De Zerbi Slams Spurs: "Not a Team" After Crushing 3-0 Defeat!
De Zerbi Slams Spurs: "Not a Team" After Crushing 3-0 Defeat!
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi didn't hold back after a humiliating 3-0 loss to Brentford, saying his side is "not a team" yet. Read why he's worried!
Tottenham's Premier League season got off to a truly grim start as they suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat away to Brentford. Manager Roberto De Zerbi pulled no punches in his post-match assessment, declaring that his squad is "not a team" yet and lamenting a significant lack of fight and poor physical conditioning among his players.
De Zerbi's comments come as a rude awakening for a club that had ambitions to bounce back after a challenging last season, with expectations of spending over £300m this summer to bolster their ranks. However, the Gtech Community Stadium proved to be a tough ground, where Brentford convincingly outclassed the North Londoners.
"We are not a team yet for a lot of reasons," De Zerbi stated frankly. He pointed to several factors, including players returning late from the World Cup and a less-than-ideal pre-season tour in Australia, which he suggested hindered proper preparation. While acknowledging these issues, he insisted they were not mere excuses but part of the "normal situation when building a new project."
The manager's frustration was evident as he discussed his team's performance. "I don't want time but we have to pass through these problems. I cannot lose confidence in my players. I believe in my players, my club, myself. We are working well. We have to improve quickly." He highlighted a critical deficiency in their approach, noting, "We could fight stronger than we did today. We lost too many duels today. We arrived second in the second balls. We didn’t win one second ball, one duel, one tackle."
The match also saw debuts for five players, Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali. While the club is reportedly close to strengthening its attack further with Omar Marmoush and Savinho from Manchester City, De Zerbi emphasized the fundamental need to build a cohesive collective rather than just adding individual talent. The manager faces a significant challenge in transforming his collection of players into a unified, fighting unit.
