Giampaolo rallies the troops: “We need the same mentality against Bologna”

Marco Giampaolo has called for his Sampdoria side to approach Wednesday’s away match at Bologna exactly has they have done their first four matches of the season.

“We need to improve in some areas,” conceded the Blucerchiati coach, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, “but we need to keep playing the way we have been, maintaining the same mentality and the same strategy. It’s important we continue in the same vein, without allowing the doubt to creep in.

“Obviously we weren’t happy with the defeat, but we’re heading in the right direction. We’re working on both technical and tactical aspects.”

One accusation levelled at Giampaolo’s team so far this season is that they have dropped off after the half-time interval, but the boss believes that’s not entirely true.

“It’s not the whole half. We get to a few balls second right at the end of matches – that’s true – but it’s not down to our fitness, which is excellent. It comes down to the quality of our passing play. We need to keep ourselves more compact. If we improve that then our intensity at the end of matches will get better.”

Giampaolo also dispelled suggestions he would ring the changes at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

“We’re the only side that has had five days’ rest rather than three or four. Our fixture list has been a bit kinder. It’s plenty of time to recover, in fact I’d be worried if that wasn’t the case. The best team will play tomorrow, regardless of rotation.”

Last but not least, Giampaolo was asked who would be getting the nod of the left side of defence.

“Dodo or Regini. Dodo needs to be taken apart and put back together again as a player. He needs to reset the way he behaves on the pitch. He has more than enough technical skill for that position so he’ll be my gamble for this season. If I win, he wins. If I lose, he loses.”