Spalletti explains what Juventus must avoid: ‘It gives me anxiety’

Luciano Spalletti was delighted with Juventus‘ performance against Roma, but urged the team to show even further improvement: ‘If you’re not modern in the way you play, you’ll pay for it.’

The Bianconeri beat Roma 2-1 at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday, moving just one point below the Giallorossi in fourth.

After his interview with Sky Sport Italia, Spalletti analysed his team’s performance at a post-match press conference attended by Football Italia.

“Roma are a team that play the same way regardless of the result. If you want to create space, you have to drop your defensive low block, but I’m never comfortable on the bench when the team is pinned back like that,” said the Juventus coach.

“Both Conceiçao and Yildiz did their defensive work in the second half. They filled the box of the game with other things too. We need to take steps forward in this regard, but every time we won the ball, we went close to scoring the third goal. In the second half, we were good at many things, almost everything. In the first half, we were always a bit late getting to their wing-backs; they forced us to drop deep, and we struggled, but we knew it would be like that.”

Juventus have won six of their last seven matches across all competitions and have won three consecutive games in Serie A.

Does Spalletti enjoy seeing the team finally going on the right path?

“Enjoyment…I’m afraid I’ve never really felt it. I think I might have some kind of problem,” he replied with a smile.

“For me, enjoyment is seeing the players like they were in the dressing room; hugging each other, happy and smiling. My happiness always comes as a reflection of the people around me. That’s what makes me feel good.

“There are things we absolutely need to improve because they are within reach and yet we can’t find continuity.

“We have to get used to this constant change in the flow of the game. Roma always bring someone within a two-meter radius of you. We have to get used to this local battle. At times, it’s not 11 v. 11 but individual 1 v. 1 duels. Roma always won the second ball in the first half,” he continued.

“If you react, you are always late. It’s not about reacting, but anticipating what’s coming.

“Defenders need to be more involved when we have the ball. Do you play football just to take the ball away from someone? What kind of enjoyment is that? Roma do it differently. They were leaving just one man at the back; everyone else was inside the penalty area.”

Spalletti went on to explain the attitude he wants to see from his team going forward.

“You just don’t sit there waiting for the referee’s final whistle because you won 2-1. It’s the wrong mentality; sooner or later, in modern football, you pay for it,” he said.

“If you’re not modern in the way you play, you’ll pay for it. It really upsets me when I see my team stuck on the edge of the box, unable to get out of the defensive phase; it gives me anxiety. Forget enjoyment. It really pisses me off, and it genuinely makes me awful.”

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini also spoke at a press conference, urging the club to secure January reinforcements.