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It takes something special for a club to go through four managers and for nothing to change.

Four different sets of principles, four different approaches, four different game plans, yet nothing sticks. Not one idea nor concept has made a lasting impact on who we are as a football club. Tottenham Hotspur have been lacking an identity for so long that I am not sure I could tell a stranger, someone who has never heard of the club, what exactly we are.

Games pass us by, bad luck seems to wait at every 50-50 and there is such a lack of goal threat that opposition goalkeepers may as well start their summer holidays early. We are a team lacking in every department, on the pitch and off it.

With each appointment, we are promised change. Something to make us proud, something to cling to, but every new era brings the same disappointment and the same draining of our most valuable resource: time.

The new manager bounce is a fable as old as time, but at Spurs there has been no sign of it. It remains a bedtime story as we sleepwalk towards relegation. Every weekend brings another must-win game, and every weekend the line in the sand is erased and redrawn further down the beach.

On a personal level, I have gone beyond panic, fear and anger. I have arrived at acceptance. Since January, all we have needed is three wins, yet even that has proved beyond everyone involved. I do not see Spurs, with the finish line in sight, suddenly finding the energy to push on. Instead, we will continue to crawl towards it, as Nottingham Forest, Leeds and, most painfully, West Ham surge past us to safety.

In the long term, Roberto de Zerbi may prove an inspired appointment, but he has been dropped into a hole so deep and so dark that even a five-year contract may not give him enough time to find a way out.

Tottenham fans have been let down so often this season that I have no fingers left to point with. You make your own fate, and this club has created a monster.

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As Cristian Romero made an early exit at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, I think most fans knew that his tears were for Argentina, not Spurs.

Adding to Tottenham's ridiculous injury list, Romero appeared distraught despite his team-mates' efforts to console him. This raw emotion was from a man who had just realised his World Cup dream might be over before the tournament has even kicked off, not one who is desperate to keep the club he captains in the Premier League.

Therein lies the issue at Spurs. There doesn't seem to be anyone taking responsibility for this relegation battle, nor is there any sense of panic about our plight. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting it would be helpful for our players to run around in alarm. Clearly, they need calm heads. But where is the sense of urgency?

Instead, there is an ominous air of resignation in the Spurs camp. The fans are still giving it everything we have, including those who travelled to Sunderland in the fragile, and ultimately futile, hope that we might secure our first league win of 2026.

However, the stony expressions on the faces of our board members watching on told a different story. Their final, desperate gamble of appointing Roberto de Zerbi - a decision that has divided the fanbase for good reason - has started in the worst way possible.

Any dreams of this mythical "new manager bounce" were destroyed by a cruel deflection which led to the only goal of the game and yet another defeat. If De Zerbi was under any illusion about the desperation of this situation, the scale of his task was brought into sharp focus for him in his first match in charge.

Whichever league we end up in next season, there must be a full-scale review of the club over the summer, resulting in a change of leadership from top to bottom, on and off the pitch.

For now, if we have any chance of surviving the drop, these players need more than a big brother or a father figure. They need a miracle-worker.

Speaking on the Monday Night Club, former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha says new Tottenham head coach Roberto de Zerbi is right to focus on raising morale rather than tactics as he looks to keep the club in the Premier League.

WATCH MORE: Tottenham players don't need a coach - De Zerbi

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton says Roberto de Zerbi has gone into Tottenham "and put his coaching principles aside" in order to try and save them from relegation.

De Zerbi's reign started with defeat at Sunderland, meaning Spurs are still winless in 2026 in the Premier League.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club about the tough job De Zerbi has, Sutton said: "He is a pure coach, but he has said the team don't need to be coached and that means they are that low on confidence they are not ready for him to go in and play the De Zerbi brand of football.

"It is just about getting them over the line and I think he is doing the right thing, but it is pathetic really.

"I was looking at their bench on the weekend and it's an expensive bench, let alone the first team. How Tottenham are in this position is just incredible. The players have to take a great deal of responsibility.

"In De Zerbi's early days it is just about trying to lift them and keep them on side.

"He has gone in and put his coaching principles aside and will give them a good pat on the back to try and keep them up."

The Observer's Rory Smith says De Zerbi has taken a "firefighter's approach" and is being "pragmatic".

Smith said: "De Zerbi's said 'I'll put this on hold until the summer. Let's stay up and then we can do the playing out from the back stuff.'"

