Here’s what he had to say…
Good afternoon - first up, any new injuries?
Roberto: “No. I'm happy because we are working well. with all the players, another very important week, we have no problems.”
Is Vicario ready, and if so, who will be in goal?
Roberto: “No, Vicario is not ready yet. I don't know what the plan will be, but he's suffering because he would like to help the team, to help his team-mates, but he's not available yet.”
I was looking at Joao Palhinha at the end (of the win at Villa) and celebrating, and thinking this guy might be going back on loan. When you speak to the board at the end, will he potentially be someone you'd like to keep for next season?
Roberto: “100%. We have to start from this type of people. More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players, and Palhinha is one of the best players, for sure, but as a guy, I want to see a player with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit, the same personality. We are lucky to have Palhinha.”
You’ve won two in a row away from home, and were very close to get your first at home win against Brighton recently as well, how confident are you that on Monday, you can achieve it against Leeds?
Roberto: “First of all, we go to play against one of the best teams in this moment, because in the last five, six games they won against Manchester United, they drew in Bournemouth playing well, they won at home two times, Wolves and Burnley, and 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 for an important game, but the same way we are playing, because we didn't play so well in Wolves, the first 30 minutes we played okay. Against Brighton at home, we played 90 minutes, and extra time, very well. So, we have to stay focused on this type of performance, this type of attitude and this type of spirit, and showing the qualities of the players.”
Can I ask you about Conor Gallagher? How pleased are you with his goal against Villa, his performance, his leadership?
Roberto: “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, physical condition, environment, to come and understand a different club, different style of play, different dressing room. 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.”
You mentioned Leeds, we've seen in the last few years a team that got promoted, got relegated immediately. How impressed and how surprised have you been with them?
Roberto: “Their style is very clear. They have a great organisation on the pitch, with the ball and without the ball. They have a good player, because Calvert-Lewin and Okafor, Tanaka and Ampadu are all very good players not to fight for relegation, but a higher level. The focus is on us, not because we become arrogant, but because we have the quality enough if we play like we know, like we can, to win the game, for sure.”
It was fascinating to watch your system against Aston Villa, the way you had Palhinha drop back into a back three, Porro would bomb on, Udogie would run through almost like a striker at times. Is that something we're going to see every week from you, such a fluid system, or was it just for Villa?
Roberto: “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. 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 player to lose energy thinking what is the plan. No, I want the player 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 in a way, the simple things, the clear things, because I think they are enough.”
Can I ask for an update on Dominic Solanke and James Maddison, is he ready to play any minutes yet?
Roberto: “I'm thinking about James Maddison, because I'm watching a top, top player, maybe he's not ready yet to play, but as a physical condition, 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, just my last question, you were at the Chelsea-Forest game, just wondering what you took away from that match, what you thought about it?
Roberto: “Because, at home, it was day off, and I don't like the day off, so I found the way to stay focused on the football.”
A lot of the reaction in the media after the talk to win Aston Villa was focused on Aston Villa and their changes…
Roberto: “Yes, but for Nottingham Forest, no? Nottingham Forest, the first 11 of Nottingham Forest, was maybe more changes than Aston Villa did, no? And the first half, 2-0 for Nottingham Forest, and anyone said nothing, no? I think in Aston Villa played Cash, Lindelof, I don't know how many years in Manchester United, Mings, the captain of Villa, Maatsen, one of the best left-backs in Europe, Bogarde and Tielemans - Tielemans is normally in the first 11, Rogers, Sancho and Barkley, and Abraham as a striker, I think was a great, first 11. I can say one thing, we played without Romero, Kulusevski, Kudus, Solanke, Xavi Simons, Maddison, maybe more players than Villa, and it's better if the people speak about us, than we speak about them.”
Has it surprised you, or are you quickly learning that this type of thing does happen at Tottenham?
Roberto: “No, no, in Italy we are used to thinking in the bad way about this situation, but it's not true. “
Can I ask you about Archie Gray, I think in one of your first press conferences you said Archie is the future of Tottenham, he's obviously not had many minutes, but how do you view him long-term? How important is he long-term, and what do you like about Archie?
Roberto: “He's very young, big potential as a player, I think he can become the future. I'm sure he can become the future of this club, the captain of this club. He has to understand better what will be his position on the pitch, because he can play in a lot of positions, but maybe I would like him to be more specific in one position. We are working in that, with individual meetings, with individual clips for him, and anyway he's an important player, Palhinha didn't play the first three games, and the fourth was one of the best players on the pitch. “
