Were you pleased with the response in the second half?
Of course I am. The first half, I wouldn't say bad, I would a performance that is not
separate from the previous result and defeat. There is always a relation.
You need to start well to get back good feelings and we didn't start well and you could even
say that we were a bit unlucky, because in one minute we are winning 1-0, then the VAR
correctly disallowed the goal, so the next minute you are 0-0 and a couple of minutes
later you are losing 1-0. So I think the boys felt it.
The second half was different, second half they brought everything they have to bring.
We spoke about tactical details, we spoke about principles, the emotional side of it
and the second half was really, really good and even if we were not winning this game
I would be disappointed of course but I would have the feeling the boys have everything,
not forgetting we played a very good team and that I think that is also important to say.
You spoke recently about making defensive improvements, how did you think your side did defensively?
A little bit
In the second half we went back to that risky, or let's say less safer way, of defending,
because in the first half you could see Sessegnon more wide to cover the projection of Schelotto
and Vertonghen was more on the inside.
Then in the second half losing 1-0 we had to go back to the less safer way of defending,
which is the winger, Moura in this case, playing much more in the inside and Vertonghen pushing up
so we took these risks and the team did fine. Then there are situations in the game
that are really difficult, their goal. How are we going to stop that fantastic header,
that giant (Adam Webster) to scare that goal, difficult
In the last five minutes (Dan) Burn as a striker, what are you going to do? Win second balls
because you cannot win first balls. Sometimes, always, the opposition has qualities, they
have their ways of trying to make difficult things and it was difficult. But we could
score more goals, we made chances, the goalkeeper made a couple of beautiful saves but in the
end it was a great game.
I cannot imagine these boys, not just my boys, but the Potter boys how they can play in 48
hours. If you go to control the distances they run, the intensity, the breaks, if you
are going to control that and if we are going to tell anyone who understands physiology,
it is a crime that they are going to play football again on the 28.
It is against every rule of physiology, biology, biochemistry, every rule. But that is the
way it is, even with three guys suspended. I think from the three two of them are unfair,
Sonny unfair, Winks unfair, I can only say Sissoko had a reason for the fifth yellow
card. We have to go.
Is that an opportunity to try something new in midfield?
I have to!
Is Tanguy Ndombele fit or is he injured?
I cannot say he is injured, in five minutes we start a training session and you can go
to the stands and watch it, he is going to be training normally so I cannot say he is
injured. I can say that yesterday he told me he was not feeling in condition to play the game.
Not based on injuries, based on fears of previous injuries that he has had since the beginning
of the season. Feeling not ready to start the game, but I cannot say he is injured,
I can say he is not in condition to start the game, which is different.
Can you talk about Harry Kane's all round performance today?
When I was not his coach I was always saying that he's the kind of striker who is always
fantastic even when he's not scoring. There are so many top scorers in the world who score
so many goals but the day they don't score their performance is always poor because they
give nothing.
This is the guy who if he doesn't score his performance is good. He presses, he recovers
balls, he holds the ball, he assists, he drops back.
When Dele Alli loses position he covers the position in the defensive organisation. He's
fantastic. So of course two great goals, of course the first one I repeat is correct decision
by the VAR but the action, the movement, the strike is brilliant. The goal fantastic and
important but his work was absolutely phenomenal.
It's a bit like Dele. People now say since I arrived that Dele has scored three or four
goals in the Premier League and one or two goals in the Champions League but I don't
go in that direction. I go in the direction that Dele Alli exhausted from work. I love
players who are exhausted from that.
The problem is that we have to play again in 48 hours, but I love for players to finish
the game exhausted. That's why these guys are doing. Sissoko incredible. The defenders
they are playing every game and it's not easy to play in the feeling that have at this moment,
which is the feeling of 'wow we concede a goal every game, we make a mistake and we
concede a goal'. That added pressure is not easy to cope with.
So I'm very happy with the guys, even one who didn't play. Lamela, he was fantastic.
I think it was 56 or 57 days that he didn't train with the team. He was injured, he was
training individually. He trained with the team twice, after 57 days he trained twice
with the team and he came to me and said 'I think you need me because you are in trouble
with injuries, suspensions, no Sonny. If you want me I am there. If you need me for 10
or 15 minutes I'm there'. So he was there if we needed him to try to score a goal. He
was there. That's the kind of thing that touches me. I like players that make sacrifices for the team.
Your best teams have always had the knack of getting over the line, do these players have those ingredients?
They have a very important ingredient which is that they are good people. I think this
is very important. They are very, very good people. Talented players. I think they need
my help to develop some qualities as a team which are very, very important because good
people and good players is not enough. You need a little bit more than to be a good player
and a good player.
I am trying to help them and I'm really happy with what they did today in the second half
because it showed exactly that, that they are fantastic guy. They are the kind of guys
who after a couple of defeats, and we've had a couple already, I don't feel upset or against
them. I don't feel the desire to kick them in the ass.
I feel the desire to help, support, to improve and that's why I'm pleased for them because
I think they really deserve to go home today with the feeling of the victory.
Eriksen came on and played well, there have been questions over his future...
About his future, I know his future. Or I think I know his future. His communication
with me is completely open and honest and we trust each other. I know his future but
I'm not going to be the one to speak about his future.
Have to him to speak about his future, when he makes the decision to speak about his future.
Not me.
My feeling is he wants to help us, that's the reason why when I am in trouble, when
I need a player with his qualities, I play him. And he was important today. Harry had
a yellow card, we needed freshness, vision, fast passing and he was there for us. I'm pleased.