Pedro Porro Returns as De Zerbi Emphasizes Ultra-Attacking Strategy
Tottenham will have Pedro Porro back for what already feels like a pivotal Premier League afternoon against Aston Villa on Saturday – and Roberto de Zerbi plans to throw even more attacking fuel on a misfiring fire.
The Spanish full-back, described as having had a “muscular issue”, has missed Spurs’ last two matches but is ready to return after Tuesday night’s 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Liverpool. De Zerbi confirmed Porro’s availability and, with it, another weapon for a side still waiting for their first league goal of the season.
They have the shots, the territory, the intent. They just don’t have the moment. Not yet.
“I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players,” De Zerbi said, adamant that the dam will break sooner rather than later. “When we arrive to find the click, to win a game, I think we enjoy with these players.”
Tottenham fans have heard optimism before, but this is different in one key respect: De Zerbi is not looking to rein things in. He wants to push harder.
Kudus back and central to the plan
One reason for his bullishness is the return of Mohammed Kudus. The Ghanaian made his first Tottenham start at Anfield since suffering a long-term quad injury in January, and his presence instantly changes the shape of De Zerbi’s attack.
“Kudus is another great news for us, because he can play also as a number 10,” De Zerbi said.
That one line carries a lot of tactical weight. With Kudus able to drift between lines, Spurs can morph quickly from a front three into something far more fluid.
“We can play with Savio, Kudus, (Dominic) Solanke and (Omar) Marmoush,” he added, reeling off attacking names like a manager more concerned with overwhelming opponents than containing them.
Fold in the adventurous full-backs, add the forward-thinking midfielders, and De Zerbi’s eyes light up. In his mind, this is a team that can play with “eight attackers”. Not as a throwaway phrase, but as a genuine description of how he wants his side to function.
Maddison the “special” piece still being held back
That vision sharpens further when James Maddison enters the conversation. The England international has not started a match since May 2025 after a cruciate ligament tear, and his comeback has been complicated by a shoulder fracture. Three substitute appearances this season hint at progress, but De Zerbi refuses to rush the playmaker he openly calls “special”.
“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player,” the Italian said. “But he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition, because the Premier League intensity, even tonight, is incredible. And then we can play with eight attackers.”
There it is again: eight attackers. In De Zerbi’s world, Maddison is not just another creative option; he is the key that allows Spurs to go all-in, to commit bodies and trust that their quality will eventually overpower the opposition.
For now, though, the reality is starker. No league goals. Mounting scrutiny. Aston Villa arriving with momentum and a clear idea of who they are.
Porro’s return, Kudus’ versatility, Maddison edging closer to full fitness – all of it points in one direction: De Zerbi is doubling down on his attacking ideology. On Saturday lunchtime in north London, we find out whether that belief finally turns into a breakthrough or whether Spurs’ wait for that elusive “click” stretches into another anxious week.
