Why this break has come at the worst time for De Zerbi & Spurs

Tottenham spent around £400m on new signings this summer under Roberto de Zerbi, raising fan expectations after two straight 17th-place finishes, but early results and performances have been disappointing across their first five games, marked by poor home form and an inability to recover after conceding first. De Zerbi has had little time to integrate new arrivals with existing players before an international break took most of his squad away for three more weeks, further delaying his efforts to build a cohesive unit that justifies the club's outlay.