Here's what he had to say...
On team news... Richarlison has scored six goals against Liverpool since 2019, as this is not a Premier League game. could he play? Is Kulusevski another?
Roberto: "No, Kulusevski not available. Pedro is still not available. Udogie yes. Richarlison, you already know everything, nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same."
So, not involved?
Roberto: "No."
After the last game, you spoke to Mathys Tel on the pitch, something Pep Guardiola used to do, what have you said to him since Saturday and did you get the sense he understands your message?
Roberto: "Because during the game, at the end of the game, I was explaining the body shape and he didn't hear because during the game, he's focused on the ball, focused on the game. And just to explain, no other things. Mathys Tel is a big talent, and if I have to say something on the pitch, I thought to say in that moment, to explain myself, before the end of the game."
What have you seen on the training pitch that gives you the belief things will turn and improve soon?
Roberto: "Listen, with a complete squad we worked from 10 days before the Everton game. Ten days before, we started working with all the players in the squad, the complete squad. I think we are working well. We played 30 minutes, 25 minutes very well. Then, I think in that moment we could score two goals. We had the chance or the potential chance to score. I watched again that part of the game, I know what I'm saying. In the end we lost maybe the confidence, because we didn't score. For sure, we have to improve. For sure, I have big confidence in my players. They are very good players. We have to improve, yes. We can say it's the coach's responsibility if we don't score, yes. I accept, no problem. We didn't win any games so far, yes. We have to improve. We are sorry. We are disappointed for that, but I think also we have other positive things, like I said, we didn't score goals, we didn't suffer nothing, in both of the last two games. And from the things we have to improve, we start our work, but nothing change in my project, in my idea. I'm sorry for the result, yes, for the goals we didn't score, yes."
Are you worried about the fact that your team hasn't scored a goal in the Premier League so far?
Roberto: "No, I'm sorry, but we have the qualities enough to score goals and we had on Saturday the chance, the situation good enough to score. Sometimes we didn't shoot. We didn't make the best decision. Maybe we played with a rush. We didn't take the best decision, but the quality of the players is clear for me, and my responsibility is to work better, to analyse the details when we made mistakes and to improve. Solanke is a good player, I think, yes. I'm sure, yes. He has to improve his physical condition and to stay positive because he's able to score many goals with us. Savio and Marmoush, they didn't play many, many games in Manchester City because they were not protagonists. Here the situation is different. They have more responsibility. They have to adapt to understand the situation is changing. In terms of qualities, both players are very, very good. Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher, Maddison not in the best condition, Kudus not in the best condition yet, all these players, they can play as a number 10 but they have to maybe attack the space, attack the goal area sometimes. Robertson crossed many times in the first half and the opposite midfielder, Mateus Fernandes, didn't come in the goal area. This part we have to improve, keeping the defensive space because the defensive space is important like the offensive space. My style has been to score goals, to attack and I don't want to change, but you can find a situation where we are already in the right situation to score, and sometimes you have to work something more. You have to create more chances, more potential chances."
You mentioned there are a few players who need more conditioning, more games, more game time. So, how difficult is your team selection?
Roberto: "No, it's not difficult, because I'm lucky to have these players and I'm convinced 100% of the quality of the players. I love the players as players, as qualities of the players and as a guy. It's difficult, because there are many, many good players, but not for the other problems."
Richarlison is not in your Premier League squad, he's not going to play in this competition - would it have just been better for Spurs and Richarlison to just go their separate ways?
Roberto: "Yes, but I stay in the middle. I can't say nothing more because it's not my job. I can answer about the results, the players in the squad, the offensive space, the defensive space, but not other things. What I've done at the beginning of this season has been to speak with him and propose an extension of the contract. If he says no, then thank you, I'm finished my job."
Savio, he's got an incredible ability to dribble past a man, gets the crowd going but he's still so young, how do you train with him individually to do the right thing next?
Roberto: "Today in the meeting with the players we spoke about the last third of the pitch and I said now I want to create individual clips for all players, for after dinner for the players to go home and work and improve - as a joke. But yes, if you analyse the first 30 minutes there are many, many chances where just one different detail, just better passes, just better decisions and it would change the history of that game. But they are words. The fact is to improve on the pitch and not lose the quality of the first 30 minutes."
James Maddison, how careful have you got to be with him? He hasn't started a competitive match since last year?
Roberto: "Yes, he's another important player for us. He has to stay in good physical condition. In the last press conference we spoke about the change, the intensity of the Premier League and he needs to work hard, like he's done. Then he's a different player for us. The quality of James is different than other players. Kudus can play number 10, more offensive. Marmoush can play as a number 10. Maybe we have to force it, no? But to force the idea, to force the characteristics of the players in the first 11."
With the young players like Luca Williams-Barnett and Malachi Hardy, will we see any of them involved?
Roberto: "I don't know, Luca. We have to see because many players need to play. Maybe not 90 minutes, but 30 minutes. A real game is important. Yes, there is not Sandro Tonali. I forgot to say because he felt a knock."
You said on Saturday the Liverpool game would be with all other players, does that mean we can expect to see a different team tomorrow night?
Roberto: "No, the other players... I think Lucas Bergvall is not other player, Mathys Tel also, and then we have to analyse also the other players. Maybe the players who didn’t play enough, but I already said I am lucky because for centre-back for example we have JP van Hecke and van de Ven, two top players, but Senesi, Ben Davies, Tosin are not less than van de Ven and van Hecke. Now JP and van de Ven know better the connection, the style of play, but the level of the players is very, very close."
Because Tottenham are not in Europe this season, do you feel like you need to progress far in the Carabao Cup?
Roberto: "I would like to go far in the Carabao and FA Cup. I would like to play with the same attitude of Premier League and maybe score some goals more, but the attitude and the spirit, I want to see the same."
When you show the players the clips in the final third, is that to remind them of how good they can be?
Roberto: "Yes, but it is a normal improvement, no? I don’t want them to think too much or they can be overloaded about this aspect. I think if they enjoy on the pitch, they follow the instructions but not my instructions the instructions of the team, they are not rushed, they put attention and focus on the last pass or the last decision, I think the goal is natural for the players and for the team."
Your first match in English football was aagainst Liverpool, a 3-3 draw – it was part of a run where you went five without a win at Brighton - is that relevant to now that it does take time for players to get to grips with your football?
Roberto: "Yes, if we speak about the football and the style of football, but Brighton was totally different because there was already a group, there was the soul of the team, the spirit of the team and the DNA of the team. I was lucky because I signed with Brighton after Potter and Potter worked very well. This season we have to restart and rebuild everything, so it’s different."
Can you explain what has happened with Richarlison in the last 45 days? It feels mad you've got a player who scored 11 Premier League goals last season, he's fit, he could have played against Forest or Everton or tomorrow, but you can't use him?
Roberto: "I said last press conference, I know what happened in the last 45 days. It's not right if I explained. It's not my behaviour. It's the relationship and the problem is with the player and the club. And I stay inside of the club. It's not coach and club. It's coach and club together because at the start of this season, I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay and he didn't want to. I can't go every day to pray for him to stay."
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