‘First Thing’ – Ex-Tottenham Star Tells Roberto De Zerbi What To Prioritise
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Former Tottenham Hotspur star Jamie O’Hara has urged Roberto De Zerbi to focus on organisation first at Spurs, with structure taking priority over tactical complexity.
Tottenham appointed De Zerbi on a five-year deal earlier this week, with the former Marseille boss stepping in to replace Igor Tudor, whose ill-fated spell did not produce a league win.
After 31 Premier League games, the Lilywhites are currently sitting 17th with 30 points, just one point above the drop zone and there have been real worries at the club over possible relegation.
With only seven games remaining, the immediate task for the Italian manager is to stabilise performances and stay in the league.
O’Hara stressed that De Zerbi must prioritise organisation above everything else, with only a handful of games remaining and the focus on setting a clear system, structure and pressing approach rather than overcomplicating tactics.
He also pointed out that establishing a defined formation, making the team harder to beat, pressing collectively and maximising key players such as Xavi Simons in the number ten role should be the immediate priorities, which he believes are things Tudor did not do.
O’Hara said on talkSPORT (9.05): “Organising the team is the first thing.
“You’ve got seven games coming, go 4-2-3-1, organise the formation. This is the formation we’re playing, this is where I want you to stand, this is how I want you to press.
“Get that organised first and foremost.
“Forget the other stuff in terms of how we’re going to play out from the back, that will come. But from now, we’re going to be hard to beat and we’re going to press together.
“Play Xavi Simons as a number 10, get the best out of him, and then you’ve got three things straight away that Igor Tudor didn’t do.”
Under Tudor, who left the Spurs job before De Zerbi’s arrival, the team played in a 3-4-3 formation but failed to win any games during his short tenure, earning just one point from five matches.
De Zerbi’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1, and his teams often try to dominate possession using a 3-2-5 structure.
His previous Premier League experience came at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he also took charge without a pre-season to prepare the team.
As the replacement for Graham Potter, he took charge of the Seagulls in September 2022 and needed six games to secure his first win, highlighting the time required to implement his style.
De Zerbi will need to hit the ground running as Spurs cannot afford a period of adaptation ahead of must-win games.
While Spurs fans have delighted at the appointment, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has played down De Zerbi, insisting he is not yet an elite manager.
Arsenal legend Martin Keown playfully suggested that Tottenham could have looked at bringing back Thomas Frank as boss.
There has also been a word of warning from former France international Frank Leboeuf, who has doubts over whether De Zerbi is the right fit.
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