Troy Deeney slams Roberto De Zerbi’s excuses as Tottenham’s poor start intensifies pressure on the manager.
Troy Deeney has launched a scathing attack on Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi, forcefully dismissing the manager’s claim that Spurs have only had their full squad working together since last Thursday. Speaking on talkSPORT as reported via Hotspur Lane on X, the former Premier League striker accused the North London club and their manager of falling back on familiar excuses despite receiving substantial time and backing in the transfer market.
De Zerbi previously suggested that tactical fluidity has been hampered by late arrivals and fragmented preparation following the summer window. However, Deeney strongly disputed that assessment, pointing out that the Italian coach was appointed during the final months of last season and oversaw a complete pre-season campaign before the new Premier League year kicked off.
Deeney delivered a blunt assessment of De Zerbi’s stance during his talkSPORT appearance:
“This whole ‘we’ve only been working together since Thursday’, not true is it? Because you were in the back end of last year, so you’ve had all of Pre-season, you’ve added pieces along the way, you’ve had Tonali who didn’t even go to the World Cup, what’s his excuse for him still playing bad? It’s already excuse-laden, I think that’s what Spurs do, they make excuses.”
Focus Turns to Tonali and High-Priced Summer Investment
Deeney specifically highlighted club-record £100 million signing Sandro Tonali as a key example of the lack of impact from high-profile additions. Given that Tonali arrived early in pre-season on day three and did not participate in summer international tournaments, Deeney argued that physical conditioning or lack of tactical familiarity should no longer serve as valid justifications for underperformance on the pitch.
The criticism comes as Tottenham navigate a winless and goalless start to the Premier League campaign, remaining without a goal after three matches against Brentford, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest. Despite spending over £300 million to reconstruct the squad across the window, De Zerbi’s side currently sits in 17th place while striving to turn superior expected goals metrics into actual match-winning results.
Deeney added that giving De Zerbi significant influence over transfer strategy leaves the manager with total responsibility for the team’s ongoing tactical output. With Tottenham preparing to host Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the spotlight has intensified sharply on De Zerbi to secure his first league victory of the season and silence the growing skepticism surrounding the club’s trajectory.
