Roberto De Zerbi says Spurs can win their final 5 video games. Here is how they may do it

Roberto De Zerbi had a transparent message to Tottenham Hotspur’s gamers after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion: in the event that they didn’t come to coaching on Monday with a smile on their face, they might be despatched dwelling.

“I have no time to see sad players or sad assistants,” mentioned De Zerbi in his post-match press convention, having simply seen his group pegged again by a Ninety fifth-minute equaliser. “We are lucky because we are working at a big club. We have the qualities to win the game (against Wolves), so we have to be positive because I don’t like the people who cry and think in a negative way.”

“We have another five games,” mentioned De Zerbi. “Everyone of us knows it’s a tough moment, a difficult situation. But we have another five games, for 15 points. And this team is able to win five games in a row.”

Two factors behind Seventeenth-place West Ham United, Spurs’ remaining matches are in opposition to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton, and they’re going to want as lots of these 15 factors as attainable to make sure their survival within the Premier League.

Here, The Athletic breaks down 5 tactical factors which Tottenham ought to look out for of their upcoming run of fixtures.

Spurs’ first take a look at on the highway to survival is in opposition to lately relegated Wolves, who, regardless of shedding 3-0 in opposition to Leeds final weekend, have steadily improved underneath Rob Edwards.

It took Edwards a few weeks earlier than Wolves’ performances acquired higher on the flip of the yr, drawing away at Old Trafford in December, earlier than beating Villa and Liverpool at Molineux within the final couple of months.

Wolves’ urgent and depth off the ball have been a function of the facet in current matches, as illustrated within the beneath graph, which is a 10-game rolling common of their passes per defensive motion (PPDA) within the Premier League since 2022-23.

With the stress of a relegation battle now gone, Wolves don’t have anything to lose of their match subsequent Saturday. An aggressive show with out the ball will play to the calls for of the house followers.

De Zerbi’s facet must be affected person in possession and attempt to entice Wolves’ press earlier than combining to play by way of it. Tottenham’s performances on the ball in opposition to Brighton and Sunderland weren’t encouraging, however there have been transient moments in De Zerbi’s first match the place they lower by way of the opponent’s block.

Besides, if there’s one man to teach a group to beat a excessive press, it’s De Zerbi.

Another space the place Tottenham can damage Wolves is on the transition. Edwards’ facet have regarded weak on defensive transitions of their defeats in opposition to Leeds and West Ham this month.

Being fast and sharp on the counter-attack will even be necessary in Tottenham’s following match in opposition to Villa. Unai Emery’s facet have been discovered wanting on defensive transitions this season, which is seen within the variety of direct assaults they’re conceding.

These are outlined as possessions that begin in a group’s personal half and lead to both a shot or a contact contained in the opposition’s penalty space inside 15 seconds. In different phrases, a counter-attack.

Villa’s fee of two.7 direct assaults conceded per 90 within the Premier League this season is the joint-sixth worst within the league — the very best determine underneath Emery.

Villa threw away a 3-1 lead in opposition to Sunderland on Sunday due to their sloppiness on the ball and porous construction on the transition, earlier than Emi Martinez saved a Habib Diarra effort on the counter-attack and Tammy Abraham scored the winner in added time.

On the opposite hand, Spurs have to be careful for Ollie Watkins, who’s returning to his regular degree of type, with six objectives in his final 5 video games in all competitions.

Another England centre-forward to be apprehensive about on this run-in is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who Tottenham will face once they host Leeds on May 11.

Calvert-Lewin has scored 11 objectives within the Premier League this marketing campaign, with Daniel Farke’s mid-season change to a back-three system serving to the striker.

De Zerbi’s facet wants to pay attention to Calvert-Lewin’s motion contained in the penalty space, particularly when defending crosses from Leeds’ wing-backs, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jayden Bogle.

Calvert-Lewin can also be Leeds’ foremost outlet when going direct and preventing for the second balls. Spurs have to give attention to successful the duels in opposition to Leeds, earlier than dealing with a unique take a look at of their subsequent sport…

Tottenham’s penultimate match is away to Chelsea, who’re enduring their very own turmoil after shedding 5 consecutive Premier League video games with out scoring a single objective, a run which has resulted in Liam Rosenior being sacked.

Even if the match is at Stamford Bridge, Spurs have to smother Chelsea’s build-up and drive them into errors, as Lucas Bergvall did within the lead-up to Xavi Simons’ objective in opposition to Brighton on Saturday.

This season, Chelsea have misplaced the ball of their defensive third at a fee of 4.4 instances per sport — the joint third-worst fee within the Premier League after Villa (4.7) and Tottenham (4.9).

On the defensive facet, Chelsea’s back-post menace must be accounted for. In the Premier League this season, they’ve created essentially the most back-post probabilities (37), scored essentially the most objectives (12) and accrued the very best xG (11.3) from these conditions.

Tottenham’s final opponent on this Premier League marketing campaign are Everton, who additionally pose a menace from attacking the back-post space. Only Manchester United (seven) and Chelsea (12) have scored extra back-post objectives than Everton (six) within the Premier League this season.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s runs into the left half-space, earlier than enjoying the ball in the direction of the again publish for Thierno Barry, Beto or Everton’s right-winger has been a function of David Moyes’ facet in 2025-26, as seen of their most up-to-date objective within the 2-1 defeat in opposition to Liverpool final weekend.

It is a side of Everton’s assault that Tottenham’s gamers must be cautious of, contemplating one objective might be the distinction between relegation and survival within the remaining Premier League match this season.

Before the ways and technicalities, although, Spurs have to have the proper mindset and emotional stability as a result of — as De Zerbi is aware of —succeeding within the former isn’t attainable with out the latter.