We asked for your views on how big a blow it is for Spurs to lose captain Cristian Romero for the rest of the season after his injury at Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Deep: This team is going to benefit from the loss of Romero. He isn't a leader and his disciplinary issues have never helped. He was never crying for us (he's going to Athleti in the summer!), he was crying for his national team. He doesn't care if we go down and the team is better off without him! A solid defender like Danso, with that long throw as well, will do us the world of good. Hopefully the loss of this dreadful captain will allow someone to step up and really lead this team.

I do feel for the lad though, he might miss the World Cup.

KH: This is not a blow at all. When we needed him he got idiotic suspensions and has shown zero leadership on or off the pitch. I'd far rather have Danso playing.

Terry: It's nice to hear that Romero is out for the rest of the season. Maybe now Spurs can replace him with a better defender that really fights for the team, because Romero certainly didn't. It's a shame that when he wanted to leave earlier in the season they didn't let him go. If they had we wouldn't be in this position now.

John: The loss of Romero is no big deal, he is a yellow card waiting to happen in every match as at Sunderland. Danso, who will be his replacement, is a very good player with a long throw as well. Romero has been guilty of not leading from the front, of jogging back when the opposition break a fast attack forward. This was highlighted on Match of the Day. I'm not sad to be seeing the back of him. What is actually needed is a creative midfielder and that's something we just haven't got.

Douglas: Pity for Romero, but a blessing in disguise for Spurs. A good defender, but a poor leader. The worst discipline at the club, maybe even in the league. Spurs need to appoint a proper leader who sets the example for the rest of the team to follow and now is the perfect time to do it.

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Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is set to miss the rest of the season with the knee injury he sustained in their 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

Argentina defender Romero, 27, looked visibly upset as he limped off following a collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in the Premier League fixture at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

It raised concerns he may have incurred an injury serious enough to rule him out of Tottenham's final six games as they battle to avoid relegation.

Following tests, Romero is now expected to miss up to eight weeks with a high-grade partial tear of his medial cruciate ligament.

His chances of being part of Argentina's squad for this summer's World Cup are also left hanging in the balance.

Romero's absence is a major setback for newly-appointed head coach Roberto de Zerbi as he bids to keep Tottenham in the top flight.

De Zerbi said after the match that Romero was a "good player with a big personality" and a "crucial player" for Spurs.

Tottenham are in advanced talks over a free transfer for Liverpool defender Andy Robertson this summer.

Robertson confirmed last week he is leaving Anfield after nine years at the club when his contract expires this summer.

Spurs have a long-term interest in the 32-year-old left-back and tried to sign him during the January transfer window but Liverpool were not prepared to let him leave.

Tottenham remain committed to signing the Scotland captain and while sources insist a full agreement is yet to be reached, discussions are understood to be at an advanced stage.

Any deal, however, is contingent on Spurs staying in the Premier League.

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur.

Here are some of your comments:

Sunderland fans

Adrian: Three points off fifth and a Champions League slot. Who'd have predicted that this time last year?

Robert: Another Superb performance by this young Sunderland side. Regis le Bris is, in my opinion, a good candidate for manager/head coach of the season. He has built a virtually new team in his debut Premier League campaign. He has developed a wonderful team spirit and togetherness that is excellent. Magnificent results have come thick and fast. I could not be happier. Ha'way the lads. And I'm feeling "Glad All Over" as it's the song the Crystal Palace fans sing when they score a goal and win.

Stephen: More proof that we need an "out-and-out" goalscorer. We created many more chances than Spurs yet our only goal came from a deflection.

Graham: Not the best this season but, as always, a team performance and Granit Xhaka pulling the strings - as usual.

Tottenham fans

Peter: A much better performance. Chances created but lack of quality upfront meant they weren't taken. I would like to have seen more urgency towards the end. You don't play your way out of the bottom three. As for the goal, one of those conceded by team at the bottom. We deserved a point, but that's not how football works. Still hope, three wins a minimum. COYS.

Colin: Listless. Boring. Pathetic. Big mistake not playing Xavi Simons until 95th minute. So many under performing players. Play the under-21s' side next week.

Roger: In the days when we had Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son consistently contributing over 30 goals a season we could afford to concede a few goals and still pick up the points. Unfortunately, they have been replace by very expensive flops when it comes to scoring. Likewise in midfield we have never come close to replacing the quality of Christian Eriksen, Dele Ali and Mousa Dembele. That is why we are where we are and unfortunately there are no quick fixes. Against Sunderland confirmed that hard work and effort alone will not be enough, we are going to have to rely on a lot of good luck if we are to avoid relegation.