What can Strootman bring to the table at AS Roma?

When Strootman had first emerged at Sparta Rotterdam, he was a genuine box-to-box midfielder. Last season at PSV Eindhoven, however, he found himself playing as a deep-lying playmaker. He can play both roles, of course. He can defend and attack fairly well along with his midfield abilities.

Roma lack midfield creativity. De Rossi has changed into a more defensive role. Miralem Pjanic is yet to impress. Rodrigo Taddei, despite being a midfielder by origin, was played as a full back. Even though Michael Bradley is a good player, he lacks match-winning abilities and qualities, and his passing is not always up to the mark. Bradley lacks the creativity that you see in world-class midfielders like Michael Carrick, Xavi Hernandez and Steven Gerrard. This is where Strootman comes in.

Yes, he might not be as good a midfielder as those stated above, but he definitely has the potential and talent to become so. Strootman is both physically and tactically strong. One of the best aspects of Strootman’s game is his vision and spatial awareness. When he receives the ball, he knows when to pass and where to pass. As earlier stated, Kevin is able to fulfil a box-to-box midfield role, and he has a natural drive to make forward runs. His left-footed shot is precise and hard, and many of his goals are from long ranged shots from his left foot.

Despite being only 23, he has already featured in 18 senior matches for Netherlands, scoring once in the process. Having captained  the Dutch under-21 national side, Strootman is bound to have leadership qualities. He has the experience to lead and inspire his team mates, and any team would benefit with a player of that sort. He is also useful when it comes to taking free kicks.

Strootman’s height is an incredible asset for aerial duels both in defence and in attack. Strootman has been gifted with strong upper body strength, which allows him not only to hold off opposition players, but also win possession for his team. His height, combined with his physical strength, allows him to deal with crosses and set pieces.

Strootman’s defensive abilities are also a very useful trait. He is extremely effective with his tackling, and his reading of the game allows him to make many interceptions in crucial areas. Strootman further complements his defence, moving into defensive positions when a gap is left to fill.

Having spoken of his defending abilities, Strootman can be a beast in the attack while running at the opposition defence. It is very rare that you see such abilities in a youngster, and it is important for Roma that they develop Strootman’s abilities and turn him into one of the best.

Strootman possesses many good qualities as a player, but each player is bound to have certain bad ones too. Strootman’s pace and his “handicapped” right foot can prove to be a problem. His cautiousness in defence is a positive for the team, but the same cautiousness restrains him from getting forward and restricts his development as a player.

Both Roma and Strootman have to work hard on these weaknesses; and hopefully in the future, Strootman could be what Scholes was in the 1990s or what Lothar Matthaus was in the 1980s. But only time will tell how far he goes.