Unity sparked by Marbella trip
Tottenham produced a professional display to overcome a 10-man Crystal Palace with a 2-0 victory on Saturday, marking the first time the club has secured three consecutive league wins in 616 days. The Italian tactician pointed to a mid-season trip to Marbella as the turning point for a squad that saw ten new faces arrive during a £380 million ($509m) summer recruitment drive funded by the Lewis family. De Zerbi highlighted that the mental shift has been just as important as the tactical one in recent weeks.
"I think even before the national break we were playing well. We were playing maybe not 90 minutes, but many parts of the game we played very well. We didn't score. We conceded a stupid goal and then we lost energy. We lost spirit. We lost the right union between the players. If we compare Tottenham before the national break and Tottenham after the national break, now we are playing as a team. Before the national break we were playing as many very good players, but not as a team," De Zerbi revealed, as quoted by ESPN.
Gray shines in makeshift role
Archie Gray continues to be a revelation for Spurs, despite being deployed out of his natural position. The 20-year-old was once again utilized at right-back, marking the ninth time this season he has filled that role, and he rewarded his manager's faith with a dominant performance and a crucial headed goal. However, his afternoon was cut short when De Zerbi opted to substitute him at the interval to avoid a potential red card following an early booking.
"He's improving a lot. After Manchester United, he's playing very, very well and as a mature player. I didn't want to take a risk for another yellow card. I'm sorry because he was playing very well. I explained why I took the decision, but I think it was the right decision in that moment," the Spurs boss explained when discussing the youngster's development.
Defensive reinforcements return to fitness
The emergence of Gray as a reliable option in the backline has allowed the club to manage the return of Pedro Porro with extreme caution. The Spanish World Cup winner has been plagued by a persistent hamstring issue that saw him miss the start of the season and suffer a setback during a loss to Aston Villa in September. Porro is now back in full training and is expected to be available for the upcoming clash against Leeds United.
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De Zerbi emphasized the importance of player communication during the recovery process, noting that Porro was instrumental in deciding his own involvement against Palace. "Pedro is ready. We didn't take risks. Speaking with him, he decided before the game to not start and he was very honest with me. And I appreciate a lot because the Premier League is 38 games, not one game," the manager noted.
Competition for places intensifies
The depth of the Tottenham squad was further showcased in the second half when Porro and Destiny Udogie operated together on the flanks. The arrival of Andy Robertson on a free transfer in June has provided much-needed cover for Udogie, who has struggled with various fitness concerns throughout the year. Robertson's consistency has allowed De Zerbi to rotate his full-backs without a drop in quality, a luxury not always available to his predecessors at the club.
Udogie now faces the challenge of staying fit to reclaim his permanent spot in the starting XI. De Zerbi has made it clear that he expects the Italian defender to build up his rhythm through consistent training sessions. "With Udogie, hopefully we can work many weeks in a row. Until now, it was not possible," the coach added.