Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri did not hid away from his team’s difficulties ahead of tomorrow’s match against Udinese.
Speaking to gathered reporters in a press conference (via La Lazio Siamo Noi) earlier today, the 62-year-old Italian coach first discussed tomorrow’s opponents and their coach Luca Gotti.
Luca is a guy uncommon intelligence. At Chelsea I listened to him a lot, he was never boring.
He is making a good path. This year Udinese have not conceded so much. A difficult match.
Sarri spoke about Lazio’s inconsistent results this campaign and where the issues lie.
I always think about winning games. The difficulties are obvious: after three games after the international breaks, three points. Four points after the Europa League.
The other 14 points. From 2.30 per game, it drops to the average after extra commitments. They’ve had some very good games, others as a completely drained team.
A heavy problem. In other years, particular situations happened once a month, now three times. You realize that it’s not a simple problem to solve.
The vision must be broader, see Klopp at Liverpool. Even if I don’t think I’m like him.
He did not think that the team’s issues were tactical or that it was a transitional year.
It’s not a tactical problem, it has nothing to do with the module or how you play. When the team is passive you lose. This is a problem of knowing how to manage nervous energy.
Knowing how to recharge in the moments when you’re losing. Sometimes you lose your head mentally, on Saturday they were alert, so I think it’s an unconscious problem.
None of us can intervene. You could see from the warm-up we knew we were going to lose.
The 62-year-old Italian coach noted what adjustments need to be made.
We had a period where we conceded three goals all from penalties at home. I have to find the trick if the team does something and then I just fix what doesn’t work.
Sarri discussed inconsistent Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson.
If I had a joystick I would have already reactivated him. He has a very delicate character, a different level of sensitivity from the average player, which makes him fragile in certain situations.
He is also difficult to manage, if you keep him out you risk drowning him. There was a flaw, otherwise he wouldn’t be here, you have to live with it.
He did not want to talk much about the upcoming January transfer window.
I don’t know what to say. I’m not talking about names or particular needs. We should have a meeting to talk about two or three windows.
If we take more time, we can do something serious.
The former Napoli coach commented on the incredibly busy schedule, with players featuring every 3-4 days usually. When you play a lot you play badly.
I think it’s frustrating for us coaches because we’ve become television directors, you lose the taste for the field.
I don’t like it, but maybe there are coaches who do. I think there has to be the right amount of time to prepare the players.
I think there has to be the enjoyment of the field, which is why you do this job. It’s not just a matter of earnings. I think the calendar needs to be reshaped.
Sarri touched on any margins for change within Lazio.
At the corporate level, I think so. I don’t think there is any pressure to get a result tomorrow. He has ideas and he takes them forward.
At the media level, I’m interested in the right thing, I never know what you write. If I see green I watch, if I see an analysis I change.
He commented on the goalkeeping situation within the club. Both Pepe Reina and Thomas Strakosha’s contracts expire next year in 2022.
The evaluation is done constantly. Strakosha plays in the cups, Reina in Serie A. So far we have made this kind of choice, they are both playing.
Then we’ll see if we go ahead with this choice.
The Lazio coach provided an update on Montenegrin full back Adam Marusic, who tested positive for Covid-19 last month.
He did more tests than training. He had to do 24 hours of Holter tests, then a whole series of tests.
He’ll be doing double sessions for a while from now on.
He commented on the fact that most of the squad has struggled to find the back of the net regularly.
There are games when we lack movement without the ball and we become sterile. If everyone wants the ball on them it’s hard to be dangerous.
It’s a problem of managing certain situations better. Also in managing the counter attacks, which sometimes we waste. But at the moment it doesn’t seem to be one of the main problems.
Finally, Sarri discussed what squad rotations he’ll make in the game against Udinese tomorrow.
Patric is the only right-back we have at the moment. The first idea is this, then we’ll see if there will be other indications in this training.
After Napoli there are two possibilities, either I’ll play all eleven players, or I’ll change five or six. I’m going for the first possibility.
Where does the truth lie? There is a collective responsibility.
