Yet another game in which your team conceded first, how do you sum up a performance like that now?
(Grimaces) I think for the people that today watched the game, but this is the not the first time they watched Tottenham, it was another exciting game. In one side, I have to be happy for the way, for the reaction, for the way we played in the second half of the game, but not only the way we scored two goals, but the energy, the desire, the intensity that we played. When you play in this way for sure you create a lot of problems for your opponent.
In this side I’m happy. In the other side, this is nine games in a row that we conceded the first goal. This is not positive because understand we have great character, understand that we have a great reaction, understand that we believe in ourselves but at the same time it’s important to be stable for a team that wants to try to stay in a good position in the table.
To concede for many games the first goal or also two goals, we have to make good reflections and try to find the solution. For me this is the first time that happened this type of situation, to concede the first goal nine times in a row the first goal (laughs) to your opponent, but at the same time it’s the first time to have this fantastic reaction of these players. They showed great character, great desire, but we have to put these from the start. In our mind it was so, we wanted to start in this way. Then we conceded a goal and then we conceded another goal from a set piece.
Against a team that I want to underline also is not an easy game. Brentford, don’t forget they have beaten this season important teams like City, United, Chelsea they drew at home but maybe they deserve much more. It’s not easy to play against Brentford because we are talking about a physical team. When you go to press them they play a long ball and Toney is really good to keep the ball and to play with the every striker. Every set piece in every zone of the pitch they put this ball into the box. They are physically strong and not an easy game. I want to underline this, but at the end, we could win and it’s ok.
You’ve used different players in the defence and you’ve changed it up but you’re still conceding these goals, do you feel you need new players there?
No, about the defenders, I think now we’ve have recovered also Japhet Tanganga. It was his first game this season. He struggled a lot with his knee. You know now that he needs a bit of time to grow into the game, but I’m pleased for him to play a game today.
Then at central defender I think we are good. We have to continue to work, to work. Cuti Romero comes back tomorrow in the training session. I repeat in one side I am a bit disappointed this season because we have conceded many goals. In the other side I think that we are scoring many goals, creating chances and to attack with many players.
Harry Kane was getting some abuse from the Brentford players, singing ‘you’ve let your country down’. Is that something that bothers him and how important was him to score?
Personally, about Harry, I have zero doubt about his quality, about his mentality, about the way he approached every game and every training session. For sure, for Harry, he’s facing a strange situation because he played a really good World Cup. I think that also because he played a good World Cup and the team played the quarter-final, then he missed this penalty. It was a decisive penalty for England to drop England. But you know very well, football is this. You can have positive or negative moments. If you are strong mentally, if you are a top player, if you are a player of a big, big level, then there is a moment you have to put to one side a negative situation and move on. I think Harry did this. I repeat we are talking about a really, really good player and especially a good person. For this reason, our fans and also the fans of the other teams should every time clap him.
Do you think the other fans should stop abusing him?
The fans were scared because today he was playing for Tottenham but not for what happened for England. It’s normal. The fans tried to create a problem, but only I think because he was playing for Tottenham and against their team. It’s normal. In Italy you don’t know what happened! (laughs)
When they play national team together they are the best. Then when they start together in the league, the fans find ways to disrupt the other players of the opponents, because in this moment they are a player for the opponent and can hurt your team.
It’s not personal?
No, no. Also in England I think I always found a fantastic atmosphere, a great education and fans really polite. This impressed me a lot because here there is a great education, they are really polite.
