De Zerbi reveals reason for dropping £85m Tottenham signing as star slammed for ‘too many wrong decisions’

Roberto De Zerbi has opened up on his decision to leave Mateus Fernandes out of his Tottenham starting XI against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, while also taking an attacking star to task over his poor performance at the City Ground.

Spurs chalked up their first point of the season at the third attempt after a 0-0 draw at Forest, although they remain without a Premier League goal and still sit in the bottom three as it stands.

Having spent big money over the summer to improve an under-performing squad, De Zerbi decided to shuffle his pack again at the City Ground, with Savio, Destiny Udogie and Conor Gallagher all handed starts.

Gallagher’s involvement meant that £85million summer signing Fernandes started the game on the bench, despite playing in the No.10 role in the first two Premier League outings.

The versatile Portugal midfielder was surprisingly not even called into action until the 83rd minute, leaving him with very little time to make an impact.

And speaking after the game, De Zerbi opened up on his decision to drop Fernandes down to the bench.

Speaking to football.london, he said: “I have experience to know enough what is this stadium. This stadium is England football and Gallagher he knows better this type of game.

“Mateus will become for sure in my time at Tottenham one of the best players but I am lucky because I have many good players and I have to find the right first XI.”

Meanwhile, one player who came in for public criticism from the normally outspoken De Zerbi after the match was winger Mathys Tel.

The French attacker had an afternoon to forget at Forest, completing just one of his five attempted dribbles and was eventually hauled off in the 74th-minute.

And speaking after the game, while also referencing Mykhailo Mudryk’s fitness, after he came on as a sub, De Zerbi said: “He’s [Mudryk] not ready yet. He’s working to reach the best physical condition. He needs time, he needs work.

“In that position, we have Mathys Tel, big potential. But also Mathys takes too many wrong decisions, and Mudryk. So, two big players, two big potential players.”

De Zerbi sees good signs for Tottenham

As for his team’s display at the City Ground, De Zerbi viewed it very much as one step forward, after the back-to-back defeats to open the new Premier League campaign.

Indeed, the Italian said: “In terms of performance I am very, very proud. I’m delighted to watch my players fight like this. We didn’t concede risk to concede goals.

“We are working now, because we started last Thursday, very happy for the spirit, the attitude, the behaviour of the players. The players who played 90 minutes, 70 minutes, 20 minutes, 10 minutes. This is our way, great qualities of the players. The human level of the dressing is great, now we have to work and improve in all levels of the football.

“Our mood is to win, to win, to win. But I think we have to stay calm to keep the confidence in ourselves. Then I think we have the players good enough to score many goals like [Dominic] Solanke, Savio, [Omar] Marmoush.”

On if he has everything he needs for success at the club, De Zerbi added: “I’m very happy for the transfer market, I think the club, the sporting director and the CEO worked it very, very well with ambition and clear ideas.

“Now we have to work because in football you cannot ask for time but without time you can do nothing.”