"Believe in the process," Tottenham's £100m midfielder wrote on Instagram after Monday night's victory over Coventry City.
Some may never understand why Spurs spent as much as they did to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United, but that's okay.
You may dumb him down to be no more than a runner who puts himself about, offering close to no sophistication in possession, yet in a Premier League where physicality reigns supreme and duelling is imperative, I'd rather have a Sandro Tonali in my midfield than not.
And plus, you simply don't know all that much about the sport if you believe the Italian is merely an uncultured battering ram in the middle of the park. This is a proper footballer who has already made Roberto De Zerbi's side a whole lot better.
De Zerbi-backer Tonali has upped his game after international break
Tonali had a lengthy list of suitors in the summer, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal among those most keen. Mikel Arteta desperately wanted the Italian before they eventually turned to his Newcastle teammate, Bruno Guimarães. Arsenal were unwilling to match the Magpies' valuation, but Spurs were.
And Tonali, who spent his formative years with Brescia, where De Zerbi was born, was smitten by his compatriot. The midfielder said De Zerbi convinced him within 10 minutes. He was a believer in the process from the get-go.
The faith in the manager from the fanbase was universal after survival was achieved last season, but an unproductive start to 2026/27, despite promising performances, has seen our conviction waver slightly. Had Spurs failed to win on Monday night, there undoubtedly would've been calls for De Zerbi's head.
The shelf life of a manager seemingly reduces year-on-year. Clubs and supporters are desperate for their Jürgen Klopp—the figurehead of a regime—yet are often so unwilling to give them the necessary time. It's instant gratification or bust. We're all so impatient.
Spurs had been progressing week-on-week at the start of a season which was always going to be sticky early after such a drastic summer overhaul. But, it's a results-oriented business, and three points was all supporters wanted on Monday.
We have played better this season and lost, so we were due such a victory. Superb strikes from James Maddison and Omar Marmoush set us on our way before Ben Davies sealed the win in stoppage time. It was just our second Premier League triumph at home since the opening day of last season. We take 'em however they come.
Life's a whole lot easier when Maddison crafts from between the lines, and Dejan Kulusevski's return was perhaps the major talking point of the evening. However, Tonali's showing shouldn't go under the radar.
De Zerbi put his compatriot on an island, adopting a 3-1-6 shape with the ball that tasked Tonali with almost single-handedly protecting against the counter-attack. He ended the night with a game-high 15 defensive contributions, per FotMob, including seven recoveries.
Tonali's our midfield fire extinguisher. He may not be your cup of tea, and you can curse at his unwillingness to break lines all you want, but the Italian is De Zerbi's on-pitch general who is starting to show why he was courted by so many in the summer.
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