Five Big Tottenham Problems Roberto De Zerbi Must Fix Over the International Break

Let’s not beat around the bush; it has been a woeful start to the 2026/27 season for Tottenham Hotspur.

Four games without a win in the Premier League. Four games without a goal. Spurs’ only win in all competitions came against Charlton in the League Cup, a tournament they have since been knocked out of by Liverpool.

Aston Villa at home presents Tottenham’s last chance of at least going into the international break on a high. Remember, the Villans are in even worse shape than Roberto De Zerbi’s side, with just one point from four games so far this season.

Traditionally, going into the international break on the back of a defeat has always been a bitter pill for fans to swallow. After all, you’re forced to sit with that defeat for two weeks until domestic play resumes. Well, this year could be even worse…

The break has been extended to three weeks to allow for all remaining 2026 international fixtures to be played out over one period. That means Tottenham won’t play again until Man United away on October 10. The Lilywhites will also go a full month between home fixtures.

So, what are the five problems that De Zerbi needs to fix during this extended time off?

Tottenham Need to Get Important Players Fit Again

The season has only just started, and Tottenham have already been dealing with fitness issues. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert remain out until the new year. Mykhailo Mudryk picked up an ankle injury just one week into his return to professional football. Sandro Tonali, Pedro Porro, and Destiny Udogie all picked up knocks recently, while Dejan Kulusevski is still continuing his rehabilitation after more than a year out.

De Zerbi has spoken in recent weeks about managing minutes for the likes of Udogie, Solanke, Maddison, Mateus Fernandes, Rodrigo Bentancur, and more. Some were pushed hard at the World Cup. Others are only recently back from long-term injuries. Jan Paul van Hecke even spoke about how much the pre-season tour to Australia took out of him.

Whatever the root cause, De Zerbi and Tottenham now have the perfect three-week window to slowly work those key players back to fitness. By the time Man United away rolls around, there can be no excuses.

Goals, Goals, Goals! De Zerbi Must Drill His Tactics Into the Spurs Squad

Four games without a goal in a De Zerbi team is frankly ridiculous. It’s not like Tottenham haven’t created chances either. Players have been guilty of not pulling the trigger in key scoring positions, failing to pass at the right moment, and completely ignoring the existence of the term ‘through ball’.

De Zerbi teams have always thrived on having slow, patient possession of the football before carving a team open with a few concise passes. At the moment, Tottenham’s midfielders are failing to find the pockets, the wingers are wayward with their crosses, and the strikers look more devoid of confidence than a toddler on his first day of big school.

If De Zerbi considers his pre-season as disrupted by the World Cup and tour of New Zealand/Australia, then being handed three weeks off can come with no excuses this time.

The Number 10 Issue Must be Solved Before Old Trafford

Despite spending almost £400m in the summer, Spurs have been without a natural number 10 so far this season. With Maddison, Kulusevski, and Simons all on the treatment table, Tottenham were left in a tricky position. Buy a new playmaker and risk being overstocked in six months, or wait it out and use a makeshift solution until then? De Zerbi went with the latter.

Conor Gallagher has been deployed as a high-pressing number 10, but he lacks any creative spark whatsoever. Mateus Fernandes has played there but looks far more comfortable as a pivot. De Zerbi has teased the idea of Marmoush or Kudus occupying the role, but it definitely feels like square pegs in round holes.

James Maddison has played a few minutes here and there in recent games. If Tottenham can’t get him back and ready to start by October 10, they have a real problem.

De Zerbi Has to Develop a Solution at Left-Wing

If number 10 has been problem A so far this season, then left-wing is problem B. Tottenham wanted Eli Junior Kroupi, but he got injured. They wanted Cody Gakpo, but he stayed at Liverpool. They wanted Iliman Ndiaye, but he chose Man City.

Spurs ended up with a loan deal for Mudryk, who is now injured, leaving the likes of Mathys Tel and Marmoush to fill the position for now. Unfortunately, most of Tottenham’s creativity from that side has come from Udogie and Robertson, with the left-wingers proving a little toothless in their end product.

In a De Zerbi system, that will not fly.

Tottenham Should Have an Advantage Over a Lot of Teams

With Tottenham now out of the Carabao Cup, they only have one fixture a week until the FA Cup kicks off in January. That should give them a huge fitness advantage over many of their rivals who will be forced to chop, change, and rest key players. Once De Zerbi settles on his first-choice XI, we should finally see all the new signings start to gel and learn each other’s games.

Personally, I would like to see: Kinsky; Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Udogie; Fernandes, Bentancur, Maddison; Savio, Solanke, Marmoush.

Spurs should also have far fewer players being called up to the international break this month – due to a mixture of fitness, age, and national team experience.

Hopefully, this will give De Zerbi the chance to work with a near-full group of players, leaving Tottenham primed and ready for a resurgence come mid-October!