< 
APPIANO GENTILE – Walter Mazzarri met with journalists today to discuss the Nerazzurri’s next league game against Atalanta, fielding questions on a range of topics – from his players and what he expects from them, to Stefano Colantuono’s side and Piero Ausilio’s contract extension, which was made official this morning.
The coach began by replying to a question about Atalanta’s recent tradition of obtaining good results at the Meazza: “We have to prove we’re good enough to break that tradition. Teams always find an extra gear when they’re up against Inter. We’re at the start of a new cycle, with a new set of players. You have to match your opponents on a physical and mental level. If we manage that, then we can let our quality shine through. I’d like to see the same approach tomorrow as we showed against Sassuolo, getting at them from the start instead of letting them get at us. We need to aim for consistency in all the games we play.”
The Inter manager then answered questions about specific players, starting with Guarin. “I have several ‘first choices’ for every position,” he explained. “In the modern game you need to be at your very best and when you play three games in a row you might not have enough energy to get through all three of them. Guarin has been playing very well. I have to see if he’s played at top speed and if he’s fresh enough to perform to the best of his ability. That goes for every position.”
Mazzarri then confirmed that Palacio is ready for a starting berth as he bids to reach full fitness: “I think it’s time for Rodrigo to start a game. We’ll see how he gets on. When he’s on form he’s the sort of player who’s capable of almost anything. He’s a modern striker who gets you goals, can beat his man or drop deeper.”
On Kovacic: “Mateo has come on in leaps and bounds, partly thanks to the work my backroom team have been doing with him. He handles himself differently on the pitch now: he misplaces fewer passes, his off-the-ball movement is better, he gets himself forward. His shooting has come on too and with the talent he’s got there’s still tremendous room for improvement.”
Might we see Inter playing with three up front? “As a coach you have to weigh up all your options based on the situation. You take on responsibility when you’re the coach of a club that’s starting a new cycle. We need to get back to winning as a team. I want a strong, balanced side that knows exactly what it’s doing. And I’d like to always score one goal more than our opponents.”
This morning it was announced that Piero Ausilio has signed a new contract. Mazzarri commented: “I’m happy. I like the new shape the club is taking. They’ve made decisions and brought in the right people, placing their confidence in them for the future. I think a club planning for the future needs to be as clear as possible with the fans and everyone, and know how to overcome any early bumps so that it can achieve long-term results.”
]]>