It was a starting lineup that nobody saw coming. Roberto De Zerbi, off the back of a summer overhaul, doesn't quite know what his strongest team looks like.
Spurs are in the midst of a 'gelling-in' process at the start of the new season, with an array of additions, despite their Premier League experience, still finding their feet in a different environment.
Mateus Fernandes, who joined the club from West Ham United at the start of July and thus enjoyed a full pre-season with De Zerbi, was expected to make an immediate impact in north London. His summer was hugely promising despite picking up a knock that saw him miss part of our tour Down Under, but the young midfielder hasn't yet found his groove in N17.
He's been misprofiled by the manager and underused. Ahead of Coventry's visit, Fernandes had made just three Premier League starts. He was limited to a brief cameo at Old Trafford last weekend, and supporters were disappointed to learn that Fernandes was on the bench again as Spurs sought a much-needed victory against Frank Lampard's side.
Those chronically online suggested De Zerbi simply dislikes the 22-year-old, despite the Spurs boss saying he'd be like Fernandes' "second dad" upon his arrival. Of course, such speculation was wide of the mark, as De Zerbi explained Fernandes' omission post-match.
De Zerbi explains why Fernandes didn't start vs. Coventry
The story ultimately wasn't about Fernandes, as James Maddison dazzled on his first Premier League start since April 2025 and Dejan Kulusevski celebrated his return to action after 526 days on the sidelines.
Maddison opened the scoring in a 3-1 victory, with Fernandes helping see out the win off the bench. In truth, it wasn't the most convincing of cameos, with the usually so positive midfielder opting for caution in possession, especially after a couple of lax touches. He certainly didn't perform with much assertion.
The best is yet to come from the Portuguese starlet, and there's every chance he's back in the XI at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Why? Well, De Zerbi said that the arrival of a son to the Fernandes household in the week was the primary reason why the midfielder didn't make the starting lineup.
"I want to explain why [he changed to a back three], because for the injured players in the midfield position, Conor Gallagher came back two days ago, and at the beginning of the week, the medical staff told me maybe he could be not available to play. [Lucas] Bergvall was injured, Mateus Fernandes worked just the last two days because of his [newborn] son," the Spurs boss said (via Football London).
The midfield shake-up was part of quite a drastic switch from the Italian, as Spurs lined up in a 3-1-6 with the ball. Sandro Tonali was left on an island at the base of midfield, while Maddison, Archie Gray and Omar Marmoush sought to receive from between the lines.
I wouldn't go as far as saying it was a rip-roaring success, with De Zerbi admitting his team has played far better this season without reward. Still, he was content with how we limited Coventry in transition. I'd just be wary of deploying such a bold attacking shape at the Bridge.
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