After his team suffered a 1-3 away defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup third round and exited the tournament, Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi spoke at a press conference.

It was a strange game. It seemed you had 17 shots on goal. Was it simply that Liverpool managed to score and you didn't?

Well, we need to shoot more, we need to improve the quality of our shots, and we need to finish better when we have clear chances. We are very sorry about the result, and we are disappointed and frustrated with the outcome. I think the result was unfair, but we must accept it and be stronger during this period of bad luck.Because I'm honest with myself and honest with you: I think in the last five or six matches we have been absolutely unlucky — whether against Newcastle United, against Everton or even against Nottingham Forest, and it was the same tonight.

We still have many areas to improve. In the first goal we conceded, our defensive approach was wrong; for the second goal,we could have marked Cody Gakpo more tightly and been closer to him. But we must understand if we're on the right path, and looking back at these matches — the last three or four games, possibly including the first 60 minutes against Newcastle United — I think we really are on the right path.

I believe in my players, I'm very confident in them, and I have a very high opinion of my players. When we eventually find that breakthrough that brings a quality change and win the game, I think we will enjoy playing with these players because the individual ability of these players is incredible.Look at them: Marmush, Savio, Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Fernández, Andrew Robertson, and don't forget Pedro Porro and Dominic Solanke — Dominic Solanke is top, a very excellent player.

Yes, it's a difficult time now, but we must be strong and do everything we can to prepare for the next match against Aston Villa and find that turning point.

Based on today's game, do you think you're making the right steps toward that crucial turning point?

I don't know if that turning point will come this Saturday or not,but we need to find that..."spark" (here De Zerbi uses the Italian"la scintilla"). Because, setting the transfer market aside, the players we have are absolutely capable of scoring many goals.

One thing is very clear: several times in the first half, penetrating passes weren't made even though players were making runs. Is that where you need James Maddison? He looked quite sharp tonight...

James Maddison, of course. James Maddison is a completely different player, a special player, but he needs to stay healthy and be in good physical condition because the intensity of the Premier League — even tonight — is incredible. If he's in form, we can even play with eight attacking players at the same time.

What did you think of Martin Dúbravka's debut?

Very good. He's a good man and a good goalkeeper. It's unfortunate, but that's my responsibility. Because in the middle of the first half we probably didn't handle the one-on-one situations well in our defensive approach. We should have played completely differently than what we did — more aggressive and direct passes. But it's still a process of adaptation; it was Martin's first game, and he performed very well in the second half.

Will Pedro Porro be back this weekend?

Yes.

For Mohammed Kudus, this was his first start since January...

Kudus's return is great news for us because he can also play as a number 10, and we can play Savio, Kudus, Dominic Solanke and Marmush all at the same time.

Переведено ИИ.

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