#PLStories- Antonio Conte on Steven Bergwijn understanding, Lucas and upcoming Chelsea fixture #THFC
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antonio conte happy
What did you make of the performance today?
The performance was good, I think, and we tried to control the game in the first part of it. We scored, then we conceded a goal that I think we were a bit unlucky. Then we scored another goal. I liked the way we moved the ball in possession, we attacked the goal with many players. In the second half at one point, we started to pay a bit for the Covid situations. Many players who played today had Covid and at one point in the game the intensity dropped. For this reason I made substitutions. It was good not to concede a goal, to make the semi-final but I know that we had to manage this situation also on Sunday and then Tuesday. This period will be very tough for us. We had an important problem like Covid and I have to try to manage. I see the positive aspects because in this situation, I’m giving the possibility, the chance to my players to show me they deserve to play for Tottenham, to stay here. This is a positive aspect for sure.
You’ve got Chelsea in the semi-final, would you prefer a one or two legged semi?
Honestly, if I have to decide, maybe it would be to play one game and not two games. Especially for the situation we are living. We have to respect the rules. For sure it would be nice and good to play against Chelsea for me. I spent two amazing seasons with Chelsea and I enjoyed a lot and everything there. Now I’m the manager of Tottenham and I’m ready to give everything for this club. When you reach the semi-final, for sure in England to lift a trophy is very, very difficult. You find Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham, and West Ham eliminated, United and City. in England the level is very, very high. Now we’ll have Chelsea. It’s a good game.
On Sunday we saw Winks and Dele come in and play well, now it’s Bergwijn, how good is it to see these players answer your call and step up?
I always said that I found a group of players that showed me from the first day great commitment, good behaviour and a good desire to show me that we can build something important together. I think I’m very happy to have this type of answer tonight. Doherty and Steven Bergwijn, they played a really good game. It means they’re working well. They’re involved in what we want to do. I’m always very clear with my players. They have to give me everything and then if they deserve to play, they play. The most important thing is that when they play they have to give me everything. It doesn’t matter about a good game or bad game, but I have to see players totally involved in what we want to do.
Will that goal boost the confidence now for Steven Bergwijn?
Yeah, I think these two weeks that we had many players with Covid helped me and helped Steven Bergwijn to understand very well what I want from him and what I want from the other 11 players we had in training. Don’t forget, for many days we trained with only 11 or 12 players. On one hand, it was very difficult. On the other hand we exploited this situation to improve the players. We prepared to play the games with these players. For sure, Steven should have played against Leicester, against Brighton, the games that were postponed. With him and also other players, we tried to exploit the period when we were only 11 or 12 players, to improve these players. Now Steven is a player totally involved into what I want, into what I ask from my players. Don’t forget that I like to have a plan and I like to give options to my players. Every single player has to know what I want during the game offensively and defensively.
You say you like to improve every player, do you feel that achieving that with players like Lucas Moura?
We have only one way to improve our performance and especially improve the level of Tottenham. There is only one way and we have to try to improve every single player physically, tactically and technically. Only in this way we can try to be competitive and then you know you can reach one level. Sometimes you need to improve the quality also. We’re working well. Many players we’re working with I’m seeing a big improvement. For sure I’d like to see more personality when we have the ball, especially in the moment we’re suffering, but we’re going step by step and I know I can’t ask all of this in two months. But I’m sure for this reason I’m asking patience and I’m asking for time. We need to improve if we want to try to be competitive. As for Lucas Moura, Luicas is one of the best players in our squad. He has great quality and links quality also with quantity. Then he’s a wonderful person because you can find him always with a smile I like to work with him and these type of players.
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