Football London

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Tottenham suffer double injury blow but Roberto De Zerbi confirms huge Dejan Kulusevski boost  Football London

Roberto De Zerbi held an early Sunday morning press conference with some mixed news ahead of Tottenham's Premier League game against Coventry City.

Spurs are now back from a warm-weather training camp in Marbella orchestrated by De Zerbi to help them bond together after 10 new players arrived during the summer transfer window. Now they must get back to Premier League action as they sit bottom of the early table without a win to their name.

On Monday night Tottenham welcome Frank Lampard's in-form promoted Coventry side and De Zerbi delivered updates on the fitness of Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski as well as a couple of new injuries and he was also asked about Richarlison, with the Brazilian vocal on social media about his treatment at Spurs.

Our Tottenham reporter Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi ahead of the game against Coventry. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at Hotspur Way.

Who is not available to play tomorrow?

Savio. Unfortunately Savio on Tuesday, yes Tuesday the first day in our training ground before we leave for Marbella, he felt a muscular problem. We lost him for some weeks unfortunately, but (it’s) like this. And Lucas Bergvall because he had a problem at the beginning of the game in Manchester. The first chance we created with Solanke, when he (Bergvall) regained the ball, his knee, he felt pain and finished the game, but the day after Manchester, Sunday, he came to training ground to our medical staff. And I think two weeks [out].

So maybe Kulusevski on the bench tomorrow?

Yes, Kulusevski on the bench. We had a meeting with the medical staff. They gave the OK and it's great news. I think it's one of the best news after Everton game last season because Deki he suffered too much. He deserves to feel emotion on the pitch.

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How was Marbella, you've had good success with the sort of trips before?

Yes, we worked well. Very well, but anyway, we worked well in our training ground at home. I think when you have to improve and I think we have to improve in the result, not in the quality of the performances, but you have to find all ways to improve. All ways to be better, all ways to become a stronger group. The players spend time together. They stay together a lot. I think to create something more than a normal first XI no? Now I think and I believe in football you need to create a group, you need the relationships, we need the connection and we need to know very well your team-mates.

Richarlison played for the under-21s in midweek. He's still quite vocal on social media. Is the plan still for a new solution for him in January?

I don't know, it's not my problem anymore. You have to ask Vinai (Venkatesham), to Johan (Lange), it's not my problem. I know as a coach I have to accept, to support, (take) pressure, to take responsibility even if it's not my responsibility because I didn't decide. I have not decided nothing in this situation. If he wants to speak about me, he can and he knows where he can find me. I stay in my office from 8.30am until the evening. I have no problem with nobody, but I don't want to speak any more because my focus is on the Coventry game and the focus is just to improve my team.

You've got Frank Lampard's Coventry next, how do you assess them and what sort of challenges do you think you're facing?

Coventry is a good team. They played a fantastic Championship last season. They deserve to win the league and to play in the Premier League this season. They played with energy, with quality also, because they have players like Cherif, I know very well, and other players.

But we are Tottenham, keeping humility, keeping what you want. But we want to show to be good enough to win the games, especially if we deserve to win the games.

Going to Marbella, when you take a squad away from their normal environment, what can you learn more about your players? Or is it about your players learning more about each other?

No, no. More about the players, each other. I'm a coach, I take responsibility, but the responsibilities are of everybody. From the boss until the players. They have to feel to be a team. I think in Manchester, especially in the toughest moments, after the red card, we show we have character. So we have to show character from the beginning. At home, with our fans. Because if we want, we can change the history of this season and the last season as well.

When it comes down to the team being clinical, how much of that can you actually help the player with or is it more just their instinct?

I think if we didn't score, or if we scored just one goal, creating eight or nine chances, my work is to improve the team to create 20 chances to score. And if they are not enough, 25 to 30. I think we have not other ways. I have big confidence in the players.

I think if we follow in playing in this way, if we follow to attack, if we follow to defend in this way, and if we follow to creating so many chances to score, we will score many goals and we will win many games. But it's my opinion.

With Savio, do you think it will be a lot of weeks?

(Grimaces and pauses) I don't know, but some weeks for sure.

And how close is Pedro Porro?

Pedro, I think he's coming. Maybe in Chelsea he can play.

With Dejan Kulusevski, what was that moment like when you were able to say to him after so long out, you're going to be in my matchday squad?

Yesterday, after the training, I spoke with him and I said to him 'I spoke with the medical staff and they gave me the okay' and he smiled like this (does a big grin). And we are happy. We are very, very happy. It's not football. I'm not speaking about football. Okay, he's a special player, but we are speaking about different things. He suffered a lot and his reaction was great.

On the trip to Marbella, did you do any special group activities? When Mauricio Pochettino did one years ago, they walked over hot coals with the team, is there anything special that you did?

No, I left dinner for them and nothing organised from me.

