Tottenham have appointed Roberto De Zerbi as the permanent head coach with the immediate task of saving them from relegation.
They have just seven games remaining to confirm their place in the Premier League next season.
De Zerbi will need to make an immediate impact at Tottenham if they are to stay up. However, his playing style is quite different from that of their former managers, Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, which might make it difficult.
He will get around 10 days of training before his first game against Sunderland on April 12. Amidst this, former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara has made a list of three things that can help De Zerbi succeed at the club.
Jamie O’Hara names 3 things De Zerbi must do at Tottenham
Tottenham have seen multiple playing styles and formations this season, most of which have evidently failed. O’Hara believes De Zerbi needs to stick to 4-2-3-1 for the rest of the season to provide some stability.
He said on Sky Sports:
“I think, first and foremost, as a manager, he’s got to come in, get the formation right. Please, stick to a formation. Don’t change it. I would go 4-2-3-1. So that would be my first thing.”
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O’Hara believes Xavi Simons will be a key player for Spurs and De Zerbi needs to get the best out of him, as he said:
“Get the best out of Xavi Simons. Spent £60 million on him. He is a top player. He can play, he can make the difference. He is someone who, you know, will write to the occasion if you give him the confidence to do it.”
Finally, O’Hara said that De Zerbi needs to get the Tottenham leadership group on his side and give them belief. He added:
“And then the third thing I would do is get hold of the leadership group. Whoever that is, whether it’s Romero, Van de Ven, Maddison, the guys in there, the experienced players, the internationals. Get them on side, get them on side early and say, Are you up for the fight? Are you in this?”
O’Hara added that the Italian head coach needs to give these players some belief. He said that some of them are “top players” and just need more confidence.
De Zerbi needs to simplify things at Tottenham
One of the biggest reasons why Tottenham are in a relegation battle is because of a lack of confidence in the players. Frank played a passive style of football, which the players didn’t buy into, and it showed in their performances.
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Meanwhile, under Tudor, many players often found themselves playing out of position. While it was partially due to injuries, other times it was the Croatian’s choices. Souza as a right midfielder or Radu Dragusin as a right-back just didn’t work.
This is something that De Zerbi must avoid at Tottenham. While he will be instilling his playing style, the Italian needs to play the players in their preferred positions. He will also be helped by the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur’s imminent return.
De Zerbi needs to simplify things and ensure that he platforms the players to deliver to the best of their abilities.
