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Roberto De Zerbi has singled out one Tottenham youngster for praise after his crucial contributions ensured that the Lilywhites beat Wolves and kept their chances of survival alive.
It was an extremely tense afternoon for everyone associated with Spurs, who went through a rollercoaster of emotions.
Relegation rivals, West Ham, were also playing at the same time at home against Everton, and they scored a stoppage-time winner to break Tottenham’s hearts after the Toffees had equalised in the dying stages of regular time.
That meant that anything other than a win at the Molineux Stadium would have spelt disaster for Spurs in their quest to stay up, and the Lilywhites managed to get the win they needed through an 82nd-minute strike by Joao Palhinha.
Roberto De Zerbi praises Tottenham’s Antonin Kinsky for bouncing back from adversity
Spurs needed a big save from Antonin Kinsky at the end to avoid conceding a stoppage-time equaliser for the second game running, with the Czech goalkeeper diving to his left to produce a fine stop to keep out a free kick.
Some pundits had suggested that Kinsky’s career at the top level may be over after his horror 17 minutes against Atletico Madrid last month, and De Zerbi has suggested that the 23-year-old richly deserves the accolades that are now coming his way.
When asked how proud he was of the young goalkeeper, the Spurs head coach said (via the club’s official website): “He deserves this day, because he played very well, especially today. He was crucial for the result, he deserves everything, because he’s a good guy, he’s a good goalkeeper, and especially after Madrid, he deserves a day like today.”
De Zerbi admits Randal Kolo Muani lost confidence against Wolves
The Italian had handed Randal Kolo Muani his third consecutive start, preferring him once again to Mathys Tel.
De Zerbi admitted that the 27-year-old lost confidence as the game went on and shared how he plans to get the best out of the France international.
The Italian added following his side’s crucial win: “I wouldn’t like to lose any other players, because Romero, Kudus, now Solanke and maybe Xavi, we can win the games with the players, not with the coaches. The coaches are important, but the players are more important. I want to be positive.
“Kolo Muani started the game very well, and then he lost confidence. I have to go every day for lunch with Kolo Muano this week, every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, because he’s a top player, he has potential, and I want him to play better, he feels better on the pitch, he tries to go one-to-one, to shoot something with more energy, because he can do that.”
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