In Tottenham Hotspur’s current circumstances, it is difficult, perhaps even futile, to look past results when analysing their matches under Roberto De Zerbi.
After all, he was appointed during the March international break with seven league games remaining to direct the club towards one outcome: survival.
Achieve that, by any means necessary, and he’s a hero. If he falls short, something he will bear little responsibility for, Tottenham face at least a season in the Championship; uncharted territory for a club of their riches and global profile with potentially long-term sporting and financial consequences.
But in just over a month in charge, De Zerbi’s messaging and tactical tweaks have completely transformed a club that looked set for the drop. The Spurs boss has repeatedly maintained that he feels “lucky” to be coaching such an accomplished group, name-checking players like Conor Gallagher who were ineffective and playing well below par under Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank. That messaging has rejuvenated the playing group who now seem to be relishing the weight of the challenge at hand after wilting under it for months.
And on the pitch, De Zerbi has proven, even in the midst of a relegation battle, that substance and style are not mutually exclusive.
Despite the high stakes, Tottenham are playing with freedom, doggedness and technical composure, with Sunday’s 2-1 away win at Aston Villa a combination of those match-winning qualities. Tottenham have collected seven points from their last three matches, including their first and second league wins of 2026, but last weekend’s display at Villa Park was by far their best performance and result of the calendar year so far — and, considering the circumstances, arguably their best outing this season.
In possession, Tottenham’s footballing revolution has started with Antonin Kinsky. Being at Villa Park on Sunday and listening to home fans shouting to pressurise Kinsky, it is apparent that the collective footballing conscience is not yet aware of how he has entirely rebuilt his reputation and standing at Spurs under De Zerbi after his horror 17 minutes in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid in March. In fact, those supporters’ desire to see their team press the 23-year-old inadvertently helped him as it allowed for opportunities to break Villa’s lines.
Here’s an example of Tottenham doing just that. Despite changes to the midfield, Spurs continued to try to play the same way at 2-0 up in the second half, with Yves Bissouma, a player De Zerbi has placed faith in since taking the job, replacing Rodrigo Bentancur as the central target for short passes.
Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans is on Bissouma’s tail when Kinsky drops a short pass towards the Mali international, adding heightened risk and reward to Bissouma’s decision to come short. If he can spin away or find a pass, it can speed up Spurs’ attack. If he makes a mistake in possession, it will almost certainly lead to a great goalscoring chance for the home side.
Bissouma deals with the danger expertly, chipping a pass wide to Kevin Danso, who moves the attack wide to Djed Spence. The move ultimately ends with a good opportunity for Spence, who shoots narrowly wide from inside the box with his left foot.
“He’s given us loads of solutions and I feel like everybody knows exactly what the manager wants, how we want to play,” Danso told Spurs’ in-house media after the game on Sunday. “I feel we look calm, and we also feel calm, especially when we have the ball. I feel like we’re really good defenders, and when it comes to that, I think we continue to do well and show our qualities.”
Bentancur was outstanding before being replaced in the 67th minute due to tiredness. His desire to receive the ball in tight spaces, an intention Bissouma shares, and his press-resistance allows De Zerbi to build through a central target. Under Frank, attacks were often funnelled wide, particularly towards Mohammed Kudus and Pedro Porro on the right. Tudor further increased Tottenham’s reliance on wide attacks by implementing a system with wing-backs, thereby removing a body from central midfield. While De Zerbi continues to use the flanks, central progression is also encouraged — giving Bentancur the platform to shine.
Here’s one example of the Uruguay international receiving a pass under pressure before dummying his marker and passing on to Kinsky, who assumes a playmaker role under De Zerbi.
Bentancur’s comfort in these areas is a primary reason he has been preferred over Archie Gray in recent weeks, despite Gray having an impressive sophomore season in north London. In Spurs’ 3-0 away defeat to Nottingham Forest in December, Gray received a pass in a similar area to the one Bissouma dealt with so well but in that case, the 20-year-old lost possession, leading to a goal.
