Speaking after the Sunderland loss,De Zerbi made it clear that his immediate priority was not the technical side of the game, but the psychological state of a squad that appears broken by recent results. The former Brighton boss is focusing on the final six games of the campaign as a mental battle as much as a footballing one. "My job now is not to coach a style, with or without the ball, but try to give the players what they need in terms of mentality," the Italian explained to reporters.
While the lavish dinner was intended to build camaraderie, some fans may be wary of the tactic. Former interim boss Igor Tudor attempted a similar team-bonding exercise at Ousia in Muswell Hill shortly before a 4-1 thrashing by Arsenal and was eventually sacked after just 44 days in charge. However, early reports suggest that De Zerbi has already made a more positive impression on the dressing room than his predecessor, whose abrasive style struggled to win over the players.