De Zerbi: Tottenham should have more points, we played well

Tottenham Hotspur coach De Zerbi was interviewed by Stadium Astro, discussing adjustments after losing to Chelsea, the crucial home match against Everton, and the future development of the team.

Roberto, it's almost 24 hours since the match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. You've had time to digest the game and rethink the result. Looking back calmly today, how do you feel now?

I've moved on from the last game. Now we are only focused on the next home game against Everton. We must prepare for this game as if it were a final, just like the finals my players played and won last season.

We need to focus on our abilities, playing style, and game plan, while also bringing more to the table than before. Because this is the final match, and we are fighting for a very important goal for the club. This goal is more important to the club than to us personally. Because the history, dignity, and pride of this club must be very important to each of us.

How does it feel to be at Tottenham Hotspur for you? Sitting here, I can feel the deep history of this club, with these books, great legends, coaches, and players, as well as the training ground and stadium, everything is world-class. Personally, what is it like to come to a club with such a rich history?

For me, it is an honor and a pleasure, but also a responsibility. We must give our best every day, especially in the final game."

When you first joined the team, what did you feel needed to be addressed first? Was it helping the players rebuild their confidence? After all, before your arrival, the team's performance was not ideal.

Rebuilding confidence is certainly important, but at the same time, it's also about establishing a clear playing style for the team. I didn't have much time, but I think we played well. We didn't create many scoring opportunities, but the team as a whole was very organized, doing well defensively and in possession.

I think we should have accumulated more than 8 points during my tenure. But that's the reality, and we have to accept it. Now we have one last game to play at home, in front of our fans, and we still have two possible acceptable outcomes.

To be honest with you, I am a Tottenham Hotspur fan myself, so I watch Tottenham more often than other teams. I think the match against Aston Villa was probably the one with the most De Zerbi imprint. You have always been known for your football philosophy and beautiful playing style, do you agree with this statement?

Yes. But we also played very well against Brighton. I think the first 10 minutes of yesterday's game, we played very well, and the last 20 to 25 minutes were also good. My football philosophy is not just about how to play with the ball, but also about showing value, passion, and dignity on the field. The kind of person I am is also reflected on the field. It's not just about playing style or tactical positioning, but also about what the players embody.

For example, yesterday, I was very proud of Gallagher. Gallagher played for Chelsea for many years, but I think he played exceptionally well. What he showed was beyond a player's normal performance level.

He played with a lot of drive.

Yes.

Kinsky is also a player I want to specifically mention. He had a difficult time in another competition against Atlético Madrid, but then his save against Leeds United, I think, really showed his character. Are you satisfied with his performance?

Kinsky is also a very, very good person. Bentancur, Porro, Van de Ven, Richarlison, and many other players, they are all doing something very special now. It's just that it might not be easy for the outside world to see or evaluate it this way, because our position in the standings is not good. But I am very happy and satisfied with their performance.

What I need to do now is to build another plan, another project for the future. And precisely because of this, I hope to achieve this goal first, and then we can start building everything.

That is to say, first play well in Sunday's match, win this "final" against Everton, and then lay the foundation for your Tottenham Hotspur. And you also believe that this team will continue Tottenham Hotspur's long-standing temperament and football philosophy in the future?

After 50 days of being here, I can say that the atmosphere and environment are very good. Everyone within the club has given me a lot of help. I think our understanding of football is very close. Many players are suitable to work with me, and I'm not just talking about their abilities as players, but also their qualities as people. I believe that from this point, we can build a new Tottenham Hotspur. But first, we must achieve the immediate goal.

As I told you before, I'm from Malaysia. For Tottenham Hotspur fans in Malaysia, and ordinary football fans there, watching games often means staying up late. Your match against Chelsea kicked off at 3 AM in Malaysia, but many fans still stayed up to watch. Before Sunday's game, do you have anything you want to say to Tottenham Hotspur fans in Malaysia?

We hope to make all the fans happy, and we feel this responsibility. Anyway, I can say that the quality of the people in our locker room is right. The players here are all good people. They are also suffering from the current situation. We will fight together, we will fight for survival.