What is the latest team news?
Not news. Deki Kulusevski is not available. I think we have to wait a bit of time to see him with us. It is the same for Richarlison. The other is Emerson, who comes back after a ban. Then we have another training session tomorrow to try to make an evaluation. Now to play many games in such a short period, you have to try to check and speak to the players to understand who needs to have a bit of rest to try to avoid injury. We will see tomorrow and then we'll make the best decision for the game on Sunday against Newcastle.
You need a reaction, how do you change things?
I watched the game and I think our start wasn't so bad in my opinion, but it was the around the middle of the first half that it was a period where it was really tough and United shoot many times. I think watching the game. The first half wasn't so bad. My first impression was more negative.
The second half honestly to concede the goal after a few minutes I think this goal killed us. Also when it happens this situation we have to find the right reaction because it can happen, you go down 1-0 and then you have to try to find a way to have a good result and to score goal. Instead in the second half we missed the second half.
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Our reaction was poor, yeah. I was really honest to tell that United deserve to win, to get three points. Then for us every game is important to learn and to learn more especially when you are going to play this type of game – where the level is high – you have to know you have to be ready to fight from the start until the end.
A Conte team doesn't normally concede 28 shots in a game, and Spurs have faced the third-most shots in the Premier League this season, does that concern you?
Honestly no because also we conceded many shots but outside of the box. Many shots weren’t dangerous but at the same time you have to try to do better in every situation. In the game I think we tried to put a lot of pressure on United, to have high pressure but in this type of game you know you have to be prepared also to suffer. Maybe we can manage much better the situation in the period we were suffering. Instead we continue to suffer and discovered the situation finding the best solution. This is the past and now we have to think of the present – the present is another difficult game against Newcastle and we’ll see on Sunday.
What kind of performance do you want to see against Newcastle?
If you speak to me about the commitment, I have to tell nothing of my players because the commitment against Man United was a high level for us. But that game they showed to be better than us. Yeah, I like to see again the same commitment because I repeat the effort of my players was 100 per cent. I didn't complain about the commitment of the players but the game for us was difficult for other reasons. Then I hope to see the same commitment like always and then to have another final result and to win. You know we play seven games in a short period and Newcastle are not involved in (European) league games. It means a lot because now you start to feel the fatigue, you start to have injuries and now the difficultly for the team who are going to play in Europe is really difficult for the reason I said before.
Newcastle are unbeaten in six games, what do you make of the progress under Eddie Howe?
You have to considered Newcastle for the present and for the future as a danger, as a dangerous team for the first position, for the Champions League position, for the fight to win trophies. For sure Newcastle also needed a but of time but they have the potential to go into the market and they did this also this summer and to become one of the best teams in England.
For this reason, many clubs have to pay great attention because in my opinion I see Newcastle in the future becoming really really dangerous for a place in the Champions League and to win trophies.
Matt Doherty has played the past three Premier League games but will Emerson Royal get the chance to start as he's back from suspension?
This is the last problem for me. If this is the only problem for us, I'm happy. This is not a problem. For me to recover [Emerson] is good news. You know very well this role you lose a lot of energy during the game.
Now Matthew played with the national team and played two games in a row with us and he played the last three Premier League games. To have the possibility to have an alternative, to play Emerson or Doherty, or also I'm waiting to improve Spence. For me it’s important.
But I repeat Sunday we'll see. We have to play against Newcastle and then after three days we have to play in the Champions League, and then after three days we have to play against Bournemouth and then after three days we have to play Champions League again. Who plays is not a problem. The problem is when they go to play they have to play well.
With Deki Kulusevski still out, is he one of the players in your squad that you don't have a direct, natural alternative for and his playmaker abilities?
But for sure, when you have Kulusevski injured and Richarlison injured, then also Lucas Moura recovering from a long tendon injury, now he's improving but in my opinion he's not ready to start a game.
For sure this type of situation creates a big, big difficulty. It’s normal, this. For me, also fingers crossed because at the moment we have Harry and Sonny in good health. (Laughs) I hope they continue to stay that way or I’ll have to think about putting my shoes on to play, me.
We know with the club the difficulties of the season. Now to complain I think it's not right or fair. When you go to play Champions League, especially if you play in the Premier League, you have to know that you’re going to have a difficult season for injuries, for massive games, for players who become tired.
Sometimes you can give rest, sometimes you have to force the situation and risk injuries. This situation is part of the process for a club like Tottenham to understand very well the way to face this strong situation, because I think we’re really happy to play Champions League.
Last season we struggled a lot and fought a lot to make this achievement, but at the same this season you have to know to play Champions League you have to leave something in the road. This is my opinion. We know this. This is not a surprise.
Richarlison and Lucas are more direct players though, almost strikers, do you need a more natural alternative for a creative player like Kulusevski in the January transfer window?
Now we have to try to finish this period which for us is really tough. You have important injuries and You have to face the situation in the best possible way. Then we'll see. We have to arrive until the last game in November and then with the club we’ll see the situation, if we have to do something or we continue in the same way.
But now I think we have to be focused to do our best, because this period is not easy. For this reason I ask our fans also to stay very close to us, to push us because also it will be really, really difficult against Newcastle on Sunday.
Are you worried that Kulusevski might not play again until after the World Cup?
Yeah because his recovery was going well and then one day the situation worsened. Then when this type of situation happens, you have to restart. You need time, but we have the medical department to face injury situations and they have to solve the situation in a short period because you know if you are good to solve the situation in a short period, it means points in the table.
(Conte clarified as he was walking out of the press conference that he expects and needs Kulusevski to be back before the last game in November)
Was Wednesday night more about the players not playing well than the 3-5-2 formation?
I don't think we lost the game for the formation. Otherwise, we won the game against Everton because we played 3-5-2. This is only an excuse. If you want to find an excuse, I can find a lot, a lot. I don’t like to find excuses. I think this team at this moment the best situation, with the players available, is to play with the three midfielders. Then we'll see the improvement of Lucas, because when Lucas is available you can play with him and the other two strikers.
But we have a lot of problems with the players up-front and now we have to cope with this difficult situation (laughs again). At the same time I don’t want to give my players excuses because you have to be strong in a difficult period, be strong and use this period to become stronger and stronger.
I want players ready to take the responsibility, especially when the situation is not easy. This way I think you grow a lot and you prepare yourself to be a protagonist in future.
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