Football: "I did not appreciate his performance," Tottenham is going through a tough time and De Zerbi criticizes his players.
Tottenham plunged deeper into turmoil after a 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, September 19. Villa, who also had a difficult start to the season, seemed like a more manageable opponent. However, the situation for Spurs, who have yet to register a victory in the Premier League, is far more concerning. To explain this latest failure, Roberto De Zerbi openly criticized his players.
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With only two points from five matches after investing over €350 million this summer, including €70 for Egyptian Omar Marmoush, the situation is alarming. Tottenham is experiencing the worst start to a season in its Premier League history. Yet, when the club urgently called upon Roberto De Zerbi at the end of last season and spent extravagantly during the summer, it was to avoid finding themselves in a relegation battle again. The reality is grim: four months after narrowly escaping relegation to the second division, the Spurs find themselves once again in 19th place in the Premier League.
The 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday exacerbated an already precarious situation. At least Tottenham can take solace in scoring their first two goals of the season in the league, despite the loss. Since the start of the season, in addition to a sometimes shaky defense, the attackers have struggled to find the back of the net. The Italian coach, brought in to restore the club's prestige, expressed his anger towards his team after the match.
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At his former club, OM, he was sometimes willing to take on the role of scapegoat during press conferences after a series of poor results. This Saturday, he did claim to take his “responsibilities,” but followed up with criticisms of his players. In particular, he addressed the second goal conceded, which came from a fine play by Senegalese Nicolas Jackson, following a clearance from the opposing goalkeeper that should have been routine but turned into a goal.
Many players have been called out
It is “unacceptable” to concede a goal “from a long clearance” by the opposing goalkeeper, especially since this phase of play by Aston Villa had been discussed in “numerous meetings,” De Zerbi emphasized. He then turned more directly to his players: “We must defend compactly. The leaders need to step up and guide the team.” He even named some of them in front of the media. “I was not pleased with Mateus (Fernandes, a summer signing for €99 million - Ed.) today. (...) We need him to be more involved,” he criticized. He also directed similar remarks at his striker Dominic Solanke.
The international break, which will deprive the Italian of some of his players called up for national duty, could provide a moment of respite. Or at least allow tensions to ease, as De Zerbi continued his sharp criticisms of his squad: “The players who go on international duty need to play and work. Others like Maddison, Gallagher, Solanke, Tosin, Senesi, Savio, need to put in more effort. Because I was not satisfied with their physical condition, even during this match.” After the final whistle, Roberto De Zerbi left the pitch without acknowledging the crowd and, according to his own words, even avoided speaking to his players in the locker room. A sign of the tense atmosphere.
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