De Zerbi demands Tottenham find their identity after £320m summer rebuild

Roberto De Zerbi says changing Tottenham Hotspur’s mentality is the biggest challenge facing him after a damaging start to the Premier League season, with the club bottom of the table following successive defeats.

Tottenham have lost their opening two league matches without scoring a goal, despite spending £320m during the summer transfer window. Their latest setback came at Newcastle United, where Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa secured a 2-0 victory for the hosts.

The result prompted Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to describe Tottenham’s start to the campaign as “it couldn’t be any worse”.

De Zerbi’s side had performed better than Newcastle for long periods and appeared capable of taking something from the match until Elanga put the home team ahead midway through the second half. Tottenham were unable to produce an equaliser before Wissa reacted quickest from close range to score Newcastle’s second.

Asked whether mentality was the biggest issue confronting his team, De Zerbi said: “You are right, yes. It is the biggest problem, the biggest challenge, and the biggest target is to find the right mentality.”

He added: “Unfortunately, you cannot buy mentality in the transfer market. Football is like magic; you can change many players in one transfer window and find the balance immediately, or you can need more time. I would like to reach this target quickly, as soon as possible, because it is crucial to play football.”

Tottenham have undergone a major overhaul this summer as De Zerbi attempts to build a new squad, but the Italian remains convinced the club’s long-term plans will succeed.

“The club’s plan and project, and what we are doing to rebuild a new team with new players, is a great plan and a great project, and I have no doubt about the outcome of this project,” he said.

De Zerbi also reiterated that this season should not be judged by Tottenham’s performances during the previous two campaigns, when they finished 17th in the competition.

“I am disappointed with the result, and I am sorry for the fans and the environment around the club, because after two defeats, maybe some people think it is the same story as the last two seasons,” he said.

“I have no doubt that it is not the same. I cannot change my mind because of two defeats.”

The former Brighton manager said he continued to have strong faith in the ability of his players, despite their failure to score in either match.

“I have big, big confidence in the potential of my players,” he said. “In the end, when we become a team, when we improve the understanding between the players, when we develop the quality of our play, and when we improve our defensive spaces, this group, whether I am the coach or another coach, nothing will change, because they are good players.”

De Zerbi accepted that Tottenham may need more time before they are ready to perform consistently as a collective.

“I am sorry for the club, because they are building a great team, but maybe we are not ready yet, for many, many reasons,” he said.