Football365

Nottingham Forest legend Stuart Pearce has hit out at Tottenham Hotspur summer signing Jan Paul van Hecke after his side’s loss against Aston Villa.

Former Brighton star Van Hecke was one of Tottenham’s big-money signings in this summer’s transfer window.

The Netherlands international joined Spurs for around £52m, and this deal has been considered too expensive because he made the move after entering the final year of his Brighton contract.

Van Hecke has also struggled at the start of this season, and Pearce was left ‘shocked’ by the centre-back after he easily lost a duel with Aston Villa star Nicolas Jackson in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat.

“What is Van Hecke doing? He sold himself completely,” Sam Matterface said on talkSPORT commentary.

READ: Man Utd, Spurs to race for Eddie Howe with Harry Kane blamed but Glazers not the problem

Co-commentator Pearce agreed as he questioned Van Hecke’s big-money summer move from Brighton.

He replied: “He certainly did. Was that £52million worth of central defending?”

Matterface then added: “Honestly, I wish everybody could see the look on your face.”

Pearce responded: “Honestly, when he moved for the summer money that he did it raised an eyebrow or two in my head.

“And his performance today has done exactly that again.”

Pundit and ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara also hit out at Van Hecke for his performance against Aston Villa.

O’Hara said on X: “Van Hecke looks like he’s playing in cement.”

“We’re going to go down…”

O’Hara has also explained why he thinks Tottenham are “going to go down” this season.

“I can’t believe how bad we are, genuinely, I can’t believe how bad we are. Seriously, what has happened to this football club?” O’Hara said on talkSPORT.

“What has happened to Spurs? [Sandro] Tonali, £100million, turning his back, Savio looks like he’s playing kids’ football, [Omar] Marmoush, who’s he? Have we signed his brother? He is absolute guff.

“We haven’t got a midfield, there’s no fight in this team. None. No fight whatsoever, they’re strolling about.”

READ NEXT: De Zerbi ‘sacked in the morning’ as Villa have spine ripped out and still show more backbone than Spurs

He then admitted: “We are so soft…it’s the softest team in the Premier League, we’re going to go down.

“I’m looking at the teams and it’s like, everyone is better than us, right now, I’m looking at the bottom three and yeah, that is the bottom three right now, it looks like the bottom three.

“We’ve spent £400m to get away from the plughole and we’re still in it! We’re like that bit of food that gets stuck in the plug and you can’t get rid of it…

“We’re just in there, around the plughole and then eventually, you’re going to go through it.”

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have been tipped to fight to appoint Eddie Howe before they face off on October 10.

Also, Harry Kane is to blame for Tottenham’s woes, while the Glazer family have been defended. Plus thoughts on ‘trash’ Big Six clubs, the English bias and Mikel Arteta.

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com…

Eddie Howe to Spurs or Man Utd?

United play Spurs in their first game after the upcoming, ridiculous international break, and given Spurs lost to Villa yesterday, and United’s inevitable loss to Fulham later on, it’ll be interesting to see which dugout Eddie Howe is sat in for that game at Old Trafford.

Also, I’d like to suggest my prediction that Chelsea would win the league as not only one of the worst predictions of this season, but perhaps one of the worst predictions of all time.

What was I thinking?

Ant MUFC

READ: Next Man Utd manager: Antonio Conte odds slashed but Howe still favourite

Harry Kane is to blame for Spurs misery

It looks like they’re in real trouble yet again. This time with an actually good, respected manager who’s been backed heavily by some serious spending. Yet they seem to be heading for their 3rd straight attempt at going down.

For some reason they can’t recover from setbacks. It appears to be in their DNA. New players, new managers, new stadium – same issues. Why though?

I’m going to be incredibly reductive and reduce this down to the simplest possible explanation.

They had one of the best forwards in the world, one of the best this country has ever had. Now they don’t. The end.

Harry Kane is this country’s record goal scorer and not by a small amount. For Spurs to keep him so long was incredibly fortunate. When he finally went to Bayern – to break all kinds of records there – they went straight to hell. In a hand basket.

Now they can’t score goals for s**t. If he came back tomorrow they would fly back up the table at speed. He’s still that good and it’s still that simple. It’s not all about fancy tactics, endless conversations about the press, trendy managers etc etc – it’s about goals.

