Roberto De Zerbi explains his heated exchange with Mathys Tel after the Tottenham winger failed to follow key off-the-ball instructions against Everton.
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has lifted the lid on his heated exchange with Mathys Tel following Saturday’s goalless draw against Everton. Video footage of the Italian manager confronting the substitute winger on the pitch went viral after the final whistle, revealing clear friction on the touchline. Speaking in his post-match interview, as reported by SethOfficial on X, De Zerbi explained that his anger stemmed from Tel’s failure to execute specific off-the-ball tactical instructions while Tottenham were desperately searching for a winning goal.
De Zerbi revealed that he sought out Tel immediately after the match to deliver a direct message regarding his lack of movement.
“I went straight to him because I was frustrated. I brought him on with a very clear instruction: make the runs, move the defenders, attack the spaces and give your teammates options. But when he came onto the pitch, I didn’t see enough of that. He was too static. He was waiting for the game to come to him instead of making something happen.”
Frustration Over Off-Ball Movement Amid Historic Goal Drought
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of an acute offensive drought for Tottenham, who have failed to score in each of their opening four Premier League matches for the first time in club history. Having introduced Tel in the second half to unlock Everton’s compact defensive line, De Zerbi was left furious by the French forward’s passive positioning when Spurs were attempting to build late momentum.
De Zerbi emphasized that mistakes on the ball are tolerable, but failing to put in work off the ball is completely unacceptable within his system.
“I told him directly, ‘You cannot come into a game like this and disappear. I need you to move. I need you to make the defenders think.’ We were chasing a goal and I needed energy, movement and aggression from him. Instead, there were moments where he was standing in the same position while his teammates were trying to create something. That cannot happen.”
“I’m not angry because he made a mistake. I’m angry because he didn’t do what I asked him to do. At this level, talent is not enough. If I ask you to make a run, you make the run. If I ask you to move the defence, you move it. You cannot help the team if you are invisible.”
Tel’s difficult cameo follows a subdued starting performance against Nottingham Forest the previous weekend, putting the young attacker under scrutiny as competition for places intensifies. With Mykhailo Mudryk and Dejan Kulusevski sidelined, and Richarlison unavailable for Premier League action following his collapsed transfer to Vasco da Gama, De Zerbi relies heavily on his available wide players to carry the tactical burden.
Although physical conditioning across the squad remains an issue due to a staggered pre-season and tour injuries in Australia, De Zerbi’s outburst makes it clear that tactical discipline and work rate remain non-negotiable. As Tottenham prepare to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Tuesday, Tel will need to demonstrate an immediate response if he hopes to regain his manager’s trust and help unblock Spurs’ struggling attack.
