Opinions, analysis and commentary
Not on the evidence so far. The tidy claim is attractive, but the full season refuses to cooperate. Mateus Fernandes produced one outstanding night at Stamford Bridge, but Spurs’ climb began before it, with a squad meeting and a run of unbeaten games in which he rarely started. The picture across the whole season is wider and messier: a calmer team, a returning playmaker and a manager who credits relationships rather than tactics. Fernandes matters, yet he is one part of the revival rather than its engine.
Spurs failed to score in any of their first four league matches, and Aston Villa edged a 3-2 contest on 19 September, which left Spurs still waiting for a first win after five games. They stayed bottom until a 3-1 victory over Coventry City on 19 October. Chelsea were then beaten 2-0 on 24 October, which lifted Spurs to 12th, their best position since 2 January. The season ledger now reads two wins, three draws and three defeats, worth nine points, with eight goals for and ten against.
Before the 10 October visit to Manchester United, Roberto De Zerbi sat the squad down for a frank conversation about dropping defences, by his own account. They had collected two points from five matches; they have taken seven of the nine available since, with a Marbella training camp in between. De Zerbi points to better relationships, not tactical tweaks. Control of the ball tells the same story: Spurs held 66% of it versus Coventry and 68% at Stamford Bridge, their highest share since April 2025.
Spurs reportedly paid £85 million to West Ham for the 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder, whose campaign has been stop-start. Only three of the first seven league matches saw him in the starting eleven, adding up to 271 minutes. Against Everton and Villa, he played further forward, and the Villa display ended with De Zerbi hauling him off at the interval and admitting he was unhappy with it. He came off the bench late at Old Trafford and again in the 71st minute against Coventry, which means just one of the three games without defeat began with him in the side.
Alongside Sandro Tonali at Chelsea, he earned the player-of-the-match award. He touched the ball 121 times, completed 91 of 99 passes and made five tackles, more than anyone else on the pitch, and his delivery produced the opening own goal. He stayed involved in build-up play throughout the night, which suggests the role suited him. That is a single excellent display in a suitable role, not yet evidence of a pattern lasting months.
James Maddison started for the first time since May 2025 against Coventry and scored. Both league games he began ended in wins, whereas the six before had yielded only three points. A suspected groin issue forced him off soon after the restart at Chelsea. De Zerbi played it down as minor, though checks were still outstanding on 25 October.
Midfield has rotated constantly. Five different players have lined up beside Tonali so far: Fernandes, Gray, Bergvall, Gallagher and Bentancur. That churn makes it hard to isolate any one player’s effect on results, so a single-player verdict is premature.
Goals are still the weak spot. After seven games, Spurs ranked 18th in the division for expected goals, at 7.96 or 1.14 a match, yet 11th for the chances they allowed, at 10.18. Those rankings sit oddly beside the table position, and they show a team that restricts opponents better than it threatens them.
Possession averages 59.6%, so control is not the issue. Finishing is. That mismatch suggests the trouble sits in the final third rather than in midfield, which weakens the case that any one midfielder is the cure.
Crystal Palace visit north London on 31 October, then Spurs head to Leeds on 7 November, two matches that will show whether the improvement is real. Both come with Maddison’s availability unresolved.
The recovery owes more to team spirit and returning players than to any individual. For the Tottenham Premier League 2026 Mateus Fernandes question, the answer is that he helps but does not drive it, and his consistency, alongside Maddison’s fitness, will decide how long the climb lasts.
Is Fernandes the engine, or is Maddison the missing piece? Share your view in the comments.
Who is Mateus Fernandes?
Mateus Fernandes is a 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder. Spurs paid a reported £85 million to sign him from West Ham in the summer, and he has split his time between the bench and the starting eleven.
Who is currently managing Spurs?
Roberto De Zerbi is the head coach of Tottenham. He took charge at the end of March 2026 after Igor Tudor’s brief spell and has lifted the club from the bottom of the table.
What position are Spurs in after the Chelsea win?
Spurs are 12th in the table with nine points from eight games. Victory at Stamford Bridge on 24 October moved them up to their best league position since 2 January.
How many league goals do Spurs have so far?
Spurs have scored eight goals in eight Premier League games. They have also conceded ten times, which leaves them with a goal difference of minus two at this stage.
What is the latest on James Maddison’s fitness?
Maddison left the field at Chelsea with a suspected groin issue. De Zerbi played it down as a minor concern, but no return date is confirmed while further checks continue.
football
football