Tottenham’s New Era: Embracing Attacking Football Under De Zerbi

Tottenham’s reset is under way, and this time the message from inside the dressing room is clear: expect the ball, expect risk, expect a very different Spurs.

Last season lurched from one idea to the next. Three managers came and went, with Thomas Frank lasting less than eight months before the axe fell. His reign never truly settled. The football drew criticism for its “safety-first” edge, the connection with the stands frayed, and the mood around the club sagged.

Micky van de Ven doesn’t bother dressing that up. He feels the shift.

Roberto De Zerbi has walked into a club that looked drained by the constant churn, and the defender believes the Italian’s imprint is already obvious. New signings have arrived, a full pre-season has given the squad time on the training ground, and the style, Van de Ven insists, is changing.

“It’s going to be different compared to the manager we had last season,” he said, outlining a blueprint that should stir a fanbase starved of front-foot football.

More of the ball. More risk. More ambition.

“It’s going to be more with the ball, I think, more about playing football. I think it’s also going to be more enjoyable for people to watch because we’ll be playing offensive football.”

That word – enjoyable – has been missing from too many Tottenham conversations in recent years. De Zerbi’s reputation has been built on bold, possession-heavy teams that invite pressure and then slice through it. Van de Ven has already felt that intensity close up.

“You can see he has brought a lot of passion into our group, a lot in terms of mentality and passion on the pitch,” he said.

The change is not just tactical. It’s emotional. The defender admits the squad had dipped, the energy drained by a turbulent campaign.

“It is something we needed because everybody was a little bit down.”

De Zerbi, he says, has jolted the place.

“He brings a lot of good energy and, from pre-season, we have really had the time to bring his football into the team. That’s really enjoyable.”

For a club that has spent too long arguing about identity, the message from one of its key players is pointed: the ball is coming back to the centre of everything. Now the question is whether Spurs can turn that promise of attacking football into something that finally lasts.