Tottenham's Early Season Struggles: De Zerbi's Frustration After Defeat
Tottenham’s early-season optimism is already under strain after another bleak afternoon in North London, where Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa struck to leave the home crowd restless and the visitors walking away with all three points.
The scoreline read 2-0. The mood felt heavier than that.
De Zerbi cries foul on “unfair” scoreline
Roberto De Zerbi did not hide his frustration, but he refused to accept that the result told the full story of his team’s performance.
“Disappointed for the result because until the first goal we conceded I think we played better than Newcastle,” he told BBC Sport, insisting his side had controlled long spells before being punished.
His main gripe lay with the way Tottenham defended in transition, the spaces that opened up between the lines, and the cheap turnovers that invited trouble.
“We lost ball possession in the first half because we didn't defend in the right way, the distance between the defenders and attackers was too big. We can improve in the defensive phases but today was an unfair result.”
The pressure finally told. Once Elanga and Wissa struck, Spurs never truly looked like clawing it back.
A grim slice of history for Spurs
The defeat cut deeper than just three points dropped. It dragged Tottenham into unwanted territory that underlined the scale of their attacking problems.
For the first time in 52 years, they have failed to score while losing their opening two league games. Not since the 1974-75 season have Spurs started a campaign with back-to-back defeats without finding the net.
This is not the kind of history anyone at the club wanted to revisit.
Tottenham, who escaped relegation only on the final day last season, had thrown their weight behind De Zerbi in the summer, spending over £350 million to reshape the squad. The idea was clear: draw a line under the chaos of last year and build something sharper, braver, more controlled.
Two games in, the numbers are brutal. A 3-0 defeat at Brentford on opening day. Now this. No goals. Six conceded. And an atmosphere thick with anxiety.
Wasteful in the final third
If the defensive gaps irritated De Zerbi, the wastefulness in front of goal angered him just as much.
“At the beginning of the second half we had some chance to create the potential chances,” he said, picking over the key moments that slipped away. “We created many chances to score, we have to improve the last decision, because that will make a difference.”
That “last decision” has become the theme of Tottenham’s start. The final pass. The timing of the run. The composure to shoot when the opening appears instead of taking one touch too many.
For De Zerbi, those are not abstract concepts. They are the fine margins between a tense 0-0 and a deflating 2-0.
“At the end we are disappointed for the result and our fans. We are working to be a great team. When we become a team I think we can change the story of the last two seasons for Tottenham. We are working to be good on the pitch, if you believe in work and training then you have to improve day by day.”
“There is no panic”
The frustration in the stands is real. Boos are creeping in, questions are growing louder, and the weight of expectation on a heavily rebuilt squad is already apparent.
De Zerbi, though, pushed back against the idea that the project is veering off course. Speaking to Sky Sports, he delivered a calm, pointed response.
“There is no panic. I know where we are going and what the plan is. I'm sorry for the fans for the result. We have to improve. We have to work hard on the pitch and find the connection between the players.”
That connection is exactly what Tottenham lack right now. New signings are still learning their roles, automatisms are not yet there, and the demanding tactical structure De Zerbi wants has not fully taken hold.
The question is no longer whether there is a plan. The manager insists there is. The question is how long Spurs can afford these bruising early lessons before the table, and the tension, start to dictate the narrative of their season.
