If appointed the former Brighton boss has plenty of work to do…
With the managerial revolving door spinning once again in North London, Tottenham Hotspur are heavily linked with a move for Italian tactician Roberto De Zerbi. The former Brighton and Marseille boss is renowned for his technical, controlled brand of football – but taking over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is no small task.
De Zerbi reportedly – and perhaps wisely – wanted to wait until the end of the season. But after firing Igor Tudor Tottenham can’t wait.
Spurs find themselves in a complex, terrifying transition phase. Sitting in 17th place they are desperate to reclaim their identity and claw their way up the table.
Here are five things Roberto De Zerbi must do at Spurs – if appointed – to turn them back into a Premier League powerhouse.
1. Turn the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back into a fortress
You cannot survive a Premier League season without banking on your home crowd. Unfortunately for the Lilywhites, the mood in N17 has shifted from anxious concern to outright dread. Spurs have been downright dismal on their own turf, recording an awful record of just two wins, four draws, and a staggering 10 defeats at home in the Premier League.
The negative energy from the stands reached a boiling point after a demoralizing 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. De Zerbi’s primary objective is to give the home fans something to shout about immediately.
He has to generate quick attacking momentum in their remaining home fixtures to lift the crowd, flip the narrative, and drag this team up the standings before disaster strikes.
2. Plug the massive defensive leaks
De Zerbi’s football is famously high-risk and high-reward. He pushes his defensive lines high up the pitch and demands his centre-backs play on the edge of a knife.
At Spurs, however, he inherits a backline that has entirely forgotten how to keep the door shut. Tottenham have already conceded 50 goals in just 31 Premier League games, keeping clean sheets in only 23% of their matches.
For De Zerbi to successfully employ his attacking philosophy without it becoming a defensive suicide mission, he must first instill structure and get high-profile stars like Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven fully bought back into a unified defensive shape.
3. Implement his signature ‘Bait and Strike’ build-up play
Tottenham have looked entirely devoid of an attacking identity lately, often appearing rigid and predictable in possession. De Zerbi’s calling card is his absolute refusal to clear the ball long, instead asking players to invite pressure to open up space.
As De Zerbi said during his time at Brighton: “If you receive the ball with the sole and from the front, you can play for the side you want. There you have total control of the ball.”
He needs to immediately drill this extreme confidence into Spurs’ backline to break opposing lines.
4. Get the absolute best out of the creative maestros
To make his system work, the Italian relies heavily on press-resistant central midfielders and electric wingers who can win their 1v1 battles. Spurs boast plenty of naturally gifted technical players like summer signing Mohammed Kudus and playmaker Xavi Simons, but the team’s average of 1.29 goals per game shows they aren’t firing on all cylinders.
De Zerbi once said, “To show quality, they have to be put in the right situations to play.” He needs to unlock his attacking midfielders and wingers to replicate the lethal offensive transitional speed he mastered in the Premier League previously.
And, he needs them to get fit. And stay fit…
5. Convince the fan base and bridge the values gap
Before a ball is even kicked, De Zerbi’s biggest hurdle might actually be off the pitch. His tenure at Marseille ended with a cloud of controversy among certain factions of the fan base regarding some of his personnel decisions.
Several Spurs supporter groups have already voiced their trepidation about his potential appointment.
De Zerbi’s first order of business will be to speak candidly, prove that his leadership aligns with the club’s proud community values, and harness the passion of the supporters.
Not much to do then…
