Spurs 0-0 Everton | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi's post-match press conference

Here's what he had to say...

You started with such a fast, strong tempo – why did that not translate into goals?

Roberto: "I am honest, I am always honest with you because when we play bad, I say we played very bad but when I come in press conference, 99 per cent I am honest, like with the players and like with the club. I said we started this season late in many, many reasons and too late, many players at the World Cup, many injuries, many problems in Australia - Mateus Fernandes, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and for not our responsibility or our club responsibility. We bought two players late, Savio and Marmoush, and I started to work with this group not last Thursday, two Thursdays ago. So, I think we have not the right physical condition, yet. I think we played very well the first 30 minutes and then maybe the energy, maybe the fact we didn’t score, maybe we lost in some players a little confidence. We have to be not positive, but realistic. If we extend that part of the game 30 minutes to 60, 70, 80 and 90, in my opinion, for my belief, we are going to win many games. We have to improve in the last third of the pitch, for sure. The last decision, the last pass. We have to shoot more times especially when we have space and time to do, we have to do with the right spirit, but I can’t say nothing bad, because I know how the players are working, I think we are in the right way. It’s tough to explain, because four games without goals is tough to accept. We are sorry for the fans, but the fans, they went behind the players. When the players in the first 30 minutes, they played very well, it was a hot, hot stadium and then everyone like me, like every fan inside of Tottenham or the people inside of the club, we were sad because 75 times in the goal area and not shoot enough to explain the quality of the play we did. Also in the second half. I watch many, many games where the winning team created less than us in the second half. What is the problem? The problem is the goal and the most important problem is the players have to be focused on the first 30 minutes and the improvements we can do and we have to do - not about social media, not about the journalist because today if we had won, now we stay in different way, with smile, great first half, great spirit in the second half and great, great, great but the result changes the opinion, in my opinion, no? Because I am a coach and not a journalist or a fan."

At the full time whistle you went over to Tel, it looked like you were coaching him, what did you say?

Roberto: "Yes, I coached him on the pitch. What did you understand?"

I was trying to work it out...

Roberto: "The body shape. He is a striker and the striker can play with the shoulder on the goal. If we are playing with Maddison, Kudus and Savio, he has to play as a striker and the striker has to look at the goal or the cross from Robertson. He has to stay inside because he started as a striker eh? Now he is playing as a winger, but he started his career as a striker, but I love Mathys as a player, as a guy and there is not a problem."

You talk about the confidence of the players being an issue - how much is the fact that they haven’t scored playing on their minds?

Roberto: "I think there is a word in Italian that literally translates as if we 'unblock' ourselves. I think the team is extremely strong and we can score goals, and we can win games. Then we have to respect the history of the players in their careers. Forget Solanke or Marmoush. The other players, they didn't score many, many goals in their career and we have to find these goals. I think we can find the goals with the quality of the play, with the full-backs, because we have great full-backs. Robertson today played very well. I don't know if we believe on the cross and we prepared the game exactly in that way."

When you say 'unblock' ourselves in Italian, do you mean a mental block?

Roberto: "A mental block, because four games, no wins, any goals scored. It is tough also for the players because they are human and they are very good guys, and I asked them to follow me because if last season I was positive, I can't understand why I cannot be the same this season. In Italy, for example, now I should be the best coach, no? Two games, two clean sheets. Two clean sheets? Tomorrow, what will you write? Clean sheets or no goals? Explain to me what you want. I'm right, I guess."

You said you're late, but you're very late now. It's five games in, so I guess some people will say it sounds a bit like excuses - pre-season, World Cup, new signings - as other clubs have the same thing...

Roberto: "First of all, four games, not five, after Aston Villa it will be five games."

You played in the cup as well...

Roberto: "But yes, 5-1 and we scored five goals against Charlton. We won by scoring five goals. So we speak about the Premier League, it's four games. I think the people and the fans, I think they already understood if I take an excuse or not. I came last season when the  was like this, you know? I've always been, not positive, but realistic. Now I explained, I'm sorry for the results, but it's not immediate, no? Not the improvement, not immediately to make a team. Today we played as a team. We didn't score, we didn't win, but today and Nottingham I think we played as a team. I can't say nothing as an attitude, as a behaviour of the players, no. I said to stay calm, maybe to not lose the confidence because we are not scoring, we are not winning. Stay calm, improve, work hard and individually try to understand where is the improvement, no? I spoke with Mathys Tel just at the end of the game to explain what was his position today."

How far away are Tottenham from being at their best, physically?

Roberto: "I don't know. Now we play Tuesday in Liverpool and we play with all other players, but it will be a very important game for us. We can improve playing in the games, we can improve during the week. I think Rodrigo Bentancur, he came late after the World Cup and he's crucial for us. I didn't want to change him today, but I thought maybe he finished his energy in that moment of the game. Sandro Tonari, for example, played better in the second half. Robertson, JP van Hecke, they stayed directly for the first period of the pre-season. Micky van de Ven suffered an injury in Australia. Domi Solanke, the same. Maddison, the same. Savio and Marmoush, they came 10 days ago. Mateus Fernandes suffered an injury in Australia. He lost 15 days and it's not so quick."