Tottenham Hotspur find themselves at the foot of the Premier League table as the first international break commences, despite a substantial net spend of £175m on squad improvements over the summer.
The club's season began with a 3-0 defeat to Brentford, followed by a 2-0 home loss against Newcastle. Goalless draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton offered a brief respite, but a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday saw Spurs climb only to second-bottom in the goal-scoring charts, despite being ninth for shots.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi has described the team as "too fragile," attributing this to both physical and mental aspects. Doubts are also emerging regarding the effectiveness of some summer signings, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Sávio, and Omar Marmoush.
While relegation is considered implausible, pre-season aspirations of European qualification are now viewed as overly optimistic, which may hinder the club's rebuilding efforts.