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Glenn Hoddle claims Roberto De Zerbi 'dug out' Spurs star after Brentford defeat
Aug 22 2026 22:48 · By Chris Davie · 138 Reads
Glenn Hoddle says Spurs should have abandoned their game plan against Brentford (Premier League)
Glenn Hoddle believes Roberto De Zerbi ‘dug out’ Mikey Moore after Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford on Saturday night.
Spurs were convincingly beaten by Brentford in their Premier League opener as goals from Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode sealed a deserved win for Keith Andrews’ side.
De Zerbi handed starting debuts to Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali, while £85 million summer signing Mateus Fernandes was brought on as a half-time substitute.
However, Spurs struggled to trouble Brentford’s defence and speaking after his side’s defeat, De Zerbi named Moore when highlighting the poor approach to pressing from his players.
‘We were not ready to fight in the duels,’ De Zerbi said.
‘I think we made a lot of mistakes in the timing of the pressure with Mikey Moore in the left centre, we arrived too many times late.
Roberto De Zerbi named Mikey Moore as one of the Spurs players who made ‘mistakes’ with their pressing (AP Photo)
‘We lost too many duels to compete with Brentford, I’m sorry for that, I’m sorry for the defeat. I know we have to improve in the physical condition, we have to improve in the organisation because there were many new players.’
When asked about De Zerbi’s comments, Hoddle told Premier League Productions: ‘I think they struggled a little bit having Archie Gray and Mikey Moore down that right side, they weren’t pressing together, I think that’s what he’s alluding to, but he’s dug him out a little bit there.
‘If you’re going to press you have to press together, it’s no good one person going on his own. Brentford’s first goal I’m thinking, ‘Richarlison, don’t go to the goalkeeper’, but he did, presses him, waste of energy. They were not doing that well.’
Roberto De Zerbi apologised for Spurs’ defeat to Brentford (Shutterstock)
Hoddle also believes that Spurs should have abandoned their game plan in the first half and played more direct in an attempt to pin Brentford back in their own half.