Roberto De Zerbi would be well within his rights to make wholesale changes when Tottenham Hotspur take on Manchester United this weekend.
Roberto De Zerbi could make five changes to the starting line-up when Tottenham Hotspur face Manchester United. The Lilies are just one of three teams to have failed to taste victory in the Premier League this season, so they will be eager to leave Old Trafford with the three points on Saturday evening.
Just before the international break, Spurs fell to the bottom of the table when the Red Devils drew with Fulham. The Cottagers also have a better goal difference than Tottenham despite only picking up two points in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
In his Match of the Day interview the day before when Aston Villa cruised past the Lilies, De Zerbi accepted responsibility for the poor start to the season but questioned the behavior of his players.
“We have to be stronger,” the Italian said, lighting a fire under his team in September. “We have to put more than what we put on the field. Football is tactical, but it is blood, fight, first to the ball.
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“As a coach, I take responsibility. I can work better, more and more. I can explain my thoughts about the performance and what we can do more. But in the end, I can’t change something in my behavior.
“I think we’re not lucky at this time, but you have to deserve luck and positive things and we’re not lucky at the moment,” he said. We will suffer until the next game, we will try to perform better in the future.”
This weekend, De Zerbi will be hoping his comments provoke a positive reaction. So with that being said, football.london He has prepared the starting team to face “Manchester United”.
The “Tottenham” duo faced a late preparatory test
The Tottenham boss could make three changes to the backline this weekend. With Miki van de Ven and Jan Paul van Heck recovering from knocks sustained during the international break and Pedro Porro nursing an injury, only Andy Robertson retained his place in the starting line-up.
Porro suffered a knee problem in the first half of last month’s defeat to Aston Villa, forcing him to withdraw from the Spain squad. Then, when the Netherlands faced Serbia in the Nations League, Van de Ven and Van Hecke each scored.
The former’s hand was accidentally stepped on by Luka Jovic and he was unable to continue, while the latter picked up a foot problem and aggravated it in training. New coach Xavi Van de Ven, who replaced Ronald Koeman after the World Cup, claimed that Van de Ven’s problem was not serious and that Van Heck was in “a lot of pain”.
Spurs will have to make three changes to their backline if neither centre-back nor right-back pass a late fitness test to face Michael Carrick’s side. De Zerbi is hardly spoiled for choice at the moment, with Marco Senesi, Tosin Adarabioyo and Archie Gray likely to be selected.
De Zerbi tests a new double turn
Sandro Tonali has started each of the first five games of the new Premier League season and he is yet to secure Johan Lang’s club-record fee for Newcastle United in the summer. Rodrigo Bentancourt, who played 356 of a possible 429 minutes alongside him in a double loop, hardly set the world on fire either.
So, if De Zerbi wants to make a statement, he could drop the duo in favor of Lucas Bergvall, Mateus Fernandes or even Conor Gallagher. Neither Tonali nor Bentancourt could necessarily cement their place in the starting line-up, so several new faces were able to not only respond but create healthy competition.
Marmoush is preparing for his new Tottenham role
Omar Marmoush has either led the front line or played on the left wing since joining Tottenham from Manchester City in the summer, but he has had plenty of success playing as a striker before, particularly towards the end of his time at Eintracht Frankfurt when he was paired with Hugo Ekitike.
So De Zerbi should consider throwing the kitchen sink at Manchester United this weekend and play the Spurs forward in a support role behind Dominic Solanke. By doing so, the Lilywhites gaffer could then welcome Mohamed Qudus back into the front line.
De Zerbi wants a reaction
De Zerbi will want to see a reaction from his players this weekend. While the potential changes at the back are far from ideal, new faces in midfield and up top could revitalize Tottenham against a depleted outfit whose support can quickly turn…
The starting line-up of “Tottenham Hotspur” who will face “Manchester United”: Antonin Kinsky; Andy Robertson, Marco Senesi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Archie Grey; Matthew Fernandez, Conor Gallagher; Mohammed JerusalemOmar Marmoush, Savio; Dominic Solanke.