Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur boss said during his press conference ahead of the Premier League match against Leeds United
Roberto De Zerbi had various bits of positive news at his press conference on Thursday afternoon ahead of Tottenham's Premier League game against Leeds on Monday night.
Spurs are hoping to keep their momentum going under the new man in charge as they welcome Daniel Farke's side. The north London club won back-to-back matches in the Premier League for the first time since the opening weeks of the season with their victories at Wolves and West Ham.
De Zerbi must get his side to win a Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time since early December last year against Brentford.
At his press conference, the head coach delivered injury updates on Dominic Solanke and Guglielmo Vicario, as well as discussing whether James Maddison is now ready to play some football after three matches as an unused substitute.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi. Here's the full transcript from the Italian's press conference at Hotspur Way.
Any injury updates?
No. I'm happy because we are working well with all players. Another very important week. We have no problems.
Is Guglielmo Vicario ready to play yet?
No, Vicario is not ready yet. I don't know what will be the plan but he's suffering because he would like to help his teammates but he's not available yet.
Would Joao Palhinha be someone you'd like to keep for the next season?
How confident are you that on Monday you can achieve three in a row against Leeds and how important is it to have the fans on board?
First of all, we're going to play against one of the best teams in this moment because in the last five, six games they won against Man United. They drew in Bournemouth, playing well. They won at home two times, Wolves and Burnley. For that, we have a big respect. We can't think in a different way. We have to keep this mentality.
We must remain humble. Nothing changes. We have to prepare an important game. The same way we are playing. We didn't play so well in Wolves, but in the first 30 minutes, we played okay. Against Brighton at home, we played 90 minutes and extra time very well. We have to stay focused on this type of performance. This type of attitude. This type of spirit and showing the quality of the players.
With Conor Gallagher, how pleased are you with his goal against Villa as well as his performance and his leadership?
I'm happy because I think from the perspective of Conor, he came in January in a difficult situation. He had some problems at the beginning, his physical condition, his environment. To understand the different club, different style of play, different dressing room. But he's an important player, the first level of the players.
So I'm happy to watch him in this condition, in this confidence, with these performances. I think, and I said after the game, when Gallagher plays well, his team plays with one player more than the opponent.
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You mentioned Leeds United, how impressed and how surprised have you been with them?
Their style is very clear. They have a great organisation on the pitch, with the ball and without the ball. They have good players, Calvin-Lewin, Okafor, Tanaka, I think, and Ampadu are all very good players. Not to fight against relegation, but higher level. But the focus is on us. Not because we become arrogant, but because we have the quality. The quality is enough if we play like we know, like we can, to win the game, for sure.
It was fascinating to watch your system against Villa, how Palhinha dropped into a back three, Porro would bomb on, Udogie was running through like a striker at times, is that something we're going to see every week from you with such a fluid system or was it just for Villa?
I would like to change, it depends on the different games, because the principles in football are very important. The mental part is crucial, but also the strategy can be very important.
But we will change something in the occupation of the spaces, for sure. But I wouldn't like to give too many ideas, too many instructions. Especially in this moment, because I don't want the players to lose energy thinking what is the plan.
No, I want the players to play with freedom, play with confidence, following the plan. Because football is 11 players together and not like tennis or golf, one player. But anyway, the simple things, the clear things, I think are enough.
Just quickly on two players, can we have an update on Dominic Solanke, and James Maddison, is he ready to play any minutes yet?
I'm thinking about James Madison because I'm watching a top, top player. Maybe he's not ready yet to play, but as a physical condition, not for the rhythm, for the intensity of the game. We are playing in the Premier League, the most difficult league in terms of intensity and rhythm.
But as a player, it's great, as a coach, watching one player like this. Especially for me, because I was number 10. And I'm sensitive in number 10 players like Xavi Simons, Maddison, Kulusevski, Kudus. We have a lot of number 10, but I want to see.
About Solanke, he's improving very quickly. I don't know, for this game, I don't know if he can be available. We hope for the next game in Stamford Bridge.
Talking of Stamford Bridge, you were at the Chelsea-Forest game, I just wondered what you took away from that match, what you thought about it?
Yes, because at home and it was a day off. I don’t like a day off so I found the way to stay focused on football.
A lot of the reaction in the media to Tottenham’s win at Aston Villa focused on Aston Villa’s changes and they were called a disgrace...
Yes, but for Nottingham Forest no? Nottingham Forest, the first XI was maybe more changes than Aston Villa did, no? And first half 2-0 for Nottingham Forest and (has) anyone said nothing? No. I think Aston Villa have cash, Lindelof, I don’t know how many years at Manchester United, Mings, the captain of Villa, Maatsen, one of the best left-backs in Europe, regarding Tielemans, Tielemans is normally in the starting XI, Rogers, Sancho, Barkley and Abraham as a forward and striker, I think was a great first XI. I don’t know if they are better or worse. I can say one thing we played without Romero, Kulusevski, Kudus, Solanke, Xavi Simons, Maddison and maybe more players than Villa. And it is better if the people speak about us than we speak about them.
Has it surprised you or have you quickly learned this thing does happen with Tottenham?
No, no, in Italy we are used to thinking in the bad way about this situation, but it is not true. It is not true.
Archie Gray you described before as the future of Tottenham, he has not had many minutes but what do you like about Archie and how important is he long-term?
He is very young, (but) big potential as a player. I think he can become the future. I am sure he can become the future of this club, the captain of this club and he has to understand better what will be his position on the pitch. He can play in a lot of positions, but maybe I would like him to be more specific in one position. We are working on that, in individual meetings with individual clips for me and any way he is an important player. Palhinha did not play the first three games and the fourth was one of the best players on the pitch.