With seven games to go, how will De Zerbi try to save Spurs?

Clubs at risk of relegation tend to hire pragmatic coaches. But that is not how you would describe new Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi. The Italian is known for his attacking style of possession-based football, and has stayed true to his footballing ideas throughout his managerial career.

Three years after starting in management in Italy's fourth division, De Zerbi was in charge of Serie A side Palermo, where he struggled to showcase his initial potential. When he was sacked, newly promoted Benevento hired him, but relegation followed. Despite that, De Zerbi's reputation was boosted - and he has enjoyed much success since.

The 46-year-old's quality is clear but his system relies on smart and technical players more than most tactical plans. So what tactics will De Zerbi implement at Spurs, and will this relegation-threatened group of players be able to execute them? De Zerbi's high-risk high-reward style on the ball Looking at De Zerbi's Brighton and Marseille sides, you soon notice how often they repeat certain patterns of play.

When building up, the idea is to draw opponents towards defenders on the ball before using quick passing routines to find free players facing forward. They are better positioned to play the ball up the pitch quickly into the attackers. When it works, De Zerbi's sides turn possession in their own half into shots near the opposition's goal within a few seconds.