There is no questioning Gray’s application and potential, but De Zerbi requires his midfielders to be sharp and technically secure for his build-up play to fall on the right side of the risk-reward balance, so it is an area he will likely have to improve to get back into the side.
Bentancur’s return has also allowed Tottenham to be more considered and patient in possession. Under Frank and Tudor, Tottenham played a more macro style of football, emphasising long balls and large spaces. De Zerbi, on the other hand, prefers to build patterns based on short passing, which seems to suit more capable technicians like Porro and Randal Kolo Muani, his preferred right-sided combination.
Here’s one instance of Spurs building through Bentancur and their right-sided attackers.
In this sequence, Porro moves into the right half-space, a position where he has the technical security and the final ball to be effective. Against Brighton, Porro opened the scoring from a central position, heading past Bart Verbruggen after Xavi Simons found him drifting behind the Brighton back line. Porro was not so advanced against Villa but was effective from the right “No 8” position in possession, swapping with Joao Palhinha, who filled in at right-back.
It’s a tactical tweak from De Zerbi that suits the pair, pushing Palhinha to defend on the front foot and make more straightforward technical passes, while allowing Porro to influence the game as an attacking force.
Tottenham were less fluid in April’s 1-0 away win against Wolverhampton Wanderers but that reflects more on Rob Edwards’ structured system. This is very much a first iteration of De Zerbi’s Spurs, and, in time, the Italian will surely look to improve the team’s potency against lower blocks, though failing to continue evolving in that area beyond the initial stylistic revolution has been a longstanding criticism of his from previous roles in charge, particularly at Shakhtar Donetsk.
But if Spurs stutter in possession in their final three matches, they can bank on their set-piece threat, which has continued under De Zerbi, and a rampant press.
Despite their improvements with the ball, Tottenham’s out-of-possession work was the driver behind their success against Villa. Led by Gallagher, who delivered a man-of-the-match performance as a pressing No 10, Tottenham’s midfield combined maniacal desire and coordination to win possession high inside Villa’s half.
Here’s an example of how Tottenham’s structure without the ball led to a loose pass from goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
With Lamare Bogarde ahead of him, Victor Lindelof to his right and Tyrone Mings to his left, Martinez has three options if he decides to go short. Bogarde, who may be the best option to turn defence into attack quickly, is crowded out by Spurs players, while both wide options will also be under pressure quickly if they receive it. Martinez goes wide to Lindelof, who gives it straight back.
Now, Spurs’ press has converged further towards Martinez, who has issues with the three short options shown with red lines. Under pressure, the Argentina international tries to split the Spurs midfield with a long ground pass towards Ross Barkley, who has dropped deeper to provide another outlet.
But Bentancur takes advantage of a poor pass, winning possession and creating a sequence that leads to a good chance for Richarlison inside two minutes.
Here’s another sequence, just a few minutes later, of Tottenham’s press stopping a Villa attack building through the centre.
Compare that to Emi Buendia’s goal when Spurs lost 2-1 to Villa in the FA Cup third round in January, and the differences in urgency and structure are stark.
Gallagher’s performance without the ball led De Zerbi to say that it felt like having 12 players after the game, praising his ability to influence matches across the pitch. The midfielder’s most decisive contribution, however, was with the ball, powering home a shot from 20 yards after 12 minutes — his first goal for the club.
It marks another example of how Spurs are now willing to let fly from distance, after seemingly avoiding long-range strikes under Frank. In fact, Palhinha hit the post minutes after Gallagher’s goal from even further out. Simons also scored a stunning goal from the edge of the box in the 2-2 draw with Brighton.
Stunning or not, Tottenham now appear to have several ways to score goals and win games under De Zerbi, even without the creative inspiration of Simons or the long-term injured duo Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.
Crucially, thanks to De Zerbi’s impact, Tottenham don’t just have the tactical plan to do that, but the belief to back it up.