Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi was seen remonstrating with forward Mathys Tel on the pitch after Saturday's 0-0 draw with Everton, and an expert lip reader has now revealed exactly what was said between them.
Spurs remain winless after four games and are yet to score a goal this season, a run that continues to raise questions after the club spent around £320m in the summer transfer window. Saturday's stalemate against David Moyes' Everton was another drab display for the north London club.
After the final whistle, De Zerbi approached Tel on the pitch and appeared to give him a dressing down. The forward had struggled to make an impact after coming off the bench as a makeshift striker.
Fans speculated about the tense interaction, with some suggesting it hinted at a falling out between the pair. One fan even claimed Tel had bitten back at De Zerbi by saying, "I was here to play football."
What the lip reader revealed
Nicola Hickling, an expert lip reader and founder of LipReader, has since offered her own reading of the exchange. She claims De Zerbi told Tel, "You're playing like a stud," suggesting the forward was running around aimlessly like a horse.
In the clip, the Spurs boss can then be seen spinning, as if demonstrating how a striker should move, with Hickling adding that he said, "Like that. I need like that, attack focus." Tel is said to have replied, "Yeah, but then I went back to play for the ball."
De Zerbi explains the coaching point
Speaking after the game, De Zerbi gave his own account of the conversation. "Yes, I coached him on the pitch," he said in his press conference. "The body shape of a striker. The striker can play with the shoulder on the goal."
"If we are playing with (James) Maddison, (Mohammed) Kudus and Savio, he has to play as a striker, and the striker has to look at the goal, no?" De Zerbi continued. "Or on the cross of Robertson. He has to stay inside because he started (his career) as a striker. Now he's playing as a winger, but he started in his career as a striker."
Tel dropped after Forest criticism
Tel was dropped to the bench for the Everton match after De Zerbi had publicly criticised his display against Nottingham Forest the week before. The Italian coach, who has previously managed Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille, insisted there were no issues between the pair.
"But I love Mathys as a player, as a guy," De Zerbi added. "There is not a problem."
What's next for Tottenham
Tottenham are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup third round, before they host Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime.
