Roberto De Zerbi must look beyond Kevin Danso error, stats show he’s vital to Tottenham’s survival hopes
Roberto De Zerbi would have been cursing his luck on Saturday as his Tottenham Hotspur side conceded in stoppage time to draw 2-2 with his former club Brighton.
The Italian is now winless in his first two games in charge of the Lilywhites, which is undoubtedly not the start that he would have hoped for as he bids to save them from an embarrassing relegation to the Championship.
It could have been very different for the Lilywhites this weekend, had a moment of hesitation from Kevin Danso not allowed Jan Paul van Hecke to pick his pocket inside the box and square for Georginio Rutter to equalise.
The Austrian’s lapse in concentration ultimately cost his team a crucial three points that would have lifted them out of the relegation zone, but the manager cannot afford to punish him for his mistake.
Tottenham are running out of time to save their Premier League status, and despite his pivotal error, Danso turned in the kind of performance that the boss would have loved on Saturday.
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VISIT THE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MATCH HUBKevin Danso wears his heart on his sleeve yet again vs Brighton
Danso has been one of the few members of the Tottenham squad who has not been completely destroyed by the supporters at some stage this season.
He has turned in a series of gutsy defensive displays for the Lilywhites, and the fans undoubtedly feel that he is a player who is willing to give everything and more to the cause.
| Stats | Danso Totals |
| Touches | 51 |
| Accurate Passes | 29/33 (88%) |
| Defensive Contributions | 12 |
| Clearances | 9 |
| Duels Won | 3/11 (27%) |
| Dribbled Past | 3 |
That was evident yet again on Saturday, and he was clearly devastated by his error as he fell to the ground after watching Rutter rifle the ball into the roof of the net.
Ordinarily, the former Southampton man would perhaps have been dropped for the next game, but De Zerbi really cannot afford to take such a stance, given the injuries within the camp at the moment.
However, Danso also turned in a typically resolute display, with his late error the only blemish on what was otherwise a hugely promising defensive showing.
He notched an incredible 12 defensive contributions across the 90 minutes, including six headed clearances, as he worked hard to repel Brighton’s aerial efforts.
His performance wasn’t perfect by any means, but he wears his heart on his sleeve, and that is exactly the kind of player who Spurs need to rely on in their current predicament, as his flawless mentality could be enough to help save them.
What has Roberto De Zerbi said about Danso’s error for Tottenham?
De Zerbi will know that the feeling within his squad is fragile after the season they have endured, and it was clear that he was keen to try and protect that when speaking about the equaliser after the game.
He hailed Danso for a “fantastic” performance until that point, while trying to place a positive spin on the way that his team surrendered their lead.
“Danso played another fantastic game, but the ball was with Danso. He lost the ball and then we conceded a goal,” the 46-year-old said after the game, according to Alasdair Gold.
“But I prefer to make mistakes with the personality to play than to concede a goal without personality, without courage.”
The boss’ immediate stance on the moment is a clear indication that he will likely stand by Danso and select him from the off for next week’s clash with Wolves, rather than try and make him learn from his switch off.
Tottenham need leaders with Cristian Romero sidelined through injury, and Danso could be the man to shoulder the burden.
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