Marco Ianni Provides Updates on Gila, Applauds New Lazio Signings

Lazio assistant coach Marco Ianni oversaw the team’s victory over Bologna at the Renato Dall’Ara in the absence of the suspended Maurizio Sarri.

Lazio Beat Bologna Away From Home

The Biancocelesti seemed to be on the back foot for the majority of the contest, but they eventually prevailed thanks to Kenneth Taylor’s brace in the final 20 minutes. The Italian capital side thus extended their winning streak to three, and pipped their Emilian hosts to 8th place in the Serie A table.

Player Ratings: Lazio 2-1 Sassuolo – Mario Gila Back at His Best

Marco Ianni Explains Positive Lazio Form

In his post-match press conference (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Ianni explained that the team went through an adjustment period following the changes during the January transfer window, but they have now found their rhythm.

Right now, the team is much more organised, and that organisation helps us stay composed even in difficult moments. We’ve rediscovered it through our performances. We had a tough spell at the end of January with the transfer window closing, injuries and other issues.

Now I think the team gives the impression of being solid and concedes the right amount—today we maybe brought a bit of trouble on ourselves. The consistency in our performances is important; we’ve taken nine points from these three matches. That’s significant.

Kenneth Taylor Scored a Brace Against Bologna

While Taylor is now the toast of the town at Lazio, Ianni insists that the Dutchman’s high levels shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering how he was already an established protagonist at Ajax.

He’s a player on the rise. Arriving in January in such a demanding league isn’t easy. He comes from an important background and, despite being young, already has plenty of high-level matches behind him, which made his adaptation easier.

It goes without saying that he’s strong. He’s improving, and we hope he continues like this.

Ianni on Ratkov & Przyborek

The 43-year-old was also asked about Lazio’s other January signings, Petar Ratkov and Adrian Przbyborek.

The same applies as with Taylor. It’s not easy to arrive in Italian football, especially coming from leagues with less tactical knowledge. Taylor comes from Ajax; Ratkov, playing as a lone striker, has a tough role and I hope he gets more opportunities.

Adrian is very young, with great qualities, but he needs to specialise. We see him more as a midfielder, an interior player. He’ll get his chances before the end of the season.

Edoardo Motta Becoming a Lazio darling

Speaking of newcomers, Edoardo Motta is rapidly becoming a fan favorite at Lazio, especially after pulling off a fantastic save to deny Riccardo Orsolini’s spot-kick.

Ianni also explained why Pedro was selected in the starting lineup ahead of Tijjani Noslin, and insisted that Boulaye Dia remains an important asset for Lazio.

Pedro had problems during the week and we weren’t sure he’d be available, so he started to avoid using two substitutions. The fact that those coming off the bench are having more impact is probably because after the 60th minute games open up more. This is expecially in Noslin’s case, as he thrives in space.

We rate Dia highly. He’s important for us. It’s his first year as an out-and-out striker, and his characteristics allow him to play that role.

We thought Bologna might drop off in the last twenty minutes after their Thursday game. But in modern football, rotating attackers and being able to bring on players of equal quality is a huge advantage. It can change matches.

Mario Gila Suffers Relapse

Finally, the assistant coach revealed that Mario Gila, who was forced to leave the pitch after 25 minutes, is once again suffering from inflammation, the same issue that prompted his premature exit against Atalanta last month.

He’s been dealing with knee inflammation and has trained less recently to manage it. I think it’s just a flare-up, and we hope to have him back after the break.

I’d also highlight Provstgaard’s performance. Coming on isn’t easy, especially for a defender, maybe even more so than for an attacker.