Fabio Liverani outlines the Salernitana problems after a 4-0 defeat left them 50 points behind leaders Inter. ‘There are difficulties, or this team wouldn’t be on 13 points and a third coach.’
This was certainly not the best fixture he could’ve asked for when making his debut on the bench, as the Nerazzurri are the runaway leaders who are now 10 points clear at the top of the table.
He only took over from sacked Pippo Inzaghi last Sunday and became the third Salernitana coach of the campaign, as Paulo Sousa was already dismissed in October.
It was a humiliating evening at San Siro, losing 3-0 by half-time with Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez and Denzel Dumfries on target, as well as hitting the woodwork twice and seeing Guillermo Ochoa make several saves.
Marko Arnautovic added a fourth with the last kick of the game, as the referee took pity on them and did not assign any stoppages.
“There is a lack of confidence and that was to be expected. This is one of the situations I wanted to understand, seeing more determination and desire to win duels, but instead we lost every duel, we weren’t gritty, we lacked hunger,” Liverani told Sky Sport Italia.
“What we did – and Inter did not even need this gift – was to leave them the initiative and we simply followed the events. We need to be a team that takes matters into our own hands and directs events.
“A full week of training will give me a better idea of this team. I have not had time to get to know the lads, we only worked for three days, but from now on the players will pick the line-up with their performances in training and their attitude. Anyone who wants to play must prove it to me over the week.”
There tends to be a boost when a new coach has arrived, but the squad seemed to have already given up, other perhaps than Loum Tchaouna.
“There are many difficulties, or this team would not be on 13 points and a third coach. There were some signs from lads I didn’t know so much. I need players who want to make their mark on the game, who have hunger in their eyes. That is what we must start with, then after that we can try to introduce technical and tactical indications.”
Inter are now 50 points clear of Salernitana and it really showed in this performance, as they seemed to be from two different leagues.
“There was an enormous difference between us and Inter, that is natural. Perhaps the reason this team is where it is right now is that someone thought that individuals could resolve the situation. I don’t think we have individuals capable of doing that.”
Salernitana have some very experienced players, including Antonio Candreva, Ochoa and Jerome Boateng, though the defender went off injured after 20 minutes today.
“We do have some leaders in the group and I don’t have much time to get to know them all, so their work during the week becomes vital. Tchaouna at least tried to do something, but Pellegrino, Sambia, Zanoli and Pasalidis are very young, having some of their first games. Boateng has been inactive for almost a year, he is regaining fitness during the match.
“Manolas and Fazio can help kick-start the process of bringing character and balance to the defence, but if this team always conceded many goals in recent years, evidently there is an issue there.”
Salernitana, Liverani a Sky: "Divario enorme, ci siamo concessi agli eventi. Sulla salvezza…"
https://t.co/OFEYIiLzC0— FcInterNews.it (@FcInterNewsit) February 16, 2024
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