Mourinho: Plenty to improve on but positive signs overall

Roma cruised into the Europa Conference League group stage on Thursday night after a 3-0 home win over Trabzonspor.

Bryan Cristante, Nicolo Zaniolo and Stephan El Shaarawy scored the goals on the night, as the Giallorossi ran out 5-1 winners on aggregate.

Here's what boss Jose Mourinho made of the game...

What did you like most about that performance?

“The mentality, the result … the spirit too. Even if the team went through a couple of bad spells, because the opposition were good tonight, I think the fans saw that there was a spirit there, there was a way of approaching the game, and that’s what I liked.

“It’s a shame that a team like Trabzonspor can’t even get to play in the Conference League this season, because they are a Europa League-level side. They are a really good team. If Rui Patricio does not make that amazing save just after half-time then it could have been a very different game.

“We need to have the humility to realise that perhaps the final scoreline is more a reflection of the last 15 or 20 minutes than the full 90. Going home having conceded three goals is too harsh on Trabzonspor.”

You are starting to have an impact on this Roma…

“It’s really important that you know what to do when you are in a bit of trouble. When you are dominating, it’s easy from a mental perspective. When you are in trouble, you need to be able to resist and respond to that. And you need to have a goalkeeper that came here for this: Rui Patricio did not come here to visit a beautiful city, but he came here to make saves like that.

“That save really helped the team respond during a moment of difficulty. Then, of course, we have the quality to attack on the counter very well – and we did that – but the reality is the game could have been completely different.”

What will that goal mean to Nicolo Zaniolo?

“I asked him if needed a few days off now, given he is banned at the weekend, and he told me no. For me it would not have been a problem to give him two days of holiday. But he told me, ‘No, no, I can’t play but I want to be with the rest of the squad’. That means something to me.”

What did you make of Tammy Abraham tonight?

“In terms of his fitness and physical condition he’s still not at our level – but I think everyone can see his quality and the mentality he has. In his last three minutes on the pitch, despite the fatigue, he made a great defensive clearance and, with Rick Karsdorp out of position, he ended up helping out at right back briefly too.

“Then [Eldor] Shomurodov came on and really added a lot to the team. And it’s a shame that we couldn’t give Borja Mayoral a chance to play – because right now he deserves to be playing too.”

The players seem to be improving under you already…

“I’m improving with them as well. And that’s really important for me. They will improve with me, and I will improve working with them too. Because, if I want to do my job well, I need to love my players. If I don’t have that feeling, then I’m a different person, a different coach. So I have to thank them all: I am delighted to be growing with them too.”

Where can Roma still improve?

“In so many things: in terms of the mental approach, you can feel it. Defensively the team is doing well at the moment. Even when we dropped into a lower block, because the opposition were starting to dominate a bit, we looked well organised.

“We need to improve on our pressing higher up the pitch; right now the team finds it a bit of a struggle at times, perhaps because we don’t have players who naturally like to press like that. By nature, or whatever else, they perhaps prefer to wait and then see if the ball comes to their feet. But I want the team to press more and then to react quickly once they have won the ball back.

“We have a lot of players that are great with the ball at their feet and I would like them to be like that when they don’t have it too.

“The fans, meanwhile, need to appreciate that we have won three games so far – not 30. We need to stay calm. It’s one thing to be encouraged and positive because of the way the team is growing and some of the qualities we are showing, but we have to keep that awareness that there are other teams in our league who are on a different level in terms of experience, squad size, power.

“If you look at our bench, there are a few positions where we struggle to match up a bit to those at the very highest level. I am 58 and I have coached 998 games, and I am not going to get wrapped in the enthusiasm of others to say things I shouldn’t. We are doing well, but we have to keep the right perspective.”

Lorenzo Pellegrini looked in inspired form tonight. Was that because of what you said yesterday?

“Yes. He needs to sign his contract renewal tomorrow, or maybe the day after that… The club is in a great place with him and he is in a great place here with the club. He’s a great resource for us. He’s happy, he’s been here for years. He will absolutely sign a new deal soon. If he goes away with the national team, he will sign when he gets back.

“And we are all delighted about that, because he’s an important player who can achieve big things. That extension will happen soon.”