Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi just laid it all out there, admitting his squad is in a “tough moment” and apologizing for their brutal 3-1 League Cup exit against Liverpool on Tuesday. That’s a gut punch, not just for the fans, but for a club that spent over £300 million trying to turn things around since the end of last season.
Woeful Start Gets Worse at Anfield
The trip to rain-lashed Anfield was supposed to be a morale-booster, a chance to kickstart a season that’s already looking rough in the Premier League. Instead, it was a dispiriting end to any cup run hopes. Liverpool, even playing an under-strength line-up, swatted Tottenham aside with Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai all finding the net. Conor Gallagher’s reply, which came with Tottenham already down 2-0, was their very first goal against top-flight opponents this term. Seriously, their *first* goal. This fourth-bottom team is without a win in their first four league matches, drawing two and losing two. Their only victory this entire season has been against second-tier Charlton in the League Cup. That is not the record of a team that just shelled out over £300 million for 10 new signings.
De Zerbi Cries Foul as Gamble Backfires
De Zerbi is claiming Tottenham has been “unlucky” this season, saying they “have to shoot more times, we have to shoot better.” He’s “sorry for the result, disappointed, frustrated,” even calling the outcome “unfair.” He doubled down, saying “in these five, six games, we have been for sure not lucky with Newcastle, with Everton, even with Nottingham and tonight as well.” But let’s be real, making eight changes from last weekend’s draw with Everton was a massive gamble, and it backfired spectacularly against an under-strength Liverpool. After two straight 17th place finishes, including avoiding relegation on the final day last season, you’d think the priority would be finding some consistency, not rolling the dice.
What’s Next for Tottenham?
Despite all this, De Zerbi, who literally saved Tottenham from relegation after his appointment late last season, still believes they are on the “right path.” He’s sticking by his players, saying he has “big confidence, a big opinion” of them, and that when they “arrive to find the click, to win a game,” they’ll enjoy it because the “qualities of the players are incredible.” He’s accepted the blame, too, owning up that it’s his “responsibility” that they “didn’t recognise the clear situation man-to-man” in the first half. It’s a “tough moment,” no doubt, but he’s vowing they’ll bounce back. The next chance to “find this click” is at home against Aston Villa on Saturday. They need to find it fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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