De Zerbi says Tottenham’s leaders must step up after Aston Villa defeat

Roberto De Zerbi said Tottenham’s captains must take responsibility and lead the team after their 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa left them without a win after five Premier League matches.

Tottenham conceded from a long ball during the fifth-round fixture, despite De Zerbi saying the team had been warned repeatedly about Aston Villa’s approach before the match.

“We conceded an unacceptable goal from a long ball,” De Zerbi told reporters after the game. “We knew this before the match because Aston Villa have played 86% more long balls this season compared with last season, and we discussed it in several meetings.”

De Zerbi accepted responsibility for the loss but said Tottenham could not expect to control the game in the same way for the full 90 minutes.

“This is my responsibility and I take responsibility,” he said. “But at that moment in the match, when the game changes from possession and playing in the final third, we cannot play for 90 minutes in the final third as we did in the first half.

“There is an opponent, and Aston Villa are not a bad team. They are a strong team.”

The Tottenham manager also called for greater organisation when his side are forced to defend.

“At the moment when we have to defend, we must defend in a compact way,” he added. “The captains must do their job and lead the team.”

The defeat extended Tottenham’s winless start to the Premier League season to five matches, continuing the club’s worst beginning to a campaign in the competition.

Tottenham have also won only two of their past 21 home Premier League matches.

The result left them in the relegation zone with two points from their opening five games.