Should he be chosen, the erstwhile Brighton chief faces numerous challenges.
As the coaching merry-go-round accelerates in North London anew, Tottenham Hotspur is robustly connected to a potential acquisition of the Italian strategist, Roberto De Zerbi. The erstwhile manager of Brighton and Marseille is widely acknowledged for his precise, disciplined style of play; however, assuming command at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium presents a formidable undertaking.
De Zerbi, by all accounts – and possibly judiciously – had wished to defer his arrival until the campaign’s conclusion. Nevertheless, having dismissed Igor Tudor, Tottenham finds itself unable to tarry.
Spurs are currently embroiled in an intricate, formidable transitional period. Positioned 17th, they are fervently eager to rediscover their essence and laboriously climb the league standings.
Presented below are five crucial actions Roberto De Zerbi needs to undertake at Spurs – assuming his appointment – to re-establish them as a Premier League dominant force.
1. Re-establish the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as an impregnable stronghold.
Enduring a Premier League campaign is implausible without relying heavily on your home supporters. Regrettably for the Lilywhites, the prevailing sentiment in N17 has transmuted from uneasy apprehension to unadulterated terror. Spurs have performed quite abysmally on their own pitch, logging a dreadful tally of merely two victories, four stalemates, and a shocking ten losses when playing at home in the Premier League.
The adverse atmosphere emanating from the spectator sections culminated in intense frustration following a disheartening 3-0 home loss against Nottingham Forest. De Zerbi’s foremost goal must be to furnish the home supporters with immediate reasons to cheer.
He must swiftly cultivate offensive impetus in their upcoming home matches to galvanize the spectators, alter the prevailing perception, and propel this squad higher in the league table before catastrophe ensues.
2. Address the substantial defensive vulnerabilities.
De Zerbi’s tactical approach is widely recognized for its venturesome, yet potentially very beneficial nature. He advances his backlines far upfield and mandates that his central defenders operate precariously.
At Spurs, conversely, he takes over a defensive unit that has seemingly altogether neglected how to prevent opposition scoring. Tottenham has already permitted 50 goals across merely 31 Premier League fixtures, managing to record shutouts in only 23% of their contests.
For De Zerbi to effectively implement his offensive strategy without it devolving into a calamitous defensive endeavor, he must initially establish a robust structure and ensure prominent players such as Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven fully recommit to a cohesive defensive formation.
3. Execute his distinctive ‘Bait and Strike’ tactical approach.
Tottenham has recently seemed completely lacking in offensive character, frequently appearing inflexible and foreseeable when in possession. De Zerbi’s distinguishing characteristic is his unwavering unwillingness to simply hoof the ball long, instead instructing players to entice pressure to exploit gaps.
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 must instantly instill this profound belief into Spurs’ defensive unit to effectively penetrate rival defensive setups.
4. Maximize the potential of the inventive geniuses.
For his scheme to succeed, the Italian tactician depends significantly on midfielders impervious to pressure and dynamic wide players capable of prevailing in individual duels. Spurs possess a wealth of innately talented technical players, such as summer acquisition Mohammed Kudus and orchestrator Xavi Simons, yet the team’s mean of 1.29 goals per game demonstrates they are not performing optimally.
De Zerbi once said, “To show quality, they have to be put in the right situations to play.” He must unleash his creative central players and wide forwards to duplicate the deadly rapid attacking shifts he previously perfected in the Premier League.
Furthermore, he requires them to achieve peak physical condition, and crucially, maintain it…
5. Persuade the supporter community and reconcile the divergence in values.
Prior to any play commencing, De Zerbi’s most significant obstacle might actually stem from external factors. His stint at Marseille concluded amidst a shroud of contention among specific segments of the supporter base concerning some of his staffing choices.
Numerous Spurs fan associations have already expressed their apprehension regarding his prospective selection.
De Zerbi’s initial priority will involve communicating openly, demonstrating that his stewardship is consistent with the club’s esteemed communal principles, and channeling the zeal of the supporters.
Consequently, a rather trivial amount of tasks, indeed…