Leeds vs Spurs | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi's pre-match press conference

Here's what he had to say...

Who is out of tomorrow's game at Leeds?

Roberto: "Savio, Bergvall, Mudryk. Tosin is available. He rejoined the group yesterday."

Is the international break coming at a bad time?

Roberto: "No, now the focus is just on the Leeds game, a very tough game for us, one of the best stadiums in the Premier League, I think - the atmosphere, the passion of the fans. We want to complete this step of the season in the best way we can. We are playing well, yes. We are making points in a row, but like I said, after the Palace game, we can't forget the beginning of the season and the last season as well."

Is European football the goal this season?

Roberto: "We have many, many targets, but I think we can't move our focus from game by game, because we are not good enough yet to change the focus. Now we are building, I think, something special. The atmosphere in the dressing room, we are building a clear style of play. The players are playing much better than in the beginning because you can win the games just with the individual qualities of the players, but we started three weeks ago, then we can put all the targets you want, all the goals you want, without problems. But now is not the right moment to fix anything."

Sir Alex Ferguson became Manchester United manager 40 years ago, retiring at 71 - will you be running up and down the touchline at 70?

Roberto: "I don't know. I think it's the best job in the world. If you love football, nothing can give emotion like to be a coach, to manage a group of players, but it's tough. I smoke too many cigarettes, maybe, for me it's tougher."

Three straight wins, two clean sheets, you won at Stamford Bridge, you played with 10 men, against 10 men - what's been your favourite aspect of your team's performances?

Roberto: "Now I think we are a team, a strong team. Before Manchester I think we were playing well, but not as a team. This thing makes the biggest difference in football. Now we think as a team, we play as a team, we help each other on the pitch, and for that the qualities of the players now are showing on the pitch, because it's a different mood, different mindset, and I'm very happy for that  - more than the results."

What is Leeds' biggest strength and what have you focused on in preparing for the game? 

Roberto: "The intensity of Leeds, especially at home, is great. The qualities of the players, they have a clear style of play, not too many teams in the world defend in five, and in build-up they become four. Especially on the right side, they have a very good connection with the players on the right side. They have maybe the best striker (with the head) but also Tottenham have the right qualities to play a good game. Our target is to play well to make a great result tomorrow."

You spoke about how important it is for the team to display togetherness - particularly at Tottenham, a lot of the injured players always come to the games and support the team. That's not always the case at other Premier League clubs - is that encouraged from you or is it the players just wanting to be around the group, wanting to be involved and show their love as well?

Roberto: "No, I don't push. I love the freedom, especially from the players. These decisions come totally from the players. Your question is a great question. It's one of the secrets, I think, because at Stamford Bridge, when I arrived at the stadium and I saw Savio, Xavi Simons, Tosin, Rodrigo Bentancur, it was pride for the coach. Every coach, especially in this moment, in the historic moment of Tottenham, we need to stay together. We need to think in a collective way. This is crucial for us. This aspect is crucial - more than qualities of the players, more than everything."

What's the next step in Luca Williams-Barnett's development after his appearance at the weekend?

Roberto: "The next step, he has to enjoy, he has to follow the older players, the players with more experience, like Robertson, Maddison, Ben Davies. To find the time to play is my responsibility, because when you manage so young players, so big talent like Luca is a bigger responsibility for me. He has to be ready when he goes on the pitch. And I think it depends on the result. He can play at the beginning. Before the Chelsea game, I thought to play with him in the first 11. But at the end, you have to find the right moment for them also."

What made you feel you could put an 18-year-old into the starting 11 at Stamford Bridge? What made you think he'd be able to cope with that?

Roberto: "I think the age is not so important. I don't believe in age. If you are young, you have to receive a gift from the coach. So, if you have big experience, it doesn't matter the age. The most important is the quality, the personality, the mood, the behaviour on the pitch, the qualities. Luca has all these qualities."

What are the different qualities Marmoush and Solanke bring to the team when they both start at centre forwards?

Roberto: "Different style, different characteristics. Omar Marmoush attacks the space, can play as a 10, can play as a winger, maybe come inside more than Mathys Tel. Dom is more of a striker. But both, they can play together. Both are good players. I would like them to improve their confidence, because I think the problem of these two players are not the qualities, are not the physical, maybe, yes, the physical condition is not top yet, but the confidence can improve. And the confidence can improve if you want, for sure, with goals, with assistance from the team and from myself."

How far away is Dominic Solanke from the player you know and you've seen before at Bournemouth?

Roberto: "I don't know, I don't know, because he's working very, very hard, very well. He understands football. I think he can improve also in the movement in the last third to be more focused on the goal and not just to be a link, to play with the team, but we need the Solanke on the top of his physical condition and mental condition also, the confidence."

When did you first start working with Luca Williams-Barnett this summer and how quickly did you realise he was a special talent, as you've described him?

Roberto: "The pre-season was clear. The special talent, you recognise the special talent immediately. He doesn't need to show something special, you understand in everything he does and he's one of the special talents. 

What is it that you like about the midfield partnership between Tonali and Fernandes? 

Roberto: "To play well, I think Tonali has to run, to run to work on the pitch. Maybe with Mateus Fernandes in the last games, he improved a lot, the qualities of his performances, but also with Rodrigo today, nothing changed because Rodrigo as a characteristic, he's like Matheus in the last two games. I think Matheus is improving a lot. I think his showing is 50, 60%, not more. His potential is bigger than the performances he's doing so far, but he's very young. Like I said one month ago, these young players, they need much time to come inside, to understand the new club, to understand the new style, the new coach, the new staff."

I was looking at the stats in the month of October - 10 points, highest number of shots, third for shots on target, highest number of ball percentage - what do you think changed in the team?

Roberto: "I said before, the spirit of the group is totally different. Sincerely, I was not worried before the last international break because the qualities of the last games were not good enough for the result because we were too fragile. I understood something good even in that defeat. Now I think we changed the mood, we changed the relationship, the connection between the players. Maybe the last results helped us to believe more in ourselves, in the team-mates. But I think we can do much, much better again."

I remember the press conference in which you said the team needed a spark, la scintilla. When did you think this spark came and what was the spark in your opinion?

Roberto: "I think the day before in Manchester. The day before in Manchester we had a meeting with all the players, just the players and staff, like a family. The players were honest and we spoke about the problems and how we could change this season."

You mentioned before the team can still improve a lot. How much do you think this team looks like the team you have in mind?

Roberto: "No, I'm happy for the performance, I'm delighted for the behaviour. I think we can improve a lot in all aspects of football but we have to show to be this Tottenham for a long time, not just three games, four games. Tomorrow is another big test, like Palace at home. Like I said before the Palace game, it was a big test, a more tactical test. Tomorrow is another test, a different test because the atmosphere in the stadium is tough and we have to enjoy this atmosphere. We can't wait to arrive to the game tomorrow."

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