Andrea Sottil has called on his Udinese side to focus on the present and the next opponents Inter as they look to extend their fine run of form.
After defeating Sassuolo away last weekend, Udinese return to Dacia Arena – where they recently beat Fiorentina and Roma – to take on another heavyweight in the shape of Simone Inzaghi's side.
“The lads are enjoying the moment,” the coach explained. “There's a buzz about the place and everyone is keen to keep this run going. I had a good feeling from the start because we have an excellent squad here. The players have superb physical and technical qualities and they want to improve every day. That feeling I had has become reality: the team has grown game after game and they've shown they're mature enough to handle whatever is thrown at them.
“The lads have taken great strides forward in the last few weeks, both in terms of their fitness levels and their tactical understanding. I'm happy with what we're doing but we must keep it up. We cannot rest on our laurels. You must always put games behind you immediately – there's no point talking about the past. The here and now is all that matters. Our here and now is Inter and we're focused on tomorrow.
While the victories over Fiorentina and Roma were obtained through quick counter-attacking play, against Sassuolo Udinese had to adapt their game and break through their opponents' defensive stronghold.
“No two games are the same – that's not a cliché; it's the truth. There are lots of different situations to assess in every match. Against Sassuolo it was one-way football. It's not easy to unlock opposition teams when they get everyone back to defend their goal but we bided our time, kept shifting the ball around quickly and fashioning end solutions with crosses and shots from a distance. It worked out well.
“In any case, we must always maintain an aggressive approach and look to play vertical football. I don't mind us keeping the ball but it has to be effective – not just sterile possession. It has to take us towards the goal by exploiting the space. And we must be ready to mark up instantly the moment we lose possession. We have to do that from the first minute tomorrow.”