Finally, Tottenham's squad publicly targeted: "Never seen a team like this in 14 years... players are weak" — Plunging to 19th place in relegation zone triggers 'aftermath storm'

*This content was translated by AI.

Tottenham is facing a comprehensive crisis again this season after last season. Even manager Roberto De Zerbi (47) publicly criticized the squad's "weakness."

On the 19th, Tottenham lost 2-3 to Aston Villa in their home match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, during Round 5 of the 2026–2027 English Premier League (EPL).

Despite investing a staggering £300 million (approximately 558 billion won) in the summer transfer market to overhaul the squad, Tottenham has fallen into a slump of five consecutive matches without a win (two draws, three losses), dropping to 19th place in the league — the relegation zone. Recording only two points from five matches and a goal difference of -6 (2 goals scored, 8 conceded) marks the worst start to an EPL season in Tottenham's history since the league's inception.

Villa controlled the match from start to finish. In stoppage time of the first half, four minutes added, Yohan Manzambi scored the opening goal by exploiting a chaotic moment when Tottenham defender Mickey van de Ven left the field for injury treatment. Tottenham launched a counterattack, and Mohamed Kudus shook the net with a tap-in shot in the 15th minute of the second half, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled it offside, leaving them with bitter disappointment.

Having weathered the crisis, Villa unleashed relentless attacks. In the 22nd minute of the second half, Nicolas Jackson scored an additional goal with a volley after receiving a pass from Manzambi. By the 34th minute, Emiliano Buendía struck a powerful right-footed mid-range shot to extend the lead to 3-0. Had the match ended there, Tottenham would have faced the disgrace of failing to score in five consecutive matches since the season opener.

Tottenham's belated counterattack began late in the game. In the 41st minute of the second half, Cody Gakpo scored the team's first league goal of the season with a cutback from Kudus, breaking their long scoring silence. Then, eight minutes into stoppage time, Andrew Robertson's free kick was headed in by Yan Paul van Hecke to narrow the gap to one goal.

However, with insufficient time remaining, they could not overturn the result. The final score merely avoided being even more embarrassing, leaving Tottenham fans with a painful afternoon.

After the match, manager De Zerbi could not hide his bewilderment. According to UK outlet "TalkSport," he said, "They train well and are good players, but there is clearly a problem in terms of mentality." He added, "In my 14 years as a manager, I have never seen a team like ours. They are too weak and too inconsistent," sighing deeply.

He further remarked, "It's hard for me to accept that they play very well for the first 30–40 minutes only to concede goals in this manner and collapse."

When asked about the reasons for the loss against Villa, De Zerbi admitted, "I don't have all the answers either." He analyzed, "We played well in the first half and created chances but failed to score and conceded. Perhaps after Kudus's goal was disallowed, the players lost their energy. It could also be a communication issue, or perhaps we need a strong leader to guide the team."

He also emphasized, "The situation was the same against Newcastle, Liverpool, and Everton. We must find a solution somehow."

Having managed nine clubs over 14 years, De Zerbi is now facing the toughest challenge of his career. Since taking charge, Tottenham has recorded four wins and six losses in 14 matches across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and conceding 19. Notably, his average points per game stand at just 1.14. All of this season's league goals came from the two scored against Villa in today's match.

With massive funds poured into the squad yet still a comprehensive crisis, fans' concerns grow over whether Tottenham can find a way out.

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*This content was translated by AI.