Paul Merson has expressed serious concern over Roberto De Zerbi's public criticism of Tottenham Hotspur forwards and medical staff following their goalless draw with Nottingham Forest. The pundit believes the manager's comments reveal worrying tensions within the club as Spurs continue to struggle for form early in the season.
Tottenham's winless start to the Premier League campaign continued with a 0-0 stalemate at the City Ground on Saturday. The team failed to register a single shot on target and are yet to score a league goal this term, leaving them in 18th position with just one point from three matches. Their recent form reads DLL, and they have conceded five goals without reply, giving them a -5 goal difference. The club also faces injury concerns, with Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons currently sidelined.
Roberto De Zerbi was openly critical of his attacking players' decision-making in the final third. He pointed to specific moments where opportunities were wasted, referencing crosses from Mathys Tel and Savio that missed their target and a chance involving Pedro Porro and Mateus Fernandes. "I think we played well but in the last third we have to improve," De Zerbi stated. "We have to take the better decisions. We have to keep more calm when we are very close to doing something important."
More notably, the Italian manager revealed his frustration with the medical team's influence on his substitutions. He explained that staff advised him that Savio and Destiny Udogie could only play for 60 minutes, forcing him to make changes that disrupted the team's rhythm. "The second half, I'm sorry because the medical staff pushed to change Savinho and Udogie after 60 minutes," De Zerbi said. He acknowledged the replacements, Mohammed Kudus and Andy Robertson, performed well but felt the double change was poorly timed.
Merson said he would be deeply concerned if he were a Tottenham supporter hearing De Zerbi's remarks. He questioned the wisdom of publicly criticising both players and staff, suggesting it could create unnecessary friction. "I don't know if he's covering himself there with those comments about the medical staff, because that could be kept quiet," Merson observed.
The former Arsenal midfielder drew a direct parallel with recent events at Chelsea, where manager Enzo Maresca also publicly questioned his medical team's advice. "He's having a go at them - and you saw what happened with Enzo Maresca at Chelsea when he started calling out the medical team for dictating his substitutions. He left a few weeks later," Merson noted, implying such conflicts can have serious consequences. He added that De Zerbi has a history of falling out with people at his previous clubs.
Spurs' problems extend beyond the manager's post-match comments. They currently sit eight points behind early leaders Manchester City in the title race, a gap that highlights their poor start. Merson argued that criticising forwards for poor decision-making was unfair when they created so few clear chances. He pointed out that Nottingham Forest's goalkeeper was not named man of the match, indicating Spurs' threat was minimal.
The pundit also suggested Tottenham were fortunate not to lose at Forest, claiming the home side would have won if defender Neco Williams had been "braver" in certain situations.
Merson urged for patience, reminding everyone that a club which finished 17th in consecutive seasons cannot expect an instant transformation. "You don't come 17th two years on the trot and expect to turn it around in a New York minute," he said. He believes the focus should not be on the eight-point deficit to Arsenal but on securing a top-five finish, though he conceded Spurs are unlikely to finish above Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and their North London rivals this season.
For De Zerbi, managing his relationship with both players and support staff will be essential. He admitted he was "not happy" when his plans were altered by medical advice but accepted it was for the "advantage" and "management of the players after injuries." Protecting key players like Savio and Udogie is a priority, but communicating these decisions effectively remains a challenge.
The immediate task is to find a goal and a win. Tottenham's next opportunity comes at home against Everton on September 12. Sean Dyche's side currently sit 8th in the table, presenting another tough test. Fans can check the full schedule on the club's fixtures page. The team will also hope for positive news on the injury front, with updates available via the injuries section.
