Lazio manager Gennaro Gattuso face press before home clash against Monza for Serie A, and e yarn say e side must dey fully alert so dem no fall into trap. E call Monza brave young team with energy, say dem go come with intensity. Gattuso talk say Lazio need ready and humble, because game look easy but e no easy at all. E add say e go take great Lazio to bring points home.
On long break, Gattuso say players rest, dem give minutes to those who never get, and some return from international duty fired up with minutes in legs. E see dem look good with intensity wey dem dey find. E happy with how dem come back and how dem train.
About Pinamonti, e say as e talk for Venice, decisions na him own now. Pinamonti and others must stay calm. E dey rotate team because dem need everybody, then e go choose. E happy with how Pinamonti train and improve, and say the player must keep going like that, same for everybody.
On Provstgaard and whether e deserve rest, Gattuso say dem go see tomorrow. E describe Provstgaard as well, with physique of Iron Man. E like work, e strong, e already get almost 2,000 minutes for pitch, e train, e dey go at thousand miles an hour like everybody else.
On Pellegrini, Gattuso say na simple: e dey speak to everybody, Luca know club dynamics. Na club matter, dem go see wetin happen. Club know him thoughts, and as long as e dey there, Pellegrini and others must dey treated as professionals and treated well. E never leave squad, e always make himself available, e play friendlies. E understand say somebody must drop because Lazio get three left-backs. For Gattuso, Pellegrini na 100 per cent Lazio player, then e up to club.
When dem ask whether Lazio growth against aggressive teams depend on better passing, Gattuso disagree. E say if you keep passing around and no look forward, you risk lose ball. E want team look forward, e no care about possession. When dem win ball back, if dem want press ultra-offensive, dem must look forward.
On where Lazio fit improve and whether e go rely on internationals or rested players, e say those na concerns dem dey talk with coaching staff. You try change as little as possible, go with certainties. Assessments don make. Dem must stay in game without being hit by event. E recall Venice game: first half of enormous suffering, but second half dem get back into game and improve. Against Milan, after 2-2, e think say e go end in tragedy, but dem do well to hold on again.
On balance for tomorrow, Gattuso say dem go see, but at moment dem wan play certain way. If dem wan do certain things, dem must do am 100 per cent. E say game one wey need mental sharpness, know wetin to play. Monza aggressive, dem no dey fear. Lazio must get courage and know how to hurt Monza. First place mean little, e no dey look table. Dem dey think only Monza, then dem go see. E no dey dizzy, e take humility and desire to keep surprising people.
On any player with Tavares-like potential, Gattuso say e hate lazy people, who get enormous talent and think say dem no fit improve. E don know many champions, e play with eight Ballon d'Or winners for him career, and difference na work and humility. E annoy am when talented people dey do bare minimum, because na waste. For sport, you fit always improve. E say those no be stock phrases. If dem dey where dem dey, dem must keep pedalling. E see people dey do am, dem dey try something new, e see enthusiasm and desire. E hard work, sometimes e see tired faces, but everybody know say if dem wan play like this, only one road: work and go hard.
On Frattesi talk say e go walk from Milan to Rome, Gattuso say e dey very direct. With Davide, e remember well wetin dem talk when e be head coach. E say e no go feel right if e no dey direct with am. Dem know him characteristics; for a period e lose him way small and maybe become too comfortable. Then Gattuso come here, dem talk, e push am to make choice, but e no compulsory for am to come. E do am with all players, e always get wonderful relationship with them. E fit get problem, but next day e over. Dem don talk say e dey argue with players and presidents, but e no dey bear grudges. If e see honesty and intelligence, e like discussion. E get one flaw: e want things done properly for pitch. If somebody tired, e rather not see am for pitch; player tell am and e give rest. Two or three players wey no dey go hard fit ruin entire team. Anybody wey know am immediately know wetin e be like.
On wetin dem focus during break, e say e easy: dem make them work hard, then let them rest because dem push hard and e right for them to dey with families, except Cancellieri, who really do something big. E used to give team small rewards as days off, then dem return and e kill them with workload.
On timetable from treatment room, Gattuso say na why dem arrange statement, and best thing na for doctor to come explain dynamics. With Marusic, hope bin dey to get am back sooner, but small issues dey. For the rest, dem dey right track, the one dem suppose dey. Cataldi don train with team for 5-6 days. On Gudmundsson, e say e no be doctor; idea na say for 10-12 days the player go remain out with arm immobilised.
On upfront choices, e say best three start, then dem go see as game go on. On whether e go speak to club about Pellegrini, e say dem still get two places to fill, club know wetin e think. On possible addition of another free agent if market block in January, e say e dey speak to sporting director every day. E dey speak small about football with president. You must understand things on human and football level; many aspects dey. This group works and gets on well together. A group wey follow dem. Dem must dey very good not to make mistakes, e strongly believe that. Then e depend on wetin market offer and wetin fit do. But on human level dem must not get anything wrong.
On whether e meet president or talk about fans issue, Gattuso say e no fit talk about fans, and e dey wearisome to keep saying same thing. E fit do little; na issue between president and fans. The less e talk, the better. Delicate topics dey, and anything said these days dey get exploited. For am, na shame to play for stadium like Olimpico without fans. From now on, e no go talk about this again.
Lazio enter the clash after encouraging start under Gattuso. Former tough-tackling midfielder don guide club to four victories and one draw from opening five league matches. That form put Biancocelesti among three teams sharing top spot before this round. Dem secure 2-0 victory over Venezia before break, then 2-0 win against Arezzo, then draw 2-2 with Juve Stabia in back-to-back friendlies. Lazio unbeaten in last six Serie A meetings against Monza, and dem get only one defeat in last eight Serie A matches at home, with four wins and three draws.
Monza finally get season moving before international break by beating Sassuolo 2-1. That result end difficult opening stretch where dem record one draw and three defeats before first league victory. Despite first win, dem fail build on am, lose 3-2 to Cremonese and play 2-2 draw with Brest in back-to-back friendly games. Improving away performance remain major priority. Monza never win on road this season, draw once and lose twice. Lazio and Monza no score more than two goals in four of last six Serie A meetings. Monza defensive record concern, with 12 goals conceded before this round, figure surpassed only by Venezia 13 in division.
