Gasperini analyzes defeat to Torino, shares Dybala update | OneFootball

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini analyzed this afternoon’s loss to Torino.

The Italian coach spoke to DAZN after the match.

“In some ways, we played well, but we lacked pace and rhythm. It wasn’t easy, because in these temperatures, it’s not easy to maintain a high tempo.”

“When you face teams that are somewhat blocked, there’s always the risk of hitting the wall, of being less dangerous, less incisive, and then later on, in some situations, taking risks. But when you take on the burden of playing the game, you have to take this into account too. We lacked a bit of pace, a bit of spark, yes, but it was quite excusable.”

“The rest, the team, the pitch, held up pretty well. These are balanced games, you can never go behind because then your energy runs out, your confidence runs out, because the boys had it until the end.”

“Everyone played with great generosity, but these are games that are on a knife edge, where an incident can completely change the game.”

“If there’s anything to say about the team’s offensive output, I think this week was unusual. All these players arrived a bit tired, returning from international duty, and not in top form. It’s always difficult to start immediately after a match with the national teams. But it was a predictable situation: we were facing a team with a three-man defense.”

“Theoretically, we had an extra midfielder to control possession, but we weren’t able to pass the ball well. I must say that Dybala, first on the left and then in the center, was very active, as was Soulé. We weren’t able to find the right positions to capitalize on the game’s favorable moments.”

“Then, when Dybala returned to the center, we realigned ourselves a bit. Overall, we didn’t play badly, but we weren’t dangerous. The goal we conceded was a shame, because we didn’t feel like we were really in trouble. There were many of us, we couldn’t get going, and that goal changed the game, making it more difficult, also thanks to their fatigue and their ability to retreat in the final minutes.”

“To pull off a comeback, we had great difficulty closing down their counterattacks, which could also come from space, but we managed them quite well in both phases. What we can improve, however, in the final minutes concerns some scrums: we need to try different solutions, because very often you win or recover results that way too. Today we were close: perhaps we could have put a few more balls in, or moved a few defenders to facilitate exchanges without leaving the defense exposed. These are situations to try and evaluate, because in the final minutes of a match, when you need to win or come from behind, every detail can make the difference.”

“Dybala? He hurt himself while taking a free kick. But I don’t think it was anything serious. Should be a matter of days.”

“Kone? His greatest quality is his ability to run without the ball, not his ability to finish. Players are used to the fullest according to their characteristics. Quality is something that can still be improved. Today, too, in my opinion, he played an excellent match. He didn’t let up towards the end: everyone was a bit tired. Playing in these temperatures is difficult for all players. But, in my opinion, he still played an excellent match. What I can ask of him more right now is to speed up the game a bit. Sometimes he can take a few extra touches and move the ball around better. He does it well sometimes, but other times, when he’s struggling, he tends to slow down. This is the only aspect we need to work on now. But he’s still a player who, in my opinion, played an excellent match today too.”