The difference between Malen’s tenure at Aston Villa and his current form at Roma could not be more stark.
Across 46 appearances for the Premier League side, the 27-year-old managed 10 goals and two assists. Since his move to Roma, he has netted 21 goals and added three assists in just 25 matches.
His scoring efficiency has undergone a dramatic shift, improving from one goal every 149.8 minutes at Villa to one every 96.7 minutes in Rome.
On paper, the statistics point to two entirely different players. Yet Roma’s exploitation of Malen’s potential may be as much a product of tactical repositioning as it is of any newfound confidence or improvement in form.
The Dutch forward arrived in Italy with an established record as a goalscorer, and the data indicates that Roma have identified a role that brings out the best of his attacking capabilities.
Although confidence and form have undoubtedly contributed, a positional change appears to be the principal driver behind his resurgence.
At Villa, Malen was deployed across the front line, with only 52% of his league minutes spent as a central striker. At Roma, an astonishing 99% of his Serie A appearances have come in the middle of the attack under manager Gian Piero Gasperini, establishing him as the focal point and placing him in the position to cause maximum damage.
The numbers are corroborated by what can be seen on the pitch. Following Roma’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Fenerbahce last Thursday, in which Malen assisted his side’s goal, French football journalist Julien Laurens told Match of the Day that the Dutchman has become indispensable to Gasperini’s system.
“He has been incredible since January,” said Laurens.
“He has been really efficient, super clinical. Malen is at the heart of everything they do with the ball.”
