What went wrong for De Zerbi at Brentford? How good is Sangare? What else do Spurs need after £250m spend?
Quick summary
The Athletic panel dissects Roberto De Zerbi's troubled spell at Brentford, evaluates Ibrahim Sangare's profile, and assesses what Tottenham still need after spending £250m in the transfer window.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAnalysis of Tottenham's opening weekend Premier League defeat by Brentford
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What happened
A multi-topic discussion piece from The Athletic examining three Premier League storylines. First, analysts look at why Roberto De Zerbi's tenure at Brentford appears to have falred, after his high-profile arrival from Marseille. Second, the panel evaluates the qualities of midfielder Ibrahim Sangare. Third, with Tottenham having spent around £250m in the window, the discussion turns to which positions Thomas Frank's squad still needs to reinforce before the deadline.
Chance analysis
De Zerbi's Brentford experiment becoming problematic is one of the more surprising Premier League storylines of the cycle — his possession-oriented philosophy was seen as a natural fit for the club's recruitment model, but the early signs suggest a tension between his approach and Brentford's existing structure. Sangare's profile, meanwhile, is the kind of dynamic, ball-carrying midfielder that several top-half clubs covet, and his evaluation is likely tied to ongoing midfield market dynamics. For Tottenham, a £250m spend underscores ambition but the panel's focus on remaining gaps suggests Frank's squad is still being actively shaped heading into the new season.
Brentford face uncertainty around De Zerbi's future and tactical identity, while Tottenham still have identifiable squad gaps despite heavy spending.