MusaTottenham Hotspur were expected to challenge for European qualification this season following a record-breaking summer transfer window that saw the North London club welcome 10 new players to White Hart Lane.
However, despite the significant investment, Spurs endured a disastrous beginning to their Premier League campaign, going six consecutive matches without a victory and even finding themselves inside the relegation zone.
Things have started to change dramatically in recent weeks, with three successive victories over Coventry City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace helping Roberto De Zerbi’s side climb to ninth in the Premier League standings.
The impressive turnaround has breathed new life into Tottenham’s campaign, with supporters beginning to believe that the club can still achieve the ambitions that were initially set before the season began.
De Zerbi’s influence is also becoming increasingly visible, with his players gradually adapting to his tactical demands and showing signs of becoming a more organised and dangerous attacking unit.
However, despite the recent improvement, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes there is still one important aspect of Tottenham’s game that requires significant attention.
Jamie Carragher identifies Tottenham’s biggest weakness despite impressive winning run
There is little doubt that Tottenham are beginning to display several of the tactical characteristics associated with De Zerbi’s football philosophy.
The Italian manager has introduced an aggressive pressing approach, quicker transitions, intelligent movement, greater emphasis on possession and a commitment to playing out from the back.
Spurs are also becoming more comfortable controlling matches, with their ability to dominate possession and dictate the tempo improving considerably.
Nevertheless, Carragher believes that their attacking performances still leave plenty of room for improvement, particularly when it comes to creating clear-cut opportunities from open play.
Speaking on Sky Sports, the Liverpool legend acknowledged Tottenham’s recent progress but warned against getting carried away by their winning streak.
He suggested that although the results are encouraging, their performances have not necessarily been as convincing as the scorelines might indicate.
“I think they’re back; I don’t think they’re so back. I think they were always going to start picking up results; too many good players, too good a manager,” Carragher said.
Discussing their 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace, he pointed out that both goals came from set-piece situations, questioning how much Tottenham were actually creating during open play.
He also referenced their previous victory against Coventry, arguing that Spurs had struggled to produce enough quality attacking opportunities despite eventually securing all three points.
“In this game [the win over Palace], there were two goals from set pieces; talk about them maybe, still not creating an awful lot in open play.
“You go back to the game they won against Coventry, we did on the last Monday Night Football; again, it wasn’t a great performance, got the job done, again some goals from outside the box, so they probably want to create better chances than what they are doing so far, even in these wins.”
Carragher, however, acknowledged that collecting victories is particularly important for Tottenham after their disappointing home record in recent months.
“But I think for Tottenham, it’s just about winning, especially at home. The home record of late has been absolutely atrocious, so it’s green shoots.”
Tottenham gradually finding their identity under Roberto De Zerbi
Despite Carragher’s criticism, there are encouraging signs that Tottenham are heading in the right direction under their new manager.
The club’s disastrous start had raised serious questions about the quality of the squad, the direction of the project and whether Spurs could find themselves fighting another relegation battle.
However, the recent victories have significantly improved the atmosphere around the club, with players appearing more confident and increasingly comfortable with their responsibilities.
One of the clearest indications of their progress came during the 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace, when Tottenham established new club benchmarks for completed passes and passing accuracy in a single Premier League match.
That performance demonstrated how effectively De Zerbi’s possession-based philosophy is beginning to influence the team.
Furthermore, Tottenham’s performances throughout October showed considerable improvement across several important tactical areas, suggesting that the Italian is gradually building a side capable of competing at a much higher level.
The return of important players from injuries and suspensions could also make a significant difference as the campaign progresses.
With additional time on the training ground, De Zerbi will have the opportunity to improve the team’s attacking combinations, develop better movement in the final third and address the concerns raised by Carragher.
Although Tottenham are still some distance away from becoming a completely convincing side, their recent results suggest that the worst of their early-season struggles could be behind them.
Having started the campaign with serious relegation concerns, Spurs are now looking towards a potential top-half finish, with European qualification potentially becoming a realistic ambition if their improvement continues.
For De Zerbi, the next challenge will be ensuring that Tottenham’s impressive winning run is supported by consistently convincing performances, particularly in their ability to create and convert high-quality chances from open play.
Musa
