Tottenham Hotspur entered the new campaign with high hopes, a manager who had already proven his worth in the Premier League and a war chest exceeding £300 million – the biggest the club has ever enjoyed. Yet, after five league fixtures, the team find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table, a position they have not occupied for 18 years.
Their only goals have come as late consolation strikes in a dismal defeat to Aston Villa last weekend. The situation, while grim on paper, is not entirely hopeless. In the Villa match, Spurs created several decent chances in the first half; had they turned any of those opportunities into goals, the narrative heading into the three‑week international break could have been very different, silencing many of the critics.
Instead, two points from five games and a woeful record in front of goal have kept the spotlight firmly on the club’s shortcomings. Although five games is a small sample, the lack of consistency has now stretched across three consecutive seasons. Tottenham have amassed just 18 points in the 2026 calendar year, and since the start of the 2024/25 season they sit one point behind a West Ham side that was relegated at the end of the previous campaign.
Since November 2024 the White Hart Lane (now the new stadium) has witnessed more Beyoncé concerts than home victories. Roberto De Zerbi cannot hide behind the results forever. He arrived in the summer with near‑complete freedom in the transfer market and, aside from a top‑class left‑winger, secured most of the players he wanted.
Before the Villa game he admitted that, had the club’s finances allowed, he would have approached the window differently, but Financial Fair Play constraints forced the retention of a few players earmarked for sale. That explanation does little to soften the criticism given the scale of the investment.
One of the departures, Luka Vuskovic, has flourished at Brighton, while his replacement, Jan Paul van Hecke, was a weak link in the Villa loss – he was dribbled past three times and largely responsible for the second, disastrous goal. Money alone cannot reverse the decline that saw Spurs finish 17th in back‑to‑back seasons, and the recent spending spree has yet to produce the expected turnaround.
The summer’s acquisitions read like a shopping list: Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for roughly £100 million, Savio Miller‑Spencer 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, especially from a coach praised for his man‑management during his successful stint at Brighton.
Even a single win would lift Tottenham out of the current quagmire, and the club will face a similarly pressured Manchester United side when the league resumes on 10 October, live on Sky Sports. However, several deeper issues need addressing beyond the three points a win would provide. De Zerbi’s frustration was evident after the Villa defeat, where an injury to Micky Van de Ven and an accidental assist from Andy Robertson led to a goal. He warned that "leaders have to be leaders" in crucial moments, adding that the team cannot afford to lose games in such a manner.
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 competent but none are unequivocal captains who can rally the troops by sheer presence. This lack of decisive leadership is part of a broader pattern often described as "Spursy" – a nickname that has taken on a new, more negative connotation in recent years. Tottenham have failed to win a league match when conceding first for almost two seasons and have managed only nine draws from losing positions in that period.
The summer saw the departure of Cristian Romero, whose aggressive style sometimes crossed the line but also provided a vital edge in defence. His exit left a gap that has not yet been filled.
Adding to the problem was the loss of combative midfielder João Palhinha, a player De Zerbi openly wanted to retain. The coach admitted that he currently has no clear solution for the midfield’s missing grit, describing the squad as "fragile and inconsistent" – a sentiment he has never expressed in his 14‑year coaching career. Fans in the stands are accustomed to seeing the team stumble, and their patience is wearing thin. Even without Palhinha, De Zerbi cannot complain excessively about the midfield, given the near‑£200 million earmarked for signings such as Tonali and Fernandes.
Tonali, fresh from a World Cup break, has yet to recapture the form that made him a fan favourite at Newcastle and justified Spurs breaking their transfer record for him. The uncertainty surrounding Richarlison’s future adds another layer of complexity. His limited impact, combined with the club’s chronic goal‑scoring woes – last season’s top scorer remains on a self‑imposed exile – has left the attack looking barren.
Dominic Solanke, still not at full fitness, was the subject of an apologetic comment from De Zerbi after the Villa game, with the manager noting that Solanke is "much better than this". Statistically, Tottenham’s expected goals (xG) per shot are the lowest in the Premier League, and their total shot count is only better than that of Coventry City. This underscores the urgency for players like Solanke or Omar Marmoush to rediscover their scoring touch, while other members of the squad must also step up. It is still early days for this new iteration of the Spurs machine.
Over half of the starting XI against Villa were not at the club last season, so some teething problems are inevitable. Yet, a table showing two points, two goals scored and a bottom‑place finish feels far more alarming than a temporary slump. There remains a belief that things can improve – the squad possesses undeniable quality and De Zerbi’s credentials are well‑known. However, his previous tenures have often ended on a sour note, and fans hope that the decline has not already set in 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. In summary, Tottenham’s massive spending has not translated into immediate results, and the club faces a combination of leadership deficits, midfield imbalance, and a lack of goals. The next few weeks will be pivotal in determining whether the White Hart Lane faithful can regain confidence in De Zerbi’s project or if further changes will be demanded.