Roma analysis: What has happened to Kevin Strootman?
Roma fans will be happy that Holland’s national team left Kevin Strootman at home this time.
Instead of calling him up for the upcoming international break, the midfielder has stayed in Rome, good news considering that his last call-up resulted in him returning with his back in pieces, an injury from which he never recovered.
There is reason to worry, however: maybe Holland didn’t pick him because he really hasn’t been The Washing Machine, the player capable of shaking off opponents, “cleaning” balls and getting things moving. He isn’t comparable to the man who began the season so well.
It has to be said that Coach Spalletti had to start Strootman on a few occasions, when rest would have been the better option. In that light, what is the sense of signing someone like Gerson if he can’t even play at home to Austria Vienna?
The bottom line is that Strootman needs to get back to full fitness, something not easy after suffering two major ligament tears, not to mention the two botched operations attempted in Holland.
Only when Strootman ended up in the hands of Doctor Pierpaolo Mariani [Italy’s answer to the NFL’s James Andrews. Ed] did he finally return to looking like a footballer.
It is now in both Roma and the Oranje’s interest to see the former PSV man make the most of this break and get back to the player he used to be.
From our Romamania column, Adapted by @EdoDalmonte
