De Rossi: “Delighted with the performance. Incredible support from the owners”

This is what the boss had to say...

What did you like most and what did you like less about today?

“I liked our performance – I'm delighted with that. What I liked most was seeing them put into practice the things I'd been drumming into them during the week of training we had.

“I liked the way we played. Obviously, when you get an early goal it seems easier, but in our last two games we took the lead and got a second, it looked like we were dominating and yet we ended up having to fight till the end. So I'm pleased that we managed our lead well today - that period when you ease off a little.”

This was Paulo Dybala's best game so far, not just for the goals but also the way he seems to have bought into your idea of football. He was very difficult for the opposition to pick up. We should mention the midfield too: there seems to be more belief there. Lorenzo Pellegrini scored but Bryan Cristante impressed too with his running into the opposition third. Are you starting to see the Roma you have in mind?

“I want to see my players flooding the area – that's important for any team. Sometimes goals come about with a bit of luck, from a rebound for example, and other times they come from inspired play by the top footballers we have in this team, like with our second goal.

“I asked Bryan to make lots of runs into the box, especially when Angelino was on the pitch because he has a wand of a left foot. Bryan's always had that in his locker, though he perhaps did it more at Atalanta than here at Roma. He knows how to time his runs. They all did a good job of filling the area and making runs in behind the Cagliari backline. I liked what I saw, not just in midfield. We were alert in defence too. We have lots of things to improve but I'm pleased with our performance today.”

We saw three training-ground moves from set-pieces: one led to a goal, another got you a penalty and the third was very nearly another goal by Dybala. How much have you been working on those?

“Honestly we spent a bit more time on set-pieces this week. I didn't have so much time in previous weeks.

“Actually that was a set-piece that didn't go to plan. We did it at SPAL and Georgi Tunjov and Alessandro Murgia turned it into what it was tonight. I'd planned something different but it didn't come off right and they adjusted it.

“We did it again. We've done it now and [Simone] Inzaghi will have seen it so we can't do it anymore. But lots of games are decided by set-pieces so they're very important.”

What did you ask of Cristante, besides making those Atalanta-style runs? Did you ask him to drift out wide and switch to 4-4-1-1 when Dybala came inside?

“We ask him drop back into a sort of full-back position so that we can build with four and allow Rick Karsdorp to push up and provide width further forward, because they had their wing-back and it meant Paulo could play between the lines. It's an option we have.

“Obviously if Bryan drops in, we can't ask him to get into the box as well. Sometimes he can. But he's such an intelligent player that he understands what to do when. In the second half we asked him to stay back a bit, ready for a counter-attack. He's so smart you don't even need to tell him: you look at him and he's already clocked it.”

What do you want from Dybala defensively?

“It depends on the opposition. I want him to put in a shift. But we're also trying to figure out how much work we want him to do. In the first game we had him chasing the Verona full-back a bit too much and it wore him out a bit, although his fitness wasn't as good then as it is now. We need to try and get him to work, to come back and operate behind the ball, sometimes through the middle, so that when we win possession he's in the best position to exploit his ability.”

Is now the right time to play such a difficult match as Inter?

“Sooner or later you have to play these games. It's time for us to believe. We spoke briefly about it after the match. It's right to celebrate victories and keep morale high but we've done virtually nothing so far.

“Everyone says Inter are the best team in the league and I agree with that. Not many say they also play the best football and personally I think that does a disservice to Simone Inzaghi because they play really good football. Perhaps only Bologna play as well as they do.

“We're going to need to be at our absolute best if we want to beat them.”

I know Tiago Pinto has been very supportive in the last few weeks. It seems you've hit it off immediately with the Friedkin family too. Is that right?

“Tiago was amazing with me but even now that he's gone there's still an incredible level of support. I spoke to Dan this afternoon and it's not usual for a young coach to have the owners giving you the backing and support they promised and to keep giving it to you constantly, day after day.

“Here in Trigoria I'm in very close contact with Lina [Souloukou], every day, and we're working to ensure everything is done well. We share ideas. I'm made to feel very comfortable here. They're helping me.

“The good things we've seen so far are not things I've done by myself – it's also thanks to the faith they've shown in me and the credibility they've given me in the eyes of the players from day one.”