Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed his emotions following the team's first win of the current Premier League season. In a seventh-round match, Spurs secured a 3-1 victory against Coventry at their home ground, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Italian tactician praised his side for their character but admitted that the strategies employed were largely dictated by injury woes.
I’m very pleased with the result, the attitude, the team spirit, and our reaction to conceding a goal. To be honest, we didn’t play as well as in previous matches. But they deserve credit for their responsibility, as they defended very well and compactly.
De Zerbi went into detail about the enforced changes to the team’s setup.
When we exited through Kudus and Robertson, we weren't moving the ball with the necessary speed. Perhaps we were a bit too predictable playing with three at the back. However, we primarily played three centre-backs due to injuries. We utilised Kudus on the right flank, Robertson on the left, and various players with different characteristics. We scored two goals thanks to these players, but we mustn’t overlook Solanke; he did very well.
The manager also highlighted the return of Dejan Kulusevski from injury, calling it an emotional high point for the whole squad.
A fantastic moment and a fantastic person; we celebrated him in the dressing room after the game. Perhaps this is the most significant aspect following our win. Now we must recognise that we are capable of winning, as after two or three such seasons, the psychological aspect is crucial. We must thank the fans, especially at the end of the match; they were magnificent and have endured a lot.
We must keep working; we definitely need to improve our quality of play, but we are a good, very good team.
