Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur boss said after the draw with Leeds United on Monday night in the Premier League
Roberto De Zerbi had plenty to say at his press conference after Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Leeds in the Premier League on Monday night.
Spurs had plenty of first half chances but couldn't take them and survived a late VAR penalty scare at the end of the period as Dominic Calvert-Lewin was deemed marginally offside before being brought down in the box under close attention from Destiny Udogie.
The deadlock was finally broken five minutes into the second half with Mathys Tel curling a wonderful effort into the top right corner of the net with Karl Darlow only able to get fingertips on to it.
However, the Frenchman went from hero to villain when he caught Ethan Ampadu with an overhead kick in the Spurs box and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put away the spot kick after VAR advised referee Jarred Gillett to head to his pitchside monitor.
Both sides pushed for a second goal with 15 minutes of added time tagged on to the game, Antonin Kinsky pushing Sean Longstaff's header on to the crossbar and the returning James Maddison denied a penalty deep into 15 minutes of added time at the end of the game.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi. Here's the full transcript from the press conference.
What did you say to Mathys Tel after scoring a wonderful goal and then doing that in his own box?
A big hug and a big kiss. Nothing more because he is a young player, he is a big talent and he score a great goal. He made a mistake for the experience because he has not the right experience and he has not played too many games in his career and we have to accept, but I am proud and I am happy for the mentality we show. We didn’t play a great game like in Villa Park, we played a good game and did enough to win. We could lose the game at the end because before the last 15 to 20 minutes, they didn’t shoot on our goal and just one in the first half. We had 14 corner against two, five chances to score against two, we came inside of the goal area 50 times against 27 but we didn’t score two goals.
We could see you getting frustrated on the sideline, you got a yellow card, what was frustrating you?
The first minute until the end of the game the referee went to me, ‘if you go out, yellow card,’ and I think they were not calm today. Maybe they suffered the pressure of yesterday the West Ham-Arsenal game and VAR. For sure we suffer the pressure today for the speed of the ball, for the order of the pitch and we didn’t play with patience on the ball. Frenetic and we were rushed but also the referee was not calm. I don’t know, I can’t understand the polemic about yesterday VAR because it was a foul, 200 per cent, not 100 per cent if you want to talk about football.
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How good was it to have James Maddison make his comeback although you probably didn't expect him to play for that long?
Great news for us. He is a different player as a quality, as a guy and he will be I hope crucial for us. Yesterday I spoke with him about his physical condition and about how many minutes he could play. He played more than what he said yesterday. We are happy for him but I think we are in the right way.
It will be tough until the last minute against Everton, for sure but after the Sunderland game, it was a difficult to imagine ourselves before the last two games to stay up two points of West Ham because I remember very well the game in Sunderland was my first game and we can’t forget what was the situation just 15 days ago. We can’t forget after four games in a row we made eight points and we can’t forget Leeds the last defeat in Premier League was the 1st of March at home I think. And West Ham they have to also play Leeds at home. I think Leeds they will play like today with the same spirit, with the same qualities because they are doing a great season.
Was it a penalty on Maddison?
No, no, no, I don’t want to come inside the polemic, I didn’t see and I didn’t watch again. I don’t know. Ask me a question about football if you want.
What did you make of Antonin Kinsky tonight?
He’s improving a lot. He’s a good goalkeeper. I had no doubt in my first days in Tottenham because I knew him before coming here. He played in Madrid, he made that mistake, and it was tough for him. He has great personality, strong character and he deserves to play a game like today.
Does the lack of attacking depth hurt you because your style means the attacking players can tire as games go on?
Yes, but I think I am very lucky to have these players, even if we have too many injuries. I think we have enough quality and the good enough players to stay up. I said this after Sunderland, after Brighton. I think in the last four games we’ve made eight points, but we deserve more than eight points. For that I am positive, I’m happy. I’m looking forward to start to work this week and prepare the next game.
Of those eight points, only two at home, the team still haven't won at home in the Premier League since December 6, do you see a mental problem?
No, because Brighton, did you watch the game with Brighton?
Yes.
I think with Brighton we played a great game.
But again you were leading and threw it away?
Yes, but if you want to speak about the performance, we speak about the performance, if we speak about the result, change. Against Brighton we played a fantastic game, maybe for sure better than today and better than Wolverhampton, maybe worse than or not so good like Aston Villa, but we deserve to win. And today, yes, you are right, we didn't play well, we didn't play a great game, we played a good game.
I think we felt too much pressure. It can happen if you fight for the relegation, it's different. What do you think, is it tougher playing the final of the Europa League as a pressure, or the game like today to fight for the relegation?
Probably today....
For sure, because there are two different pressures.
That's not really my point though, it's been like this at home for lots of Tottenham managers, it's not just your fault...
No, no, now Tottenham is mine, I am the coach of Tottenham, the responsibility is mine, and you are not to say other coaches, no.
Yes, for sure we didn't win two games, the last two games, but as a coach you have to consider the performances, not just the result. Because today, if we win today, nothing changes in terms of performance, because anyway we didn't play a great game. But we have to be honest and to say we didn't play a great game, even if we win.
And today we didn't win, we didn't play a great game, and we have to be honest. Everyone, everyone honest, not just me. We have to be honest also when we consider the VAR of West Ham vs Arsenal, a foul 200% in football.