When Aston Villa went 1-0 up in north London, it felt inevitable that Tottenham would go into the international break winless in the Premier League.
That’s because it’s almost two years since Spurs have won a game after conceding the opening goal in any competition. Last month’s 3-2 defeat at home to Villa was the 47th game in this dismal run (11 draws 36 draws).
“It’s a concern, certainly at home because that’s where you need the minerals,” former Tottenham coach Tim Sherwood told a special. Sky Sports Spurs podcast.
“That’s where you need characters and leaders to step up, and right now, they don’t have any leaders and characters.
“I’m not sure anyone really loses their head or urges players to try to arrest (him), which is a poor trend, not to come back from lost positions.
“The manager is. He certainly looks like he doesn’t lack any passion. But you need that on the pitch, in the dressing room and on the training ground every day, and I’m not sure the characters are there.”
With Spurs picking up the fewest points (18) of all-time Premier League sides in 2026, Sky Sports News’ Tottenham reporter Michael Bridge also expressed his concerns about the leadership.
He said: “When Roberto De Zerbi picked his five captains (Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Archie Grey), and I asked him in the press conference, Andy Robertson was not one of the five.
“Archie Gray was, but Archie Gray won’t be in the team much, so I’m a bit worried about the leadership in that camp.
“How many of the players will actually grab each other by the neck?
“Cristian Romero has probably gone too far in terms of aggression, but there were times when you wanted him on your side, so I need to see a bit more aggression from some of these players as well.”
Sherwood is not impressed by the new signings
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
In a special Spurs Sky Sports podcast, former manager Tim Sherwood questions the club’s latest signings
A winless start to the Premier League season has left Tottenham bottom of the table, and their worst start to a Premier League season after five games has already raised questions over Spurs’ lavish summer spending.
So has he impressed Sherwood any of the 10 new players costing over £330m?
“No, no one,” he insisted. “I can’t say anyone really impressed me and anyone would have done a better job than anyone who was there last season.
“They’ve had a bit of success, they really have. We always judge results, so I don’t look at any individual player and think, ‘Well, you’re missing out on some credit here’ because the team is losing and I’m not sure there’s been any standout performers.”
Saturday, October 10, 5:00 p.m
Departure at 17:30
The lack of success from Spurs’ pre-summer signings has Sherwood worried about recent recruitment.
“Maybe the last four or five years, Tottenham’s signing record hasn’t been fantastic,” he said.
“It’s been a long time since they’ve made a good signing. Now, I’m not saying they’re poor signings; I’m saying they haven’t yet, and there’s still a long time to be able to gain some confidence and show what they can really do.
“We’ve seen them in games and starts and small appearances for other teams, but it’s a different kettle of fish playing for Tottenham.”
He added: “I’ve seen more nos than yeses at the moment over the last five years in the transfer market.
“I think the best signing they’ve made in recent history would have to be (Heung-Min) Son – and we’ll be back there a lot! We’re talking about a real success.
“Maybe (Dejan) Kulusevski, but then he got injured. But other than that, I can’t say there’s been a lot of outstanding success in the transfer market.
But it’s up to Roberto De Zerbi to develop those players and hopefully some of these players that we’ve seen in recent years may be unknown.”
“Spurs still need a striker”
With Spurs having scored just two goals in the league, the spotlight for Bridge is on Omar Marmoush to deliver.
The summer signing from Man City is yet to score in his first five appearances for Spurs in all competitions as he missed one big chance and had two shots on target from his 10 attempts.
Bridge said: “I think he’s Omar Marmoush for me. How good is this guy?
“I really liked his performances for City, but they were just performances; clearly a very talented player. He really showed that in the Bundesliga (with Eintracht Frankfurt).
“But can he do it consistently for Tottenham Hotspur, where he will be given a clear run of games.
“Was Tottenham right to spend as they did on Savio and Marmoush? So the jury will be out on these players.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge takes a look at the problems at Spurs
With Dominic Solanke struggling for form and Richarlison frozen against the backdrop of Spurs academy graduate Will Lankshear scoring freely in the Championship, Spurs’ firepower is a problem.
Bridge said: “I think they need a striker – a current number nine – but how many are there?
“It doesn’t help that Will Lankshear scores every week for Middlesbrough because he looks like an old-fashioned centre-forward and he’s young and English. That’s my concern.
“I’m also not 100 per cent sure if Antonin Kinsky is Tottenham’s number one for years to come.
“If you’ve spent that much money and you still need me, a goalkeeper and a number nine, then there’s still a way to go.”
Is De Zerbi under pressure?
Tottenham aim for their first league win of the season at Manchester United on Saturday, live Sky Sports.
But if their winless run continues, then Roberto De Zerbi would become only the second Spurs manager in Premier League history to fail to win any of the first six games of a season.
Juande Ramos was the first, and he was sacked after Spurs had two points from eight games. But both Sherwood and Bridge are convinced De Zerbi will not follow the same fate as the Spaniard.
Former Spurs boss Sherwood said: “I’m not sure he’s under any pressure because they’ve given him everything he’s wanted so they’ve got to have full faith in him.
“He’s proven he’s a very good Premier League manager, although he’s never been at a club like Tottenham Hotspur, with the scrutiny that’s on the club, but he looks like a character who can handle that scrutiny, and he just needs one win.”
Bridge said: “I don’t think Roberto De Zerbi is under too much pressure at all.
“He was tracked by the club for some time. He is on a very good and long contract, and if he is not the one who initiated the departure, I do not see any change for the foreseeable.”
But what needs to change is Spurs’ return to games if De Zerbi is to ensure the pressure doesn’t mount.
