Tottenham Hotspur sit at the bottom of the Premier League table after the first five matchdays, despite the massive signings made under manager Roberto De Zerbi, but the numbers suggest that Spurs are better than the results indicate.
The Athletic highlighted the level of the London club, which signed 10 players for over £300 million during the summer, most notably Egyptian star Omar Marmoush and his Brazilian teammate Savio from Manchester City.
The sheer volume of transfers meant that building cohesion under the Italian manager required some time, and during the first five matches, De Zerbi made 13 changes to the starting lineup, the highest number among all teams in the league.
Beyond the results, the statistics show a clear improvement in Spurs' defensive side. Since the 3-0 loss to Brentford on August 22, Tottenham have conceded chances worth only 4 expected goals (xG) across their next four matches, the second-best rate in the league during that period, behind Arsenal.
The team also kept clean sheets against Everton and Nottingham Forest, with Tottenham's defensive improvement relying heavily on De Zerbi's possession-based style of control.
The team's average possession this season stands at 60.5%, placing them third in the league behind Manchester City and Brighton. Additionally, Tottenham recorded 154 touches inside opponents' penalty areas, just four touches fewer than Manchester City.
However, the main issue lies in translating this dominance into real danger in front of goal, as Tottenham is the only team in the Premier League that has not gone ahead in the score even once this season. This has made their opponents more inclined to drop deep and defend in a low block rather than press high and leave spaces, which is what De Zerbi's style relies on.