De Zerbi admits his Spurs squad was ‘not ready’ for start of Premier League season after defeat to Brentford – and defends youngster | OneFootball

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi admits his side are “not a team yet” after they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Brentford, while defending his decision to start Lucas Bergvall.

Spurs were comfortably beaten at the Gtech Community Stadium in their opening Premier League game, with De Zerbi acknowledging there is still significant work to do before his new-look side can establish their identity.

“I think we are not a team yet, for a lot of reasons,” De Zerbi said.

“Yesterday in the press conference, when you asked me what is the target, we can fix the target when you become a team.

“Before then, when we become a team, we can’t say what we can do.”

The Italian insisted Tottenham’s physical condition is not yet where it needs to be, with several players returning late following the World Cup.

“For sure, we are not in the right point in physical condition, for a lot of reasons,” he added.

“They came late after the World Cup, because in Australia we couldn’t work in the right way for the trip, don’t take risk for a lot of things, but they are not excuses.

“It’s a normal situation when you are building a new project, a new process. I don’t want time, but we have to pass through these problems.

“I couldn’t lose confidence in my players. I believe in my players, I believe in my club, I believe in myself.

“I knew after the Hoffenheim game, I said we are not in the right point, we are late for the start of the Premier League. But it’s a step, we have to improve quickly.”

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De Zerbi also defended his decision to start Lucas Bergvall, despite admitting he knew that the midfielder could struggle against Brentford’s physical approach.

“In the pre-season, we worked with Lucas Bergvall,” he said.

“I think at the beginning of the season, at the beginning of the new project, it was good, it was right to play with Lucas Bergvall.

“But I knew before the game, Lucas Bergvall, in this type of game, maybe he could suffer more than Rodrigo Bentancur, 29 years old, and Lucas, 20.

“I knew, I knew before the game, but at the end, you have to think.”

“For the plan, for the project, what the club wants, what we are, in the direction we are working, I think it’s the normal process.”

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