De Zerbi Admits Spurs “Not A Team Yet”
Brentford Rout Exposes Early Cracks
Roberto De Zerbi couldn’t hide his frustration after Tottenham’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Brentford on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. “We are not a team yet. For a lot of reasons,” he said bluntly, refusing to set concrete targets until his squad genuinely gels together.
Notably, the Italian expanded on that thinking when pressed further about ambitions for the campaign ahead. “Before the game, in the press conference, when you asked me what is the target, we can fix the target when you become a team. Before becoming a team, we can’t say what we can do,” he explained, framing this early setback as part of a longer developmental process.
Goals from Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode condemned Spurs to a chastening result, despite an expensive summer rebuild that saw the club spend heavily on fresh signings. Five of Tottenham’s six new arrivals featured in the defeat, yet cohesion was clearly lacking throughout the ninety minutes.
Physical Struggles Highlight Deeper Issues
De Zerbi didn’t shy away from identifying specific problems. “We are not at the right point in physical condition,” he admitted, acknowledging his squad simply wasn’t prepared for Brentford’s intensity. “We lost too many duels, we made too many mistakes in the timing when we wanted to push the pressure higher.”
Notably, he insisted this shouldn’t be mistaken for excuse-making. “But no excuse. When you are building a new project I don’t want time, but we have to pass through these problems. I believe in my players, my club and myself.” That mixture of accountability and patience characterises his approach as he continues reshaping the squad.
Interestingly, De Zerbi also addressed his broader philosophy regarding team-building. “You become a team with the players; they find the connection between them, they find the spirit, they find the soul, it’s a process,” he said, according to Sky Sports, rejecting the notion that spending alone guarantees instant results.
Readers following Tottenham’s new season under De Zerbi can find continued coverage on KCPredict as this rebuild continues to take shape.