Mourinho: Decent performance but not the result we were after

Tammy Abraham had opened the scoring for the visitors with just 10 minutes remaining, only for Andrea Pinamonti to slide home from close range soon after.

Here's what Mourinho had to say to TV reporters after the match...

With a bit more concentration, you could have come away with the win tonight…

“It was a good performance. With the limitations we have, of course, but we did what we could. We showed a positive attitude, serious and focused, after two tough days where the atmosphere around the place was pretty heavy and the players were downbeat. But tonight the players tried to win, tried to overcome our limitations. We played well, we did a good job of restricting a tough opponent – because they very quick, good on the counter-attack and know how to attack the spaces.

“And it disappoints me because the effort the squad made was betrayed by one player because of an unprofessional attitude. He betrayed the effort everyone else made. You never heard me speaking like this after Ibanez’s mistake against Lazio, because the attitude was and always right; mistakes are part of the game and players know that they can make mistakes without being criticised by me.

“But an unprofessional attitude, an incorrect attitude compared to his teammates – that’s what annoys me. But, it’s a point, a point away from home, and a result you can’t say is negative. I was generally pleased with the attitude of the side.”

But in terms of individual efforts, there are players…

“There’s one.”

Do you want to say who?

“No. I have already told him in the changing room – something I don’t often do, because normally after games I don’t speak in the changing room. I had 16 players out there tonight and I was happy with the attitude of 15 of them. There is one whose attitude I didn’t like, and I have told him that. And there is another to whom I just had a question, asking why they showed that attitude tonight and not every single game. But other than that, I am pleased with my players.

“Obviously I am not pleased with the result; it’s not a tragedy, it’s still positive, but it’s not the result we wanted. But we move on. We have one more game before the break against a good team in Torino. Let’s see if we can bring this phase of the season to a close with three points.”

Today, more than ever, you lacked that creativity in behind the attackers, without Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala.

“The kid [Cristian Volpato] tried to provide that. And I cannot criticise a kid who up until a few months ago was playing and training on a plastic pitch, competing in a low-quality competition like the Primavera.

“I cannot expect that this lad will play in every game and light it up. He did well tonight and I am pleased with him; he has talent and just needs to keep improving. But I cannot expect that he puts the team on his shoulders.

“In the first half Eldor Shomurodov should have scored. That’s one of the issues we are dealing with. But, as a team, I don’t feel like I can ask much more of them. I’m satisfied.”

Did dropping Abraham to the bench tonight end up sparking the right reaction?

“For the forwards as well, I don’t really like rating their performances based on goals. Obviously its goals that help you win. But I cannot be critical towards Eldor for missing that chance, when he gave everything he could tonight. And I cannot be too critical of Belotti because right now he lacks a bit of confidence, he lacks experience playing at this level of greater expectation and he still needs to adapt.

“I can tell you that the player I asked that question to in the changing room was Tammy. Beside the goal, which was obviously really important, he showed the right attitude: he won some duels, he put his body on the line, he looked to run in behind, he dropped deep, he kept the ball and was a focal point for the attack. He had a good game.”

Will you have Paulo Dybala back for Sunday’s game?

“I don’t know. It’s hard to say. I don’t know what’s been said in the messages between him and the Argentine FA and their national team coach Scaloni. I don’t know if he needs to play on Sunday in order to be picked for the World Cup.

“But one thing I do know is that the players who are going to the World Cup, many of them since the last game have had their heads more focused on that than this. But clearly we could do with Paulo. If it is down to me, I would like to have him available against Torino.”