Roberto de Zerbi, by his own admission, confirmed his role was more psychologist than coach when he was given seven games to keep Tottenham in the top flight following his appointment in March.
The Italian has been handed vast funds for a host of new players to ensure Spurs do not suffer a repeat of the nightmare campaign.
Saturday's dreadful defeat at Brentford was not the start he or the Spurs power brokers envisaged.
For all the change in transfer strategy and personnel, the manner in which Spurs capitulated at the first sign of pressure as they were run ragged by the Bees provided gruesome evidence that you need more than a huge transfer fund to give a team mental strength.
De Zerbi gave debuts to four of his new acquisitions in Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali. They will feel the only way is up because they were at rock bottom here. None of them distinguished themselves, although neither did any others.

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