Seven things Roberto De Zerbi must fix to save Tottenham from relegation | OneFootball

Italian has uphill battle to keep struggling Spurs in the Premier League

With just seven games to go, Spurs find themselves 17th in the Premier League table, one point above the relegation zone.

They could be in the bottom three by the time they face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light next Sunday, and De Zerbi will be expected to make an immediate impact.

The Italian has signed a long-term contract, but his priority will be to ensure Spurs stay in the Premier League, and there are a number of glaring issues he will need to address if he is to turn around the club’s fortunes.

Standard Sport highlights seven things De Zerbi must change to keep Spurs in the Premier League...

Sort out the leaky defence

When Igor Tudor arrived as interim manager at Tottenham in February, he did so with a reputation for attacking football.

Said attacking flair was in short supply during his disastrous seven-game spell at the helm, but it also came at the expense of any defensive solidity, with his side shipping 20 goals in all competitions.

Attacking injuries have provided somewhat of an explanation for Spurs’ shortcomings in the final third, but their defensive issues have been structural, with a lack of organisation and responsibility colouring their recent performances.

Spurs have to go back to New Year’s Day to find the last time they kept a Premier League clean sheet, and shoring up the defence will be high on De Zerbi’s list of priorities.

Earn the trust of Romero

Cristian Romero has faced his fair share of criticism this season, having struggled to lead by example as the team’s captain.

Suspension prevented him from making much of an impact under Tudor, but he will be a key figure heading into the final weeks of the season.

De Zerbi’s fiery personality should get the right reaction from Romero, and the Argentine has shown throughout his time at Spurs that he can be a positive force from which others can gain encouragement.

Alternatively, failure to get Romero on side will see a squad already low on confidence and continually criticised for their commitment to the club’s situation continue to slide towards relegation.

Key man: Cristian Romero

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Bring Simons in from the cold

One of several players to see his commitment brought into question in recent weeks has been Xavi Simons.

The Dutch midfielder was used sparingly by Tudor, with the Croatian appearing to question his mentality throughout his ill-fated spell in charge, leaving him on the bench in each of Spurs’ last three league games.

Simons, though, is currently Spurs’ only fit and available creative outlet, and as he demonstrated by scoring twice in the 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, he has the attacking quality to take control of situations in the final third.

There is a place in De Zerbi’s side for Simons, and while his relationship with Tudor was strained, he has the opportunity for a fresh start under the former Brighton boss.

Get Gray and Bergvall playing alongside each other

Archie Gray has rightly received a lot of plaudits for his dutiful performances across a number of positions for Spurs this season.

The versatile Englishman has played at full-back, centre-back and in midfield as Spurs have looked for answers amid a spree of injuries this term.

Gray’s favoured position, though, remains in the centre of midfield, and his energy and application appear to complement what De Zerbi wants from his midfielders.

The future: Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray

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The return of Lucas Bergvall from an ankle injury means De Zerbi could look to play the pair alongside each other in midfield, a decision that would prove popular with supporters.

Gray’s tenacity out of possession and Bergvall’s ability to stretch the play in behind make them an interesting partnership, which could help to remedy Spurs’ lack of balance in transition.

Put an arm around Kinsky

Guglielmo Vicario’s hernia surgery was “timed” for the international break in order to minimise the number of games he would miss, but it remains unclear exactly when he will return to action.

This means that Antonin Kinsky, who has not played since his nightmare performance away to Atletico Madrid last month, is expected to start against Sunderland next weekend and will deputise in goal until Vicario is fit again.

De Zerbi has to make a quick start to get supporters on side, and he can’t afford not to be able to rely on Kinsky.

The mental pressure on Kinsky to react to his performance against Atletico will be huge, and it is important that he feels he has the support of De Zerbi, with Spurs in desperate need of a first league win since December 28.

Restore Van de Ven’s confidence

No Spurs player has seen their performances dip more dramatically this season than Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch centre-half has routinely been touted with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona during his time in north London, but he has looked a shadow of the player he once was and, crucially, failed to step up as vice-captain as Romero faced a four-game suspension following his sending off against Manchester United.

Reality check: Micky van de Ven

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De Zerbi needs to address Spurs’ defensive issues, and in order to do so, he needs Van de Ven and Romero to find form and confidence again.

Van de Ven is not the ball-playing defender De Zerbi typically looks for, but at his best, he remains one of the most athletically imposing defenders in the Premier League.

Temper his fiery approach

De Zerbi is a combustible character, famed for his fiery personality and no-nonsense approach.

As Tudor proved, though, tough love is not necessarily the way to conjure a reaction out of this current crop of Spurs players.

De Zerbi has a greater reputation in England than his predecessor, following a successful stint at Brighton, but he still needs to be careful with how he communicates his points.

The severity of Spurs’ situation is clear, but this is also a group of players low on confidence. De Zerbi needs to foster a sense of collective responsibility rather than the blame culture that underpinned Tudor’s reign.