Tribal Football

Bologna coach Italiano excited about victory over Lecce: The boys now understand me

Carlos Volcano
Bologna coach Italiano excited about victory over Lecce: The boys now understand me
Bologna coach Italiano excited about victory over Lecce: The boys now understand meAction Plus
Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano was pleased with his players after victory over Lecce.

Riccardo Orsolini struck late for the 1-0 win, with Italiano declaring the players are now adjusting successfully to his tactics.

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Have you found the sense of continuity in the mental attitude of your players?

"I also find it in the maturity that the team is showing in training in preparing for such a difficult match. We had watched Lecce's last four games together with the team, aware that they are a team that closes up and then starts again. We told each other that we could win this match even at the last minute and that's how it went. We gave continuity to the away game in Cagliari against two difficult teams. I like this maturity of the boys and it makes me happy. I congratulated everyone because winning in Serie A is not easy and getting to do it the way we had prepared is a good sign that the team is giving me."

 

Re-pressing is an Italiano characteristic. Is Bologna becoming more and more your team?

"Our principle is that once we lose the ball we have to dirty it, to keep the dangers away. In the finishing phase, we still have to refine some aspects. We also have to improve on errors in the opponent's half, but today the team pissed me a lot for the patience and calm shown on the pitch that led us to victory."

 

Is the attack on the goal another aspect to improve?

"Today we win the match with the same formation as Parma: Urbanski, Fabbian, Orsolini. Today Orso was good. We also tried with the two strikers but I didn't like that fraction."

 

You spoke of maturity: after Freuler's missed goal he called for calm. Has there been growth on their part in this sense?

"No, let me experience the games as I have always done... When I intervene I do it for some dangerous situation or for some attitude that can stimulate the boys. The team knows me: the boys know that I experience the games in that way because I like to communicate and encourage on the pitch, but from this point of view there is no problem. The team is starting to know me and vice versa. We prepared the game in a video session and a training session: there is maturity."

 

We saw you under the Curva at the end: did you release all the tension of the last period? Is Miranda starting to find the right mechanisms?

"The final celebration is because I also felt the fact that we would not achieve this victory. Seven months without winning at home is starting to be heavy, for the fans, for the team, for the club... My outburst was for this and I did it with a crowd that supported us until the end today. Orso's ball went in thanks to everyone's push. There is an atmosphere at the stadium that I really like. Miranda is growing. Already in the first half she could have risen higher: she did it at the end of the match and by rising ten meters we managed to score."

 

A new journey begins today, with two consecutive victories and the return of a player like Ferguson. What does it mean for you?

"I would also add that we haven't conceded a goal in two consecutive games. I'm happy about Ferguson because I could already feel what he means for our locker room when I arrived. Today we took advantage of him to give Freuler a break. We're getting a great player back, a strong personality in the locker room. At the moment he doesn't have more than 20 minutes in his legs so we preferred to keep him in an area where he could touch a lot of balls like he did."

 

With these six points, do you think the first step of Italiano's settlement phase is complete?

"With great sincerity, I think we have passed the phase of getting to know each other. We just needed to add the cherry on top of this period. Today we are growing in condition, in understanding, in maturity. I am understanding many of the guys better, I see growth and commitment. It must also be said that today we have obtained 8 consecutive useful results, but the victories that have finally arrived were missing."