De Zerbi must swing the axe: Drop Solanke and back Richarlison as Spurs stare at the drop

Welcome to the real Premier League dogfight, Roberto De Zerbi. Tottenham’s new man has barely hung his coat up and already he’s staring at a survival scrap after a tepid 1-0 loss at Sunderland left Spurs in the bottom three with six to play. Seven shots on target sounded encouraging on paper, but with just 0.84 expected goals and Robin Roefs largely unruffled, it was more pop-gun than heavy artillery at the Stadium of Light.

De Zerbi’s first big decision: bench Solanke

Let’s not dance around it: Dominic Solanke had another off day. Opportunities came and went, the net never bulged, and that’s seven blanks in his last eight league outings. For a club-record £65m signing from the summer of 2024, that simply won’t wash in a relegation scrap. Even talkSPORT’s Jamie O’Hara didn’t pull punches, slapping a 0/10 on the striker’s display. Harsh? Maybe. But the message is crystal: form and fight beat price tags in April.

De Zerbi needs a cleaner focal point and sharper movement in the box. Right now, Solanke looks like a player trying to play himself into rhythm with the clock working against him. The smartest call is the bravest one: take him out of the firing line and reset.

Unleash the ‘fighter’: Richarlison through the middle

Richarlison started on the left at Sunderland, but he’s the forward with the smell of a goal about him. Despite only 16 starts, he leads Spurs in the league with nine goals, two in his last five. Alasdair Gold has labelled him a ‘fighter’, and that’s exactly what this team needs front and centre. Play him off defenders’ shoulders, let him scrap for second balls, and give him early service into the box. When it’s tight and nervy, it’s the lad who swings first that often lands the decisive punch.

Build the attack around Richarlison’s aggression and penalty-box instincts. Get runners close to him, keep the wide men honest with early crosses, and make the opposition defend their six-yard line, not just the edge of their area.

Romero ruled out: a hammer blow at the back

As if the misfiring up front wasn’t enough, Spurs took a major hit with Cristian Romero ruled out for the rest of the season. A knee injury, six to eight weeks on the shelf, and even the World Cup could be in doubt. For a captain and leader, that’s devastating. Kevin Danso will have to step up in his absence, and quickly. Organisation, discipline, and a bit of nasty are non-negotiable now. Keep the line compact, simplify the build-up, and cut out the chaos.

There’s also the summer storm cloud: Romero is attracting admirers, not least long-term suitors Atletico Madrid. But that’s tomorrow’s problem. Today’s is stopping the bleeding and finding a solid pairing to see out the run-in.

What De Zerbi must do next

Pick a spine and stick to it. Make Richarlison the tip, fast-track Danso’s authority at centre-half, and ensure the midfield protects rather than decorates. This team needs repeatable patterns, not pretty pictures. Narrow the gaps, play forward first, and turn the game into a contest Spurs can win in the boxes.

For supporters poring over the form and the betting sites uk, this run-in is squeaky-bum time. But it’s also the moment a manager earns his stripes. Drop Solanke now, trust the ‘fighter’ to lead the charge, and make Tottenham horrible to play against for the next six matches.

Sentiment won’t keep Spurs up. Selections will. Over to you, Roberto.