GUS POYET wants to see both Roberto De Zerbi and his shaky stopper Antonin Kinsky keep it simple on their big day at Sunderland on Sunday.
New Spurs boss De Zerbi begins his rescue mission to save the North Londoners from the drop at the Stadium of Light.
Goalie Kinsky is set to start for the Italian for the first time since his mayhem in Madrid where the 23-year-old was subbed after 17 minutes following two howlers.
Former Tottenham star Poyet wants De Zerbi not to overcomplicate matters for his new players, after failed predecessor Igor Tudor played a number of them out of position.
Poyet told The Sun, via Casino Guru: “I would say (De Zerbi) needs to do two things: keep it simple and play the players in the position where they can give their best.
“I’ve seen in the last six months, for example, Pedro Porro play everywhere. Right-back, right centre-half in a three, right wing-back.
“Then I saw Xavi Simons playing every position in the five up front. It’s not for everyone, that understanding.
“As a player, I knew my role and my area very well.
“To ask a player just arriving, in a bad season, like Xavi Simons, play left, play right, play back to goal, run in behind, come short… it doesn’t work.
“Without winning, you don’t convince players. So it’s important you keep it simple.”
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Kinsky is set for his big shot at redemption because regular No1 Guglielmo Vicario is still recovering after having hernia surgery last month.
The Czech suffered the nightmare of all nightmares in March with the 5-2 Champions League loss at Atletico Madrid.
Having been handed a rare start, he was at fault for two early goals when he slipped up twice when trying to clear the ball.
That led to then boss Tudor hauling him off long before a quarter of the match had even been played.
But De Zerbi feels the former Slavia Prague man is ready to go again.
Poyet, who was assistant to Juande Ramos when Spurs won the League Cup in 2008, added: “If you don’t play ever again, you’re not going to recover from that.
“So he needs to play and he needs to keep it simple.
“I would like him to tell the defenders, ‘Don’t give me any s*** balls. Don’t put me in a stupid situation. Don’t give me a ball where I need to kick it with my foot that I’m not comfortable on. Make it simple for me.’
“‘If not, you kick it, because I need your help. I will help you but in this particular game, help me as well.’
“The coach needs to help him as well. It’s the first game that’s back.
“If I was him, if it’s easy, I play it out. When I don’t see it clearly easy – not 99 per cent, but 100 per cent – I kick it. Don’t ask me to play through balls with the outside of my foot, I’m a goalkeeper.
“Then I get the confidence, and I get back. But the first game back, it needs to be simple.”
Spurs have not won a single Premier League game in 2026 and are 18th in the table.
They go to a Sunderland side who have been imperious at home this term and are coming off a Wear-Tyne victory.
Poyet bossed the Black Cats between 2013-15 and had some words of warning for De Zerbi and his side.
The Uruguayan added: “From personal experience, the first 10-15 minutes for the opposition are very important at Sunderland.
“If you go there and you struggle in the first 10-15 minutes, you are going to have a problem because they are going to come.
“And when they come, the stadium is on fire.
“So they need to start well, which means to control the game, to bring the craziness down, the atmosphere and then start gaining in confidence.”
Gus Poyet speaking with The Sun via Casino Guru, a platform known for ranking the best casinos in the UK
