'Don't have a long time left' - Micky van de Ven admits worry about Roberto De Zerbi as Tottenham edge closer to relegation trap door

De Zerbi’s appointment during the March international break was intended to provide a long-term identity for Tottenham, but the Italian now faces the immediate task of preserving the club’s top-flight status. Following a narrow 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light, Spurs remain mired in the relegation zone with only six matches remaining to salvage their season. The defeat further highlighted the massive challenge facing the former Brighton boss, who inherited a side devoid of confidence after Igor Tudor's departure.

The Dutch defender acknowledged that while the new head coach wants to implement a brave, possession-based philosophy from the back, the current predicament allows for very little margin for error. Van de Ven believes the mental burden of their winless streak is weighing heavily on a group that needs to build belief rapidly.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the difficulty of adjusting to De Zerbi’s specific demands under intense pressure, Van de Ven explained: “Every manager has their own opinion of the game and Roberto wants us to play out more from the back. That's what he asked. He wants us to play with confidence and that is what we need to build but we don't have a long time left. We need to do it now. You don't want to look at the other results and just need to win. You can't say you don't look at the other team. Six games left to get as many points as possible. There is pressure now as we are in the relegation zone but we need to make sure we get out of this situation.”

Despite glimpses of De Zerbi’s attacking intent, Spurs are currently enduring a historically poor 14-game winless start to the calendar year. Only Derby in 2008 (18), Sunderland in 2003 (17), and Swindon Town in 1993 (15) have suffered longer winless runs to begin a Premier League year, with all three clubs eventually relegated in those campaigns.

Reflecting on the squad's psychological state and the frustration of their ongoing struggle to secure a result, Van de Ven added: “I don't even think we played a bad game today, we created some opportunities to score and they didn't create much. That is the moment we are in, everything doesn't fall on our side. At the final whistle, it's really tough. Mentally, it's tough. We have been suffering for the last few months when we don't get wins in the Premier League and keep struggling. We need to get the confidence back. It's really tough, we need to make sure we find this back.”

Tottenham enter a season-defining run-in where they must overturn a two-point deficit to climb out of the bottom three. The North London side face a crucial April double-header against Brighton and Wolves before a demanding May schedule features encounters with Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea, and a potential final-day decider against Everton. With no wins yet in 2026, Spurs must immediately integrate De Zerbi’s philosophy or face a catastrophic drop to the Championship for the first time in the Premier League era.