Roberto De Zerbi has revealed that Tottenham’s players had an honest group discussion before their Premier League draw at Manchester United, with the head coach noticing a change in the squad’s mentality since then.

Things are finally starting to look up for Tottenham Hotspur, who have followed up their draw at Old Trafford with back-to-back league wins against Coventry City and Chelsea. After failing to win any of their opening six Premier League matches, Spurs have begun to show signs of improvement under De Zerbi.

Much of the attention has been on Tottenham’s recent training camp in Marbella, with the trip to Spain appearing to have done the players some good. However, De Zerbi has now revealed that he began noticing a change in the squad before their recent wins.

Roberto De Zerbi reveals honest Tottenham squad talks

Writing in his column for Tottenham’s official matchday programme ahead of Saturday’s clash against Crystal Palace, De Zerbi reflected on his side’s difficult start to the season and the improvement he has seen over the last few weeks.

The Italian admitted that results had not been good enough earlier in the campaign, but suggested that an honest conversation within the group before the Manchester United match proved to be an important moment.

De Zerbi wrote: “Before the game at Old Trafford, we spoke honestly as a group and since then I have noticed a change within ourselves.”

He then explained what he had noticed in the players following that conversation: “I am seeing a re-energised attitude and mentality in the group. The team spirit is growing and there’s a real sense of brotherhood among the players.”

It is an interesting admission from De Zerbi, particularly as so much has been made of the Marbella trip. While the week away may have helped the players grow closer, his comments suggest the change in attitude had already started before they headed to Spain.

The Tottenham boss also made it clear that he believes his players are beginning to understand what is required of them. He praised the people within the squad for recognising what needs to improve, although he stressed that the work must continue.

Tottenham boss has long wanted to build stronger team spirit

Getting his players to work together has been a priority for De Zerbi throughout his time at Tottenham. The Italian has regularly spoken about the importance of relationships within a squad, believing that a successful team needs more than just talented footballers, especially following the heavy investment in the summer transfer window.

Back in August, Spurs Web reported that De Zerbi wanted to build the sort of team spirit he admired in Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad. He explained that spending time together away from football could help players develop stronger relationships, pointing to the success of similar approaches during his previous managerial spells.

The former Brighton boss has also made an effort to bring the Tottenham squad together away from the training ground. In September, he revealed that he had treated his players to a team dinner as they attempted to overcome their poor start to the campaign.

It has taken time for those efforts to translate into performances on the pitch. With several new faces arriving over the summer, De Zerbi has had the challenge of getting a much-changed group of players to understand one another while also adapting to his style of football.

There have certainly been signs of progress in recent weeks. Tottenham showed plenty of determination to come away from Old Trafford with a point before beating Coventry City and producing their most convincing result of the season against Chelsea.

The 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge was particularly encouraging, with Spurs ending their long wait for a league win at Chelsea’s ground. The players looked far more confident and played with an aggression that had been missing from some of their earlier performances.

Tottenham must prove their improvement is here to stay

There is no doubt that the mood around Tottenham has improved following their recent results, but De Zerbi will know that his side still have plenty to prove. Two wins cannot completely erase the disappointment of the opening weeks, particularly given how much Spurs struggled to create chances and pick up points.

The next challenge is to show that their improved mentality can lead to consistent performances. Tottenham have looked much better against Manchester United, Coventry and Chelsea, but they need to maintain those standards when they face teams who are happy to sit deep and make life difficult.

Saturday’s meeting with Crystal Palace gives Spurs another opportunity to build some momentum. A third successive league victory would strengthen the feeling that De Zerbi is finally getting his message across to the players, especially when up against a side who have struggled in the league so far.

What stands out from his latest comments is that De Zerbi has pointed to a moment before the Manchester United game as the start of the change. Whatever was discussed within the group appears to have left an impression on the Tottenham boss, although the real test will be whether that improved attitude continues over the coming weeks.