Cagliari vs Hellas Verona preview - Zola wants attacking impetus
Posted Saturday, February 28, 2015 by PA
Cagliari coach Gianfranco Zola believes his team need to be more ruthless in attack if they are to defend their Serie A status this season.
The Sardinian outfit host Hellas Verona on Sunday looking for their first win since January 24.
A lack of goals, Cagliari have not scored more than one goal in a game since their 2-1 triumph over Sassuolo in January, and an inability to finish teams off is costing Zola's side dearly.
Monday's 2-1 home defeat to Inter Milan kept them in 18th place, three points adrift of safety.
"We create good chances but we struggle to put them away," Zola told Italian TV station Rai. "This is limiting the performances of the team.
"We play well but when you struggle to score everything becomes more difficult.
"You need to make the most of your chances and it's something that we have to work on.
"It's a problem that we need to resolve as soon as possible if we are to win games and climb up in the standings."
Zola is hoping to have Italian forward Marco Sau back in time for Sunday's clash.
Sau, who has scored four goals and set up three more, is fighting against the clock to recover from a muscular problem sustained against Inter.
Cagliari playmaker Albin Ekdal, who has also struck four times this season, will return having missed last week's encounter with flu.
Hellas have not kept a clean sheet since January 24 and travel to the Sant' Elia stadium after holding scudetto hopefuls Roma to a 1-1 home draw.
The outcome in Verona eased the pressure on Hellas coach Andrea Mandorlini, whose team had lost their previous three games.
Hellas are 15th in the standings, five points clear of Cagliari and are winless away from home since December 14.
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