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Roberto De Zerbi will take charge of his first Tottenham Hotspur fixture later this month and his starting lineup could look quite different to the ones fielded by Igor Tudor.
Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action a week on Sunday in a match which will see Roberto De Zerbi manage his new team for the first time.
The Italian is expected to make an immediate switch to a 4-2-3-1 system, which should work much better than Tudor’s experiments.
Here is how De Zerbi’s lineup could look, based on what we already know about the new head coach.
Tottenham’s predicted XI to take on Sunderland
Antonin Kinsky – With Vicario unlikely to be fit until later in the month, Kinsky is likely to start against Sunderland. It will be a big test for the young Czechian, as he will be expected to begin Tottenham’s build-up play from the back. Usually the shot-stopper does this quite well, but this was not the case in Madrid the other week.
Pedro Porro – Spain were unable to defeat Egypt on Tuesday night, but Porro had a very good game. The right-back will be looking to turn this into a run of form for his club, as he looks to get settled under yet another new manager.
Cristian Romero – Tottenham’s captain has had to do a lot of travelling for the international break, but he will be straight back in the team for De Zerbi’s first fixture. The Argentine will be a focal point for Spurs, both in getting attacks started, as well as showcasing his usual defensive abilities.
Micky van de Ven – There is a chance that De Zerbi will play van de Ven as a left-back, but he did not thrive in this role against Nottingham Forest. No matter where he starts, it will be interesting to see how the Dutchman gets on under the new boss. After all, he probably suffered a bigger decline than any other player when Tudor took charge.
Djed Spence – If van de Ven plays in the middle then Spence is highly likely to start out wide. The England international seems like the kind of player who could benefit from De Zerbi’s attacking style, so he is definitely one to watch.
Archie Gray – Should De Zerbi choose to drop Gray in his first game, he might as well just hand in his notice already. The 20-year-old has been a shining light in what has been a very dark time for Spurs and he should absolutely remain in the starting lineup.
Conor Gallagher – Tottenham’s worst signing of the past year might be a fitting title for Gallagher, at least for now. However, De Zerbi’s system could be exactly what he needs to thrive in the middle of the pitch. The manager has options in Sarr and Bergvall, but he might prefer to pair Gray with a more mature figure.
Mohammed Kudus – Whether Kudus will actually be fit for the Sunderland game remains to be seen, but Spurs do not really have any other options. It is possible Porro would play as a winger again, while one of the strikers could be pushed wide. Hopefully, none of these adjustments are required.
Xavi Simons – With the return of a 4-2-3-1 set-up, Simons should be back in the starting lineup. The midfielder was really good against Atletico Madrid and he could be one of the biggest improvers when De Zerbi takes charge.
Richarlison – Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Munai are both available, but Richarlison is the striker who has scored more goals than any of his teammates this season. De Zerbi will want a centre forward who bangs in goals and the Brazilian has shown he can do this, regardless of the opponent.
Mathys Tel – Despite picking up an injury against Nottingham Forest, Tel could soon be fit to play for Tottenham. The France under-21s international has looked good in recent matches and he deserves to start if he is indeed ready.
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