Gattuso Warns Lazio About Parma: “We’ll Get Slapped in the Face”
After their stellar start to the season, Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso urges his players to remain sharp and focused.
Lazio Flying High Under Gennaro Gattuso
The Biancocelesti entered the campaign with low expectations, but they currently share the top spot in the Serie A table with Inter Milan after winning six of their first seven league fixtures. Their most recent act saw them outclass Juventus en route to a 3-0 victory at the Allianz Stadium.
Gattuso Send Stern Warning to Lazio Players
Lazio’s next two fixtures will pit them against Parma (Saturday) and Sassuolo (Tuesday). But while the two Emilian sides aren’t considered top-level opponents, Gattuso insisted that the team would pay dearly if they show any signs of complacency. These were the 48-year-old’s remarks in Friday’s pre-match press conference (via La Lazio Siamo Noi).
We did a little less than last week because we had one fewer day to work. The team is alive. We had a few minor problems with Taylor, who missed one and a half training sessions, but he trained with the team yesterday.
The attitude is right, though. I watched the match again, and we have to play with the same intensity, desire and aggression. If we drop deeper, tomorrow’s game will become very, very difficult.
That is our secret at the moment. If we try to manage the game or play at a lower tempo, we’ll get a slap in the face that we’ll remember for a long time.
Beating Parma is Lazio’s Priority
The Biancocelesti will play three Serie A games in the space of a week, but Gattuso is only focused on getting a result against Parma on Saturday.
Tomorrow takes priority. Afterwards, we will certainly have to make some decisions. But we are thinking only about tomorrow for now. From Sunday onwards, we will start working out what to do next.Lazio were physically outstanding against Juventus. Can that become the standard?
Matches are never over until they’re over. Parma had plenty of shots against Torino.
Even though we’ve played only seven matches, we’ve already gained a lot of experience. Sometimes things have gone our way, and someone up there has looked after us. We were at risk against Milan, and the same was true against Monza.
Gattuso With Davide Frattesi’s Movements
The Calabrian head coach highlighted the importance of making the right moves during the game, which is more important than the distance covered.
I’m not looking for high numbers in terms of volume. I’m interested in intensity and peak levels. That is the metric that matters to me, and it is what we work towards during the week. That is what makes the difference.
The total distance covered depends on how you cover those kilometres. Frattesi touched the ball very few times on Sunday, but five of his touches came inside the six-yard box. He was getting in among the opposition.
You can misplace passes, but the important thing is to play at a high intensity and with a clear purpose, without the lapses in concentration we have seen in certain matches. That is the mentality I want.
Why Tactical Shapes Matter Little for Gattuso
The Lazio boss explained that Lazio players must be ready to occupy various positions on the pitch to make sure they’re covering the right spaces.
I’ve been telling you that formations matter very little. What matters is occupying the right spaces.
How many times have you seen our centre-backs inside the opposition’s penalty area? It is all about positioning and occupying spaces.
We move around rather than remaining confined to our specific positions. That helps us get goals from a variety of players.
Lazio vs Parma | Where to Watch, Insights, Lineups & Prediction
Gattuso admitted he can’t switch off and enjoy the moment, as he remains obsessed with the next task, while hailing his players for showing a desire to work hard.
I have a flaw: I don’t celebrate much when things go well. I was the same as a player. I always think about what comes next.
Yes, I’m happy. I’m proud, too. It is great to see how my players behave in the dressing room and during the week, and how well they get along.
I went over to the Curva to thank the fans, but the credit belongs to the players. Zac [Zaccagni] threw me into the thick of things, and I really appreciated that.
From the first day, they have shown great commitment and desire. What I like most is seeing them getting along so well.
Some players get little playing time, and sometimes you see a few sad faces. That’s part of the game.
Gattuso Reveals His Red Flags
The AC Milan legend was asked about the aspects he isn’t willing to compromise on in his coaching methods.
Respect, punctuality and being on time are fundamental. Otherwise, it becomes a circus, and that’s when I get tough.
A footballer should have only one thing on his mind. Once in a while, you can use your front gate as an excuse. At Olgiata, some gates get stuck when it rains, so perhaps you have to climb over them and start running hard. That happened to me two weeks ago. (Laughs.)
You have to train hard, and there must be respect. I’d rather someone tell me that he went to bed late, went out for the evening or had one drink too many.
But I won’t allow anyone to ruin my training sessions. Just two players failing to train properly can be enough to lower the intensity.
My office door is always open. I know how to listen, and I don’t hold grudges. If I have a disagreement with someone, I get over it shortly afterwards.
Hungry for Vengeance
Gattuso believes his players must have an insatiable desire to avenge themselves after their previous disappointing campaigns.
Absolutely. If a player doesn’t have that desire, he should quit. An athlete who lacks motivation cannot compete at the highest level. Anyone who doesn’t have it should hang up their boots.
I see that desire in this team. You build it week by week. The path forward is through self-respect and hard work.
Updates on Taylor & Cataldi
The Lazio manager provided the latest updates on Kenneth Taylor, who suffered a slight knock against Juventus, and Danilo Cataldi, who returned from a long layoff, but has yet to play
He trained yesterday. We’ll assess his condition today, and make a decision tomorrow.
That was purely my decision. He has been fit for 10–12 days now.
When the time comes, he will play. He is giving us tremendous help in the dressing room and on the training ground. His moment will definitely come.
Rovella & Marusic Remain Out
Gattuso insisted he won’t rush the returns of Nicolo Rovella and Adam Marusic, as he’s keen to avoid injury relapses.
I don’t want a player looking at me angrily one day because he has suffered a relapse after we pushed him too hard. It depends on the type of injury each player has. We know the data and the training sessions we have been doing since we arrived. They have to be ready.
There is no point in bringing someone back onto the pitch only to find ourselves regretting it shortly afterwards. To be ready, players need to work on acceleration, deceleration, changes of direction and so on. That’s why they are not yet training with the group.
Marusic and Rovella are currently working separately. They are doing well, but they have suffered significant injuries. If either suffers a relapse, we will only have ourselves to blame.
With Gudmundsson, we hope that in 10 days he will be able to run on his own without pain. We hope to have him available before the Napoli match, although that is just my personal expectation.
As for Rovella and Marusic, God willing, provided nothing goes wrong, they might begin partial training with us in four or five days.
