Roberto De Zerbi Slammed For Picking ‘Pathetic’ Ace in Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

Roberto De Zerbi endured a nightmare start to life at Tottenham Hotspur as his struggling side slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

The result could hardly have been more damaging, both in terms of morale and league position. Spurs are now firmly entrenched in a relegation battle in the Premier League, sitting two points adrift of safety with only six matches left to play. Elsewhere, results went against them, as West Ham United claimed a crucial victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Nottingham Forest managed to grind out a valuable draw against Aston Villa.

While Tottenham’s misfortune this season has often been blamed on bad luck and injuries, much of the anger from supporters this time has been directed squarely at De Zerbi’s decisions—particularly his handling of Conor Gallagher. The midfielder, who arrived in January from Atletico Madrid after struggling for regular minutes, has yet to make a meaningful impact. In fact, Spurs have collected just three points from 11 league matches since his arrival, a dismal return that continued against Sunderland.

Despite an underwhelming display, Gallagher remained on the pitch for 85 minutes before finally being substituted—by which time Sunderland had already taken control of the game and were pushing for a second goal. The decision baffled fans, many of whom questioned why alternatives were not introduced earlier to inject creativity into a blunt attacking performance.

Frustration quickly spilled onto social media, with supporters heavily criticising the Italian coach. Some argued that the team lacked any attacking spark, while others labelled his substitutions as baffling and poorly timed. A number of fans even suggested that leaving Gallagher on the pitch for so long was inexcusable, with a few going as far as accusing De Zerbi of making decisions that actively harmed the team’s chances.

The anger reflects the scale of the crisis facing Spurs. Relegation would represent one of the most shocking downfalls in Premier League history, and the tension among supporters is rising with every passing game. With only 540 minutes of football remaining this season, the margin for error is virtually non-existent.

However, despite the growing unrest, Tottenham supporters may have little option but to stand by their new manager. Injuries have undoubtedly played a role in their struggles, but tactical issues and an inconsistent playing style have also contributed to their decline. Last season’s expansive approach under Ange Postecoglou—often dubbed “Angeball”—has given way to a more cautious system that has failed to deliver consistent results.

Earlier in the campaign, there were brief signs of promise under Thomas Frank, with Spurs climbing as high as fifth after 11 games. But that momentum quickly faded, and since then, victories have been rare, particularly at home.

The situation worsened further during Igor Tudor’s short spell in charge, where results failed to improve at all. Now, the responsibility lies firmly with De Zerbi to rescue the season and steer Spurs away from disaster—though based on his first outing, the task ahead looks extremely daunting.