Roberto De Zerbi has reflected on Martin Dubravka’s debut for Tottenham and has admitted that he failed to get a message across to the experienced goalkeeper.
The Spurs goalkeeper, who arrived on a free transfer in the summer, was handed an opportunity to start at Anfield, and for the most part, he looked tidy.
The 37-year-old was calm in playing out the back, making the right choices alongside centre-backs Tosin Adarabioyo and Marcos Senesi.
The Slovak international also made a couple of decent saves in either half, proving that he can be a reliable deputy to Antonin Kinsky.
Roberto De Zerbi rues not giving specific instructions to Tottenham debutant Martin Dubravka
There was a period in the final 15 minutes or so of the first-half, when Tottenham did not have much joy playing out from the back, with Liverpool winning the ball high up the pitch on several occasions.
De Zerbi admitted that he needed to have informed the experienced goalkeeper to go long during that time since the home side were defending man-to-man.
When asked what he thought of Dubravka’s debut, the Tottenham boss told Football.London: “Good. He’s a good guy, good goalkeeper. I’m sorry, and it’s my responsibility. Because maybe in the middle of the first half we didn’t recognise the clear situation man-to-man.
“And we had to do something totally different than play close, close, close and short. But it’s a process. It was the first game for Dubravka. In the second half, he played very well.”
De Zerbi admits Spurs did not defend well against Liverpool
While Spurs showed a lot of positive signs going forward at Anfield and created many chances, they did concede a couple of soft goals.
De Zerbi confessed that his side should have done better for Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo’s strikes, but admitted that overall, the team is moving in the right direction.
The Italian added: “The first goal we conceded we didn’t defend in the right way, and the second goal we could be closer with Gakpo, but have to understand if we are in the right way or not, I think, watching the game, the last three games, four games, maybe until minute 60 with Newcastle, I think we are in the right way.”