Roberto De Zerbi demands 'fragile' Spurs step up as rot continues

[p]Without a league win this season, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a] are off to their worst start in the Premier League era and only netted their first goals of the campaign [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/tottenham-UDg08Ohm/summary/stats/?mid=4Sl9Mxal"]after the visitors had surged into a 3-0 lead.[/a][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] had also struggled for goals themselves since the side that won the Europa League last season was torn apart during the transfer window.[/p][p]But new signings [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/manzambi-johan/pIqmcnKc/"]Johan Manzambi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jackson-nicolas/jXg8d5RJ/"]Nicolas Jackson[/a] struck either side of half-time before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/buendia-emiliano/dYDvGYIu/"]Emi Buendia[/a]'s wonder strike to give Unai Emery's new-look team their first league win.[/p][p][b]"Competing like we did, winning like we did will give us confidence collectively and individually, it is really very important,"[/b] said Emery.[/p][p][b]"We are delighted because we needed it and we were suffering in the Premier League."[/b][/p][embed guid="65e6c064-222f-426c-a2ed-380f82fcf7a0" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2101303654267400247" social-type="twitter" /][p]Even Tottenham's first late consolation needed the aid of a Villa deflection when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gallagher-conor/dtbJO8B3/"]Conor Gallagher[/a]'s effort went in off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cash-matty/hfxPh7Kn/"]Matty Cash[/a] before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-hecke-jan-paul/WG59HGIH/"]Jan Paul van Hecke[/a] headed home in stoppage time.[/p][p]Spurs splashed out over £300 million on new players to try and avoid a repeat of the battle for survival they endured last season.[/p][p]Yet there remains little return on that investment.[/p][p][b]"I want to say is that we played well in the first half, we didn't score, but (we are) too fragile,"[/b] said De Zerbi.[/p][p][b]"The moment when we have to defend, we have to defend compact. The leaders have to be leaders and to lead the team."[/b][/p][embed guid="13c386f7-2a1a-415d-a177-ac60e7f6cd83" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2101307985603539139" social-type="twitter" /][p]In keeping with recent performances, Spurs started brightly before fizzling out.[/p][p]Twice in a matter of seconds, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/savio/faynRsvT/"]Savio[/a] was kept out by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/suzuki-zion/4bDDVvmT/"]Suzuki[/a] before the Japanese goalkeeper spread himself to turn behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gray-archie/KKqePmhD/"]Archie Gray[/a]'s powerful strike.[/p][p]Villa had picked up just one point from their opening four league games but have missed their club record signing Manzambi for most of that period.[/p][p]The Swiss international opened his Villa account when he tapped home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kamara-boubacar/bcI1EvBk/"]Boubacar Kamara[/a]'s cross.[/p][p]De Zerbi described Tottenham's defending for the second goal as "incredible" and not in a good sense as Van Hecke failed to deal with a long ball straight down the middle.[/p][p]Jackson did well to evade the Dutch defender and then fired down into the ground and past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kinsky-antonin/hv1U4aGj/"]Antonin Kinsky[/a].[/p][p]The Czech goalkeeper was powerless to stop Villa's third 11 minutes from time when Buendia took aim from long range and brilliantly picked out the top corner.[/p][image alt="Matxh stats" id="a6ff64e2-9326-4173-b7b2-73ab812a8f50" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1e565a1d-1c2e-48d6-8b8f-23cfd9e9c193" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]A chorus of boos greeted Buendia's strike as thousands of home fans headed for an early exit.[/p][p]But those that left missed finally have something to celebrate.[/p][p]Fine persistence from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kudus-mohammed/hzbcXxIG/"]Mohammed Kudus[/a] teed up Gallagher to find the bottom corner via the outstretched foot of Cash.[/p][p]Van Hecke then bulleted in from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robertson-andrew/6e7Be9VI/"]Andy Robertson[/a]'s free-kick with virtually the last touch of the game.[/p][p]Spurs now must stew on another defeat for a three-week international break while rooted in the relegation zone.[/p][p]Villa, by contrast, will hope victory can prove the catalyst to storm up the table as they did last season.[/p][p]Emery's men failed to win any of their first five league games a year ago, but ultimately finished fourth.[/p][infobox id="02b45e73-9abc-454d-882a-650a1a621f7d" /]