It is not a question of play. Each time you have to hear the same story from certain people. Mourinho has always been like this, wherever he went. Winning, first of all. Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester. A European trophy arrives in Rome, which had been missing here for 60 years, with the poorest team he has ever coached. And he succeeded where everyone had always failed. Always with the same philosophy. That does not change. The difference is the players, the quality and the attitudes of the individuals.
The team does not play as a team. After the win at Verona, we lost the derby to a team that put the bus behind in defense for 100 minutes. In the face of Sarrismo. But the Lazio players didn’t care less than zero for not playing the game. They won with just one shot, or rather our assist. So also with Sassuolo. We did little and nothing, precisely those players, those out, those out of shape, and for the poor quality left on the pitch. Above all, we lack quality in ideas, light in attacking play, we are slow and predictable, trivial wrong passes, stops and ball checks.
Sassuolo seemed to have an edge even in dribbling and phrasing, a ball stealer like Frattesi who would serve us as the bread in the middle, or an Orient to tease on the wing. Quite the opposite to seeing Zaniolo continuing his ruffled run, Shomurodov is anything but a sniper, and Zalewsky’s involution, to name a few. Then who took over in the second half, which immediately made those who came out regret, from El Sharaawy to Karsdorp, irritating to say the least.
We also lacked defense, this time with a few too many flaws. Positive notes only from the great goal of Abraham and from the personality of Volpato, who is destined to grow. Two points lost for how the game was going but also one gained for what we saw on the pitch in the total calculation. In the regret that between the derby and tonight 4 points could be taken, missed opportunities that will weigh in the end. Waiting for the last one with Torino before the world cup stop, it is essential to win to stay hooked to the train tha leads to Champions League football. One last note: If Dybala comes back to lend a hand to the cause, very well, if he only serves to be summoned to go to Qatar then he better stay where he is now, in the pitstop. Another championship starts in January, everyone needs to be recovered, fresh and charged, ready to start again. Who does not put the effort can also go elsewhere.