Gasperini's pre-Cremonese press conference

Here's what the boss had to say.

Do you think the attacking midfielders Bryan Zaragoza and Lorenzo Pellegrini have room for improvement? Zaragoza perhaps with his decision-making and Pellegrini by being more incisive?

“I'd say so, definitely. Pellegrini has been playing regularly but it can happen that you experience a dip in form and lose a bit of sharpness. However, I expect him to start playing a decisive role again, starting with this game against Cremonese. He's always made a big, consistent contribution to the team.

“As for Zaragoza, we need to give him a bit of time. He hasn't been here long and we threw him straight in, giving him playing time and responsibility. He has some very good qualities and he's already shown a bit of what he can do, but it takes a few games to properly adapt to the team and to become consistent.”

Will you pick the team bearing in mind that Wesley, Evan Ndicka and Gianluca Mancini are one booking away from suspension? And can you update us on Paulo Dybala's condition?

“Getting three points against Cremonese is essential. We need to be at our best and very determined because the points are important in every match and they're always difficult to earn. We can't look beyond this game.

“Dybala won't be involved against Cremonese. He's continuing his treatment and I'm really sorry for him, as I am for the others who are working to get back. He's doing everything he can to make himself available but he still has this niggle that's holding him back. He's fully determined to recover as quickly as possible.”

The players seem to be very well trained and recover quickly but there are lots of injuries. How do you explain that?

“Injuries are part of the game and always have been. It's even more the case nowadays because there are lots of matches and that's when most injuries happen. Games are played at a very high tempo and it's not always possible to fully recover between one game and the next. As for us, I have 14 or 15 players who have basically never been injured – touch wood – but there have been situations that have had a big impact: [Artem] Dovbyk, [Evan] Ferguson, [Leon] Bailey, Dybala, [Stephan] El Shaarawy and others. They've been sidelined for long periods. When you add up the matches they've missed, or the months in which certain players have been unavailable, it obviously has an impact. Over the course of 40, 50 or even 60 games, it can happen that someone has to miss a game or two, like [Manu] Kone, and that's par for the course. The real problem is when injuries drag on for weeks or months even – in that case it clearly has an impact on the team.”

Will Matias Soule be available against Cremonese? And what's your verdict on Lorenzo Venturino and Robinio Vaz? Who is closer to being ready and who needs to develop a bit more?

“Soule hasn't trained all week so he won't be involved. Hopefully he'll make it for our upcoming games.

“Venturino and Vaz are two very young players who were thrown into the action soon after arriving, partly out of necessity and partly to get a gauge of their maturity. They're very different. Venturino is on loan. He played a few games for Genoa last season and scored a few goals but hasn't played much this year. He plays in a position where we were short on numbers and I think with time he can help us.

“Vaz is a big investment the club has made. He's very young too and has only really made substitute appearances so far, but he's already scored some goals. The price tag is a bit of a burden for him because naturally it changes people's perception. I'm trying to understand how useful he can be for Roma in the short term, because I'm sure he will be very useful in the future. We have to assess him carefully based on what we see in training and his substitute appearances. It's not easy to slot straight into a difficult league like Serie A mid-season.”

There's talk of a possible reform of the refereeing system. Do you feel you were listened to after you shared your thoughts on the matter? 

“I spoke about topics that weren't connected to individual episodes, and not even to Roma or situations that worked in our favour or against us. I was referring to simulation, handball and contact, which are the areas that cause most problems. That's what the discussion should be about. There's a problem of interpretation which makes it difficult for referees, fans, players and coaches. Lots of people no longer agree with the rules on these matters, or in any case they are interpreted in vastly different ways, which means all sorts of things can be justified. My comments were about that only, not any specific situations in favour of one team or another. If you ask me about [Pierre] Kalulu and [Alessandro] Bastoni, I can tell you that there have been at least two other situations that were just as shocking.”

Donyell Malen was a marginal figure at Aston Villa in England but has had a huge impact at Roma. Do you think that's more due to his former club not seeing his potential or because Serie A is not as difficult? And, out of interest, what did you eat when you had dinner with Francesco Totti?

“I don't think Serie A is inferior; in fact, in many ways it's more difficult, especially for forwards. Malen is an Aston Villa player and plays for the Netherlands so he's an important player. When we signed him I said that I was convinced about his quality and the main reason I wanted him at Roma was because of his position. I told him very clearly: I think you should play in that position. He was often used on the wing in a 4-2-3-1 and ended up out wide, both in England and for his national team. I see him in that central role, where I think he can be decisive. A centre-forward doesn't necessarily have to be one metre 90. The way I want to play football, with the attributes he has, I think he can perform at his best in that position. He can play in other positions too but I think this is his natural role.

