After booking their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup with a deserved victory at Fulham, Palace turn their attention back to Premier League matters this weekend with a testing away trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
TEB: It’s been a slow start to the season for Spurs so far. What are your thoughts on results recently?
SJ: It has been a slow start to the season for Tottenham in terms of results, but not so much in terms of performances. Any Spurs fan will tell you that last year threw up some of the worst football we’ve ever been made to watch. The first six games of this season were similar in terms of points, but the performances themselves were actually full of promise. We looked much more fluid in attack, broke the lines effectively, got into the final third and created chances. The problem was that we simply weren’t taking those chances.
TEB: Has the summer transfer window solved any squad issues, or are there still areas that need improvement?
SJ: The summer transfer window was probably the biggest squad overhaul we’ve had in two decades. Ten new players came in and even more went the other way. I think it’s fair to say it’s still too early to judge whether any of them have been successes or flops, but I’m starting to see something I like from each and every one of them.
Whether it’s the experience of Robertson covering for the injured Udogie, Tosin using his height to defend the box, or Fernandes and Tonali producing their best performances so far against Chelsea, there are certainly encouraging signs. I think the consensus is that we still need a new number nine, though.
TEB: What are your opinions on Roberto De Zerbi? Is he the man to take the club forward?
SJ: Whatever your thoughts on De Zerbi, Tottenham have backed him with almost £400 million in gross spending this summer, even if the net spend is closer to £140 million. You don’t give up on a manager lightly after that level of investment. The only way he gets sacked, in my opinion, is if there’s a genuine threat of relegation, and I just don’t see that happening. I think he’ll be the Spurs manager for at least the next three years.
TEB: What are your expectations for this season in the league and cup competitions?
SJ: An FA Cup run would be amazing. Winning the Europa League in 2025 was such a fantastic memory for our long-suffering supporters, so experiencing some rare domestic success would be era-defining for us. In terms of the league, securing any form of European football for next season would represent a very successful campaign.
TEB: What are your thoughts on the Manchester City case?
SJ: Send them down. I suspect they’ll receive points deductions across two seasons along with a huge fine. You have to make an example of them here.
TEB: What have you made of Palace this season?
SJ: It looks like it’s been a disappointing campaign so far for Palace fans. Not only because of where you are in the table, but also because of the sheer number of goals conceded, more than any other team in the league. I think you’ll be fine in the end, but based on current form, I would be gutted to lose at home to Palace at the moment. Hopefully things improve, though, because I’ve always enjoyed the style of football at Selhurst Park.
TEB: Finally, what is your prediction for the match against Palace?
SJ: 2-0 Tottenham.
