Tottenham host Everton this weekend looking to arrest an inconsistent start to the season, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side yet to really hit their stride in the Premier League.
A heavy opening-day defeat at Brentford was followed by an emphatic League Cup win over Charlton, before a chastening loss at home to Newcastle and a goalless stalemate at Nottingham Forest left Spurs still searching for their first Premier League win of the campaign.
|
Date |
Competition |
Story of Tottenham’s season so far |
Score |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
22 Aug |
Premier League |
Brentford vs Tottenham |
3-0 |
L |
|
26 Aug |
EFL Cup |
Tottenham vs Charlton |
5-1 |
W |
|
29 Aug |
Premier League |
Tottenham vs Newcastle |
0-2 |
L |
|
5 Sep |
Premier League |
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham |
0-0 |
D |
Speaking ahead of the Everton game, Roberto De Zerbi gave an update on his squad’s fitness situation: “(Dejan) Kulusevski is not working with us in the last week. Not a big problem, the normal problem when one player is out for a long time, like (Mykhailo) Mudryk.
“It was a stupid injury of Mudryk, and we hope he can be back as soon as possible. For him and for us, for him because he suffered too much and for us because we lost one player, an important player. He played 20 minutes, 15 minutes in Nottingham, he played well, but it’s the normal process when one player doesn’t play for a long time.”
Pressed on whether James Maddison is available again after his own spell out, De Zerbi confirmed the midfielder is back in the frame, even if it complicates his selection headache.
“Maddison, yes. I’m happy when all my players are available. It’s maybe a problem for me because my decisions are not easy, but I want to manage all players together.”
But who gets the nod for Spurs against Everton? We expect De Zerbi to line up in a 4-2-3-1 system that effectively looks more like a 4-3-3.
Defence
Antonín Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson
Kinsky keeps his place between the sticks, with De Zerbi showing faith in the young Czech since he was handed the number one jersey at the start of the season, and there is little indication he is ready to be dropped despite Tottenham’s defensive struggles as a collective.
Porro continues at right-back, where his attacking output remains a key part of how Tottenham look to create overloads out wide, while Van de Ven’s recovery pace is arguably more important than ever given how often Spurs have been caught out in transition this season.
Van Hecke, a big summer arrival, should keep his place alongside his compatriot with the Dutchman having settled in quickly since his move, while Robertson should return in place of Destiny Udogie, who was poor, booked and hauled off in the draw at Forest.
Midfield
Rodrigo Bentancur, Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes
De Zerbi is expected to persist with a midfield that offers control and physicality in equal measure, with Bentancur perhaps the one Spurs player who can truly hold his head high about his start to the season.
Tonali has quickly become one of De Zerbi’s most trusted lieutenants since his club-record move from Newcastle, and his energy gives Tottenham the legs to press high and support the front three when they win the ball back.
Fernandes, another marquee summer arrival, is still settling into life in north London, and while his first league start against Newcastle didn’t go to plan, his performance off the bench at the City Ground did enough to warrant inclusion from the off.
Attack
Savio, Omar Marmoush, James Maddison
Savio’s directness and willingness to take players on gives Tottenham an outlet on the flank, and Marmoush leads the line as Spurs’ central striker, with his movement in behind offering a genuine outlet against an Everton side who will look to sit compact and frustrate their hosts.
Maddison’s return gives De Zerbi a different attacking option to call upon, and he should take the place of Mathys Tel, who is starting to become Tottenham’s new Richarlison after his poor start to the season.