Stefano Pioli hailed his Lazio players after they played with ‘assurance and simplicity’ in their 4-0 victory over Palermo on Monday night.
Despite a difficult start to proceedings at the Renzo Barbera, the Romans eventually ran the Rosanero ragged, with Filip Djordjevic notably helping himself to a hat-trick.
Stefano Pioli hailed his Lazio players after they played with ‘assurance and simplicity’ in their 4-0 victory over Palermo on Monday night.
Despite a difficult start to proceedings at the Renzo Barbera, the Romans eventually ran the Rosanero ragged, with Filip Djordjevic notably helping himself to a hat-trick.
“It was a unique match because we were coming into it on the back of two defeats,” Pioli has considered to Sky Sport Italia in post-match analysis.
“Tonight, I saw the right determination from the lads. It was 90 minutes of assurance and simplicity.
“Even in our defeats, the players always applied themselves well enough. I put Mauri in [tonight] because he is dogged. We stopped [Palermo’s] vertical play in midfield, created chances and passed the ball around very well.
“Djordjevic gives us so much depth [in attack]. We expected a goal from him tonight, and he did what he had to do. [Ogenyi] Onazi can cover all three roles in midfield.”
Pioli then reflected on the nomadic management of the club in recent years, which has seen numerous Coaches come and go during that time, but maintained that he was the right man for the job.
“The club has changed Coaches many times – we are trying to change the philosophy and mentality of the past.
“The team have fulfilled their duties, and we are looking for compactness. We don’t deserve our current position, and that's why we are giving everything on the pitch.
“We are on track. My goal is to involve all the players, train them and potentially win trophies. The fact that we enter the field with the right attitude means that the team are improving.”