Roberto De Zerbi left another difficult Tottenham night under a hard London spotlight on Saturday, as Aston Villa won 3-2 and pushed Spurs down to 19th in the Premier League table.
Tottenham’s crisis deepens
- Tottenham invested €336 million during the summer window, bringing in 10 players after recruitment shaped around De Zerbi’s requests.
- The Italian, formerly Marseille coach, had signed a five-year contract with Spurs in March.
- After five league matches, Tottenham have three defeats and two goalless draws, leaving them without a win and second from bottom.
- Villa’s 3-2 victory at Tottenham on Saturday increased the pressure, with visiting supporters singing that De Zerbi would be “sacked in the morning”.
- Former striker Chris Sutton also questioned when scrutiny would finally turn towards the Tottenham manager.
There was misfortune in the Villa defeat, but Tottenham’s deeper frailties remain impossible to ignore. Since November 2024, they have failed to win any of the 58 matches in all competitions in which they have fallen behind.
New signings struggle against Villa
De Zerbi’s substitutions weakened his side during the match, while several summer arrivals delivered worrying performances. Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke were involved in the two first goals conceded by Tottenham.
The scale of the summer spending has therefore become a problem as much as a promise. De Zerbi asked for reinforcements and now finds himself directly exposed when those additions fail to lift the team.
De Zerbi challenges his players
After the final whistle, the coach publicly criticised several members of his squad. He said he had not liked Mateus Fernandes’ display and demanded more from Dominic Solanke, arguing that the forward lacked confidence.
De Zerbi also issued a warning to players who will remain with Tottenham during the international break rather than joining their national teams. James Maddison, Conor Gallagher, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marcos Senesi and Savio were among those named.
“They have to work harder,” De Zerbi said, adding that he had not been satisfied with the side’s physical condition, including against Aston Villa.
His long contract remains his strongest protection for now, but blaming individuals will be a dangerous route if Tottenham’s results and performances continue to decline.