Here's every word De Zerbi said

You can find every single word the Tottenham boss said in a full transcript by reading it right here or scroll down for some highlights.

De Zerbi on the Marbella training camp

Yes, we worked well. Very well, but any way, we worked well in our training ground at home. I think when you have to improve and I think we have to improve in the result, not in the quality of the performances, but you have to find all ways to improve. All ways to be better, all ways to become a stronger group. The players spend time together. They stay together a lot. I think to create something more than a normal first XI no? Now I think and I believe in football you need to create a group, you need the relationships, we need the connection and we need to know very well your team-mates.

Good news on Pedro Porro

Pedro, I think he's coming. Maybe in Chelsea he can play.

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On Richarlison

It's not my problem any more. You have to ask Vinai or Johan. It's not my problem. I know as a coach I have to support and take responsibility even when it's not my responsibility. I have not decided anything in this situation. If he wants to speak to me he can find me in my office until 8.30am until the evening. But I don't want to speak any more because my focus is on the Coventry game.

Some good news on Kulusevski

Yes [he will be on the bench], the medical staff have given the ok. It's probably the greatest news since the Everton game. He has suffered too much. I told him yesterday and he had a big smile on his face.

Some Spurs training news

We've got an article on the Spurs youngsters De Zerbi took on the training trip to Marbella and things spotted in their session before they went, including a key figure watching on, one players we couldn't spot anywhere, Kulusevski looking sharp and more. You dive into all of that by going right here.

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Injury news

No Savio, unfortunately Savio on Tuesday before leaving for Marbella felt a muscular problem and we have lost him for some weeks. And Lucas Bergvall because he had a problem in Manchester early on in the first chance he created for Dominic Solanke. He felt pain in his knee but felt fine and on Sunday he came to the training ground and he'll be out for two weeks.

Sandro Tonali is bringing back memories

We've got a feature on Sandro Tonali and how he can emulate a Pochettino favourite at Spurs even if he's not quite the same, which you can read right here.

Pedro Porro has delivered an update

The Spurs right-back delivered a positive message on his injury recovery to the club's fans which you can find by heading right here.

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Welcome to Hotspur Way

Roberto De Zerbi will be with us shortly for the first time since his sunny getaway to Spain.

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Roberto De Zerbi gives brutal Richarlison response to Tottenham star's latest outburst  Football London

Tottenham transfer decision could cost club £60m after Man Utd scouting mission  Football London

Axed striker Richarlison has increased tensions with Roberto De Zerbi by going nuclear on social media with a post hitting out at the Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Everton legend Duncan Ferguson recently claimed that there 'must have' been a fight between the Brazilian and the Spurs head coach.

Richarlison finds himself out in the cold in North London after a move away fell through during the summer transfer window. The striker has been forced to find gametime with the under-21s in the EFL Trophy, where he scored in the 2-2 draw with Cheltenham Town.

The 29-year-old's only Premier League appearance came in the 3-0 defeat to Brentford, where he managed 68 minutes before being brought off. Ferguson has been left bemused by the snub for Richarlison as Spurs find themselves in a difficult position in the Premier League.

He said: "I don’t know what the manager at Tottenham’s done. I don’t know if they’ve had a massive fall-out, and knowing Richy (Richarlison) they probably have. but you’ve got to put your arm around him and say, ‘Come on, Richy,’ and get him back in.

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"You don’t leave a player like that out (of the squad) unless there’s been a real murder: he’s chinned him, or there’s been a proper scrap on the training ground. Richarlison’s a good player, and Tottenham are not that great, are they?

"It’s all hands-on deck. You need all your assets out there. The manager knows what he’s doing, he’s on the ground, but Richarlison’s a great player and I enjoyed working with him.”

In response, Richarlison shared a screenshot of our football.london quotes to his Instagram story with the caption: "Thanks @duncan9ferguson. You are right."

Richarlison issued a furious statement after his move to Everton collapsed. The attacker made it clear that he will not be forced into a departure, he said: "After everything I’ve been through in the last few years, I’ve decided that NEVER AGAIN will anyone decide my future for me.

"I went through a lot of bad things, and almost all of them happened because decisions were made by other people. Pressure, threats, retaliation - none of that scares me. I’ve been through far worse, believe me.

"I’ve always made it clear, every time I had the chance, that leaving for another club would only happen if it was also good for the club. If it wasn’t, I would never accept it… just like I didn’t accept it when everything was going badly and they needed me. I stayed and gave everything.

"So I hope they treat my situation with the same respect I’ve always shown Spurs and everyone who worked with me during this period. Just don’t try to decide for me.

"If they reach an agreement between Spurs and Everton, I will return to my beloved club. My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes, but the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted, and it will no longer be like that.

"Despite all this turmoil, I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal."

Tottenham's missing piece of the puzzle that Roberto De Zerbi desperately needs back  Football London