After allowing three goals in seven minutes to lose to Juventus in Serie A, Roma’s players suffered the wrath of Jose Mourinho. Arsenal loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles began for Roma, and Tammy Abraham scored the game’s first goal.
After his Roma team lost a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 to Juventus, Jose Mourinho slammed his players, accusing them of being “weak” and “lacking personality.”
Roma appeared to be in command after goals from Tammy Abraham, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Lorenzo Pellegrini gave new recruit Ainsley Maitland-Niles his debut.
But Juventus turned the game around with three goals in seven minutes, before Wojciech Szczesny saved a penalty from Pellegrini to keep the lead.
Following a 3-1 setback to AC Milan in midweek, this is Roma’s second straight defeat in Serie A, and head coach Jose Mourinho was not happy.
“For 70 minutes, we were completely in control,” the former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham manager told DAZN.
“We came out and started strong because the team played exceptionally well and had the mentality of taking control.” We came up with the idea of a high press, where we could control the tempo and take the initiative.
“It was fantastic for the first 70 minutes, but then there was this psychological breakdown.” We were defeated 3-2 because Felix [Afena-Gyan] had an outstanding game that culminated in a sprint against [Juan] Cuadrado. When I remove him, his replacement [Eldor Shomurodov] gets everything wrong.
“When we let them back in for 3-2, it was a team with a strong attitude, a strong character, like Juventus.” The terror began to sink in. A psychological predicament. Having 3-2 isn’t a problem for me; it’s a problem for them. For the sake of my team.
“At the end of the day, you get back on your feet and find your character when you’re in the s***.” However, there are some people in this locker room that are a little too sweet and weak.
“I told the players that if the game had finished in the 70th minute, it would have been an outstanding effort,” he said. Regrettably, it did not end there.”
The setback has dealt a serious blow to Roma’s chances of finishing in the top four, as they are now in seventh place, nine points behind fourth-placed Atalanta, who also have a game in hand.
Mourinho expects that Maitland-Niles, who is on loan from Arsenal, will be followed by more “physicality and personality” reinforcements this month.
“I’ve never believed that my personality was sufficient. I had hoped it would be a little easier. For 70 minutes, we played a game that was also a result of our potential, but there is often a lack of personality in the squad’s main choices and the individuals who participate, even in managing emotions and in the game.
“I want to work here every day for the next three years, not just some of them.” I require assistance from the club that is commensurate with our abilities. Now we’re signing two loan players to help the club, one of whom is Maitland-Niles, and the other of whom I believe will arrive next week. A player with greater physicality and personality, who is capable of taking on some responsibilities.
“For some personalities, playing in their comfort zone, pretending to be six or seven, is too simple. We must break free from this mindset.
“After Milan, I told the guys that it was up to them to get closer to me, not me, and that I didn’t have to match their psychological profile.” “I’m not interested.”
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