http://napolifootball.com/index.php/2016/08/26/sarri-mertens-scores-two-goals-game-can-stare-shower/
Sarri “If Mertens scores two goals a game he can stare at me while I shower.”
Leading up to the Milan match tomorrow Sarri held a press conference today. Here are some of the things he said:
Reactions on the Pescara match?
We were lazy and suffered because of it. There were both positive and negative things to draw from the match but I don’t concern myself much with matches in August. In Italy we shouldn’t even play in August.
Will Gabbiadini be available for the match tomorrow?
Yes. I don’t concern myself with transfer rumors. He has practiced well and will be available to me. Manolo suffers a bit the beginning of the season because it takes him some time to find form. The first half against Pescara isn’t his fault.
Milan?
They haven’t had an exceptional transfer market this year but they did last year and those players will begin to really settle in. Montella is giving them their own identity and it will be a difficult match.
On Milik and Mertens (He avoids answering the question if they will start tomorrow or to give them full credit for the comeback in the second half.)
They did well but the team was beginning to play better even before they had entered.
Milik is coming from a different reality but already seems comfortable here. He also has room to improve.
Mertens plays closer to the striker which can be useful but we also lose some width.
His stare after the second goal? If he thinks that will affect my decisions he is completely wrong but if he continues to score two goals a game then he can stare at me even while I take a shower.
On whether to the performances in the Pescara match will affect squad selection
Everything is taken into account when selecting the squad; from last year’s performances, to practice, and more recent performances.
On Jorginho
Of course he is an important player but the main problem against Pescara was our approach, not any single player.
On Zielinski
We were thinking of putting him on for Allan to push for the victory late in the match but the Hamsik injury made us use that substitution differently.
On the Champions League group
It would be a mistake to underestimate it. There are three league champions in our group. People might have thought Roma were favored to beat Porto and look what happened. Benfica finished 15 points ahead of Porto.
On going forward
We have to show the fans that we are willing to work hard for the full match. Against Pescara we did not do that.

