The new rossoblù coach satisfied with the team after the draw at Lazio: “In three days I bombed them but they did their best to put my instructions into practice”
CAGLIARI. Two goals, one point and Lazio trembling. The Mazzarri era begins with the illusion of a resounding success away from home and with the second step forward of the season after two defeats in a row. Cagliari in penultimate place, but the match at the Olimpico has interrupted the crisis. It gave a glimpse of what the team could be like from now to the end of the championship: two parallel lines between defense and midfield. With the two on the compact bands to help each other. And Joao Pedro and Keita, both scoring, free to change, talk and invent.
These are Mazzarri’s first instructions applied by the team to get the first accounts back after four training sessions. Some variations on the theme will be seen from Wednesday onwards because Empoli arrives in Cagliari (8.45 pm). And Joao Pedro and associates will have to set up a different race than on Sunday. Because Mazzarri’s team is forced to win in order to mentally come out of the last three positions. Compactness well. And the two in front. Joao Pedro is on his fourth goal in four games. Plus two assists. Keita in two games instead obtained a penalty and scored a goal, the first in rossoblu. Just against his former Lazio.
Also important is the rediscovery of Lykogiannis: with Semplici twenty-one minutes in three games. With Mazzarri 74 all at once: no longer a double from Dalbert, but one who can coexist on the wing with the former Inter Milan. «My players deserve a very high score – said the coach at the end of the match – in three days I bombed them and they gave me great availability on everything. We saw that they tried to put into practice everything we had prepared, we gave almost nothing in the first half to a Lazio that makes the dribble its strength; on the contrary, it was Cagliari that created the most. The team proved to be a group and getting things done quickly wasn’t easy. I’m happy, even if given the performance I’m sorry to have only equalized it ».
The future? «We must continue to do what we are doing, slowly, thinking game by game and see what we can bring home. In a month or two we will be able to take stock and maybe say something more about the team’s chances in this championship ». Mazzarri is already thinking about Empoli: he will not be able to use Zappa (expelled yesterday), but from today he finds again in the Strootman group. And he will also have Pavoletti at his disposal with some more training. And for Napoli there could also be Godin. (HANDLE)
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