Despite his stunning goal against Chelsea, Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has urged Mathys Tel to improve in two key areas.Mathys Tel was the match-winner for Tottenham Hotspur in their clash against Chelsea after a superb solo run from his own half saw him ride the challenges of Acheampong and Lacroix before slotting past Penders to put Spurs 2-0 up.That goal marked the Frenchman’s first of the season despite having already made four starts. Tel began the campaign as Roberto De Zerbi’s go-to man on the left, but his lack of end product saw him lose his place, with Omar Marmoush and Savio filling in at times.De Zerbi had previously criticised Tel’s decision-making in the final third, saying after the game against Nottingham Forest: “In that position, we have Mathys Tel, big potential. But also Mathys takes too many wrong decisions.”Unsurprisingly, that was the wide forward’s last start until Saturday’s clash with Chelsea.However, following his Stamford Bridge heroics, De Zerbi did not hold back praise, revealing that Tel’s performance – alongside Mohammed Kudus – was decisive in Spurs’ win. He said: “But Mathys Tel played very well. I think we won the game with two wingers, Kudus and Mathys, they made the difference.”Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty ImagesRoberto De Zerbi praises Mathys Tel after Chelsea heroicsSpeaking to BBC Sport, De Zerbi again praised Tel while reviewing his team’s overall performance. He admitted the Frenchman remains a big talent but urged him to find composure in the final third.He said: “Mathys needs to play to understand football, become calmer, but he is a big talent.”M. TelTottenham – Premier League (2026 – 2027)Appearances6Minutes Played351Average Rating6.69Goals1Assists0Key Passes5Dribble Attempts27Successful Dribbles14Yellow Cards0Red Cards0Stats correct as of 25 October 2026.De Zerbi also reflected on the confidence gained from such a big win, saying: “I think it is important for the players to believe more in themselves because their qualities are very high. We are happy for the fans, first of all, because we know what it means to beat Chelsea and for the club as well.“In the last years they suffered, like the fans, they believe in this project, in this group and I am happy for them.”Asked if it was Tottenham’s best performance under him, he replied: “With Tottenham, of course.”De Zerbi singles out James Maddison and Tottenham dominanceTel was not the only player to earn praise, with De Zerbi also highlighting James Maddison’s impact before his injury.He said: “He played very well while he was on the pitch then Conor Gallagher played with different characteristics. Different style but he played very well.“James is a different player. He feels football, he understands football. It is easier for me when you have a player of his talent.J. MaddisonTottenham – Premier League (2026 – 2027)Appearances6Minutes Played195Average Rating6.96Goals1Assists0Passes163Key Passes1Pass Accuracy (%)87.00Yellow Cards0Red Cards0Stats correct as of 25 October 2026.Opening up about the midfielder’s injury, he added: “I think it is not a big problem. We have to see.”There was no doubt Spurs deserved their win, dominating Chelsea throughout. De Zerbi acknowledged the performance, praising his players’ preparation and spirit.He said: “I think we deserved to win. The players worked very well, prepared very well the game. This morning, yesterday, all days in the last week and the qualities of the players are very clear.“I am happy for the spirit of the players. I think we have to change the last part of the history of our club. I would like to follow in this way.”On fight and spirit, he added: “Football is the quality of the play, the quality of the players, for sure, but it is a competition. It is a fight. You have to run, you have to fight, you have to arrive first to the second ball. You have to win the duels and we did.”On tactics, he explained: “We knew Chelsea play very well, they have clear organisation, clear structure on the pitch. We prepared our players with two midfielders and James Maddison with freedom, where he smells the right position.”READ MORE: Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures compared with big six rivals after Chelsea winThe post Mathys Tel must do two things to mature from a mere Tottenham ‘talent’ – Roberto De Zerbi appeared first on Spurs Web.