Look at how much losing an in form Mo Salah cost us. Champions to c**p in a season. Top of the league in assists and goals to toxic free transfer in 12 months, I’ll never understand that one. Screwed us over completely.

Anyway I’ve got distracted. For Spurs the solution is really straightforward – find another generational striker who posts numbers reminiscent of Ronaldo and Messi.

Or just get Harry Kane back.

You’re welcome.

James, Liverpool

( F**k knows when we’re going to start playing well though )

Are the Glazers really the problem at Man Utd…?

If aliens arrive tomorrow and decide their primary way of learning about human culture is to read the F365 mailbox from the last few weeks they would surely form the opinion that the Glazers are public enemy number 1. Rinsing Manchester United of all their money and spending nothing on transfers therefore dooming the club to mediocrity forever more.

They would surely then read that Manchester City are corrupt and have lavished maaaany millions of pounds on transfers and boosting their club to previously unseen levels of success!

Maybe they will then do a quick search of the internet and discover the net spend of Premier League clubs over the last 10 years and discover to their horror that Manchester United and Manchester City have basically spent the same amount of money on players over that time.

Both clubs have owners that are standoffish and don’t get involved in the day to day running of the club, both clubs have owners that have spent around £1.8b on players in the last 10 years.

So yes, the Glazers have got richer by taking money from the club, but they’ve also spend roughly the same amount of money on players as the City owners. So is it really their fault that they’re rubbish?

Maybe, just maybe, United are reverting to their average performance over the course of their history (discounting the performance of 2 very successful managers that dragged them up into the stratosphere for periods).

Stephen, LFC, Gibraltar

READ NEXT: Ferguson leaving was Manchester United’s Brexit; and feeling sorry for Gyokeres

‘Trash’ Chelsea, Man Utd and Spurs set up ‘really special’ Premier League season

If we ignore the top 2, this year could be something really special in the Premier League. I come to this conclusion after watching Chelsea at Brentford last night.

Chelsea = Trash

Man United = Trash

Villa = Trash

Tottenham = Trash

Newcastle = Trash

Liverpool = Miles away from where they should be.

Let’s assume that Arsenal win the league and City finish second.

Imagine, would that be a changing of the guard? Spending all the money doesn’t seem to work anymore, and these 6 or 7 clubs can spend big anyway.

Another possibility is that none of these clubs can quite make the next step, and it’s Arsenal and City winning the league forever, and the Prem turns in to the Scottish Premier League.

I am genuinely enjoying the prospect of all these clubs I grew up with being in League 2 (Division 4) challenging the big boys

Cheers, Paul

Everyone needs an Arteta

I’m listening to everyone complain about their teams, and rightfully so. Chelsea, soft, Spurs, weak, Utd, disorganised, Liverpool, lacking, even Villa fans are starting to turn, just never against the manager. City are doing well, but no one seems convinced.

It almost seems like a bit of stability, a strong manager with a bit of vision, building a team of characters who fight and wrestle and sneer, who can also play, might be the way to go.

All the things they complain about in their own teams are conspicuously missing from one team, all the things they complain about the main team missing from that list are exactly the things they wish they had at their club.

A bit of stability. A strong manager. Players who will fight for each other.

Arteta is currently THE most successful manager in the league. Pep? Gone. Klopp? Gone. Slot? Gone. 20 managers? One title winner.

Lol.

Andy, Guatemala

But Fabian Hurzeler beat Mikel Arteta…

Hürzeler found an antidote. And Arteta didnt respond. System analyst was beaten. There lies the problem which maybe isnt a problem. I cant really blame the Arsenal team. They played like they should play as an Arsenal team under Arteta’s guidance.

But… Hürzeler cracked that wide open. And it seems like Arteta told in half time: “Keep playing how we practiced.” No brave decisions to try to change something. But in the long run maybe that doesnt matter and the system analyst will win again. Time will tell.

Kind regards, Gunner Riho

MORE ARSENAL REACTION: Arteta’s eight-word explanation damns awful Arsenal as Hurzeler gets his revenge

English bias against Bruno Fernandes

Just a quick note of the English bias on motd…

Last weekend no way foden should have seen red for kicking out at Bruno. In fact bruno should have seen red for kicking the ground behind Foden. This weekend, Rice tries to wipe the legs of the Brighton player while ball is 25 yards up the pitch. Only a yellow shown which is fully supported by Shearer and Murphy…

Can you imagine if that was Bruno? They would want a red and a 10 match ban. It’s not often I agree with Jamie Carragher, but his assertion earlier in the week about Arteta following the Fergie playbook by trying to influence referee’s might well be correct. I presume the vars are now just too afraid to get involved with the bigger teams after last weekends cock up.

