Expert Alex Velikikh shared his opinion on the prospects of Roma's Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbik in the Italian championship.
- Artem Dovbik moved to Roma in the summer. Why do you think the head coach Daniele De Rossi fought so hard for the Ukrainian?
- Artem Dovbik in Serie A is a fact, which could have happened even before the transfer to Spanish "Girona". For a couple of years now Italian clubs have been interested in the Ukrainian center-forward, but for various reasons this transfer was only possible this summer.
Roma in general and its head coach De Rossi really struggled for the Ukrainian after his super successful season in La Liga. It's not easy to explain why Roma wanted him and why the young head coach wanted him so badly, but if you sum it up in one phrase, the explanation is this - a big, scoring, fast center-forward who is at the dawn of his years and for that kind of money is a good buy for the club.
- Dovbik has already played three matches for Roma, but has not scored yet. In your opinion, what is the reason for the scoreless streak?
- Scoring in Spain and scoring in Italy is a big difference. Many players rightly consider Serie A a difficult championship, perhaps too full tactically and less spectacular because of this, but it is a master class for forwards and central defenders.
A championship in which if a forward scores - "hits double figures" as they say in Italy - it means certification of his class.
On the eve of the first match there were huge expectations from Dovbik, and these expectations, I think, are a deterrent. If Artem had scored in the first game, I think he would have scored in the other two games as well. But without scoring and having received criticism from journalists, which is growing from match to match, it is important now, without reading the press, to just go out and score.
But here we should also note the fact that Roma itself is not a formed team with stable ties, the situation with Dybala also influenced. And the fact that three attacking players with a dominant left foot will be able to play together, I think, also has an impact.
- Such a start will not affect the fact that De Rossi can trust other players in the attack?
- Based on the coach's interview, we can assume that Artem is still believed in. If not for the injury, I think, a trip to the national team would have helped Artem emotionally as well.
If the physical condition of the player will not prevent his appearance on the field, I think Artem will have a place in the starting lineup, at least in the next two matches, and there, of course, if he scores, he will not give up a place in the starting lineup.
- Do you think Dovbik suits Italian soccer and Roma style?
- I think that Artem suits the style of Serie A, as well as in the Bundesliga he would find himself. But it is already clear that the ease of playing against the opponents' defense, as it was in La Liga, should be forgotten and adjusted to what he gets in the Italian championship.
Despite not having the best start, I continue to believe that Dovbic will score, will do so at Roma and regularly. He will hit double figures for sure.
- Recently, the Ukrainian was listed as a contender for the Ballon d'Or. Such recognition can inspire Artem? And how did Italy react to this news?
- Yes, after 18 years the Ukrainian footballer got on the list of contenders for the prestigious award "Golden Ball", and this is an achievement worth talking about.
But in Italy they took it more calmly, and I think it's not only because there is no Italian footballer among the nominees, which is negatively talked about a lot in Italy, but also because Dovbik is still an undiscovered potential for Serie A. If the news of Artem's inclusion in the list of nominees had coincided with the news of Artem scoring goals for Roma in the first three rounds, the effect would have been different.
Andriy Pisarenko