Roberto De Zerbi gives Tottenham’s non-international players a full week off despite ongoing concerns over Spurs’ fitness and second-half fatigue.
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has made a surprising management call ahead of the international break, granting a full week off to squad members who were not called up for international duty.
The decision comes at a delicate juncture for North Londoners. Sitting 20th in the Premier League table and winless in five matches, Spurs have suffered consecutive structural collapses against Newcastle and Aston Villa. The timing of the hiatus has raised eyebrows across the fanbase given De Zerbi’s frequent comments regarding his team’s physical readiness.
According to a report by Matt Law via Last Word On Spurs on X, Tottenham’s non-international players have been awarded extended leave despite the head coach repeatedly lamenting the group’s physical conditioning and stamina drops throughout the opening month of the 2026/27 campaign.
A Direct Contradiction to Post-Match Complaints
The move appears to directly contrast with De Zerbi’s recent post-match assessments. Following the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, the Italian explicitly highlighted energy loss during the second half as a key factor in conceding goals. That sentiment was echoed by defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who publicly called out the squad’s tendency to let “energy drain away” during critical match phases.
Throughout the opening five fixtures, Tottenham have struggled to maintain high-intensity pressing across 90 minutes. De Zerbi’s tactical demand for suffocating possession and aggressive rest-defense requires peak physical sharpness. Granting players a week-long break instead of initiating an intensive conditioning camp at Hotspur Way represents a clear change in approach.
While the decision may seem counterintuitive given Tottenham’s league position, it suggests De Zerbi views Spurs’ issues as primarily psychological rather than purely physical. Having recently described this squad as the most fragile and inconsistent side of his 14-year coaching career, the Italian may be prioritizing a complete mental reset to clear negative energy before turning focus to tactical drills.
This operational approach creates an interesting contrast within the squad. While most non-internationals take time away, winger Mohammed Kudus explicitly opted out of international duty with Ghana to stay at the training ground and rebuild his sharpness.
With a high-stakes fixture against Manchester United at Old Trafford awaiting on October 10th, De Zerbi is gambling that psychological recovery will pay higher dividends than extra double sessions. Whether this period of rest resolves Tottenham’s second-half fatigue or exacerbates their match sharpness issues will be revealed when Premier League action resumes.
