Forget Palhinha: The new Bale has been Spurs’ best player under De Zerbi

Unlikely hero João Palhinha rescues Spurs again as De Zerbi secures first win

For the second time this Premier League season against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur found themselves indebted to an unlikely savior—João Palhinha. The Portuguese midfielder once again bailed his side out, this time delivering all three points in Saturday’s 1-0 victory.

While his last-gasp effort only earned a draw in the reverse fixture, Palhinha’s 82nd-minute tap-in proved decisive at Molineux.

Roberto De Zerbi’s men had to grind out the win, but in their current battle against relegation, the result matters far more than the performance. Spurs kept pace with West Ham, though concerns remain with the gap still at two points.

How Palhinha turned the tide

One loss, one draw, and now one win. After failing to win any of his first five matches at Brighton, De Zerbi has finally tasted victory as Spurs boss—their first league win since December.

For much of the afternoon, that outcome looked unlikely, especially after Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons were forced off with injuries either side of halftime.

Facing a Wolves side already relegated, Spurs struggled to break down Rob Edwards’ stubborn defense. Both teams managed just one ‘big chance’ apiece.

But when the opportunity finally came, Palhinha was there to poke home at the back post after Richarlison’s initial touch. Now on four league goals for the season, this was easily his most important—a timely contribution from the on-loan substitute, even as his hopes of a permanent move remain uncertain.

De Zerbi’s most consistent performer is channeling Bale

First impressions aren’t everything—just ask Gareth Bale. The Welshman famously endured a rocky start at Spurs, going 24 league games without a win after joining from Southampton. But once he broke into the starting XI, he never looked back.

It’s early days, but Spurs will hope Antonín Kinský follows a similar arc. The Czech goalkeeper was nearly written off after his disastrous 16-minute debut for Atlético Madrid—a nightmare that would have crushed many players (recall Loris Karius, who never recovered from his Champions League final errors for Liverpool).

But since being thrust into action following Guglielmo Vicario’s hernia surgery, Kinský has impressed in all three of De Zerbi’s games in charge.

From the first inswinging corner against Sunderland, he’s handled everything thrown at him—including a stoppage-time save to deny João Gomes’ free-kick against Wolves. He finished with two saves, 77% passing accuracy, and a 94% completion rate inside his own half, fitting perfectly into De Zerbi’s possession-heavy system.

Weeks ago, Kinský’s career seemed doomed to be defined by that grim night in Madrid. But a change in the dugout has brought a change in fortunes—for both player and manager. When Vicario returns to fitness, there may be little reason to rush him back. Kinský has become a reliable presence in the survival fight. What a turnaround that would be.