Following the home defeat to Modena, head coach Roberto Donadoni spoke to the media: “We conceded a goal very early and far too easily, and then we weren’t able to react by taking advantage of what the opponent allowed us. We didn’t move the ball properly. We need to improve and better understand how to read the different moments of a match.
Modena caused us problems mainly with long balls and in individual duels. In those situations we need to be better with our defensive positioning and quicker to take away time and space from the opposition. At the moment, though, we are still too lightweight and not clinical enough, which is exactly what we need right now.
Another sending-off came again due to a lack of composure in reading situations. It’s not possible to always have to think about substituting a booked player; instead, the player on a yellow card must understand the moment and avoid being naive.
The second goal came in a situation where we could definitely have done more. Sometimes it’s acceptable to clear the ball, but once again it comes down to decision-making and reading the play.
Modena are a team with great quality and they certainly played a very good match, but we have to grow and improve our understanding of games and key moments, as well as show more courage on the pitch.
We had more possession, but we were ineffective in terms of offensive threat. In the final third we have to be more incisive, more willing to take individual initiative or at least move better off the ball to create the right opportunities.
Bandinelli put in a performance full of both quality and effort, but we need that level from everyone. Only then can the overall value of the team’s performance increase. We also need to be more decisive and less conservative on the wings. I’ve always told the players that I’m not worried about those who make mistakes, but about those who don’t try. I want my players to have an enterprising mentality. That doesn’t mean being reckless, but playing with conviction.
We have to work and improve through hard work, including our ability to receive the ball not always with our backs to goal, but in positions that are already oriented toward attacking play. Too often we receive the ball without awareness of what’s happening behind us, which leads to extra touches and allows opponents to recover their shape. Sometimes technical quality also changes this dynamic, because when you receive the ball well, more attacking options open up. These are all aspects we can improve.
Several players currently have limited match fitness, so we have to be careful not to overload them. For example, Esposito, Di Serio, Soleri, and Lapadula all have around 20 minutes in their legs, and you’re hesitant to bring them on too early. Candelari, on the other hand, came on with the right approach, attitude, and spirit that I asked for.
Was the match unplayable? There was a technical gap, but also a physical one. I don’t want to talk about absences—over the course of a season, situations like this happen. Of course, having everyone available is an advantage, but you also have to accept moments like these and work with the players you have.
In a few weeks we’ll enter the transfer window, and we’ll try to strengthen the squad in the right way. If we can bring in two or three important players, that will certainly help us. But you know what the transfer window is like—there are many changes, and it’s a period where you need clear ideas and quick decision-making.”
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