What's the latest team news, aside from Hugo Lloris' injury?
Everyone is available for the next game. We are all disappointed about Hugo and his injury. However, we have a good experienced goalkeeper [in] Fraser Forster with great experience in the Premier League and Champions League. We have a tough five weeks in front of us.
We trust in Fraser and we are happy with him in the squad. We say to Hugo: ‘See you soon’. He needs a good recovery. He needs maybe between five and seven weeks to be back with us.
READ MORE: Pedro Porro illness, what Kane asked Conte on the phone, funny Lucas and Emerson's fitting post
Is there any positive that Hugo Lloris can take from getting to recover and refresh mentally after coming back quickly from the World Cup?
It is always better to have Hugo with us. All the keepers make some mistakes sometimes ands it’s not goof to have an injury. We prefer to have Hugo with us. He could use this time to recover mentally. Hugo played the last games very well so it was a good moment for him. He had recovered from the World Cup completely.
How is Antonio Conte and will he be back for the Leicester match?
Antonio is back. This morning he was on the pitch with us. He has to take it easy for a bit. We were so happy to meet him again on the training ground. He spent rime hugging everyone. We didn’t speak about what he would do in the next match, but he is back and we are happy for that. We have time to arrive in the game happy.
Did you remind him of your 100 per cent record as a manager?
(Laughs) No, never I spoke about this because it is only a joke.
This is an opportunity for Fraser, what do you like about him?
First thing I like Fraser like a man because he is a very good man. His behaviour in this season was perfect. Every day he pushes himself to train really hard and with this behaviour he pushes Hugo to train very hard. He is a great man before a great goalkeeper because we don't have to forgot we are men before we are player. I like Fraser.
The difference between Hugo is we start to think physically he (Fraser) is a keeper perfect for the Premier League style, for the type of game we are going to play in the Premier League, he uses both feet when he plays with the ball. So, it will be interesting to see him for some weeks to play with us. We trust in him, we completely trust in him.
Can the Man City win be a catalyst for the season?
Yes there are sometimes games like this and we spoke before the last game that if we reach and win this type of game you can create good momentum in the season but to do this you have to win the next and the next and the next game. To do this you have to work well, to be well prepared and play with humility and don't lose this aspect. What changed in our mind in the last period is the way we approach the game. We have to continue in this way but to do that we have look at ourselves and understand why we change in this way. This is the most important.
How much was last weekend your tactics or did Antonio have a lot of input?
We knew very well the way that City used to play, to keep possession, to do many passes and we expect this type of game. We were aggressive in the first game in their stadium, we were so aggressive and we prepared the game to be aggressive again. City surprised us a bit in the start by using Bernardo Silva in between the two strikers, in between the lines like a number 10 but we adapt immediately our pressure and our behaviour.
I think it is not the most important thing, the most important is to play with humility, be ready to suffer and we prepared the game to be ready to suffer and to be active in the game. This was the best thing we show in this game. Many times we push them back with the ball and to not concede line breaks. This was the best thing we did in the last game and we prepared this type of game. We reach our target and we won the game being aggressive. This was very important.
But was much of it your tactics?
No, our tactics came from the job that Antonio did for a long time. For me it was easy to continue to work in the same way. You can change something and we change something. Me and Ryan Mason we spoke immediately during the game and we have to change something. We use Eric Dier to be aggressive on Bernardo Silva. This was tactically the only aspect we change but normally we work, continue and follow what Antonio did. The last week was tough but we work well, we work very well.
Did you enjoy being the manager?
I enjoyed it a lot and we took a lot more responsibility, but it's a job we do with passion and the experience to live as a manager with this passion was good for me, but also for all the staff. All the staff was in charge to work with me.
You spoke about aggression and you won't have Cristian Romero for this match, he's had six yellow cards in six games, including that red. How do you improve his discipline while not losing his aggression that's part of his game?
To not receive a yellow card you have to arrive at the ball and use your tackle at the right time. So we can work on the timing. He has to jump and tackle and try to win the ball. We will work on this aspect but keeping the same aggressiveness.
You've now had almost two weeks to work with Pedro Porro on the training pitches, what can he bring?
He can bring very good skill, he can bring experience. He's a young player but with great experience. Technically he's a fantastic player. His enthusiasm to play in a new league, in a new team, could be a boost for us when we decide to use him.
You mentioned about changing Dier's role, was that a one-off or could it be used more often?
“It was in that moment, we need to use it, and we used it in that moment. If it will happen again, maybe we can use, but we have other solutions to try to play. In that game, we thought that was the right solution and we used it, but it’s not the only one.
Eric had a difficult spell after the World Cup, but he looked great against City, was that game a return for some of the squad coming back to form?
Is not a return. Eric Dier was with us, like I said, about the keeper. Everyone has some moments with problems. They are men, they are not robots, this season in particular. For many teams, in particular. We are not the only team that sometimes the perfs of some players can drop a bit. It’s normal. They are not robots. So, Eric Dier is back. Eric Dier played some great games, because it was not only this game he played very well. Also in Manchester he played a great game. In Fulham he played a great game. So is a big time that Eric Dier is back.
There's been a lot of speculation over Antonio Conte's contract and of course what happens to him affects you, has he spoken to you about it?
No we never talk about that. We are so focused on the moment and the next game, the next training and the next step. We have to do it. The next solution we have to try to create and build within the team. We have never spoken about this.
Is it difficult though to not know what is next, can you be relaxed about it?
In football you cannot be relaxed if you have a contract or not. You have to work hard and when you approach the next game, you can't be relaxed and you live this with energy because you want to win. So you don't have time to talk about the future. This is our life, this is football, this is sport, you think about the next target you want to achieve. What you want to achieve is only this so you're not relaxed with or without a contract.
Do you have to consider the Milan game with this team selection?
Maybe we have to consider that next week is a week in which we have to play three games so you have to think about the whole week. So AC Milan we have to play and then we have another tough game at home against West Ham. So yes of course you think about this but the most important thing is the next step, the next game. We pick every time the team that we think is best to win the next game and prepare the team for the whole week.
The women's team are playing at the stadium on Sunday against Manchester United, how much do you hope that after beating a Manchester side yourself last week there they can do the same this week?
We wish them all the best. It's an important game that they play at our stadium. We expect 30,000 people and if it's possible, plus one, because I'd like to go with them to feel it. I have meet some their staff a few times and I can feel that passion they use in their job and the passion they use to be better every day. You can feel this, they transfer it to me. I enjoy talking with them about football and their experiences so I would like to be at the stadium to watch that game.
READ NEXT:
Every word Fabio Paratici said on Pedro Porro, Doherty and Tottenham teen who is 'a big talent'
- Pedro Porro struggles, curious case of Matt Doherty and Tottenham transfers that didn't happen
- Rennes transfer chiefs explain reasons behind Djed Spence loan from Tottenham on deadline day
- Bryan Gil explains exactly why he left Tottenham to join Sevilla on loan
- Tottenham's Pedro Porro transfer structure explained amid defender decision and youngster's move
