to rediscover their mojo. None of Artem Dovbyk, Matias Soulé, and Paulo Dybala has been exactly impressive over the past several match days, and if Roma wants to succeed domestically and in Europe, they need goals. Last weekend’s match against Napoli made it abundantly clear that playing for the 0-0 draw is a losing game against any side worth its salt; positive football is required to obtain positive results. Given Roma’s defensive struggles recently, I’m not expecting a clean sheet against Tottenham. But even a multi-goal slugfest might pay dividends for Roma in the long-term, even if it results in a loss tomorrow. For forwards to succeed, they need to remember what it’s like to hit the back of the net every once in a while. Perhaps Vicario’s absence, as unfortunate as it is, will afford this club the chance the rediscover its offensive firepower.

Match Details

Date: November 28th

Kickoff: 9:00 p.m. CET/3:00 a.m. EST

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)