Also Spurs, just wonderful.

Tom eire

Response to Anon

I have say that I’m not surprised that the author of Anon’s mail chose to keep their name from us, given their ramblings betrayed a complete and utter inability to think clearly.

Let’s dig into a few lowlights:

‘Every player worth their salt do no want to either play for them or manage them’ – a ludicrous statement. Despite our decline, United are still a club that 99% of football managers and players would jump at. That’s obvious. However, we can’t compete, at present, for the top tier players because of our straightened financial circumstances. Those are two different things.

‘United will be stuck with the Zirkzees and Brunos of the world’ – the first introduction in Anon’s email of an insanely false equivalence. Note it, as we’ll return to the concept later. ‘Hey Anon, what do you want for your tea? You can choose from the dogshit sandwiches and spaghetti alle vongoles of the world.’

‘Even to get them to sign United are forced to pay exorbitant wages for the mediocrity’ – ah, I see, we’ve time travelled back to 2018. Man Utd’s wage bill is significantly lower than City’s, Arsenal’s and Liverpool’s.

And now the big one, a false equivalence so inane, so bonkers, so utterly devoid of the tiniest speck of logic, that it’s almost majestic:

“United fans constantly harangue about the Man City charges, however the biggest fraud perpetuated in the league is the leverage buyout by the Glazers and not investing a red cent of their money in the club since then”

The strange thing is, Anon recognises the vast, galactic injustice of the Gl****s’ leveraged buyout and subsequent ownership of the club. Yet somehow, that recognition is a related clause in their muddled thinking. Let’s recast their sentence into a non-football context: John is constantly haranguing about how his neighbour is being investigated for punching a stranger repeatedly in the face. However, the biggest punch in the face on that street was when some American pervert beat John to a pulp and the authorities did nothing about it.

It technically grammatically correct, while being a semantic binfire.

Anon, I don’t blame you for snorting big fat lines of schadenfreude – we ruined many childhoods etc. But, to quote the loathsome Neil Godwin, I’m tired of this fuzzy thinking.

Ben, still depressed.

Brentford: The antidote to modern football

To my surprise, watching Brentford beat Chelsea 3-0, and deservedly so, really stirred my emotions. And I’m not a fan of either team.

Brentford are a team that just seem to get everything right – a tight run ship that recruits well and when losing Thomas Frank, appointed their set piece coach and got better for it. You can’t help but wonder if Frank had them closer to their floor than their ceiling, especially since he was blessed with the likes of Wissa and Mbumebo whereas Andrews has not been.

This is a team that only changes its home and away shirts every two years to make it more affordable for fans and reduce wastage. If they can do it, they can others?

They literally let Henderson go to Chelsea for free – they could have asked for a “token” £5 million or something, akin to Brighton’s fee received for Welbeck, but they backed themselves to get business done. And rightly so – Henderson was anonymous tonight.

Watching the team do a lap around the pitch to applaud the fans and see how much it meant to the fans was one thing, but you could see how much it meant to the players as well. They are really bought into this. Thiago giving his shirt to a young Brentford fan holding a Brazil flag and reducing the kid to tears of happiness was just beautiful.

Football needs Brentford. We are watching United, Spurs and Liverpool spend millions to make themselves worse. Chelsea just being a player reading market that play football games to provide a shop window for their future sales. City flaunt cash whilst a 2-3 year investigation of 115 financial irregularities continue unpunished and unresolved. Arsenal grinding football down to set pieces.

Brentford go against all of this. This is how football should be. They deserve this. We as fans of the beautiful game deserve this too. Well done to them, and long may it continue.

Alex, Madrid.

Raphinha is the MVP

Raphinha is the best player in the world.

You heard it here first.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler reportedly wants to replace Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur, while Fabrizio Romano has provided an update.

Tottenham appointed De Zerbi towards the end of last season, with the head coach tasked with guiding the Premier League strugglers to safety.

This appointment was viewed as a coup due to the dire position the club was in, and De Zerbi clearly had their pants down in negotiations, especially when you consider the terms of his lucrative contract.

