01 February 2015
Massimiliano Allegri says he has no qualms with this afternoon’s final outcome in Udine after witnessing his side struggle to reach their usual performance levels against a spirited Udinese outfit this afternoon.
Speaking after the goalless draw at the Stadio Friuli, the Tuscan revealed he was particularly disappointed by the Bianconeri’s frenetic play and inability to keep the ball during an intense first half.
Allegri said: “It was a fair result. We played badly in the first half, at least up until the 35th minute. We gave the ball away and also risked conceding a couple of times. Our difficulties stemmed from the fact that we had three defenders and Pirlo passing the ball and everyone else up near their area.
“Our play was too hurried and we exposed ourselves to counter attacks. We improved in the second half, getting the ball and men further forward towards their area. Udinese played with lots of intensity, while we made plenty of mistakes from a technical standpoint.”
One positive note from this afternoon was the performance of second-half substitute Alvaro Morata, who earned praise from his manager following an energetic cameo in the final 20 minutes of the encounter.
“Whenever Morata plays, be it starting or coming off the bench, he always has chances to score. I went for Llorente today because I needed strikers that operate closer together with our 3-5-2. He put in a good shift, especially during the early stages of the game.”
Allegri says he is keen for his men to get back to winning ways as soon as possible, emphasising the need for extra points to keep Roma at bay.
“There are still many points up for grabs and we need to try and gain as many as possible. Fifty points aren’t enough to win the league.”
