“It was a crazy game, as we conceded goals, scored, conceded for 4-4, then won 5-4,” Locatelli told Sky Sport Italia.
“I think the thing we ought to remark is the character of this team. We made a lot of mistakes too that need to be analysed, we didn’t have the right approach from the start, and that cannot happen. We weren’t solid enough, as Israel were dangerous on the counter-attack.
“We need to analyse the match, but the victory is what we needed, and we achieved that.”
Italy set out in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the 5-0 win over Estonia on Gennaro Gattuso’s debut on Friday, but changed to more of a 3-5-2 this evening in Debrecen.
“We are trying some new things, but perhaps it was the excessive desire to score more goals for the goal difference that led us to make mistakes,” added Locatelli.
“We scored a lot of goals, but conceded too many as well. These three points are golden, especially after a match like that.”
If there is something Italy can celebrate, it is the emergence of a growing attacking partnership between Kean and Mateo Retegui.
“They are truly talented strikers, and also really nice guys, which is crucial for us in the present and the future.”