Tottenham finally broke the deadlock this Monday. However, the success against Coventry should not make us forget the scale of the disaster which marked its start to the season. After six days without a single victory in the Premier League, Spurs occupied last place in the standings, with only three goals scored before this meeting. The London club, which had invested massively in the transfer market after coming close to relegation the previous season, was struggling to find a balance and displayed a particularly worrying face. For Roberto De Zerbi, who arrived with the ambition to impose his football, the situation could quickly become explosive and rumors of a dismissal very quickly arrived in London. This is why, with the international break approaching, the Italian had to find the levers to prevent this negative spiral from taking hold.
The training in Marbella was good for Tottenham
The truce allowed De Zerbi to put things back on track. Before the trip to Manchester United, the coach organized a long discussion with his group so that everyone took responsibility for the difficulties encountered. The four-day camp in Marbella then offered the players the opportunity to get away from the pressure of London and strengthen their bonds. A solution identical to the one that De Zerbi used in Marseille and in which the Italian wanted to see a more united team, capable of fighting for each other in difficult times. The draw obtained at Old Trafford (1-1), despite an equalizer conceded at the end of the match while Tottenham were playing with ten men, was a first encouraging sign. The Spurs had not yet won, but they had shown a capacity for reaction and a solidarity which had been lacking until then.
This renewed form was finally rewarded on Monday evening, with a valuable victory against Coventry (3-1), Tottenham’s first in the league this season. James Maddison opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a superb curling shot, before Jack Rudoni equalized after returning from the locker room. Omar Marmoush then gave the Londoners the lead again in the 58th minute, then Ben Davies definitively sealed the success in added time. A result which allows Spurs to leave last place and move up to 16th place, with six points in seven days. De Zerbi, however, did not want to hide the imperfections of his team: “we sometimes played better in previous matches, at Old Trafford, against Aston Villa or Everton. Now we have to understand that we are capable of winning because after two or three seasons like the ones we experienced, the mental aspect is crucial. We have to thank the fans, especially in the last part of the match, where they were fantastic. They suffered a lot. We have to continue to move forward and improve the quality of our game, for sure, but we are a good team, a very good team.»
De Zerbi records valuable returns
The return of Maddison largely contributed to this first victory of the season. For his first start in almost eighteen months, the 29-year-old attacking midfielder immediately reminded us of what he could bring to this team with his creativity and his ability to be decisive. “ I have so much more to give to this club. I am 29 years old and I still have many good years ahead of me. I have confidence in myself and I have many qualities that can help this team in the Premier League “, he told Sky Sports. The Englishman also explained that he spoke with his manager before returning to the starting XI, believing that the time had come to show what Spurs had lacked during his absence. “ I just wanted to play well and show my qualities, as well as what the team had lost over the last eighteen months “, he added. In a formation which had seemed disunited during its first outings, Maddison could well become a central element in De Zerbi’s recovery.
Finally, the evening took on an even more special dimension with the return of Dejan Kulusevski, who came into play after 526 days of absence. The Swedish winger, away from the field since his serious knee injury in May 2025, received a warm welcome from the public and participated in this renewed emotion around the club. De Zerbi did not hide his satisfaction: “I’m very happy with the result, very happy for Maddison and very happy for Kulusevski. They are different players, with different talents, experiences and personalities. With them in the locker room, the atmosphere changes.» Beyond their respective qualities, their returns therefore provide additional solutions to a coach who has long had to deal with injuries and a workforce that is difficult to stabilize. After a catastrophic start to the season, the Italian finally has a benchmark victory to revive Tottenham. It now remains for him to confirm this first rebound, from the next trip to Chelsea, to breathe new life into it.
