Di Francesco considers Nzonzi and Karsdorp for Milan showdown

The game at the San Siro takes place on Friday evening, with kick-off at 20:30 local time.

Read what the boss had to say ahead of the contest...

How's the team doing after Monday's draw against Atalanta?

“We're all a bit disappointed with our first-half display but we're pleased we managed to get ourselves back in the game: it wasn't looking at all good at one stage. We ended up almost winning it but in any case it's a point gained. We must learn from it and try to work on the many mistakes we made, especially in the first half.”

Have you worked out why you produced two such differing displays in the first and second half?

“It's lots of things together but mainly because we were up against a team that was sharper than us both mentally and physically. I wasn't expecting it, to be honest. We had an extra day to prepare as we played on Monday but my players weren't at their best. Fortunately, we sorted ourselves out in the end. The funny thing is we ran just as much as they did but we didn't run well. Now I want to see a great response against AC Milan.”

Have you decided what formation you're going to use?

“You can choose a formation but it all goes up in smoke if you're not aggressive, determined, focused and committed as a team – that's what matters most at the top end of the game and it was something we lacked in the first half playing 4-3-3.

"How you set the team up is relative if you don't play with those attributes. I'm not going to tell you how we'll play tomorrow but it's vital we don't lose too many duels.”

Are Steven Nzonzi and Rick Karsdorp fully match fit?

“They haven't got 90 minutes in them but they could both start the game. I'll pick the side I feel is best suited to play against AC Milan.”

Will Patrik Schick get more playing time this season?

“That question doesn't mean much to me because the team comes before anything else. Schick is a great player with a specific set of skills. He could start or come on as a sub. He had some good chances in the last game.”

Are Federico Fazio and Aleksandar Kolarov not up to speed yet after the World Cup?

“Atalanta were very strong in the first half but Fazio and Kolarov weren't the only two not at their best. Obviously the lads who were at the World Cup are a touch behind the others in terms of fitness but they're important players for us and they need to get minutes under their belts. It was only the second game of the season – I'd be worried if we'd hit top gear already at this stage.”

Do you think Kevin Strootman's departure before the match might have affected the team mentally?

“I didn't even hear the lads mention him. I spoke to Kevin and we said goodbye. He was keen to try something new and I want players who really want to play for this club and give everything they've got. Kevin did that right till the end but when a player asks to move, I'm not going to force him to stay. The team and those who want to play for the club always come first.”

Was it a lack of motivation [against Atalanta]?

“The players were motivated and I was expecting a different performance myself. I took off two lads [Bryan Cristante and Lorenzo Pellegrini] who are the future of Roma and Italy but it was a tactical choice. I had decisions to make and they're the ones who lost out but they need protecting.

"We've only played two games and people are criticising already – it's too early for that. I need to be more level-headed myself: I shouldn't have hit the dugout like that and I've learnt from it. I was worked up and angry because I could see we weren't able to play our football. I'm more interested in solutions than chat and I hope to find the right ones.”

Were your fitness levels affected by going on tour?

“It can have an effect on you but we were lucky because we were able to train well. Perhaps we needed a few more games. Atalanta have played lots of matches already and that's no minor detail. They've been able to rotate a lot.

"When they saw the Atalanta line-up, the lads said, “They've made a lot of changes and that might be a good thing.” To which I replied: “Let's see at the end of the game.” We were all surprised by the way things went. A lot of it is in the head. That brilliant goal by [Javier] Pastore should have motivated us more but instead the opposite happened.”

What do you think of the criticism from a small section of the fans?

“It's my job to try and stoke enthusiasm. We were in a worse situation last year. You get criticism in Rome because so many people talk about the club. You don't always need to be partisan but you should be level-headed. My job is to protect the players and take the team as far as it can possibly go.

"Time will be the judge of what we do. People quickly forget what you've done. Sometimes we get judged for things that aren't true, or at the very least are stretched. We've got four points on the board – not one, two or three like last season. We're in a better league position than we were this time last year.”

Do you have the players to play 4-3-3?

“We can play lots of different systems and having players who can play in different positions is an advantage. Is it a sign of weakness or intelligence when you change formation? People make it out to be whatever they want. I have to find solutions. If something's not working, I try to change it and I personally I see that as a sign of intelligence, not weakness. If there's a problem, you fix it. It's a fine line, though: if you don't take risks, you're never wrong. But I'm here to take responsibility.”

Can Steven Nzonzi and Daniele De Rossi play together?

“Of course they can. I said that before and they proved it by playing well together in the second half.”

What was it exactly that didn't work well on Monday? Your pressing game?

“If you look back at the goal when [Duvan] Zapata stole the ball off [Kostas] Manolas, we'd pressed them superbly and forced their defender to hoof it long. Kostas had the ball and was about to play it back to the keeper then they scored. Not all our pressing was bad but you have to do it aggressively and with conviction. That's something we lacked at times.”