Roberto De Zerbi chooses silence after Tottenham’s defeat
Roberto De Zerbi chose not to address his Tottenham squad following their 3-2 collapse against Aston Villa at home on Saturday, branding his players “too fragile,” reports BritPanorama.
The Italian admitted he deliberately avoided the dressing room. “I didn’t speak with the players today because I didn’t want to say anything,” he remarked. “Maybe it’s better.”
De Zerbi described himself as deeply upset by the performance, stating, “Today I was very disappointed, very sad, very frustrated for the performance. Because we can’t lose this game, in this way, absolutely.” He accepted personal blame for the attacking shortcomings, adding, “If you didn’t score, it’s my responsibility. I take my responsibility. Football is like life, either you are stronger or you lose.”
Spurs found themselves trailing at half-time when Johan Manzambi struck for Villa, while captain Micky van de Ven was off the pitch receiving treatment. Nicolas Jackson doubled the visitors’ advantage in the 67th minute. Emi Buendia then scored a spectacular long-range effort, leading to supporters leaving the stadium early.
Late goals from Conor Gallagher and Van Hecke provided some consolation for Tottenham, but the damage was already done. De Zerbi’s decision to substitute Mateus Fernandes for Mohammed Kudus at half-time was viewed as a misstep, with Villa gaining control of midfield in the second half. “We can’t concede the second goal. We can’t lose balance, just because in the first half we are losing,” he noted.
Tottenham now sit in the relegation zone heading into the international break, having failed to secure a single victory from their opening five Premier League fixtures. This latest defeat extends a poor home record that now reads just three top-flight wins from their last 25 matches at their stadium, with none from three attempts this season. Supporters who remained until the final whistle made their displeasure clear, booing the players off the pitch.
De Zerbi will be without a significant portion of his squad during the upcoming international break, with players departing for national team duty. However, he suggested this could work in his favour: “The players who go with the national team, they have to play and they have to work, and the other players Maddison, Gallagher, Solanke, Tosin, Senesi, Savio for sure, we have to work more because also the physical condition, I didn’t like even this game,” he stated. Poor fitness levels have been a recurring theme in De Zerbi’s assessments throughout the troubled start to the season.
Aston Villa’s victory marked their first in the Premier League this season after five attempts. Manager Unai Emery praised his team’s response to the game plan, particularly highlighting goalkeeper Zion Suzuki’s crucial saves and Jackson’s performance. “Jackson improved clearly his performance compared to matches before. This is the way forward,” Emery said, offering a generous assessment of Tottenham despite their struggles.
Amid mounting pressure at Tottenham, the struggle for form makes it clear: even the most seasoned teams can find themselves on shaky ground, reminding us just how fragile momentum can be in the Premier League.
