Maurizio Sarri believes his Lazio team thought they had already won the game following their 1-1 draw with Monza. The Biancocelesti took an early lead through a Ciro Immobile penalty, only to be pegged back by a Roberto Gagliardini equaliser shortly before half-time. It leaves Lazio with just one win so far this season in all competitions, something Sarri addressed when speaking to the media following the match:
“The problem is twofold, we have also lost the defensive solidity we had. We are less orderly. We are certainly creating little in relation to the amount of play we do. The feeling is that we have stopped attacking the goal, the spaces.
“We are talking about it to resolve the situation. And then there is the mental aspect, between 1-0 and 1-1 we conceded the keys to the game to the opponents. We thought we had already won. Then we started to play again, but we have to do better.”
“Regression? It’s difficult to give an explanation. At the level of application, the guys are also there, otherwise you can’t play well in the first 70 metres.
“It’s something else that is holding us back. The pressing today? You can’t press if you’re passive. Today we were also too deep.
“The team aren’t pulling together in the same direction? Can I be honest? It seems like a bullsh*t question to me. Because if it were true, no one would tell you. However, that’s not the feeling.
“Worried? No but I am careful to understand the reasons for our decline. When you go into a negative period, with results not coming, it’s possible to go back up, but you have to be aware that it’ll take months.
“So, you don’t need unnecessary anxiety and drama every game. On Tuesday I didn’t see a dead team, today in the second half neither.
“There can be the mental aspect that bring you greater attention, but also a tactical discourse against opponents who want to play the game.
“The new ones need time to get into our tactical system. It is difficult to understand this involution on a mental level, unless the team gave 105% last year and have nothing left.”