“There would have been nothing wrong with me going to dinner with Totti, but it didn't happen. I haven't spoken about it with the club or with [Claudio] Ranieri. But if you're asking me my opinion, I think Totti is a fantastic resource. I have my ideas about the sort of value he could add, but that's not a subject I've raised – Ranieri spoke about it. In any case, I see it as a great opportunity.”

A few weeks ago after you lost in Udine, you joked about the fact that if you don't finish fourth, the coach will get sacked. Looking to the future, and having been at Roma for months now, do you still see the potential to reach a high level or have you ever wondered why you came here?

“Let me stress one thing: both the club and Ranieri, at my presentation and in the following months, have always said this is a transition year, a season to grow and build. Obviously I see the Champions League as the only real target. I left a club in the Champions League and I really miss not being able to play in it. If someone thinks they can put pressure on me by saying, 'You have to finish in the Champions League spots', that for me has to be the target, but we know full well what it means to finish above teams like Juventus, Napoli, Como and Atalanta. We have a very good squad. I haven't come here to say, 'We'll see how it goes this year' and then again the year after and so on. I've come here to build a strong team. The two transfer windows, last summer and in January, were carried out with that in mind. It's not true that it's difficult to work in this city. It's difficult to work well, but not because of the city – you have to work well here. The city always responds, the stadium is full, with 130,000 people for these two games against Cremonese and Juventus. The difference is in the work you're able to do here.”

How do you see the team now after the January transfer window?

“We're working and we'll keep working. I've always been very happy with these players. I think they're exceptional in everything they do. We've been through – and are still in – an emergency situation, but we're pushing on and not looking for excuses. Of course, everything can be improved, but there has been growth. The team have more belief and awareness on the pitch now. In football you go through moments and difficulties but the attitude and commitment has never been lacking. Those are the foundations we should keep building on.”

Considering the January signings, what have you been most pleased with in the last few games and where do you still see margin for improvement?

“I think we're already at a good level but you can always do better. The problem at the moment is the players we're missing. If you lose Dybala, Soule, Ferguson and El Shaarawy – four forwards – it's going to be difficult for any team. It's one thing if one of them is missing for a week, but when players are out for a month or even more, it's a different matter. There are other clubs who have lost important players as well, but being without four players in the same position is tough. We don't even know when or if we'll have them all back. That's the only really critical matter. We're trying to get the best out of Venturino and Vaz, who are young, and Malen, who's just joined us and has helped a lot. If he hadn't joined us in January, we'd be in an even tighter spot. Hopefully we won't lose any more players and we can get some of them back as soon as possible. We'll have European football again in a few weeks' time and then we'll be playing three games in the space of a week again. That means we need to try and speed up the development of Venturino and Vaz, because they are our main alternatives in attack at the moment. They need to improve quickly – by playing games too – but at the same time we have to be careful and not expect too much of two young kids. They have lots of quality but you have to be realistic in your assessment and with your expectations.”

Could Kone play alongside Niccolo Pisilli? Is that another option besides Bryan Cristante or Neil El Aynaoui, who are perhaps better on the ball?

“All four of the players you mentioned are doing well. We have a wealth of options in that area. Given the emergency situation up front, we have to consider if any of them could play in a more advanced role – a bit like with Pellegrini. They can adapt but they can't offer the same attributes you get with proper forwards. In midfield we have plenty of cover and great options – they're all performing well. When we're back in European competition, having all these options will be a big advantage. Teams involved in multiple competitions need big squads and we're definitely well equipped in the middle of the park.”

It's been 90 days since the reverse fixture against Cremonese. Do you see a difference in terms of the team's character? And what do you expect from Cremonese, from a tactical point of view as well, at the Olimpico?

“I don't think anything has changed character-wise. I've had a good group of players since the first day of pre-season. They've always been fantastic in that sense and I'm sure they will continue to be until the end. We've never been found wanting as far as determination and sense of belonging are concerned. I think most of the credit for this season – until now at least – has been the players' desire and commitment to the cause. Everything can be improved of course but character-wise I have an amazing set of players.”

How do you expect David Nicola's side to play?

“I'm expecting a difficult game. At this stage of the season the points start being very important for everyone, whether you're aiming for the top prizes or fighting for other targets. Games tend to be tighter and more difficult in the second half of the season. We are incredibly motivated: if the season were to finish today, we'd be rewarded, and we don't want to drop down from this position. It mainly depends on us: if we don't make mistakes, it's hard for the others.”