Pierre weighs up the result/performance balance after Roma clash
Mon 01 August 2022, 10:30|
Tottenham Hotspur
Professionals trained to win hate to lose, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg certainly saw the value of another tough work out after AS Roma beat us by the only goal in our final pre-season match of the summer in Israel on Saturday evening.
In a tight, tactical, and often physical encounter, Roger Ibanez’s header from Paulo Dybala’s corner on 29 minutes proved the difference between the teams at the Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa.
We controlled possession for large periods, but chances were at a premium with defences very much on top - our best saw Heung-Min Son and Ivan Perisic go close in the first half before Harry Kane’s nodded over late on.
Now we're full steam ahead to the start of our 2022/23 Premier League campaign against Southampton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday (3pm)...
“Of course, we need to be a bit sharper in every situation, but again, it’s pre-season, and these are the things we’re working on.
“We did have some good situations with high pressing, again, some opportunities created by moving the ball quickly, that was a positive, everyone is pushing, we’re training hard, and everyone is responding in a fantastic way. Overall, the team is pushing and responding really well to what the coach wants.”
It was put to Pierre that although football is all about results, maybe in pre-season working on finer details is just as important, win, draw or lose...
“It's always easier to go forward with good results, always easier,” he added. “In the end, the result is the most important thing, above all, it’s what counts. Again, I can’t call this a ‘friendly’ game, you saw that with the intensity and, let’s say, the mentality, which I appreciated.”
Ivan and Yves Bissouma made their first starts of pre-season, with Yves lining up alongside Pierre in central midfield. “He’s a good player the Club has taken, and the same in regards the other players who have arrived,” added Pierre.
“Everyone is responding well, and the coach is demanding a lot. Everyone is taking the information on board and trying to create their own personality in that system, which is good, positive, and something the team will benefit from. Overall, the players who have arrived, they are all really good players and that competition is important.”
