Out come di teams. Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotspur booms from di speakers as di players line up inside tunnel. Di Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dey fill up small small. Na wonderful ground, with go-kart track, concert venue, rugby and boxing facility. But football side? E no sweet Tottenham right now.
Kevin Nolan, former Newcastle midfielder, talk on Premier League Kick-Off say dis na di weekend when something must gel and click for Tottenham. Di match na between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, two sides wey don start di Premier League season poorly.
Aston Villa £50m summer signing, Johan Manzambi, at 20 years and 340 days, na di youngest Swiss player to make him first Premier League start since Southampton Alexandre Jankewitz, 19 years and 39 days, in February 2021. Jankewitz collect red card within two minutes against Manchester United dat day.
Some fans talk say both clubs dey come from different angles. Villa lose half of dia team, including majority of dia most influential players, so dem must reinvest and try make new players gel. Several of di new men dey suffer injury. Spurs just throw over £300m loose change at dia problems. Spurs be favourites for today as Unai Emery need more time for everybody to settle.
David James, former Aston Villa goalkeeper, talk on Premier League Kick-Off say if Aston Villa lose at Tottenham, dem go look at am as massive loss because no one dey lose at Tottenham – apart from Tottenham.
Nick Mashiter, BBC Sport football news reporter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, report say for him programme notes, Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi write say Spurs need to discover dia spark. Starting Premier League season with four goalless games na first time for di club 144-year history dem fail to score for dia opening four matches of a season. Most Tottenham fans go agree.
De Zerbi continue for di notes: There is no shortcut to building a new team. E require hard work and dedication for training ground, which na wetin I dey see. I believe in my group of players and no doubt things go start to click soon.
Phil Jagielka, former England defender, talk on Premier League Kick-Off say Aston Villa boss Unai Emery get so much credit for bank so e no go panic. As strange as e fit be, e probably cannot wait for international break. E go give am chance to get him squad together. Plenty players go go away but e be like mini pre-season for Emery and those wey stay behind. I think you go see better Aston Villa after international break. If dem fit get win against Spurs after very poor start, and as long as everybody come back fit, Emery go dey quietly confident say e fit turn am around.
Nick Mashiter add say more than half a billion spent between dem, for just three points and one goal. Tottenham and Aston Villa dey in need of Premier League inspiration. E no surprise say summer of change at both clubs fail to bring immediate results – but dem need ignite dia season. Dem meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as past two Europa League winners but sit for bottom four of early Premier League table.
With 10 new players and six key sales, including Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, Unai Emery dey shape new Villa team. Tottenham also add 10 players for more than £300m but goodwill dey short supply after two years of relegation battles. Victory paramount for both teams.
For Aston Villa side, one question dey: Is Alejandro Garnacho di new Harvey Elliott? Garnacho join Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea in July. Di winger don make just three substitute appearances and e been unused sub for di past three games. Garnacho, wey play just 31 minutes so far dis season, once again start on bench against Tottenham. Elliott hardly play after e join Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool last season.
Wagenknecht talk say Tottenham na poison chalice of a club. Whoever goes there instantly become average. Maybe if expectations na top 12 rather than Europe, dem for actually progress. I sense De Zerbi dey hugely overrated though.
Chris Sutton, 1994-95 Premier League title winner, talk say Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi get reputation of great coach. We see good job e do at Brighton, but we never see any improvement from Spurs yet, despite di big money dem spend. E surely go come under pressure soon if dia poor results continue. Dem no be only ones to revamp dia squad but if you listen to De Zerbi, after about five years dem fit come good. E keep saying dem need time, but e don get long enough for dia results to be much better already.
Kevin Nolan add say e dey really worried about Tottenham. Every week Roberto de Zerbi get different excuse. E no dey stay around much at clubs and e dey fall out with plenty of him owners. E probably dey think: Do I need this? E no dey inspire me like at back end of last season when him interviews dey jolly and positive about wetin e need do. Everything downbeat and e no feel right when you dey watch am for press conference. Laying blame on players and staff no dey go anywhere other than wrong way.
Quick, someone get dis to Roberto de Zerbi so e fit hang am up for Spurs dressing room.
