Tottenham Hotspur entered the new season with lofty expectations. After a series of disappointing campaigns, the club finally appointed a manager with a solid record in the Premier League and handed him a war chest exceeding £300 million – the largest sum ever allocated by the North London side.
Yet, five games into the campaign, Spurs find themselves anchored at the foot of the table, a position they have not occupied for 18 years. Their sole goals have been two late consolation strikes in a dismal defeat to Aston Villa last weekend. On paper the situation looks bleaker than it actually is.
Tottenham created several decent chances in the first half against Villa; had they converted any of those, the narrative heading into the three‑week international break would have been markedly different, silencing many of the critics. Instead, the club has amassed just two points from five matches, and a woeful record in front of goal has kept the spotlight firmly trained on them.
Although five games is a small sample, the lack of consistency has now stretched into a third straight season. Tottenham have collected only 18 points in the calendar year 2026, and since the start of the 2024/25 campaign they sit one point behind a West Ham side that were relegated at the end of the previous season. Since November 2024 the Tottenham stadium has hosted more Beyoncé concerts than home victories.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi cannot evade scrutiny for long, especially after a summer in which he was given near‑complete freedom in the transfer market. Apart from a high‑profile left‑winger, he secured most of the targets he named.
Before the Villa game he admitted that, in hindsight, he would have liked to approach the summer window differently, but the club had to respect Financial Fair Play rules, meaning a few players earmarked for sale remained. That excuse is unlikely to win much sympathy given the size of the expenditure. One of the departures, Luka Vuskovic, has flourished at Brighton, while his replacement, Jan Paul van Hecke, was a central figure in the Villa loss, being dribbled past three times and bearing responsibility for the second, disastrous goal. Spending alone cannot turn around a side that finished 17th in consecutive seasons.
The list of signings reads like a shopping spree: Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for around £100 million, Savio from Manchester City for £85 million, Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85 million, Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52 million, Tosin Adarabioyo from Chelsea for £10 million, Mykhaylo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea, Martin Dubravka on a free from Burnley, Andy Robertson on a free from Liverpool, Marcos Senesi on a free from Bournemouth, and Omar Marmoush on loan from Manchester City. Despite this influx, supporters expected more, particularly from a coach praised for his man‑management and ability to maximise the talent at his disposal during his nearly two‑year spell at Brighton.
Even a single win could lift Tottenham out of the current quagmire, and the club will be eager to test themselves against a similarly pressured Manchester United when the Premier League resumes on 10 October, live on Sky Sports. However, several deeper issues need addressing beyond the immediate three points.
De Zerbi’s frustration was evident after the Villa defeat when he criticised the team’s lack of leadership, pointing to the fact that midfielder Micky Van de Ven was forced off with injury and Andy Robertson unintentionally set up the opening goal. He warned that "leaders have to be leaders" in crucial moments and that "we can't lose games in this way." The question remains whether the squad possesses enough natural leaders. The five‑man leadership group named last month – Van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Archie Gray – are all capable players but none are unequivocal, vocal captains who can rally teammates by sheer presence.
The notion of "Spursy" – a long‑standing label for the club’s perceived chronic under‑achievement – has taken on a fresh form. Tottenham have not won a league match when conceding first for almost two years and have managed only nine draws from losing positions in that span. The departure of Cristian Romero in the summer, after his aggressive style sometimes crossed the line, left a defensive void that has yet to be filled.
That void was deepened by the exit of combative midfielder João Palhinha, whose desire to stay was openly expressed by De Zerbi but ultimately unfulfilled. De Zerbi admitted after Saturday’s loss that he has never encountered a team as "fragile and inconsistent" as Tottenham in his 14‑year coaching career.
The answer, he suggests, may lie in the stands – the fans are accustomed to watching the same patterns repeat over the past two seasons and could provide the missing spark. Midfield concerns persist despite the near‑£200 million earmarked for Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
Tonali, fresh from a World Cup‑free summer, has yet to replicate the form that made him a fan favourite at Newcastle and justified Spurs’ record fee. Meanwhile, the saga surrounding Richarlison’s future has added further distraction, and the team’s goal‑scoring woes remain stark.
Last season’s top scorer is currently in self‑imposed exile, and Dominic Solanke, still not fully fit, was described by De Zerbi as "much better than this" after his underwhelming performance against Villa. With Tottenham’s average expected goals (xG) per shot the lowest in the league and a total only marginally better than Championship side Coventry, the onus is on Solanke – or alternatively Omar Marmoush – to rediscover their scoring touch. It is still early days for this new iteration of the Spurs machine. Over half of the starting XI from Saturday’s match were not at the club last season, so some teething problems are inevitable.
Yet the sight of a Premier League table showing Spurs with two points, two goals, and the rest of the league far ahead feels disproportionately harsh. There is still optimism that things will improve. The squad possesses undeniable quality, and De Zerbi’s credentials are well‑known.
However, his previous tenures have sometimes ended on sour notes, and the hope is that this pattern does not repeat at Tottenham. The upcoming clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford on 10 October will be a crucial test, broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 4.30 pm (kick‑off 5.30 pm).