Ahead of tomorrow nights clash at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Roma manager Zdenek Zeman spoke to journalists at Trigoria and shared his thoughts on the upcoming fixture against Inter:
TOMORROW’S MATCH
“Which team is in better shape at the moment between us and Inter? At the start of the season no teams are at their best. We’ll have to see what happens on the field tomorrow. Both sides have changed a lot of personnel so we’re still trying to settle in and find the right balance. Inter have said goodbye to a number of players who heped to write the club’s recent history. Several new faces have been brought in and now they have to see how they fit into the team.”
GOOD FOOTBALL
“I think we held back a bit too much against Catania: I want the team to go for it tomorrow. Inter are a big team but we have to try and cause them problems without waiting for them to come at us. What worries me most about Inter? Nothing in particular, because what I’m interested in is that my team go to Milan and try and win the game. The result will be decided on the pitch of course but win or lose I hope to see my lads playing good football, trying to reproduce the things we’ve been practising in training. Inter are a great team and I like these challenges in which you have to show that you are the best.”
TRANSFERS
“I believe the squad I have is competitive so I’m happy with what I have to work with. Bojan’s departure? He’s a good player. The problem was that before the pre-season even got underway his entourage were demanding a certain amount of playing time for him, which is something I couldn’t guarantee at this stage, besides the fact that he wasn’t even 100% fit. I could say that he wasn’t patient. Goicoechea? It find it strange that you’re all surprised about us signing a third goalkeeper when all Serie A sides have got one. Which Italian club has made the best reinforcements over the summer? Roma. The best buy of all? Destro.”
THE BEST TEAM
“I have an excellent squad of players at my disposal. It might not be the best in the league but I hope that we can become the best team through hard work. It’s not the individuals that make the best team but how the lads perform together on the pitch.”
ENTHUSIASM
“Do I think the enthusiasm surrounding the team is excessive? I don’t think a club like AS Roma can take part in the championship just for the sake of taking part. We must want to be a match for all the other teams. Of course, it’s easy to talk – it’s up to us to prove how good we are on the field. As the coach, I believe this team is capable of doing battle with anyone. In any case, I’m glad of this enthusiasm: expectations are high and I hope that will be an extra incentive for the team to pull out all the stops.”
THREE-PRONGED ATTACK
“Can Destro, Osvaldo and Totti work together in a three-pronged attack? That’s something we’ll have to verify on the pitch. I think they are all players who have a good sight for goal, although it’s difficult to use them all together in certain games.”
DEFENCE
“Are we short at the back? No, we don’t need anything else. Taddei being tried out at right-back in place of Piris? What you see in training are tests: if we don’t try things out then when are we supposed to do it? As I said, I’m happy with the players I have and that goes for the defence as well. I don’t have 11 first-choice players but 23 players to choose from so I try out all the solutions possible with these players.”
LAMELA
“In the last two months of preparation I think he’s come on a lot in the position I’d like him to play in. He’s learning what he has to do: he’s a fantastic talent and I hope he’ll be able to express his ability as best he can.”
TOTTI AND DE ROSSI
“Totti’s role is the same one he did for me 13 years ago. I think he can do more in that position than in others, otherwise I wouldn’t have put him there. De Rossi? He can do a job in any of the three midfield berths: where he plays will depend on the game, on the opponents and on what we want to do in the middle of the park.”
MORATTI AND CASSANO
“Has Moratti ever contacted me? It was a long time ago and it’s best not to talk about it now. Maybe at the time there was a chance it could have happened, but I had committed myself to another club so nothing came of it. Cassano? A talented player who perhaps hasn’t achieved what he was expected to because of problems of temperament. Would I like to coach him? I like coaching the squad I have here at Roma at the moment.”
Source: Asroma.it