The Roberto De Zerbi era kicked-off with an all-too-familiar feeling for Tottenham supporters in 2025/26.
There was no discernible 'new manager bounce' at the Stadium of Light, as Spurs fell to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, extending their winless run in the Premier League to 14 games. As a result, we'll spend the next week, at least, in the relegation zone, with just six games separating us from an apocalyptic fate.
De Zerbi hinted ahead of his managerial bow that we'd be treated to a watered-down iteration of his football this weekend, with player empowerment prioritised over complex tactical instructions.
Such an approach makes sense at this juncture, but Spurs could've been coached by anybody on Sunday. Slick build-up sequences were infrequent, and a passive approach without the ball afforded Sunderland more control than necessary.
De Zerbi was undoubtedly inhibited by the quality on offer from his front four, which floundered at key moments, and Spurs remained in the contest for its duration thanks to Antonín Kinsky's performance between the posts.
Resilient Kinsky shows what he's made of in Sunderland defeat
You'd never have thought that Tottenham's starting goalkeeper on Sunday had been subject to the worst 17 minutes of his young professional career a little over a month ago.
Kinsky succumbed to a slippery Metropolitano surface and was withdrawn from proceedings with Spurs 3-0 down, largely because of him.
Some speculated whether that would be it for the Czech shot-stopper in north London. It was his first start since October, having impressed at the very start of his Spurs career in early 2025.
However, Guglielmo Vicario's hernia offered Kinsky a swift shot at redemption. The Italian may be back in action next week after undergoing surgery over the international break, but Kinsky reminded us that he is not the goalkeeper we saw in Madrid.
This was a brave performance from Tottenham's second in-command, who wasn't forced into much action but dealt with everything Sunderland threw at him with assurance. Kinsky made a huge save from Brian Brobbey at the end of the first half, smothering the Dutchman's effort at the back post.
He was powerless to stop Nordi Mukiele's cruelly deflected winner from condemning the Lilywhites to yet another defeat, and felt the wrath of his captain soon after, courtesy of a cynical Brobbey push that was dangerous and should've warranted a second yellow card. Kinsky soldiered on the final 25 minutes looking like Terry Butcher.
There was a lot to like in possession, too. While we didn't see much of the press-baiting that has defined De Zerbi's build-up before, Kinsky was assured over short distances and responsible for a couple of pinpoint passes out to the flanks to break Sunderland's press.
While De Zerbi's compatriot will most likely retake the reins as soon as he returns, Kinsky at least provided the Italian with food for thought. On what was another sombre occasion, his performance was encouraging and a testament to his character.