Van Hecke: Chelsea win shows things clicking under De Zerbi
Jan Paul van Hecke has been speaking about Tottenham's derby win at Chelsea, and his comments have been picked up widely as a sign of growing confidence within the squad under Roberto De Zerbi.
The Evening Standard reports that van Hecke believes things are "finally starting to click" for Tottenham, pointing out that the victory at Stamford Bridge came after what had been a frustrating start to the season, with Spurs having gone winless for a spell before turning things around (Evening Standard).
Football.London focuses on a lighter moment from the celebrations, revealing that van Hecke explained why a team-mate cheekily kissed De Zerbi after the win, with the defender admitting that the head coach has already become a popular figure within the squad even before Saturday's big result at Chelsea (Football.London).
Spurs Web covers much the same ground, saying van Hecke has opened up on just how close the bond is between De Zerbi and his players, tying it to the club's recent run of two matches and suggesting the togetherness in the group is feeding into performances on the pitch (Spurs Web).
All three outlets agree that the win over their London rivals Chelsea has been a turning point of sorts, with van Hecke crediting the mood and unity within the squad as a big factor. The main difference is emphasis: the Evening Standard leans into the bigger-picture narrative of a difficult start giving way to improvement (Evening Standard), while Football.London and Spurs Web are more interested in the human, dressing-room side of the story - that cheeky kiss aimed at De Zerbi - as evidence of how well the head coach has settled in with his players (Football.London) (Spurs Web).
With Tottenham's women due in action at Bristol City [A] and the first team preparing to host Crystal Palace at home next [B], this feel-good factor around De Zerbi and his squad will be something fans hope carries into both upcoming fixtures.
Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.