Roberto De Zerbi is right to keep Tottenham grounded after Villa win

De Zerbi refuses the victory lap

The mood at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium often feels like a pendulum swinging between delusion and dread. After a 2-1 victory at Villa Park, external expectations might suggest a turning point, but manager Roberto De Zerbi is having none of it. During his post-match press conference, the Italian was remarkably blunt, insisting his side "cannot be happy yet" despite the points keeping them clear of the drop zone.

It is the correct approach for a squad that has spent the majority of the season in the basement of the Premier League. While the win against Aston Villa moved the needle, it did not erase the structural fragility that led to this crisis. De Zerbi understands that surviving by a narrow margin is not an achievement for a club of this status; it is a stay of execution.

Tactical inconsistencies remain

Watching the movement in the final third, the tactical fingerprint of De Zerbi is visible, yet occasionally blurred. Against Villa, the transitions were sharper than in previous weeks, and the defensive line held its shape during sustained pressure. However, the reliance on individual moments rather than systemic control is a red flag for anyone tracking their expected goals data.

As Sky Sports reported, De Zerbi emphasized: "Don't forget the situation we were in." That reminder is vital. The squad lacks the deep-lying playmaker required to dictate tempo against high-pressing opponents, and that absence forces the forwards to drift too wide, isolating the central striker.

The danger of misplaced momentum

There is a temptation to label this win as the start of a late-season revival. History suggests otherwise. Survival battles are won by consistency, not by singular performances against side-of-the-table peers. Even as they climb out of the bottom three, the goal difference remains a harrowing reflection of how frequently their defensive structure collapsed under minimal scrutiny throughout the winter.

Compare this to clubs like Barrow, who recently confirmed their relegation from League Two. While Barrow managed their own brand of turmoil with five different managers, Tottenham risks falling into a different kind of trap: the trap of thinking a single positive result validates a broken recruitment strategy. If they relax now, the defensive lapses observed in the second half will return with a vengeance against top-four opposition.

A reality check for the boardroom

Fans often look at the league table as an indicator of progress, but a three-point cushion is statistically meaningless during a run of bad form. De Zerbi knows he is inheriting a project that requires a brutal summer audit. The current roster contains several players whose commitment levels fluctuate based on the quality of the opponent, a trait that modern Premier League intensity simply punishes.

Unless the board commits to a significant overhaul in the window, this season will be viewed as a narrow escape, not a comeback. Spurs have shown they are capable of winning key individual duels, but they haven't yet proven they can maintain a compact defensive block for 90 minutes. For now, the victory is a necessity, but it is hardly a justification for celebration.