Bologna manager Vincenzo Italiano expressed frustration following his team`s 1-0 defeat to AC Milan, admitting they are “still waiting for that change of pace” to convert possession into dangerous attacking opportunities.
Despite dominating possession for long stretches at the San Siro, Bologna struggled to create clear chances. Milan hit the woodwork multiple times before Luka Modric scored the decisive goal, finishing off a move he started in midfield.
Italiano acknowledged Bologna`s need to improve, stating: “We must keep working on the tempo and intensity, which is what made the difference for us last season. We aren`t doing that yet and the new players are still learning, so we`ve got to get those mechanisms working quickly with the new arrivals.”
The coach highlighted recurring issues with Bologna`s possession play being static and unproductive. “We knew that Milan would play with a low block and that we could have the ball at our feet for long periods, but we weren`t quick enough changing from one side to the other, and didn`t get enough one-on-one situations to take men on down the flanks,” Italiano explained.
He emphasized the need for more crosses into the box and bodies in attacking positions. With Bologna scoring just once in their first three Serie A matches, their lack of offensive production is becoming a concern.
“We did face three very good opponents and must try to create more scoring opportunities, get bodies into the box, and get the finishes away quicker,” Italiano concluded. “These are intelligent players, they`ll know all that when we work in training next week.”