Di Francesco: We should reflect on our attitude after this

Read what coach Eusebio Di Francesco had to say following Sunday's 1-1 draw with AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Giallorossi were forced to settle for a point, as Nicolo Zaniolo scored the home side's only goal of the game early in the second half.

The side showed a positive reaction following the disappointing Coppa Italia exit in midweek.

“It’s a shame that we need to get a slap before we pick ourselves up and focus," Di Francesco said.

"I’ve said to the boys that when you’re under the rubble you need to shake it off step by step. We need to try and build some consistency – we got ourselves into this situation. Seeing a display like the one tonight, where we deserved to win, compared with how we performed against Fiorentina, makes you think a lot about attitudes.

"People talk about the importance of the players and the manager, but I think there’s a series of things that you need. It’s always the coach’s responsibility when things are going badly and we need to try and capitalise on moments, as well as on the quality of our players. My team makes me angry – they know the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 that we’re using.

"We’ve played so many games without [Daniele] De Rossi, who was extraordinary this evening – he only had a few training sessions with the team, but he knows the game well and can raise the game of those players around him.”

Is this team able to respond? It wasn’t easy for them to get going again.

“We’ve not done anything yet, but the performance itself was a positive response. We wanted to get the three points – they would have been crucial. Although they wouldn’t have made up for the performance in Florence. It wasn’t an easy performance to put in – for lots of the younger players it wasn’t easy to play against this backdrop. From my point of view, however, they showed good character and I hope this can be a springboard, without making big mistakes again. You can lose games, but performances are what make the difference.”

Edin Dzeko and Patrik Schick didn’t get in each other’s way tonight – we saw an improvement in their relationship.

“Patrik was lively - he’s in very good form and showed willingness to compete, as well as a bit of bite and determination. There are certain qualities that you need to see in games like this. He does perhaps make some technical errors too, but he’s talented and could do better in some situations. He needs to have even more belief in his qualities – he can play in different roles: out wide, as the main striker or as a second striker. He knows how to play football. He needs that bite and determination he showed today.”

In what role can Nicolo Zaniolo best develop? Is he a central midfielder or do you want him wider? Where does he best express himself?

“I think he’s very good wide of a midfield trio, but of course I didn’t want to alter the system in this period, and he’s adapted well to the more attacking role. We use those wider midfielders to pressurise the opposition play maker and he’s very good at being aggressive in that. He also makes good runs forward. He’s also played out wide and he’s one of the few pure midfielders that can also take up that role in certain situations, because he’s got pace and strength.

"He’s important to us – he needs to keep this up and improve when he gets high up the pitch. He plays the ball too centrally and could make better choices. Looking at how this lad is performing out there, however, you can only give him credit.”

How key has De Rossi’s return been?

“When you’re building a team there are certain players who are vital. Daniele’s timing is excellent and he makes good decisions – he doesn’t show the opponents where he’s going to put the ball. He’s a savvy footballer. In the 4-3-3 set up we can’t do without him. You need certain characteristics in that role.”

Why have you been conceding so many? Perhaps it’s not just an issue with the defence?

“When we play with two holding midfielders, a gap can be left when we’re pressing. When you have one play-maker that’s not so much of a problem. This has often been an issue, including in Florence when we wanted to build play. At certain points of games you need focus – that’s something that can be worked on and improved in training. I got a good response from the team tonight, though the defensive side angers me. We needed to be more attentive, although we allowed them very few shots. We wanted to put in a good defensive display today.”

Zaniolo is the second youngest player in Roma’s history to score three Serie A goals, after Francesco Totti. Can you compare the two?

“He’s got nothing to do with Francesco Totti. One quality he has in common with him is that he doesn’t talk too much and always wants the ball. If he makes a mistake, he gets the ball again. That’s a real virtue. I hope he remains that carefree, even when he renews his contract. He’ll have a lot of teams after him but he’s already at a big club – he should treasure that, considering the opportunity he’s been given.”