Press Conference: Fonseca calls for players to show their desire

Coach Paulo Fonseca answered questions from the media on Saturday afternoon, ahead of the weekend's Derby del Sole with Napoli.

Sunday's game at the Stadio San Paolo gets underway at 21:45 local time, with the Giallorossi looking to bounce back after successive defeats against AC Milan and Udinese.

Here's what the boss had to say going into the contest...

Every time a Roma midfielder loses the ball there is always so much space for the opposition to attack into – have you looked at this issue? Could the three-man defence be a solution?

“As I’ve said before, we have always worked on two systems: we can play with a three-man defence or a four-man defence. But the covering marking was not a problem in the first two games; against Udinese it was, but then that's more because we were a man down.

"If you watched the start of the game, we were arranged in a three-man system for the covering marking – but then with 10 men we had to take a few more risks especially later in the game.”

You are struggling to score goals – as far as the attacking hierarchy goes, are Carles Perez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan ahead of the rest right now?

“We’ll see tomorrow. Clearly Edin Dzeko will play. Micki is a strong option, while we will have to see how Carles Perez is physically – he played well and ran a lot the other night, but we only played two days ago. But they are both options.”

The team seems to have stopped performing since the rumours started about a takeover. Is there a relationship between the two?

“No – for me there isn’t any link between them.”

Do you think how things are going right now are in line with the initial expectations of the club?

“As I have already said, the assessments should be left for the end of the season. There are still nine games to go and there is the Europa League as well. It’s not the time to be making general assessments.”

You have always talked about the need to focus on the next match as the most important, and yet against Udinese you made eight changes and left out Dzeko – all with the Napoli game in mind. Can you explain that decision?

“I made changes, but only by putting in other players who have played a lot of games for the club – I didn’t put in guys who hadn’t ever played before. I have confidence in all my players.

"Right now you can’t just think about the game you are playing but, as I have already explained, you have to think about the next match too. The changes I made were because I have confidence in all my players.”

You have already taken responsibility for this run of form – can you tell us a specific mistake you think you’ve made?

“I always analyse the games after they are finished; when you win it doesn’t mean everything went perfectly, just as it doesn’t mean everything was awful if you lost. But right now the most important thing is to find answers for the issues we have had in the last two games and that is what I have to do: find solutions that help the team improve.”

Is it true that the players have admitted to feeling tired?

“It’s not true.”

Are you thinking about moving Gianluca Mancini into midfield, or changing the system?

“As I have already said, we have the option of using two different systems. Tomorrow we’ll see.”

Given the current results, do you feel like you job is up for discussion or that you could be fired? Do you feel like the club has given you its backing?

“No, I’ve always felt their support – even during the period. That’s from the board, the president and everyone else. I’ve never felt like I didn’t have their backing.”

President Pallotta made some harsh comments following the defeat against Udinese, but a short while ago he posted a tweet in which he confirmed his support for you. Have you heard from him personally?

“It’s natural that we are all angry when we lose. I was also very angry after the game. It’s normal as far as I’m concerned.”

Over the first three games Rome have got more stretched the longer each game has gone on. Why is that?

“After the game against Sampdoria I said that we had that problem, but I didn’t see it again in the other two. There were other issues, but not that.”

In this tough spell, what would you like to say to the supporters?

“That the players and staff need to work hard: this is not the moment to think that we have already done everything we can. We need to keep working. I have always felt the support of the fans, although it’s normal that they aren’t happy after the last two games – just like I’m not. But we need to play to win, playing for our fans with real spirit and hunger.”

Napoli will be a different prospect to the side you faced earlier in the season. What sort of a game will it be?

“They are a side with more confidence now, so it’s different to when we faced them here. They are doing well, playing well - even if they did lose the last game against Atalanta.

"It's clear to me that we are going up against a really strong side, who will be determined to win tomorrow.”