Leeds 1-0 Spurs | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi's post-match press conference

Here's what he had to say...

What do you think of the game and the team's performance today?

Roberto: “Two different games in the same game. In the first half we played, I don't know, not the best game, but we were alive, we attacked, we created two or three clear chances to score, and we didn't suffer anything. In the second half, I don't know why, but we suffered too much and we deserved to lose the game. We didn't win any duels, we didn't win any one-to-one. There was space to play, and we didn't take the right decision, take the right position. We didn't show personality, we didn't show what we are, who we are. It's a part of the journey, for sure. It's not an excuse, but it can be normal in football, but we have to be honest because if you are not honest today, I think the future is not good. If you are honest, to analyse honestly our behaviour in the second half, I think we can become a top team."

Were you surprised by the performance in the second half?

Roberto: “The second half, yes. Surprised, because my players worked very well this week. We spoke all week, all day about the intensity, about the type of game we would find in this stadium, the atmosphere we would find in this stadium, so it was not a surprise for us. Sometimes it can happen, you are prepared for that game, that type of game, you know everything, but at the end, we didn't play like we wanted before the game.”

What did you think about the foul on Mathys Tel in the first half?

Roberto: “Well, listen, I can't say something more because I didn't see clearly the situation. I was surprised because in the same position in the second half, two different fouls, two yellow cards for Pedro Porro. It's not possible. I don't know if it was a red card or not on Mathys Tel."

How is his injury?

Roberto: “Bad injury. Now we have to make the medical checks and in the next day we will know what is the problem.”

Was this a reminder to the players how physical the Premier League is?

Roberto: “Yes, you are right. We lost two games this season so far in Brentford and today, very, very close in the second half, but we have the physicality, we have the qualities, but it's not just the physical game the problem. The problem is we didn't show character, we didn't show personality, we didn't show courage, and if we want to win, you have to follow the win. You have to try the condition to win the games. No, because you are Tottenham, you win the game, eh?”

Can you teach those qualities like courage, personality, character?

Roberto: “Yeah, yeah, I teach.”

Does that explain the current record of not coming back after conceding the first goal?

Roberto: “I don't know, I can answer for my time. Today, I said my truth, what I think. Honestly, it's not a problem. My players, they have courage, they have personality, they have character, they have everything to come here and to play better for sure and maybe to win the game. Maybe, we are not ready yet to be consistent for many games in a row, but it's a part of the journey and we know where we have to work and where we have to improve.”

Was the decision not to bring James Maddison on due to fitness?

“Maddison started to work with the group on Thursday, but no total training. Today and yesterday, he worked just one day, one day and a half. It could be a solution, yes, but in that moment, I thought Kudus was tired, too tired, and in that position, Luca, in one-to-one, I mean, his speed is better than James, but in the future, when James is fit, we already know he plays, no?”

How difficult the test was for you, before the game, you spoke about it being a tough ground to go to?

Roberto: “It's a test, it's a part of the improvement. It's a part of the improvement. It's a part of the improvement for the young players, especially Mateus Fernandes or Archie Gray or Mathys Tel, all young players, but also the older players, no? Because today, I didn't see the same Micky van der Ven, the same Sandro Tonali, the same Kudus. But it's normal, no? It's a normal step in our journey. The most important is to be honest and to recognise the problems and to improve, because my players are good people and good players. If you are good as a man, you understand your mistakes and you can improve quickly.”