Giampaolo pulls no punches: “We lacked character and focus”

It’s been a month since Sampdoria last tasted victory, away to Atalanta, and this afternoon against Roma was another chastening experience for Marco Giampaolo.

“Maybe we’ve been overrated and we need a dose of humility to start again,” the coach reflected after the game. “This result is more difficult to analyse than the last one, because the team did things well, but we just couldn’t manage the tough moments.”

The gaffer felt his players were shying away from the challenge at times.

“We should chastise ourselves for the lack of character in some moments of the game,” Giampaolo insisted. “Our level of focus was too low and we weren’t taking enough responsibility. Take the last goal for example, you can’t concede like that at the end of the game from a throw-in.”

Had the VAR decision gone the other way, there may have been a different complexion to the match.

“I accept VAR even though I’ve got some doubts. I don’t think he should have reviewed it, seeing as it wasn’t a serious mistake. It’ll get crazy sometimes these are reviewed and sometimes not, but we carry on.

“We need to reset and start again after defeat” the coach concluded. “We didn’t manage the game properly today and we weren’t dangerous enough going forward. As well as raising the bar, you also need to keep it there: that takes character and self-belief, otherwise you need to revaluate yourself.”