26 September 2018
Massimiliano Allegri had warned his players not to underestimate games like tonight's against Bologna – and their performance suggests the message hit home.
“I was very happy with the way we approached the match – there was no sign of arrogance, no suggestion we thought the points were already in the bag,” the coach began.
“We gave the ball away a few times too many in the second half but overall I can see we're improving.
“The more time these players spend together the better they get to know each other and improve their understanding. They've shown great maturity: they can read the game and understand when to keep the ball and not risk losing it.
“Our win against Valencia was great for our self-belief but Frosinone proved tough to break down. There are lots of areas where we still need to improve, especially now that we have two big games coming up.”
Allegri went on to explain the reasoning behind his switch to a 3-5-2 system, before singling out a few individuals for praise, starting with the opening goalscorer Paulo Dybala.
“I went with that formation because I thought it was the best one for us at this moment in time. We've had lots of tiring games already, we were missing a few players and I needed to rest a few more. Plus I wanted to bring some fresh legs in.
“Paulo needed playing time to find his feet and he was excellent tonight but he wasn't the only one. [Mattia] Perin had a great debut, while [Andrea] Barzagli and [Rodrigo] Bentancur were another two who impressed.”
