Carlo Ancelotti Says Napoli 'Played With the Right Mentality' in Emphatic Win Over Sorry Frosinone
Carlo Ancelotti insisted his side have learned from their previous mistakes after beating Frosinone 4-0 at the Stadio San Paolo.
Napoli were keen to make amends having been held to a disappointing 0-0 draw in their last home game against Chievo, and it took them just seven minutes to go in front. A well-taken strike from Polish winger Piotr Zielinski gave the hosts the perfect start, before youngster Adam Ounas doubled Napoli's advantage just before the break.
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A second half double from Arek Milik wrapped up the win in emphatic fashion as Napoli ran out 4-0 winners and extended their lead over third place Inter in the Serie A table to six points whilst also keep the pressure on Juventus at the top.
Speaking to the club's official website after the game, Ancelotti insisted his team have learned from their mistakes and heaped the praise on those who came into the team for the game. He said: “We played with the right mentality today. This game was a potential banana skin and we cleared it well.
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“We slipped up once but we've learnt to how to deal with certain games now. I saw lots of positives out there today, regardless of the score line, and that fills me with confidence. The lads who came into the team performed well. They all did good things.
"[Alex] Meret, [Amin] Younes and [Faouzi] Ghoulam have worked so hard over the last few months to get back to fitness and they deserved a chance. I'm happy for them and for the whole team. I rotated the squad not just to rest a few legs but also to give playing time to some of the other lads. I need everyone and this is the way forward.”
The win was exactly the confidence booster his Napoli side needed heading into their crucial clash against Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League on Tuesday night, where a draw would be enough to see the Italians through to the knockout stages. Ancelotti went on to reflect on his previous experiences at Anfield before giving us a hint on what to expect from his side.
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He added: “I have lots of memories of Anfield, and my last one is a good one because I won the title there with Chelsea. It's going to be a tough, exciting match. We'll go there and play our usual game. It would be counter-productive to try and park the bus. Besides anything else, that's not how we play.
“We'll try to boss the game and I'm sure the lads are ready and fired up to give their absolute all. We'll go there with an attacking mindset.”
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It'll be an enthralling night at a venue which has hosted many magical European nights over the years, and Ancelotti will certainly be hoping to make a lasting memory for the Napoli fans by leading them into the knockout stages.
