Tottenham Hotspur's mentality is a major problem according to manager Roberto De Zerbi after a 2-0 Premier League loss to Newcastle United. The defeat at St James' Park on Saturday leaves Spurs rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points from two matches, having conceded five goals without scoring. De Zerbi's stark assessment came as his team produced another flat performance to start the 2025-26 season.
Roberto De Zerbi made five changes to his starting lineup following the 3-0 opening day defeat to Brentford. Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes started a competitive game together in midfield for the first time, while Omar Marmoush made his debut. Mohammed Kudus also returned for his first appearance since January after recovering from a quad injury. Despite the reshuffle, Tottenham created little and were punished when Anthony Elanga opened the scoring for Newcastle in the 62nd minute. Nico Gonzalez later sealed the win.
De Zerbi did not hold back in his post-match comments. "You can’t buy mentality in the transfer market," the Italian manager stated bluntly. He pointed to a summer where the club spent over £300 million on eight new signings, yet the team's fundamental character remains in question. "The reaction was not good enough," De Zerbi added. "Not the reaction I want to see on the pitch." His words show a deep frustration with a squad that has now lost 41 of its last 78 top-flight matches.
The numbers paint a grim picture. Tottenham have lost their first two games of De Zerbi's first full season in charge, failing to score while letting in five. This extends a miserable long-term trend. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, they have suffered 11 home defeats, a joint-worst Premier League record shared with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Their points haul since January 2025 stands at a meagre 55 from 59 league games. The club finished 17th in back-to-back seasons before this campaign began, and the early 2026-27 data shows no improvement. They are currently six points behind early leaders Manchester City.
De Zerbi's team featured a mix of new signings and returning players. Alongside debutant Marmoush, who once played with Newcastle's Nico Gonzalez at Manchester City, were Andy Robertson, Dominic Solanke, and Mathys Tel. Key defenders Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur are still building sharpness after limited pre-season action. Pedro Porro, who started at right-back for Spain at the recent World Cup, featured but the defence was breached twice. Savio was unavailable due to muscle fatigue. The changes left Lucas Bergvall, Marcos Senesi, and Conor Gallagher as unused substitutes.
The immediate focus shifts to halting this slide. Tottenham's next fixture is an away trip to face Nottingham Forest, who sit 13th, on September 5th. The club must find answers quickly, especially with off-field uncertainty. Senior players Richarlison, Kevin Danso, and Pape Matar Sarr have all asked to leave, further destabilising the squad. Danso has been a valuable member over the last 18 months. The team's current league standing of 20th with a -5 goal difference adds immense pressure. Supporters can track the team's progress and upcoming challenges on the club's standings and fixtures pages. The need for a rapid turnaround in both results and attitude is now critical.
