Tottenham’s new Premier League season got off to a miserable start with a 3-0 loss at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, De Zerbi’s men well off the pace throughout, short on chances and repeatedly picked apart by a self-assured home side.
The result stung even more given the fresh optimism surrounding the club after a busy summer in the transfer market. Instead, the opening display raised real questions about De Zerbi’s selection choices, with Lucas Bergvall drawing particularly heavy criticism.
The Italian boss took a gamble handing the 20-year-old Swede a starting spot, even with Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur both on the bench offering more physical or controlled alternatives in midfield. That gamble didn’t pay off — Bergvall struggled through a poor first half and was one of two Spurs players hooked at the break as De Zerbi scrambled to salvage the match.
Shearer takes aim at Bergvall’s challenge
Bergvall’s costliest moment came in the buildup to Brentford’s second goal. Facing pressure near his own box, he went into a 50-50 with Mathias Jensen but, rather than committing to the tackle, tried to nudge the ball away with a bit of skill. It backfired, and he lost the ball. Jensen carried it forward into Tottenham’s box, his shot was blocked, and Vitaly Janelt pounced on the rebound to make it 2-0.
Match of the Day’s Alan Shearer didn’t hold back on the incident, calling Bergvall’s effort in the challenge pathetic and criticizing the lack of commitment. The former striker’s comments captured the wider frustration with the midfielder’s contribution at a pivotal moment — whatever Bergvall was trying to achieve technically, it left Spurs exposed and fed directly into Brentford doubling their lead.
A rough night by the numbers
To be fair, this wasn’t a one-man failure — Tottenham struggled collectively, with several players well below par. Still, Bergvall’s individual stats tell a bleak story. Per FotMob, he created zero chances, had no shots on target, and managed just one pass into the final third. He was also directly responsible for an error leading to a goal and only touched the ball once inside Brentford’s box.
His overall involvement was minimal too — just 27 touches before being subbed at half-time, one successful dribble, one dispossession, and his lone attempted cross didn’t find its target. Defensively he won only one tackle and came out on top in just two of four ground duels, leaving Tottenham without the midfield presence they’d hoped for from one of their brightest young prospects.
A decision looming for De Zerbi
The timing is notable given De Zerbi had recently reaffirmed Bergvall’s place in his plans despite transfer chatter. The young Swede has long been seen as one of the club’s most promising talents, and the coaching staff have continued backing his progress. But a display like this against Brentford could push them to rethink how quickly he should be trusted with regular league starts.
At just 20, Bergvall shouldn’t be written off over a single bad game — young midfielders often need time to adjust to the physical and tactical demands of the top flight, especially in systems demanding quick decisions under pressure. That said, Tottenham’s expectations under De Zerbi are rising fast, and the manager can’t afford to lean on potential alone while more experienced options sit waiting and results aren’t coming.
A League Cup chance to bounce back
Bergvall gets an immediate opportunity to put things right in the League Cup clash with Charlton Athletic — a chance to rebuild confidence and remind De Zerbi why he was trusted to start the opener, while showing that Brentford was simply a bad day rather than a deeper issue.
The stakes rise significantly when Newcastle United visit N17 the following weekend. A poor showing against Charlton could make De Zerbi hesitant to throw him straight back into a much tougher Premier League test, especially with Fernandes and Bentancur both pushing hard for minutes.
For now, Bergvall’s long-term future at the club doesn’t look under serious threat. But after a performance that drew sharp criticism from Shearer and left many fans frustrated, he’ll need to respond fast. The Brentford defeat was ultimately a team-wide collapse, but Bergvall’s error and quiet performance made him one of the standout talking points — and how he responds in the coming games could shape how much De Zerbi trusts him early this season.
