Spurs spent £400m on chaos

Tottenham's board backed Roberto de Zerbi with around £400m in summer spending, an unprecedented move for a club known for careful investment. But buying 10 new players in one window without a clear identity is like buying pink shoes, brown trousers, a yellow shirt and an orange tie for a wedding.

Expectations went through the roof

Spurs had finished 17th twice in a row and barely avoided relegation. Suddenly, with big spending, fans expected trophy challenges and top-four finishes. That's a massive jump in expectations.

De Zerbi kept them up last season

De Zerbi took over with seven games left when Spurs were 17th. He won three games and drew two to keep them up. It's ridiculous to suggest he should be under pressure already.

Time is what he doesn't have

De Zerbi needs time on the grass with his players to build combinations and understanding. Instead, most of his squad has now been taken away for three weeks of international duty.

Five games in, some want him out

We're only five games into the season but some Spurs fans think De Zerbi is the worst manager in the world, even though he's proved elsewhere how good he is. That's unreasonable.

New combinations need months

De Zerbi's biggest challenge is fitting new arrivals with existing players into a cohesive unit. This takes time and patience. It's not something that happens overnight.

The Stoke centre-back lesson

Pulis once signed two centre-halves, Gerry Taggart and Michael Duberry, who were complete opposites in how they played. It took weeks of training to get them working together as a pair.

Clubs with identity adapt faster

Sunderland and Brighton can change players and managers but keep their identity. Brentford and Bournemouth do the same. Spurs don't have that solid base, so 10 new signings create many issues.

Pre-season was already lost

The settling-in period would have been covered if all players had pre-season together. That didn't happen, and Spurs were still adding to their squad after the season started.

De Zerbi was always playing catch-up

Because all his players weren't in place when the season began, De Zerbi missed the chance to assess his squad and impose his principles on his top group early on.

Finding who understands teamwork

De Zerbi needs to find out who understands the importance of teamwork and who doesn't. Pulis once replaced a £1m right-back who wouldn't follow team principles with a young reserve player who got it.

Off-pitch character matters too

Getting to know players' characters, lifestyles and backgrounds is vital. Pulis took South American players and their families out for dinner to build trust and respect.

Different cultures need different care

Players from different cultures may be used to different lifestyles. Understanding this and making personal contact helps them integrate faster into the squad.

The casino player who performed

Pulis had a Premier League player whose routine involved training, sleeping, then casinos until early hours. Once confronted, the player explained it suited him. He became integral to keeping the club up.

Integration takes personal time

That player was isolated at first but integrated once Pulis made personal contact. Understanding players as individuals and spending time with them is vital for any manager.

Give De Zerbi a proper chance

De Zerbi's passion and approach will count for nothing if Spurs don't produce results. But he deserves a proper chance to build this team, not judgment after five games.

“Let's give him a proper chance.”