Gasperini previews Roma-Genoa, talks January window | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at a press conference from Trigoria ahead of the match against Genoa.

The Giallorossi coach began by taking stock of the players unavailable: “Dovbyk isn’t ready yet, he won’t be called up. We hope he will be next week; he’s training and preparing, but he’s not yet able to shoot and therefore play.”

“The biggest problem is Hermoso; we need to understand this ahead of tomorrow: he has this form of groin pain, and we need to figure out whether he can play tomorrow or not.”

Regarding Genoa and De Rossi, he said: “It’s not just Frendrup; Genoa always has young and important players in its ranks that they develop and then sell, in the nature of the club. De Rossi has shown courage, which is a great asset for coaches and in general. Although the league table is difficult for Genoa, I’m convinced that tomorrow we’ll have to scrape the barrel to find and deploy our best players to win the match. We absolutely need to win, especially at this time.”

Gasperini then focused on Dybala as a center forward: “Sometimes it was the only solution, but he can play that role very well. When he has some physical difficulties, as we’ve unfortunately seen lately, playing as an attacking midfielder is even worse. I’ve always hoped and counted on him; I know that if Dybala is healthy, the value of the team increases and the attack is more highly regarded. I insist on him because I realize he has qualities that, if brought to peak condition, can give us an additional advantage.”

And on Ferguson: “He has to do something good: he’s 21, he’s very young. Compared to Dybala, he shouldn’t be comparing him on a technical level, because that’s impossible, but on a level of willpower, hunger, and desire to succeed, trying to steal his place with more suitable weapons. I understand that sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish between the two, but that’s how it is.”

Gasperini also discussed the reason why Roma don’t win big matches: “There are no mental limitations. In that respect, Roma have nothing to envy anyone, and perhaps even have something more. The match against Juventus also demonstrated this, both in the first half and at the end when they tried to come back from behind. In terms of attitude and behavior, Roma have always been top-notch.”

The former Atalanta coach also focused on Koné, who never had a shot on target against Juventus despite having chances: “You always have to try to improve and do something more, but sometimes you also have to focus on what you have, and I don’t know what’s missing. By always talking about what’s missing, you run the risk of losing what you have. And this applies to everything. Everyone has their own characteristics, but personally, I think Koné didn’t do well, he did better. Everything can be improved.”

Gasperini also had his say on the transfer market, considering the loss of Pellegrini: “I don’t know if anyone will arrive in early January. It’s certainly a loss for us; he’s a player we’ve counted on a lot, even though he’s had a bit of a decline in recent games. He’s put in some really important performances. Unfortunately, injuries happen, which is what we feared.”

He then continued: “In this team, the one who’s been a key player has been Soulé, followed by Pellegrini, who’s played a lot. The others are more or less evenly divided. They’ve all done a great job in bringing Roma this far despite this situation and in keeping Roma so high in the standings so far. We intend to continue, but if something happens… I’ve never really believed in the January transfer market; even if players arrive, it takes time to integrate them. I’m counting heavily on the ones we have.”

Still speaking about the transfer market, Gasperini commented on January’s difficulties: “The transfer market affects everyone; it’s disrespectful to those who are giving their all for this team. But it does affect everyone, because it’s not just the team, the fans, the coach, but also the entire world around the players that affects and influences them. This risks taking away some of the objective at this time, where points count. This is a situation that’s been dragging on for too long in the transfer market; we coaches are against it dragging on for so long. People talk more about the transfer market than the matches, and coaches don’t like that.”

Finally, on the possibility of Pisilli leaving on loan: “He’s a very interesting and talented player, not just for the immediate future, but also for the long term. He’s found little playing time at Roma due to the performances of Cristante, Koné, and El Aynaoui. I have a high regard for Pisilli. Like all young players, it would be better if he played more. If he could do that at Roma, I’d be happy, and I hope he can do that at Roma. And in any case, right now, we have three midfielders: his departure is absolutely not an option.”