A tough blow in the debut

Tottenham Hotspur started the Premier League with a defeat that left a mark: 3-0 against Brentford. The result was not only painful due to the scoreline but also because it reminded them of old defeats, such as the one suffered against Manchester United in the 2011-12 season by the same scoreline on the opening day. The contrast with the preseason, which had generated positive expectations, was evident and set off alarms within the club's environment. Since Roberto De Zerbi took over in March, the Spurs have barely managed three victories in eight official matches, although they managed to avoid relegation in the final stretch of last season.

De Zerbi and the need to change the mentality

The Italian coach was clear in setting the course: "For me, it's like the Premier League. We are not in a position to make differences. We need to get used to winning matches. We need to change the mood. We can do it because we already did it last season." De Zerbi emphasized that the problem is not just football-related, but cultural: "I heard that the last victory was in December. I believe the environment needs to change, the players and the people within the club must alter that mentality. It's a challenge. When I say we have to become a team, I mean this."

The EFL Cup as an opportunity

The next match will be against Charlton Athletic in the second round of the EFL Cup, a tournament that De Zerbi considers vital for establishing the habit of winning. The statistics are in their favor; Tottenham has been eliminated in only one of their last 19 series against lower-tier opponents, that time by penalties against Colchester United in 2019-20. Moreover, they have won six of their last seven home matches in this competition, with the only loss being against Chelsea in the 2021-22 semifinals. The pressure is clear, De Zerbi needs Tottenham to start winning, and the Cup could be the ideal stage to initiate that much-needed change in mentality.

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