On September 5 at 22:00 BST (CEST), Tottenham Hotspur FC will visit Nottingham Forest in the third round of the Premier League. Following the lifting of the media blackout, a confidential section of Tottenham Hotspur FC head coach Roberto De Zerbi's pre-match press conference has been released. This article is the third installment of that content.

Related Articles

【De Zerbi: Why Haven't Tottenham Hotspur Been Awarded Penalties Over the Past Two Seasons? I Think It's Just Coincidence】

【De Zerbi: There Were Offers for Richarlison Before the Transfer Window Closed, but He Refused to Accept Them】

Regarding Mikel Mudryk, if I may ask: before signing him, did he need to show or prove anything to you to convince you that he still maintained his excellent physical condition, competitive fitness, hunger, and determination in football as before? Was he still the vibrant player he had always been?

No, that wasn't necessary at all. I know his character and qualities very well. I think what your colleague just mentioned about motivation is correct and very important. Then, in the long fixture list ahead, we will see together whether he can cherish and respect his talent, and whether he can live up to his extraordinary abilities and gifts.

Did the club consider and decide to sign Mikel Mudryk as a sudden last-minute decision, or has he been part of your transfer plans and on your radar all along?

It wasn't on the final day of the transfer window... No, it wasn't a last-minute decision or a desperate decision, but a carefully considered decision that we made on the final day.

I'm sure you're well aware of the intense rivalry between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC, which are two clubs from the same city. Some Tottenham Hotspur FC fans might be slightly concerned that you could work miracles with Mikel Mudryk and transform him into an incredibly talented and excellent striker who scores 20 goals this season, only for him to return to his parent club Chelsea FC unscathed at the end of the season?

Yes, but as a coach, I have no right and cannot make decisions or intervene in the specific operational procedures and various constraints of the transfer negotiations. In that critical situation, we badly needed reinforcement at left winger because at that time we only had Matius Tete as a true left winger. And I believe Mikel Mudryk is the perfect and most suitable puzzle piece for us in that transfer market. He himself had a strong desire to join us, and although he had one or two offers from other clubs at that time, he was willing to accept and choose us. I think from the current perspective, this is truly a mutually beneficial solution.

After two consecutive heavy defeats, how can you ensure that the team's morale and confidence remain high? Despite the team's process and performance in those matches being quite good, it's undeniable that we ultimately lost...

Good performance? Last match... No, I think throughout the first 60 minutes of that match, our entire team showed high-level competitive form and excellent play. It may not have been perfect or superior, but this form was certainly enough for us to win that game. The performance in the first match was really poor and unacceptable, but I've completely put that negative experience behind me. No, it's over. Nothing else matters.

I firmly believe that now we need to be patient in improving and building this new defensive line. We need to stay grounded and construct a long-term team-building plan. We only closed the transfer market four days ago, and just yesterday we had our first combined training session with all the new players and all the key players together in full attendance. So we have much more training and team integration work to do continuously. Our overall cohesion hasn't yet reached the perfect peak, but regardless of what happens, at this moment we already have the fundamental strength to compete and win games.

Because if our xG in the away match against Newcastle United was 2.18 to 0.80, which was significantly superior, that reflects the essence and true situation of the game. Newcastle United is truly a strong Premier League team, with high-level players, a high-level coach, and they performed excellently in nearly every aspect. But until the sudden change around the 60th minute, Tottenham Hotspur FC was in control of everything and dominated both attacking and defending on the pitch. Tottenham Hotspur FC created significantly more scoring opportunities. Tottenham Hotspur FC controlled the ball firmly. Tottenham Hotspur FC penetrated and attacked the opponent's penalty area more frequently and dangerously. And Tottenham Hotspur FC achieved superior advantage and led comprehensively in nearly every important attacking data metric, such as total shots, crosses, and corners throughout the match.

But unfortunately we lost the game. Right now we shouldn't think about anything else. Just do our best to win the next match. I have strong confidence in our team; we have the ability to play more smoothly in our cooperation in the future, and our performance will certainly improve continuously.

And regarding James Maddison, will his current physical condition allow him to be included in the squad list for this match?

I'm afraid not yet. Because just two days after he suffered an injury issue against Brentford, he was forced to miss and rest for a full two weeks, so it's not safe or optimal to rush him back to play.

แปลโดย AI

เว็บไซต์ AF เปิดตัวแล้ว! ดูข่าว ความคิดเห็น รายละเอียดแมตช์ และสถิติครบถ้วนบนคอมพิวเตอร์ของคุณ เยี่ยมชม: www.allfootballapp.com