In Matchday 2 of the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur lost 0-2 at home to Newcastle United, suffering two consecutive defeats at the start of the season. After the match, Tottenham Hotspur manager De Zerbi held a press conference to answer journalists' questions.

How disappointing was Tottenham's attacking play in the final third today? They had many chances but never looked truly close to scoring a goal.

I'm disappointed with the result, and I apologize to the fans and for the atmosphere here. Because after two defeats, some people may think the story is repeating itself, reverting to the pattern of the last two seasons. I don't think that way, and I have no doubt about it. I cannot change my mind because of two defeats. I have extremely strong faith in the quality of my players. Ultimately, when we become a cohesive unit, when communication improves between players, when our play improves in quality, when our defensive play improves, and when we reduce the distance between our forwards, defenders and midfielders, when we build this team, this group—whether under my management or another coach's—the result won't change, because they are all excellent players.

I feel sorry for the club because in any case they are building an excellent team. But perhaps right now, for many reasons, we are not fully prepared. There are indeed many reasons why we're not ready yet, but today, before we conceded the first goal, I think we played better than Newcastle United. Newcastle United are a good team with good coaches and players—everything is fine—but we created more chances, had more shots, and our possession percentage was also higher than Newcastle's. In two or three dangerous situations in the first half, we struggled too much because the distance between our forwards and defenders was too large, leaving too much space for the opponent. And after we conceded, I think we lost confidence; our immediate reaction wasn't good enough, not the reaction I wanted to see on the pitch. I spoke with the players immediately after the match because when you're building something new, it's always difficult. There will always be problems, and the key difference is how you plan to find solutions to these problems, and the solution isn't to hang your head but to resist. Because we still had twenty minutes to score one, two, or even three goals.

So, before the transfer window closes, do you still want to sign another player in a specific position? Would it be an attacking player?

No, we're only talking about today's match. It would be inappropriate to discuss that now, otherwise it would look like making excuses, and I don't need excuses and I don't want to make excuses. What I want to say is that I'm even more convinced in our project now than I was against Brentford. I believe in our players. I think Marmush had a very good debut, and it was also the first match for Van de Ven and Pedro Porro. They returned to the team late, but after the World Cup and injuries they are crucial for this team. Sandro Tonali is another key player; his physical condition is not yet optimal, and he may need to adjust his fitness, though he has been training with us since the start of pre-season. I would say that if last season, when we were in the relegation zone—because when I first arrived we were in the relegation zone—I maintained a positive mindset, what do you think I'm thinking now?

Can I quickly ask about the squad? Valona Begramaj, Pap Matar Sarr and Kevin Dansô were absent today.

Valona Begramaj—I'm not sure about him; he has repeatedly expressed his desire to leave. Kevin Dansô came to me two days ago and also said he wants to leave. Pap Matar Sarr is in the same situation, but he has a minor injury and is mostly ready to resume training. Also, Savio is another key player who couldn't play today. After yesterday's press conference, the medical staff informed me that Savio is unwell. It's just a minor muscle issue. He should hopefully be able to join us in training on Monday or Tuesday. But the medical staff didn't want to risk him, especially given that he hasn't had consistent training at Manchester City over the last ten to fifteen days.

What about Sandro Tonali? You've mentioned the team's psychological resilience many times from last season. It seemed last week they were disheartened after conceding a goal. And today they were also disheartened after conceding a goal. Is psychological strength your biggest problem right now?

You're right. Yes, you're absolutely right, without a doubt.

How do you plan to improve it?

It's the biggest problem, the most difficult challenge, and the main goal is to find the right mental state. Unfortunately, this mental resilience cannot be bought on the transfer market, and it cannot be solved simply by bringing many players together. Football is something wonderful and magical, isn't it? You can change many players in one transfer window and immediately find balance, but sometimes you also need more time. I think we will be able to achieve this goal, and we will accomplish this task. I hope to achieve it as soon as possible because it's crucial for good performances. However, the club's planning and project, and everything we're doing to build and restore a new team with new players—this is a great plan, a great project. I firmly believe that this project will ultimately bear fruit. After this defeat, we must accept it and push back hard against it, and then move forward. I think in the second half, if we had scored two goals today, everyone would be talking about something completely different now. Unfortunately, we lost the match. There's an Italian saying: "Winners celebrate, losers explain." And I'm explaining now.

But Roberto, what do you want to say to the players who told you they want to leave? Is there still a path back for them?

I love these players very much. They are two excellent lads, and I have good relationships with them. However, if they want to leave, they need to provide a reasonable solution to the club—an economic solution—and then they can go, and we will look for other players.

Last question. You mentioned Sandro Tonali, and today was an exceptionally difficult match for him. How disappointed are you in him, seeing that many Newcastle United fans booed him, and how he was bypassed in the goal that led to the opponent's goal?

No, I love Sandro Tonali. Today was a special day. On a day like this, my emotions toward the players run deeper than usual. Because this is what we've built together—the club, Vinay (Venkatesham), John Läng, the owners and I. They're like our children, so today is a sad day. We're all very upset about this result, but I love my players today more than I will love them after the victory that will eventually come.

Переведено ИИ.

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