Fonseca: We need to keep pushing down this path

Sunday's Serie A meeting with Genoa at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris gets underway at 15:00 local time.

How will the attack change now that Baorja Mayoral will have to start in the place of Edin Dzeko?

“They are players with different attributes. We are all well aware of how important Edin Dzeko is for our team. He was in good form, he had a brilliant game against Fiorentina.

"Tomorrow Borja will start for us, Edin won’t be there. But that can’t change the attacking intent the side has. The approach, the ambition we show has to be the same.”

A lot of teams are in the battle for the top four spots. Small margins could decide things. That being said, shouldn’t a player like Mayoral arrive at a club like Roma ready to start any game?

“We need to understand that Serie A is a very different league. If we have a player like Pedro, who already has a lot of experience and can use that to adapt quickly, then that’s a bonus. But a young player like Borja is going to need some time. That’s normal. It’s been the same with Carles Perez, with Gonzalo Villar.

"We need to give some time to these young players as they adjust to a tactically complicated league like Italy’s. And they have to be given the opportunity to grow and improve.”

On Monday they will hear the case over the Verona-Roma match. Are you confident about the verdict?

“I’ve talked about this before. It’s clear to everyone that we did not get an competitive advantage from this situation. A mistake was made, but the penalty should not be the same as it would be if we had actually gained an advantage. For that reason, I have confidence.”

What do you make about the testing controversy at Lazio right now?

“I can only talk about what we do here with our testing. I can’t speak about anyone else.”

Last season Roma faded in January, just as they appeared set to take flight. Are you confident that won’t happen again this season?

“What’s important is what’s right now. The future, for me, is tomorrow. I can’t talk about what may or may not happen in January because we are in November. What matters is the next game, and tomorrow we have an important, difficult game.”

It seems that the team is improving as players slot into ever-more specialised roles: some creating space, and some closing it down. Is that fair?

“We can’t separate the two things. This is the process. We have players that try to find space, try to get in behind, and we also have players who like to get on the ball and initiate the construction of passing moves. But it’s a team process, we can’t separate those aspects. The team is understanding the things they need to do.”

Are you thinking about not releasing players for the international break – as some clubs are doing, in line with the new FIFA rules? What does the chairman think?

“On this, I leave it up to the relevant authorities to make a decision.”

Henrikh Mkhitaryan played almost alongside Borja Mayoral on Thursday night – might you do that again tomorrow then, considering Borja will start again?

“A lot has been said about this. My decision to play with two up front in that game was not anything to do with Borja Mayoral – it was about the game, the style of play, the opponent we were facing. That’s it. It wasn’t about choosing to give Borja a partner.”

So far this season, one of the negatives could be the occasional errors from your players when trying to pass out from the back….

“We prepare every game by looking at the pressing of the opponent. It’s very different when we face a team that presses man-to-man, compared to one that presses in zones or does a mix of the two.

“I want my team to have this courage. I want them to keep playing, even in the moments when they are under pressure, because there are a lot of advantages that come with that. In my opinion a player that lacks that courage can’t play in this team. Even if we make mistakes from time-to-time, I’m happy with the courage my players show.”

The team has kept three clean sheets in a row. Has something changed defensively?

“It’s important to say that the defensive approach comes from the whole team. If we don’t press further up the pitch, then it becomes harder to defend deeper later on. But I think the squad is doing well, is defending well. Every player has shown they are willing to press and defend. It’s important not to concede – but the credit for that goes to the whole side. Not just the backline.”

What grade would you give Roma for this cycle of matches?

“We haven’t finished the cycle yet – there’s still tomorrow’s game. So far we have done well, but the past doesn’t matter much if we don’t continue to build towards the future. The future is tomorrow. We need to continue with the same team spirit, the same attitude, and that starts again tomorrow.”