Gattuso Urges Napoli To Learn To Play Ugly
Gennaro Gattuso has urged his Napoli side to learn to play ugly after a last gasp 2-1 win at Udinese on Sunday.
Napoli bounced back from the midweek disappointing 2-1 home loss to Spezia thanks Tiemoue Bakayoko’s 90th minute header after Kevin Lasagna had cancelled out Lorenzo Insigne’s opener from the penalty spot.
The win lifted Gattuso’s men to sixth on the Serie A table, nine points behind leaders AC Milan, who claimed a 2-0 win over Torino on Saturday.
"I don't get angry with my players for their technique, it's when they don't smell fear. I think we are a team who repeatedly don't spot the danger when it's coming. I want to see a team that keeps going," Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia.
"I don't want us to miss a chance, then I see immediately the defenders start complaining to each other, oh we missed a goal, that means we're bound to concede one. No! We have to work as a team.
"We have to improve in when we're under pressure, because I know I don't have a side that can soak up pressure for ages, that's not our approach, but we can do better than we are now. You can't tell me that mentality cannot be improved or coached. I don't believe it.
"What happened with Spezia infuriated me, because the ball came off the post, we had five players ball-watching while Tommaso Pobega reacted quicker. That is a lack of determination, that is unacceptable.
"Napoli want to always be beautiful, but sometimes being a bit ugly is a good thing. You can't always be Brad Pitt, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Sometimes you have to be a bit ugly, like me. I look worse than usual now, as I'm all puffed up due to the cortisone shots, but I feel better."