De Zerbi did his job as Tottenham avoided relegation on the final day of last season, and he was backed more than any other Spurs manager in the summer as over £300m was spent on signings.

READ: De Zerbi ‘sacked in the morning’ as Villa have spine ripped out and still show more backbone than Spurs

Despite this, the north London side have endured a woeful start to this season, having failed to win any of their opening five Premier League games while looking devoid of confidence and ideas.

Now, pressure is building on De Zerbi, but Romano said after Tottenham’s 3-2 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday that his job is safe for now.

Romano explained: “Tottenham decided to back Roberto De Zerbi in the summer by trusting his ideas.

“Obviously everything was not possible, but it was still a very ambitious market, a very expensive market.

“When I say not everything, for example, Cody Gakpo, top target, but was no longer available.

“And then more things they wanted to do, but it’s normal. At no club do they complete the perfect market. But still, big investments and top players signed.

“So, the message from Tottenham, as of today, remains a message of confidence in Roberto De Zerbi.

“So at the moment I don’t have any indication of Tottenham exploring different ways.

“I’m told that Tottenham still believe in the manager. I’m told Tottenham knew it was going to take time.

“It’s not a switch you make from 17th in the league, saving from relegation in the final game of the season, to Champions League spots just because you spend big money.

“Tottenham knew it was going to be a process and it can not always be fast.

“Obviously, they all, including De Zerbi, had different expectations. The club, the coach, everyone had different expectations, not two points from five games.

“But at the same time they maintain confidence in the process.”

Fabian Hurzeler’s stance on joining Tottenham revealed

However, insider Indykaila has claimed that Spurs have reached out to Brighton boss Hurzeler about replacing De Zerbi.

They said on X: ‘Our source in Brighton messaged us a couple of hours ago. He said Spurs have made enquiries about Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler.

‘We understand Fabian Hürzeler would be keen to become the #THFC manager. One to watch…’

Fabrizio Romano has revealed the thinking at Tottenham after a decision was reached on whether or not to sack Roberto De Zerbi.

Another game, another loss for Tottenham. It doesn’t seem to matter how much they spend, who they buy, or who’s in the dugout, the end result is the same for Spurs fans right now – misery.

Perhaps the only positive in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa was Tottenham finally breaking their scoring duck in the Premier League.

In any case, the reality is Tottenham sit in the relegation zone and that’s where they’ll stay until next May unless De Zerbi finds a way to get a tune out of his players, or the club finds another manager who can.

The dreadful start has put the spotlight on De Zerbi’s position in some sections of the media.

But according to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham aren’t ready to press the panic button just yet.

HAVE YOU SEEN: De Zerbi ‘didn’t like’ Tottenham star’s performance and demands more from one other

Tottenham believe in Roberto De Zerbi project – Fabrizio Romano

Taking to YouTube, he explained: “Tottenham decided to back Roberto De Zerbi in the summer by trusting his ideas.

“Obviously everything was not possible, but it was still a very ambitious market, a very expensive market.

“When I say not everything, for example, Cody Gakpo, top target, but was no longer available.

“And then more things they wanted to do, but it’s normal. At no club do they complete the perfect market. But still, big investments and top players signed.

“So, the message from Tottenham, as of today, remains a message of confidence in Roberto De Zerbi

“So at the moment I don’t have any indication of Tottenham exploring different ways.

“I’m told that Tottenham still believe in the manager. I’m told Tottenham knew it was going to take time.

READ NEXT: De Zerbi ‘sacked in the morning’ as Villa have spine ripped out and still show more backbone than Spurs

“It’s not a switch you make from 17th in the league, saving from relegation in the final game of the season, to Champions League spots just because you spend big money.

“Tottenham knew it was going to be a process and it can not always be fast.

“Obviously, they all, including De Zerbi, had different expectations. The club, the coach, everyone had different expectations, not two points from five games.

“But at the same time they maintain confidence in the process.”

Roberto De Zerbi “didn’t like” what he saw from Mateus Fernandes in Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, and called upon another Spurs player to buck his ideas up.

Spurs tasted defeat yet again on Saturday afternoon, though did at least break their goalscoring duck in the Premier League.

In truth, Tottenham could and perhaps should have taken a commanding lead early on. Chances came and went, with poor control, poor finishing, or expert goalkeeping from Zion Suzuki denying Omar Marmoush, Savio and co.

