Tottenham Hotspur entered the new campaign with high hopes, having appointed a manager with solid Premier League credentials and granting him a spending package that topped £300 million – the largest financial commitment the club has ever made. Yet, after five league fixtures, the team find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table, a position they have not occupied in 18 years. Their sole goals have come from two late consolation strikes in a bleak defeat to Aston Villa over the weekend.
The situation is not as catastrophic as the league table might suggest. Spurs created a handful of decent first‑half chances against Villa; had they converted any of those, the narrative heading into the three‑week international break would have been markedly different, and the media chatter would have quieted for a while. Instead, the side has scraped together just two points from five matches, and a woeful record in front of goal has kept the criticism focused squarely on them. Although five games is a small sample size, the lack of consistency has now stretched across three straight seasons.
In the current campaign Tottenham have amassed only 18 points, 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 term. Since November 2024 the Tottenham stadium has hosted more Beyoncé concerts than home victories, a stark illustration of the club's recent fortunes. Roberto De Zerbi cannot hide behind the results forever, especially after a summer in which he was given near‑complete freedom in the transfer market.
Apart from securing a top‑class left‑winger, he largely got his wish list fulfilled. Before the Villa game he admitted he would have preferred a different approach to the summer dealings, but financial‑fair‑play constraints forced the club to retain a few players earmarked for sale. That explanation is unlikely to earn him much sympathy given the scale of the outlay.
One of the departures the club seemed comfortable with, Luka Vuskovic, has flourished at Brighton, while his replacement Jan Paul van Hecke was a key figure in the Villa loss – he was dribbled past three times and was largely responsible for the second, disastrous goal. Money alone cannot instantly reverse the trend that has seen Tottenham finish 17th in consecutive seasons.
The summer signings list reads like a shopping list: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle, £100 m), Savio (Manchester City, £85 m), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham, £85 m), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton, £52 m), Tosin Adarabioyo (Chelsea, £10 m), Mykhaylo Mudryk (Chelsea, loan), Martin Dubravka (Burnley, free), Andy Robertson (Liverpool, free), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth, free), Omar Marmoush (Manchester City, loan). Despite this influx, supporters expected more, particularly from a coach renowned for his man‑management skills and his ability to maximise the potential of his squad during his successful stint at Brighton. Even a single victory could lift Tottenham out of the current quagmire, and the club will be looking to test themselves against a similarly pressured Manchester United side when the Premier League resumes on 10 October, live on Sky Sports. However, several deeper issues need addressing; three points alone will not solve them.
De Zerbi’s frustration was evident after the Villa defeat when he criticised the lack of leadership on the pitch, noting that the team’s “leaders must act like leaders” after Micky Van de Ven was forced off injured and Andy Robertson inadvertently set up the opposition’s chance. The question now is 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 capable players, but none are unequivocal, vocal captains who can rally teammates in crisis.
The so‑called “Spursy” tag has taken on a fresh meaning. Tottenham have not won a league match when conceding first for almost two years, and they have managed only nine draws from losing positions in the same period. 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.
The loss of combative midfielder João Palhinha – a player De Zerbi openly wanted to keep – compounds the problem. The coach admitted after the Villa loss that he has never seen a team as “fragile and inconsistent” as his in 14 years of coaching. The fanbase, accustomed to watching the team crumble under pressure, could provide the missing grit if De Zerbi can tap into it.
Even without Palhinha, it is hard to defend the midfield’s performance when nearly £200 million was allocated to bring in Tonali and Fernandes. Tonali, fresh from a World Cup break, has yet to reach the form that made him a Newcastle favourite and justified Tottenham’s record fee.
The uncertainty surrounding Richarlison’s future adds another layer of instability, and the lack of goals remains glaring. Last season’s top scorer is still out of the picture, serving a self‑imposed exile. Dominic Solanke has not yet returned to full fitness, and De Zerbi seemed apologetic after Solanke’s muted display against Villa, stating “he’s much better than this Dominic Solanke.” With Tottenham’s average expected‑goals (xG) per shot the lowest in the league and their total only better than relegated Coventry, someone needs to step up – whether Solanke finds form or Omar Marmoush rediscovers his scoring touch.
It is still early days for this new iteration of the Spurs machine. Over half of the starting XI on Saturday were not at the club last season, so a period of adjustment was inevitable. The league table currently shows two points, two goals, and a team that appears out of sync with the rest of the competition.
Yet there remains a belief that things can turn around. The squad possesses undeniable quality, and De Zerbi’s tactical acumen is well documented. The risk, however, is that his previous tenures have sometimes ended on a sour note, and fans hope that pattern does not repeat at Tottenham.
The upcoming clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford on 10 October offers a chance for redemption. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event, kicking off at 5.30 pm. Tottenham must find a way to translate their massive investment into performances that inspire confidence, otherwise the season could become another chapter in the club’s recent struggles.