Smalling: Frustrating end to a solid month

The Giallorossi fell to a second defeat of the week at the Stadio Tardini, after second half goals from Mattia Sprocati and Andreas Cornelius.

Read what the defender had to say, when he spoke to Roma TV after the game...

Could you have done more at the end to rescue the game? Or did the efforts of the month catch up with you?

“I think obviously it has been a long month, a tough month but it’s been a good month on the whole. This week was almost a missed opportunity. The last-minute goal on Thursday, and then today we deserved at least a draw I think.

"They scored from a chance that was against the run of play, but it was a missed opportunity and we’re very disappointed not to cement our place high up the table.”

After two defeats in a row, does the international break come at the right time, do you think?

"I don’t think so, no. Once you’ve lost a game, and then you don’t have a game for two weeks, there is a lot of frustration. We’ll work hard over the international break but ultimately you want to put it right – so I’d rather there was a game in two days’ time.

"But this is the situation, so we’ll work hard and we’ll make sure we have a reaction when we play at home next.”

Could you have managed the game differently?

“We watched videos of them before and we knew we would be controlling the game, as we did today. We had a lot of the ball and their chances were only going to be on the counter-attack.

"I think perhaps we were so eager to play on the front foot, and to make our chances count, that we did let them have a few counter-attacks - which is disappointing. But ultimately I did think that we controlled the game, and to end up with a loss is very unfortunate and undeserved.”

Are you learning Italian? Because your experience could be valuable to the group, off the pitch as well…

“When I signed the club set out what they wanted, both on the pitch and off the pitch. They wanted someone with experience who can set an example on the pitch and off the pitch and make the difference.

"We want to win at this club, and the more winners we have on the pitch to set the example – like Edin [Dzeko] and Alex [Kolarov], who have won many things – then that can breath throughout the team, because we have got a young team who want to learn and want to get better and want to win things.

"Obviously this week has been disappointing in that regard, but we’ll work and get better over the next few weeks. You’ll see a reaction after the international break for sure.”