MusaTottenham Hotspur’s difficult start to the new Premier League season took another damaging turn this weekend as Roberto De Zerbi questioned the mentality of his squad following their 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa.
The Tottenham boss expressed his frustration after watching his side surrender another promising position, describing Spurs as one of the most fragile and inconsistent teams he has encountered during his 14-year coaching career.
Spurs fall into the relegation zone
Tottenham’s winless run continued on Saturday as Aston Villa claimed a 3-2 victory in north London. The result leaves Spurs in the Premier League relegation zone after five matches without a single league victory.
De Zerbi guided Tottenham to safety last season, but his second campaign has started in worrying fashion. Spurs showed plenty of promise during the opening stages against Villa and created several opportunities, only to suffer another collapse as the match progressed.
The defeat has increased the pressure surrounding the team, with Tottenham still searching for their first league win of the campaign.
De Zerbi frustrated by Tottenham’s mentality
Speaking to talkSPORT after the final whistle, De Zerbi made it clear that he was struggling to understand why his team continues to lose control of matches after making strong starts.
The Italian admitted that, during his 14 years as a coach, he had never encountered a team quite like the current Tottenham side in terms of their inconsistency.
He explained that Spurs were capable of producing a very good opening 30 or 40 minutes before suddenly allowing opponents back into the game.
De Zerbi also admitted that he did not have all the answers when asked what had caused another collapse.
The Tottenham manager said he was encouraged by his team’s first-half performance, particularly the chances they created, but was disappointed that they failed to convert those opportunities before conceding.
He stressed that his players needed to remain closer together, become more compact and show greater strength when the momentum shifts against them.
De Zerbi also questioned whether his players lost energy following Mohammed Kudus’ disallowed equaliser, before acknowledging that the team now had another defeat to analyse.
Tottenham lacking leadership
The Villa defeat also reinforced concerns over Tottenham’s leadership and organisation during difficult moments.
De Zerbi suggested that communication between the players could be improved and called for the team’s leaders to take greater responsibility on the pitch.
According to the Italian, similar problems had already appeared during Tottenham’s matches against Newcastle United, Liverpool and Everton.
He believes Spurs need stronger personalities capable of guiding the team when matches become difficult rather than allowing setbacks to trigger another collapse.
Tottenham’s repeated inability to maintain strong performances over 90 minutes has now cost them valuable points at the beginning of the campaign.
With the club sitting in the relegation zone and still searching for its first league victory, De Zerbi and his coaching staff now face the task of finding a solution to the recurring problems before the situation becomes even more difficult.
Musa