Most of Tottenham’s summer signings started the contest, with Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Savio and Marmoush all getting the nod.

And speaking post-match, De Zerbi was quizzed on his decision to substitute Fernandes for Mohammed Kudus at the break, with the move ultimately seeing Spurs give up control in central areas.

Roberto De Zerbi “didn’t like” Mateus Fernandes display

Asked if he could have foreseen the move would backfire, the Spurs boss replied (as cited by FootballLondon): “No, I think no. This is not the problem. The problem is, in the second half, we lost balance because we were losing. Just for that.

“And we forced the pass, we forced the situation, we lost the ball. And they were winning, Aston Villa, they played more in the counter-attack.

“OK, Mateus is different from Kudus. But I have a big confidence in Mateus, but I didn’t like the performance of Mateus today. Otherwise I couldn’t [wouldn’t] change.

“He knows. But it’s normal. It’s not an attack on Mateus, I love Mateus, it’s not a problem. But I think for Mateus, we need more from Mateus. Because he can, even in that position.”

READ NEXT: De Zerbi reacts to Tottenham defeat to Aston Villa amid sack calls: ‘I don’t know if it’s right or not’

Aside from Fernandes, De Zerbi also called upon starting striker Solanke to improve.

“We need more from him, for sure, but he’s one of my players,” said De Zerbi. “I like Dom as a player, and I stay with him until the end.

“He needs to stay better, to feel better. The physical condition is not good enough, for sure, but it’s normal for him, maybe it’s not good enough in the confidence of himself in this moment, because he’s much better than this Solanke, but maybe many, many things can be better than this moment.

“I think we can’t say everything is bad, but it’s not enough.”

Well they scored a goal. Two, in fact. But those absurdly expensive, driverless North London buses arrived so late that half of those waiting had already left, safe in the knowledge that another weekend had been entirely Spursed.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side remain, if not goalless, then certainly winless and apparently hopeless.

Of course Spurs lost their final game heading into the international break – an even longer one than usual for added void-screaming despair. Of course their first goals of the Premier League season came when 3-0 down at home. Of course they handed a team their first win of the campaign.

And of course they started well, failed to take advantage of that superiority due to poor finishing, a correct VAR call and supreme opposition goalkeeping, then crumbled the moment the tide turned the other way.

The last game Spurs won from behind was against Aston Villa almost two whole years ago, but history was never going to be repeated here. The moment Andy Robertson kept an errant Rodrigo Bentancur header from going out for a corner, only to watch Villa open the scoring within five seconds, the game was lost.

Nicolas Jackson embarrassing a pair of £50m centre-halves, then Emiliano Buendia curling a stunner into the top corner to a growing chorus of boos, was just confirmation of another Spurs surrender once their opponent had weathered a mild gust and some drops of rain.

It is remarkable just how fragile Spurs are, how prone to collapse they have become as individuals and a team. While their world champion right-back was forced off through injury in the first half, they still had a Premier League and Champions League winner at left-back, a couple of Serie A winners in midfield, and a pair of wide forwards who have experience of a trophy-hoarding dressing room at Manchester City.

Many members of this squad were part of what was supposed to be Tottenham’s moment of maturation in the Europa League final an impossibly long 16 months ago. That increasingly looks like a broken institution’s final hurrah.

Villa had as many new summer signings in their starting XI – six each – and another coming off the bench late on in Ibrahim Mbaye. But Unai Emery has laid foundations and installed a structure which has allowed them to be embedded properly.

And those were deals done out of necessity. Villa had their spine ripped out in the summer and still showed more backbone than a Spurs side at home, backed by the most expensive transfer spree in their entire history.

In any ordinary profession, that would mortify De Zerbi – treated to ‘sacked in the morning chants’ by the visiting fans – into submitting his resignation. But Spurs have tied themselves so inexorably to the Italian that this ship might well have to go down with him.

It remains the case that “the best coach” of his nation has only ever coached three consecutive league clean sheets once, six years ago. That the top scorer of his Spurs reign is now Conor sodding Gallagher, one goal ahead of former loanee Joao Palhinha and the exiled Richarlison, whose physical condition might still surpass Dominic Solanke’s currently.

De Zerbi once again spoke about taking “the responsibility” on his own shoulders, but actions speak louder than words. And right now not a single soul at Spurs is strong enough to withstand being held accountable for how abysmal they are.

