Every word De Zerbi said on Maddison, Kulusevski and surprising answer on new Tottenham injuries
Roberto De Zerbi went into plenty of detail in his press conference after Tottenham Hotspur finally got their first Premier League victory with a 3-1 win against Coventry.
It had been 536 days since James Maddison's last start for the club and he made up for lost time with a wonderful opening goal just 14 minutes in. It was the first time Spurs had taken the lead in a Premier League game this season as the 29-year-old curled home a perfect effort from outside the box from Mohammed Kudus' pass.
Coventry equalised five minutes into the second half. Poor defending from the hosts gave Jack Rudoni the space to score after a ball into the box bounced to him off Brandon Thomas-Asante. Antonin Kinsky could only pat the ball into his own net.
However, Omar Marmoush scored his first goal for Spurs on 58 minutes and it was a belter. Andy Robertson played the ball into him and the Egyptian turned and battled past his man before curling the ball into the far corner of the net.
Make sure you never miss the latest Tottenham news and opinion by making Football London one of your Google preferred sources.
Dejan Kulusevski made his return from the bench to huge cheers 526 days on from the day the Swede suffered a complicated knee injury two seasons ago and after some nervy moments the home side wrapped up their first victory with substitute Ben Davies hitting a shot that Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth fumbled into his own net.
Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi after the game. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Let's start off with positives, first win in the Premier League this season, Maddison back starting and scoring, Kulusevski back as well, a good night in that regard?
Yes, very happy for the result, very happy for Maddison, very happy for Deki Kulusevski. I think we played much better in other games, Old Trafford, Aston Villa especially in the first half, Everton especially in the first half, Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, but we didn't play so well, not for our responsibility.
But for their credit, for the Coventry credit, because playing against one team who defend so close, so compact with low block, it's always a very, very tough game. Especially in the first half we didn't move the ball so fast, I think we have been too predictable, but I knew before the game.
We played three at the back [in possession], I want to explain why, because for the injured players in the midfield position, Conor Gallagher came back two days ago, and at the beginning of the week, the medical staff told me maybe he could be not available to play.
Bergvall was injured, Mateus Fernandes worked just the last two days because of his [newborn] son, and I thought three at the back was the best solution to defend the counter-attack, to have more control of the game, and for that I'm happy because we didn't concede a counter-attack.
The Coventry style of play is 80 per cent counter-attack, and we didn't concede any counter-attack. We conceded one shot, we didn't create more chances or too many chances like the other games, to be honest, but I knew before the game, and I prepared the game, saying to the players this game was maybe the most difficult, because the defensive style of Coventry is different than Manchester United or the other games.
What is the latest with the injuries to Robertson, Tosin and Marmoush?
No, no, no, I think there are no injuries, nothing important.
What did you make of Archie Gray coming into midfield with Sandro Tonali?
I prepared the game three at the back, one midfielder and three players in the pocket, Marmoush, James Maddison and Archie Gray, with normally these three totally different players. Marmoush more an attacker, Maddison more playing in the pocket, for the link with the defenders, with Tonali, and Archie Gray to go in overlapping and underlapping Kudus. I think two players [in those pockets] they scored.
Robertson played as a winger, and in the first half played very well, Kudus also, I liked his performance, and especially in the second half, because in the first half I think it was too difficult to find the space, Solanke played a good second half.
How big is it to have James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski back?
Different players. They are different players. Different talent, different experience, different personality. With them in the dressing room, there is another atmosphere.
Spurs’ attackers have struggled a little bit with confidence, but Maddison never looks like he has a problem with confidence. How important is that?
It's important. I think the result is important, but the most important thing can be two things. The first one, we understood we are able to win a game like other teams in the Premier League.
The second one, if we put something more than ourselves, like we have done in the last two weeks before Old Trafford, because the day before Old Trafford we had a big meeting and we spoke about the situation. We can't accept, we can't move on if we don't take more responsibility.
This week was important because we stayed together, we spent time together, and they want to build, not a family, but like a family.
Because during the game, if you have a problem, if there is a tough situation, a difficult situation, you have to play for your teammates, for your fans, for your brother. Not like a robot with 11 players on the pitch.
Did you see the effect of the Marbella trip?
No, the effect of the quality of the players, because Maddison is a different player. But in terms of your question, I think Man United and today the players showed a great reaction after the goal we conceded in Old Trafford, in 10 players.
And today we conceded one goal in the first time, maybe second with the first half one shot, and the second half another two. Two times they came inside of the goal area and we conceded the goal. It was tough, no? But football is like this. Life is like this. If we don't react together in the tough moments, we have to change the sport, we have to play golf or other sports.
Did you feel like the stadium needed it in that moment (Kulusevski’s introduction), with the game ticking away and maybe a bit of nerves, that it needed a lift?
Listen Kudus, I thought he was playing well, I think he could finish the game, but I thought of Kulusevski just for the fans. Just for the fans because they waited (for) him on the pitch and in the last 5-10 minutes for extra time, we needed the support of the fans. And they are fantastic with Kulusevski, with us, they suffered too much in the last 3-4 seasons, I don't know, but they deserve to celebrate many, many wins.
What's next? Not just Chelsea, but how can you build on this?
I don't know. I hope we can play with this attitude, with this mentality, with this union, and improving at the same time, improving confidence, improving everything we need.
We have to play better because we can play better. I think other games, even if we play with different opponents, it would be easier as a tactical game. But for sure, now we have to push in this way.
