European Football Would Be a Huge Success for Spurs Fans

After booking their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup with a deserved victory at Fulham, Palace turn their attention back to Premier League matters this weekend with a testing away trip to Tottenham Hotspur. To learn more about the mood around Spurs, we spoke with Seb Jenkins from the excellent SpursWeb about their season so far, the impact of Roberto De Zerbi, transfer activity and his prediction for the clash.

TEB: It's been a slow start to the season for Spurs so far. What are your thoughts on results recently?

Any Spurs fan will tell you that last year threw up some of the worst football we've ever been made to watch. We looked much more fluid in attack, broke the lines effectively, got into the final third and created chances.

The problem was that we simply weren't taking those chances. TEB: Has the summer transfer window solved any squad issues, or are there still areas that need improvement?

SJ: The summer transfer window was probably the biggest squad overhaul we've had in two decades. Ten new players came in and even more went the other way.

I think it's fair to say it's still too early to judge whether any of them have been successes or flops, but I'm starting to see something I like from each and every one of them. Whether it's the experience of Robertson covering for the injured Udogie, Tosin using his height to defend the box, or Fernandes and Tonali producing their best performances so far against Chelsea, there are certainly encouraging signs.

I think the consensus is that we still need a new number nine, though. TEB: What are your opinions on Roberto De Zerbi?

Is he the man to take the club forward? SJ: Whatever your thoughts on De Zerbi, Tottenham have backed him with almost £400 million in gross spending this summer, even if the net spend is closer to £140 million.

You don't give up on a manager lightly after that level of investment. The only way he gets sacked, in my opinion, is if there's a genuine threat of relegation, and I just don't see that happening.