adminTottenham Hotspur are enjoying their best spell in over 18 months after recording three consecutive victories for the first time since February 2025. Confidence is growing rapidly in north London following Roberto De Zerbi’s impressive start, with Spurs securing a convincing 2-0 win over 10-man Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The victory represents another positive step forward for De Zerbi’s side, who are beginning to show signs of consistency after a difficult period. Tottenham dominated proceedings, with defenders Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke getting on the scoresheet.
Palace’s afternoon became considerably more difficult when Jean-Philippe Mateta received a 13th-minute red card. However, Tottenham still had to work hard to break down their opponents, who remained compact and defended deep throughout the encounter.
The statistics highlighted Spurs’ dominance. They registered 34 shots compared to Palace’s two, completed 758 passes against their opponents’ 149 and enjoyed almost 80 per cent possession.
Speaking after the final whistle, De Zerbi expressed his satisfaction with the performance but admitted that his team must become more ruthless in front of goal.
Roberto De Zerbi reacts to Tottenham’s 2-0 win
The Italian manager praised his players for maintaining their intensity throughout the match, despite facing a difficult defensive challenge from Crystal Palace.
He said:
“I’m very pleased with the performance. It was a very tough game. I don’t know whether things would have been different if they had 11 players, but Crystal Palace are a difficult team because they defend with a low block and leave very little space.
“I think we showed that we are a mature team. Perhaps we could have scored more goals by being more aggressive in front of goal, but I’m very happy because we played the same way for the entire 90 minutes and created numerous opportunities.
“We definitely need to score more goals. What we managed today is not enough, but I believe we are improving significantly.”
De Zerbi also acknowledged that playing against 10 men naturally offers an advantage, although he explained why Palace’s defensive approach still made life difficult for his players.
“Obviously, it is always better to play with one extra player, but against a team like this, it can sometimes be difficult. They had everyone behind the ball and defended aggressively. At one point, they had 10 players within 20 metres. It was a very, very difficult game.”
De Zerbi praises Archie Gray’s versatility and discusses squad depth
The Tottenham manager also reserved special praise for Archie Gray, highlighting the youngster’s intelligence and ability to operate in several positions across the pitch.
Gray was replaced at half-time after receiving a first-half yellow card, with De Zerbi explaining that the decision was tactical rather than a reflection of his performance.
“Archie Gray can play anywhere on the pitch. He is a very intelligent player. Unfortunately, because of the yellow card he received in the first half, I had to make the substitution at half-time. He can also play in midfield.”
De Zerbi further emphasised that Tottenham need more than just 11 reliable players if they are serious about competing for major honours.
He also acknowledged the difficult situation surrounding Marcos Senesi, describing him as an excellent player despite his current lack of regular opportunities.
“If we want to compete at the highest level, we need more than 11 players. I feel sorry for Marcos Senesi because he is a top player for us, but we are currently playing with two central defenders.
“If we want to build a top team and compete for the biggest honours, we need quality throughout the squad.”
De Zerbi sends a message despite Tottenham’s rise up the table
Tottenham’s latest victory has strengthened their position in the Premier League table, moving them into the top half. However, De Zerbi has warned his players against becoming carried away by their recent success.
The Italian insists that the club must remember how difficult things were just a few weeks ago and continue concentrating on improving rather than getting distracted by their ambitions.
He said:
“We haven’t forgotten our ambitions, but ambitions are only one part of the picture. We also have to remember where we were two weeks ago and what happened over the last two years.
“We finished 17th twice, and there were so many games without a victory in front of our own supporters.
“That is why we have to remain focused on the football and the improvements we still need to make.”
With three consecutive victories now behind them, Tottenham supporters have genuine reasons to feel optimistic. De Zerbi will hope his players can maintain this momentum and turn their recent improvement into a sustained challenge for a stronger Premier League position.
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