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi insists that his side are “too fragile” as they lost 3-2 to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spurs were the better team for much of the first half, creating chances too, but Aston Villa punished them for not being ahead when Johan Manzambi gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia later extended Aston Villa’s lead before Tottenham scored their first two goals of the season late on through Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke late on to make the scoreline look better.

The defeat means Tottenham will spend the international break in the relegation zone, with sack calls growing on social media, after the Spurs board spent well over £300m attempting to improve De Zerbi’s side over the summer.

Giving his initial thoughts on the match, De Zerbi told TNT Sports: “I think we could score the first half many, many times. We concede the the goal in 10 players but we we had to stay more focused to defending that situation in extra time in the first half. In the second half we concede goal from the goal kick directly.

“Before then we score but it’s offside. The third goal, a great goal of Buendia. But I have to say, we played well in the first half, we didn’t score but too fragile.”

READ: Tottenham: De Zerbi tenure ‘only goes one way’ with potential replacement acting ‘weird’ at match

When put to him what he can do as a manager when his side fail to score first, despite having so many chances, De Zerbi added: “If we didn’t score it’s my responsibility. I take the responsibility. We’re going to work harder, but football is like life. You are strong or you lose.”

On their poor home form, the Tottenham boss continued: “I can’t speak before my time, I can speak just for my work. We have to, like I said, improve the quality of the play, but to be stronger, no?

“Otherwise the game is not 90 minutes in ball possession, 90 minutes in the last third during the game, there are situations when we have to stay closer, we have to stay stronger, we have to defend better, ball on ball, and we didn’t, or we didn’t in the right way.”

When questioned about what he means when he says for Spurs to be “stronger”, De Zerbi replied: “Stronger, when we are in 10 players, one minute, we have to stay, we have to call, we have to stay like a family in the goal area to defend. Not so easy, like the goal kick in the second half when we concede the second goal.

READ:Tottenham told they’d be in ‘a three-horse race’ with Real Madrid, Barcelona for La Liga title

“It’s too less to concede goal. To score one goal we have to create 20 chances and the others, just one half, no one, because the goal kick is not a chance. Too easy for them to score, no?”

On whether the international break has come at a good time or not for Tottenham, De Zerbi concluded: “I don’t know if it’s right or not because it’s difficult to give an opinion. Because we played well and we created many, many chances. And then is is incredible how it can change one game, no?

“Because after the Buendia goal we were losing 3-0 and if you watch the first half, you can’t understand how at the end of the game, Tottenham could lose 3-0. There is a big, big work, but it’s my responsibility.”

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi isn’t going “anywhere other than the wrong way” after Spurs lost 3-2 to Aston Villa on Saturday.

The north Londoners are still winless in the Premier League after losing to Villa, Brentford and Newcastle United, while they have been held to draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton.

Tottenham will remain in the relegation zone until after the international break, meaning a few weeks of pressure for under-fire head coach De Zerbi.

Spurs have finished 17th in each of their last two seasons and the club spent over £300m attempting to ensure that they would be nowhere near the relegation zone this term.

After encouring opening first half on Saturday, Tottenham failed to make their chances pay with Aston Villa taking the lead in the fourth minute of added on time at the end of the opening half, through Johan Manzambi.

Aston Villa further extended their lead with Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia scoring before Tottenham got two late goals back through Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke.

READ: Tottenham tactics: Spurs actually not THAT bad and getting better

Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy had some praise for Spurs but insisted the same pattern emerged again as Aston Villa grew into the match.

Murphy said on BBC: “In the first half-hour they [Spurs] showed good intensity, controlled the tempo of the game and created a few chances – not great chances but shots that forced the keeper into a couple of good saves.

“And then, as has happened in weeks previous, they’ve let the opposition grow into the game and gain confidence. Then to concede when they’re down to 10-men with Van de Van off injured is a big blow to them and makes the second half very difficult.

“They didn’t really look like a team struggling for confidence, they won the ball back a lot high up and there was a lot to like, but ultimately if you can’t score when you’re on top in games in the Premier League you get punished.”

Former Premier League midfielder Kevin Nolan thinks De Zerbi’s tenure only ends in a bad way if he continues to call out Tottenham players or staff.

Nolan said on BBC 5 Live’s preview of the game: “I am really worried about Tottenham.

