Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at a press conference on the eve of Roma-Genoa, matchday number 17 of Serie A.
Here are the words of the Giallorossi coach.
A week of work, Christmas aside, good for working. Apart from Bailey, is everyone available? And in what condition does Dovbyk arrive?
“Dovbyk isn’t ready yet, so he won’t be called up, let’s hope he will be the following week, he’s training, he’s preparing, but he’s not yet able to kick. For the rest, the week was a bit fragmented for Christmas, but we were also able to work with some flu going around which is going around in this period. At the moment the biggest difficulty is the one with Hermoso, we still have to understand for tomorrow, he has this form of groin pain, we have to evaluate whether he will be able to play or not.”
A particular memory of your time at Genoa? And what is your opinion on Frendrup?
“It’s not just Frendrup, Genoa has several important players in its ranks, and it is in the nature of this club to valorise some player and then sell them. This year too there are some good young players who are doing well. My experience there was very long. The first time five years, the second three. Eight years which also meant a lot for my life, an important memory, I arrived when we were in Serie B, in two years we went to Europe. The president, unusual, but with whom I had an excellent relationship. The second time I returned when the team was in a bit of trouble, but we also returned to Europe in the second year, a great bond with a passionate, warm fan base, which gives added value especially in home matches.
Does Pellegrini’s injury put Roma in a position to have to accelerate on the transfer market? And do you expect a graft in the first week of January?
“I don’t know, I don’t know the market times at the moment. Pellegrini’s loss is certainly a loss for us, he’s a player we counted on a lot, even if he had a bit of a decline in the last few games, but he made important performances. Unfortunately, injuries happen, now we’re entering a phase of 9 games in a month with the two players in the Africa Cup, Pellegrini, Dovbyk returning, Bailey, Hermoso, it’s a moment in which we need to tighten up a lot, to get the maximum, the best from everyone”.
Dybala played 6 times as a starter, on 5 occasions he started as a center forward and 1 as an attacking midfielder. Is it a choice due to the shortcomings of the two center forwards or is it something you have revised compared to your initial idea?
“At times it was the only solution, but he can play that role very well. When he has some physical difficulties, as unfortunately we have found in this period, playing attacking midfielder is even worse. I have always hoped and counted on him, I know that if he is well the value of the team increases. We had a good period, then another setback, perhaps a less than optimal condition, the fact of insisting on him is that if we manage to bring him to a better condition it can give us a further advantage”.
Are the team’s limitations only technical, therefore solvable with some additions on the market, or is it also a question of mentality?
“No, in fact from the point of view of mentality Roma have nothing to envy of anyone, in fact perhaps they have something more. The match against Juventus also demonstrated this, both in the first half and at the end of the matches, where they tried to recover the result. In terms of attitude, behaviour, Roma have always been top”.
Was there a need for clarification between you and Ferguson after his words about the player in Turin? And then, did you talk about the possibility of interrupting the loan? Finally, in this regard, given that Dovbyk won’t be there, is it an option for tomorrow or “dybala’s whole life” as he said in the Juventus-Roma post?
“I have already explained that Dybala is a player of the highest level if brought into condition. And the question was exactly on this, why Dybala and not Ferguson. Therefore, I confirm. Dybala is a player of a high level, clearly when he is well. My goal is to get him well because it becomes difficult to have another player of this quality. Then, if there are other problems, he is not always able to perform. If I have to make one type of choice between this type of player and another, I choose Dybala for life. I don’t it was something related to Ferguson. Compared to Dybala, being 21 years old, he is very young, not being able to put it on a technical level because the comparison is unthinkable, he has to put it on the level of hunger, of the desire to get there, to understand where he is, to steal his place with these weapons which are the most congenial ones compared to those of Dybala you’ll see. I don’t want to go back in July and August. I’ve already avoided talking about the transfer market. We have to play against Genoa tomorrow and it will be a tough match.”
Speaking of tomorrow’s tough match, what do you think De Rossi gave to his team?
“He gave courage, which is a great skill for coaches. It’s a great skill in general, in all sectors. It’s a team that has achieved good results, they played with great courage against Atalanta, playing with 10 men for practically the entire match. This is a great skill. Then, I believe that although the ranking is difficult for Genoa. We will have to scrape all our strength, from the bottom of the barrel, to win the match, we absolutely need to win, especially at this moment.”
Could talking about the transfer market put some players at your disposal in a bad light? And does the open session influence any of your choices?
“It doesn’t affect them because we are so right in terms of numbers that we struggle to get the formation wrong, but it’s true that the market influences, it influences everyone. It’s not respectful of those who are everything for this team. But it also influences because there is a world behind the players that tells them “go up, go down”, this can have an impact and you run the risk of taking something away. But the points count like a month ago and like next month. This is a situation that lasts a long time. We talk more about the market than about the matches and we coaches are against it to make the transfer sessions last so long.”
With Dybala and Soulé together from the first minute, Roma scored fewer. Is it just a coincidence?
“I don’t think from the beginning or in progress. In this team the one who was a fixed point was Soulé, then Pellegrini played a lot, while the others were divided equally between Dybala, Dovbyk, Ferguson, Baldanzi, perhaps Dovbyk a little less because he was injured, El Shaarawy a little. This is our squad and we divided the time there. It’s not a given that playing the initial 50 minutes is better than playing the following 40, but it’s true that we produced less than what was necessary. It’s the critical point not from one match, but from the beginning of the preparation. A team that has also lost Shomurodov and Saelemaekers compared to last year, Bailey and Ferguson have arrived due to injuries, Ferguson has made his contribution. I have to say that everyone has done a great job in bringing Roma so high and keeping Roma so high in the standings until now. We have every intention of continuing, what will happen – if something happens – I never believed too much in the January transfer window and I’ve always said this, even if players arrive it takes time to integrate them, so I rely heavily on those who are there.”
Can Kone improve in the offensive phase?
“You should always try to improve yourself and do something more, but sometimes you should focus your attention on what you have and not what you lack. Because by doing so you run the risk of losing what you have. Personally, I think Kone has done very well. Then everything can be improved.”
Could tomorrow be Pisilli’s match? And could the same player go to Genoa?
“I’ve already had my say on Pisilli. He’s a very interesting boy, good, not only in perspective, but also in the immediate future. He found less space because Cristante, Kone, El Aynaoui did very well. Like all young players, it would be better for him to play more. If he can do it in Roma, I’d be happy. And I hope he can do it in Roma. At the moment I have three midfielders, so his removal is absolutely not a possibility.”
