De Zerbi: We Must Be Stronger

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi emphasized the difficulty of his task with the club following a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa in the English Premier League. Speaking to TNT Sports, De Zerbi said: “We need to improve our level, but we also must be stronger, with the team more compact and the lines closer together to defend better. Unfortunately, we didn’t do that.” The Italian manager clarified: “I mean being stronger when we play with 10 men, even for just one minute. The team must remain compact, especially in the penalty area.” De Zerbi added: “We have to create 20 chances to score one goal, while we concede easily, even from goal kicks that are not promising scoring opportunities.” Regarding the international break, De Zerbi said: “I don’t know if it came at a suitable time or not. The situation can change dramatically in a single match; anyone who watched the first half would not believe that we ended up losing by three goals.” He concluded: “It is an extremely tough job, but it is my responsibility.”