Ranieri Post Match Reaction: “Never relaxed, but united to win”

Here are some of Claudio Ranieri’s comments after today’s 2-1 victory over Cagliari:

“A good test for the youngsters, but the structure of the team is always important and the experienced players provide the support. Today we always kept the opponent in check, perhaps in the first half we were a bit slow, but I had asked them to switch the play frequently to keep the opponent off balance and Cagliari never, practically never, shot on goal. In the second half I wanted to change, sending Coutinho wide and inserting Alvarez; two players who, at the beginning, should have been on the bench or in the stands. I’m satisfied with the whole team.”

For example, one negative note of the evening was Wesley Sneijder:

“After the last ball he kicked in the warm-up he felt something like a contraction, but I thought it would have been useless to risk him. Difficult to get him back for Tuesday? I don’t know. I kept him out specifically to have him for the Champions League. We’ll see with the doctor and the player.”

An injury, but also two shots against the crossbar:

“I said it; we can never have a relaxed day. But this is what awaits us and we must continue to fight. We know that this is how our season will be. But you saw it; the team recovered and was more lively, strong-willed and fluid. Little by little we’ll get there.”

There was also a good showing from Walter Samuel and Andrea Ranocchia. Ranieri stated:

“They played as a unit, but overall I’m happy with all of them. I witnessed a compact team that pushed up when it needed to. There’s work to do, but that’s fine.” Then, on Ricky Alvarez: “I’ve used him twice as an attacking midfielder; the first time it went well, and the second time he didn’t really show his quality. So, speaking with him, I decided to use him wide on the left. Alvarez still has to become familiar with Italian football, but I strongly believe in him because he truly has some amazing technical ability.”