De Zerbi blames player fitness after Spurs fail to score in four straight Premier League games

Roberto De Zerbi is under mounting pressure at Tottenham Hotspur after his side drew 0-0 with Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, extending a goalless run to four consecutive Premier League fixtures to open the 2026/27 campaign — despite a £350 million summer rebuild aimed at returning the club to the Champions League.

Speaking after the final whistle, De Zerbi attributed the attacking struggles to the physical state of his squad. “The physical condition of the team is not the best,” he said, adding that he felt Spurs had entered the Everton penalty area frequently enough but were frustrated by poor decision-making and a lack of shots.

The comments have raised eyebrows given that De Zerbi oversaw a full pre-season with the group. Casting doubt on the fitness of players he personally prepared, after just four league games, has struck many observers as a deflection rather than a tactical reckoning.

What makes the remarks particularly uncomfortable for Spurs supporters is how closely they echo those of De Zerbi’s predecessor. In February, Igor Tudor publicly accused the same squad of lacking fitness and desire during a poor run of form. That assessment alienated key players, accelerated Tudor’s departure, and left a toxic atmosphere at the club.

De Zerbi was appointed specifically to repair that damage. During the latter stages of last season he succeeded in rebuilding confidence within the dressing room — most notably restoring Dutch defender Micky van de Ven to the captaincy — and arrived this summer with significant financial backing to push on.

Yet with four blank scorelines already on the board and a £350 million squad yet to click, the Italian now appears to be reaching for the same explanations that undermined his predecessor. Whether the squad responds differently this time, or whether the blame game accelerates a familiar cycle of dysfunction in north London, remains to be seen.