Two days before the match against Cesena, head coach Luca D’Angelo spoke to the press: “First and foremost, we need a reaction in terms of character, and of course also from a technical, tactical, and motivational point of view. These are fundamental factors, we can’t let negative situations unsettle us. We need to deliver top-level performances to earn the positive results we’re aiming for.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working on what we believe are our main issues, speaking a lot with the players, who we must remember are human beings, each facing difficulties in their own way. Now we have an important match ahead, and we must do everything we can to win it.
Hristov? I saw him this morning. Despite the two matches he played with his national team, he’ll definitely be available and will start against Cesena.
Am I worried? I always am, even when things are going well. But it’s the kind of concern that keeps you alert and helps you work at your best.
It’s never easy to change established habits overnight, but we’ve worked a lot on defending set pieces, where above all we need greater focus and concentration during every phase of the opponent’s play.
Our forwards are struggling because we’re not putting them in the best conditions to perform, but I’m convinced that as we improve in various aspects, they’ll also be able to do much better. Few remember Pio Esposito’s first year with me, he scored only once, against Venezia, and faced heavy criticism. Yet despite that, in the second half of the season, we played at a playoff pace.
I’m sure all our forwards will eventually find the right balance to reach the goal tally we achieved last year. That depends on everyone, not just the strikers. Most of Pio’s goals last season, except for two or three, came from attacking the box, where he was extremely strong. Now we need to adjust a few things because our current strikers have different characteristics.
They shouldn’t think about how hard it is to replace Pio Esposito, they should just focus on doing their very best. That’s what I ask of them, and that’s what will lead them to score and help the team. Even when you can’t score, it’s important to contribute to the group.
Against Palermo, my choices were based on the players I felt were best suited for that particular match. Honestly, I’ve never thought in terms of ‘new signings’ or ‘long-time players’, only about what’s needed for the game ahead.
Goalkeeper? Sarr will start, but I’ll repeat what I said earlier: the goalkeeper should be considered like any other outfield player, and I’ll make my decision week by week, especially since we have three very good ones.
I don’t think our problem right now is the system of play, but rather the belief with which we execute certain things. We’re facing a very tough match against a strong, quick Cesena side. We’ve worked on some tactical adjustments, but above all, we’ll need to rely on our own qualities and, most importantly, our mental strength.
To be honest, I don’t see any frustration or lack of commitment from Wisniewski or Salvatore Esposito, either in training or in their attitude. What I see is a strong desire to do well and a sense of responsibility to give even more, as two of the strongest players in our squad. I ask them only to do what they know how to do, without feeling the pressure to overdo it.
Marking on Esposito? It’s true that opponents are trying to close him down, but he’s the kind of player who attracts the play, and when he’s relaxed, he becomes unmarkable, even against the tightest defenses. Maybe right now he’s not entirely at ease, worried about the situation, maybe even about me, but he just needs to stay calm and play his game, leaving his thoughts outside the pitch.
I’m handling this moment in the right way. I have the experience needed to face weeks like this, and I’ve been fully focused on transmitting that composure to the team. My relationship with the management is excellent, but this isn’t about feeling supported or not, it’s about working hard and getting the results we’re after. In this job, results always matter, and that’s perfectly normal".
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