Roberto De Zerbi has issued a rallying call to his Tottenham squad, urging greater boldness and creativity as Spurs look to end their winless run in the Premier League when Everton visit this weekend.
Tottenham remain without a league victory after three matches, following a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest that offered little to excite supporters despite representing a step up from consecutive defeats to Newcastle and Brentford. The Italian manager did not shy away from criticising the performance, describing the encounter in blunt terms.
"If you watch the game in Nottingham, it was a bad game," De Zerbi admitted, reflecting on a contest defined by aerial duels and scrappy exchanges rather than fluid football. Spurs struggled to establish any rhythm, chasing loose balls for long stretches and failing to register a single shot on target against Forest.
While De Zerbi acknowledged his players' work ethic, he made clear that effort alone will not be enough to satisfy his footballing philosophy. He has reportedly told those without full commitment to the project that they are free to move on, but for those who remain, the next challenge is to add ambition and identity to their play.
"I would like to see one team playing with courage, with energy, to try to dominate the game, dominate the pressure with the right spirit, with the spirit I like," he explained, outlining the principles he wants to instil at the club.
For De Zerbi, courage is closely tied to a willingness to take risks in possession — whether that means receiving the ball under pressure, threading incisive passes, or simply having the confidence to shoot. He suggested his side has instead been playing with excessive caution.
"It is like we don't want the ball or we don't want to take any risks because if we lose the ball, if we lose the ball, we can concede a goal," he said, framing it as a direct message to his squad before the Everton fixture.
De Zerbi stressed that he is prepared to take responsibility for results but wants to see his team express itself more freely going forward. "I'm the coach, I take the responsibility I have to take without problem, but I would like to play, to play, to play, to play, to run, to press, to dribble, to shoot many times, more times on the goal, because I know the potential of my players," he stated.
The fixture carries added significance given its history. Tottenham's most recent Premier League victory came against Everton on the final day of last season, a result that ultimately secured their top-flight status and triggered a summer of heavy investment exceeding £300 million. Expectations have risen accordingly, yet results at home have not matched the outlay — Spurs have managed only nine home league wins since the start of last season, including a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle earlier this month.
Despite the pressure mounting, De Zerbi dismissed suggestions that anxiety is affecting his team's displays, pointing out that the Forest game was played away from home. "I think no because in Nottingham we didn't play at home. We played away and if we watch the game together I show you how many times there was the space and the time to play better and better and better, with more courage and availability but it's a process," he said.
Everton arrive at the ground without an away win in the Premier League since February, offering Tottenham a timely opportunity to kick-start their campaign. With patience among supporters beginning to wear thin, De Zerbi will be hoping his message translates into a bolder, more incisive performance and, crucially, three points.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.