“Every week Roberto de Zerbi has a different excuse. He doesn’t stay around much at clubs and falls out with a lot of his owners. He’s probably thinking: ‘Do I need this?’.

“He is not inspiring me as he was at the back end of last season in his interviews when he was very jolly and very positive about what he had to do.

READ: Tottenham told they’d be in ‘a three-horse race’ with Real Madrid, Barcelona for La Liga title

“Everything is downbeat and it doesn’t feel right when you’re watching him in a press conference. Laying the blame on players and staff…it doesn’t go anywhere other than the wrong way.”

Former Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, who is currently out of work, sparked rumours he could replace De Zerbi when he was spotted at Spurs versus Everton.

And former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson thinks it was “weird” and “strange” for McKenna to show up with his wife last week.

Borson told Football Insider: “We’re looking at £10m to bring somebody new in. Those are the sort of broad-brush numbers that we’re working to in the Premier League.

“Obviously, if you get a manager that’s out of work… It was interesting and a bit weird, to be honest, to see Kieran McKenna in the crowd at the home game against Everton.

“He was in the crowd with his wife. It was a bit strange, really, that on a Saturday night, he would take his wife to watch Everton.

“I don’t know if there’s something behind that. It all looks a bit too obvious it’s all a bit strange. Maybe he was watching Everton.”

Tottenham Hotspur spent £300m in the summer to supposedly ensure they would never be in a relegation scrap again. But after four league games, they’ve scored zero goals.

Money can’t buy you love or, in Spurs’ case, goals.

Their lavish trolley dash in the summer saw them buy talents like Omar Marmoush and Savio from clubs like Manchester City, but they look just as flustered as the rest of the team in front of goal. The mood is low.

The logic in the summer was simple: buy better ready-made Premier League talent at a premium price and let Roberto De Zerbi do his thing.

It’s not worked so far but, taking a deeper look, it’s not as bad as I assumed and could certainly improve as the players gel. But as always with De Zerbi, there are drawbacks to his methods.

So, are Tottenham executing Roberto De Zerbi’s build-up? Do they have a ‘mental block’ in the penalty area, as the Italian put it? And can so many new players create chemistry while working within the constraints of the Italian’s style?

Taking one for the team, I re-watched Tottenham’s matches this season in an attempt to answer those questions…

Nice build-up, but does it end well?

De Zerbi came to the attention of tactics geeks when his methods of ‘press-baiting’ gained traction at Sassuolo and then Brighton. Particularly against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, we saw Tottenham use this well to a degree.

It helped that Liverpool are a high-pressing team and the game was end to end, but either way, Tottenham calmly knocked the ball around the defence, waiting for Liverpool to press before finding a dropping midfielder or attacker.

This method takes out all the players up the pitch and quickly gets the ball into attack, leaving the players pressing up the pitch further away from defence.

Marmoush is particularly good at drawing two midfielders close to him, allowing gaps to open up for other midfielders like Sandro Tonali to play a quick give-and-go to gallop into space.

Against Newcastle United, we again saw signs that the players were slowly getting it. The problem isn’t getting the ball out of Tottenham’s defence; the problem occurs afterwards, when they get closer to goal.

They spurned many chances against Liverpool, and the nice positions they got into vs Newcastle United and Everton were wasted.

The tactic of dropping an attacker, fizzing it into them and using a runner to quickly receive after touching it off to them is working, but the chances created are not clear-cut because players are rushing the shot, resulting in bad decision-making.

As there are many new players, synergy is lacking in terms of knowing how another attacker moves to construct the end of an attack.

It’s been a long time since Tottenham had an in-form goalscorer, let alone a deadly attacking partnership. You can sign an exciting attacking prospect; you can’t be sure they’ll hit the ground running in a team lacking in confidence.

This was on show as the minutes ticked by vs Everton, with the tempo dropping along with the belief that Tottenham could score, resulting in less purposeful jaunts forward.

It’s why a game like Liverpool is something to take encouragement from; although it was the Carabao Cup, Tottenham never gave up, scored and should have scored more.

They just need a Premier League goal now to believe that it works.

Opposition Press

There is a permanent tactical battle in Premier League matches for space in the middle of the pitch; teams have prioritised designing defensive blocks to make it difficult for attacks to run through them.

So, when Tottenham use a dropping attacker in Marmoush or Mohammed Kudus to receive the ball, teams thus far have responded by pushing a defender up to follow them.

