Fergie Time Begins: Weekly Update 18.08
Bologna awaits
Evan Ferguson, now a Roma player, makes his first appearance in a Serie A fixture this Saturday, as he attempts to become the first Meath man to win the Scudetto.
With the initial glut of English-language coverage having died down, it can be hard to get a clear handle on how the Republic of Ireland’s #9 is faring on his Roman Holiday.
Here’s the latest from the Italian side of the fence.
The Match
AS Roma v Bologna
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Saturday 23 August 19:45 (GMT)
Televised on DAZN
The News
How did pre-season shake out?
As widely reported in English-speaking media, Ferguson scored a fairly mad four goals in his first apperance for the club, a pre-season friendly in late July, knocking them past Serie D opposition in a low-key affair.
Further goals followed in other friendlies, though Evan had less success in front of goal against Len, Everton, and Saudi side Neom (a light thigh strain kept him out of a match against Aston Villa in Walsall).
Just as important as any of that has been the release of Roma’s dashing third kit for the 25/26 season, an off-white, green, and gold colour scheme which bears an eery resemblance to that of the Greatest Country on Earth, and which our boy has been wearing with pride.
Onwards!
How has he been looking recently?
Roma played their final pre-season friendly last Saturday, drawing 2-2 in that game against Neom. Ferguson started the game ahead of Argentine midfielders Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala, before being subbed for Dovbyk in the second half. Neither striker scored.
Italian media suggested Fergie was imballato (heavy-legged - SOS Fanta), and that the pair of them were troppo fuori dal gioco (too detached from play - Tutto Mercato) during the fixture.
Will he start on Saturday?
Gasperini’s comments to the press indicate it’s a straight fight between Fergie and Dovbyk for the starting striker job, as Dybala at centre-forward is not deemed to be an option.
Gazetta say Ferguson is favoured to start against Bologna, lining up as centre-forward ahead of Dybala and El Shaarawy on the wings.
Voce Giallo Rossa consider Ferguson to have won the internal battle against Dovbyk for the start. Fellow fan site Tutto AS Roma consider the choice before ‘Gasp’ - go wtih the constantly-scrutinised Dovbyk, or reward Ferguson for some strong showings at the start of pre-season.
Fantasy football site SOSFanta meanwhile assesses the striker position as going 55-45 to Dovbyk, with Roma expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
What else should I know?
Fergie’s pre-season fireworks have made him an instant hit with the Giallorossi. Ultimo Uomo reports that “everyone in the city wants to bench Artem Dobvyk” – let’s see how the rivalry plays out.
Of course, the transfer window doesn’t close until 1 September. Coverage in Italy and beyond has linked Dobvyk with a move away (perhaps to Napoli), and other forwards including Jadon Sancho with a move to the Eternal City.
The whopper big interview
Ferguson gave his first big Italian interview to Gazetto Della Sport over the weekend, running through the move, his hopes for the season and his impressions so far. As picked up elsewhere, the key (quite obviously translated from English into Italian, and back again into English) quotes were as follows:
“Gasperini? I know that many strikers have become famous under the coach. He scores a lot. It’s definitely a positive thing for me too.”
““How many goals would I like to score? I don’t usually think about an exact number of goals. I definitely want to score in every game, even though I know it’s not easy. Twenty goals? Let’s hope so…”
[On Roma’s aims for the season] “This is a great club, with ambition: we can do it. As players and as a team, we must all push in that direction. The fans deserve a team higher than fifth place. When I played in Rome with Brighton, there was a special atmosphere; the players seemed possessed.”
[On the future] “We’re just getting started, we never know what might happen in the future. Now I’m just thinking about doing well here, maybe I could even stay here forever.”
Hands and legs inside the vehicle please.