De Zerbi learns cash alone cannot fix Spurs' losing mentality

What the report says

BBC Sport Football reported that Roberto De Zerbi’s first Premier League match in charge of Tottenham Hotspur ended in a heavy opening-day defeat at Brentford, despite a major summer rebuild and significant transfer spending. Chief football writer Phil McNulty said the result suggested money alone will not solve a squad that has struggled with mentality and resilience in recent seasons.

The match at The Gtech Community Stadium began with optimism from visiting supporters, but Brentford took control and led through goals from Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt before the break. The game was effectively settled when Michael Kayode made it 3-0 early in the second half, while Brentford also missed a penalty. De Zerbi told BBC Sport’s Match of the Day that Spurs lost too many duels, did not fight properly and were below the necessary physical level, though he also acknowledged Brentford’s quality.

The article said De Zerbi handed debuts to several new signings, including Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali, with more additions possible. However, the piece argued that the deeper issue was not personnel alone but the club’s wider culture and recurring pattern of poor results. It noted Spurs had finished 17th in the Premier League in each of the previous two seasons, underlining why the defeat was seen as an early warning sign for the new project.