It stops Marmoush from turning as the defender is aggressive in his approach, but it also turns the ball over.

Eventually, against Liverpool it results in Cody Gakpo scoring, as Archie Gray initially started the move positioned high and wide, as he has been under De Zerbi.

This happened at Nottingham Forest too, as Nikola Milenkovic was not afraid to track Marmoush as the Egyptian attempted to receive in his own half.

The physicality of the league means a challenge can be put in that may be deemed a foul in other leagues such as Ligue 1 (the last league De Zerbi managed in). Or teams can commit cynical fouls, as Liverpool did, stopping the move before it becomes dangerous.

Over time, to tweak this, De Zerbi may position Tonali as the player to receive the ball and carry into space rather than relying on Marmoush or Kudus to turn his man with his back to goal, as the Italian is stronger.

Are things actually that bad?

Tottenham came away with a point at Forest (a tough place to go to) and had their chances against Newcastle.

Though they were physically overwhelmed on the opening day to Brentford, the opening half-hour vs Everton, especially with the joy Savio was getting, is something to build on.

The worry is that it may take some time for the goalscoring floodgates to open and the players to connect.

But that doesn’t mean that there haven’t been signs that they’re already at least trying to play the De Zerbi way.

The pressure of a large expenditure in the summer, as well as a diabolical 2025/26 season, looms heavily over Tottenham Hotspur, but there are finally signs that things could improve.

Tottenham would be in “a three-horse race” for the La Liga title with Real Madrid and Barcelona if they played in Spain, according to Jamie O’Hara.

Spurs have had a terrible start to the new Premier League campaign with Roberto De Zerbi already coming under pressure to turn around results.

Tottenham lost their first two matches against Brentford and Newcastle United before being held to two goalless draws versus Nottingham Forest and Everton.

That has left Tottenham in 17th position after spending over £300m in the summer as the board looked to avoid being sucked into another relegation battle after back-to-back 17th-placed finishes.

Despite Tottenham struggling in the Premier League this term, former Spurs midfielder O’Hara reckons De Zerbi’s side would still challenge for the title in the Bundesliga and La Liga.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT: “The Premier League is like a super league. No one can compete.”

READ: Journalist confirms Tottenham are ‘there’ for 250-goal striker on free transfer

Presenter Jason Cundy asked O’Hara where Tottenham would finish in the Bundesliga, to which he replied: “I would say second, but it would be a title challenge with Bayern Munich.

“It would be PSG and Tottenham fighting it out, and LaLiga would be a three-horse race. I am saying Tottenham because I am a Tottenham fan, but I also think Bournemouth would be the same.

“Spurs could 100 per cent win the Bundesliga. You have only got to beat Bayern Munich, that’s it. In LaLiga, it’s a three-horse race, and that is how strong the Premier League is.”

When put to O’Hara that Atletico Madrid knocked Tottenham out of the Champions League last season, the former Spurs midfielder was defiant in his stance.

O’Hara responded: “They are guff. They are not good. They are only good because they are playing in a crap league.

“We 100 per cent finish third in LaLiga. I don’t think it is ridiculous what I’ve said.

“The Premier League is too strong for every other league. I watched AC Milan the other night, and they are absolute garbage.

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“I am telling you, we would bop teams in Europe. Europe is guff. They are nowhere near good enough.

“It’s just pointless. The Europa League is boring. The English teams get to the final.”

Tottenham have ‘got a disease’ – O’Hara

Speaking after Tottenham’s latest disappointing result as they lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup earlier this week, O’Hara said: “Seriously, what is going on?

“I feel like everyday I wake up and it’s the same thing. Every single time Spurs play, I look at the fixtures and I’m like, ‘Spurs are playing tonight, alright, here we go, get beat.’

“I don’t know what to say. It’s groundhog day.”

O’Hara continued: “This is the perfect night again for [fellow pundit Jason] Cundy. When is my night? I’ve been here for five years and I’ve had one good night. One. The Europa League final, that was it.

“It’s absolute guff, it really is and I’m sick and tired of it. I know it’s all great and everyone enjoys it but this is actually getting ridiculous.

“Where do Spurs go from here? We have got a disease. We don’t know how to win. Even when we score we get beat, Every single game no matter what, Spurs get beat. Spend £400million – get beat.

“Score – get beat. New manager – get beat. We’ve got a disease.”