What's happened
Spurs have not scored in four straight Premier League matches after a 0-0 draw with Everton at home, prompting scrutiny of Roberto De Zerbi’s rebuilt side amid heavy summer spending. Everton defend well and pressurise Spurs, while misfiring attackers and tactical frictions surface as fans boo at the final whistle.
What's behind the headline?
The analysis explores how Tottenham’s heavy investment is failing to translate into on-pitch ruthlessness. The side shows promising ball movement but lacks final-third composure and clinical finishing. The problem appears not only tactical but psychological, as the team struggles to break through early pressure and maintain momentum. The emphasis on bringing in multiple new players risks disjointed cohesion while the manager experiments with roles (Tel, Fernandes, Marmoush) and in-game adjustments. Expect continued experimentation; the upcoming fixtures will test whether De Zerbi can foster collective identity or whether more structural changes are needed.
- The headline belies a broader issue: Tottenham’s attack is not yet firing, despite the marquee summer outlay.
- Behind the scenes, tactical signals suggest a shift from transfer-market building to on-field chemistry, with players still adapting to new roles.
- The likely next steps: De Zerbi will continue to rotate attackers and push for a higher-tempo final third, while fans demand visible improvement in finishing and decisive plays.
- The outcome for readers: expect more updates as Tottenham seek to break the scoring drought and regain momentum.
How we got here
Tottenham Hotspur have spent over 300m this summer to overhaul their squad, aiming to improve attacking output after finishing last season just above relegation danger. New signings include Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Omar Marmoush and Savio, with others arriving on loans or free transfers. The team has yet to find an identity or rhythm in the early league games.
Our analysis
According to BBC Business, The Guardian, and Independent reports, Tottenham’s struggles to score have dominated early-season discourse. BBC Business notes the 0-0 draw with Everton has intensified scrutiny after a summer outlay. The Guardian highlights De Zerbi’s insistence on building a team beyond the transfer market, and the Independent emphasizes the fan reaction and broader concerns about identity and structure. The articles collectively underscore a critical period for Tottenham as they attempt to translate investment into results.
Go deeper
- What changes is Spurs making to break their scoring drought?
- Are the new signings fitting into De Zerbi’s system or is more time needed?
- What will be the next fixture’s outcome given current form?
More on these topics
-
Roberto De Zerbi - Italian football manager
Roberto De Zerbi is an Italian professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk.
-
Everton F.C. - Football club
Everton Football Club is an English professional football club based in Liverpool that competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.
-
Omar Marmoush - Egyptian football player
Omar Khaled Mohamed Abd Elsala Marmoush is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart, on loan from VfL Wolfsburg, and the Egypt national team.
-
Tonali - Italian footballer
Sandro Tonali is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Milan and the Italy national football team.
-
Brentford F.C. - Football club
Brentford Football Club are a professional football club in Brentford, Greater London, England, which competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.
-
Jordan Pickford - English association football player (born 1994)
Jordan Lee Pickford (né Logan; born 7 March 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Everton and the England national team. Pickford has previously played for Sunderland's academy, reserve, and senior.
-
James Maddison - English footballer
James Daniel Maddison is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Leicester City and the England national team. Maddison began his career with Coventry City before joining Norwich City in 2016. He spe
-
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - English association football player (born 1998)
Kiernan Frank Dewsbury-Hall (born 6 September 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Everton. Dewsbury-Hall started his career with Leicester City, joining their youth system in 2006. He signed his first professional contract in 2017, and made his senior debut in the FA Cup in 2019. He went on loan to Blackpool in 2020 and to Luton Town for the 2020–21 season. After impressing for Luton, he broke into the Leicester first-team the following season. The team was relegated in the 2022–23 season, but Dewsbury-Hall played an integral role in returning the club to the Premier League by winning the Championship, and won Leicester Player of the Season. He signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2024, and transferred to Everton the following summer.
-
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Stadium in London, England
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the home of Tottenham Hotspur in north London, replacing the club's previous stadium, White Hart Lane. With a seating capacity of 62,303, it is the third-largest stadium in England and the largest club stadium in London.
-
Premier League - Football league
The Premier League, often referred to as the English Premier League or the EPL outside England, is the top level of the English football league system.
-
David Moyes - Football coach
David William Moyes is a Scottish professional football coach and former player. He is currently the manager of Premier League club West Ham United.
-
Sky Sports - Television channel
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription television sports channels operated by the satellite pay-TV company Sky, a division of Comcast. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
-
Newcastle United F.C. - Football club
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, that plays in the Premier League, the top flight of English football.
-
Archie Gray - English footballer
Archie James Francis Gray is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or right-back for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
-
Marcos Senesi - Argentina soccer player
Marcos Nicolás Senesi Barón is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defender for Feyenoord of the Dutch Eredivisie.
-
Yoane Wissa - Footballer
Yoane Wissa is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Brentford. A product of the Châteauroux academy, Wissa began his senior career with the club in 2015 and following a spell with Angers, he transferred to Lorient in 2
-
Bentancur - Uruguayan footballer
Rodrigo Bentancur Colmán is an Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Juventus and the Uruguay national team. He started his career in the youth system of Argentine side Boca Juniors in 2009.
-
England - Country of the United Kingdom
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by
-
Mohammed Kudus - Ghanaian footballer
Mohammed Kudus is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Eredivisie club Ajax and the Ghana national team.
-
Crystal Palace F.C. - Football club
Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in Selhurst, South London, England, who currently compete in the Premier League, the highest level of English football.
-
Brennan Johnson - Footballer
Brennan Price Johnson is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Nottingham Forest and the Wales national football team.
-
Neco Williams - Welsh association football player
Neco Shay Williams (born 13 April 2001) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a full-back for Premier League club Nottingham Forest and the Wales national team. Williams started out with Cefn United at age six. He joined Liverpool's youth team in 2007. He later made 33 total appearances for their first team. He was loaned out to Fulham in January 2022, before joining Nottingham Forest permanently later that year. Born in Cefn Mawr, Williams represents Wales at senior level. He was a member of the Wales squad that qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first to do so since 1958.
-
Anthony Elanga - Swedish footballer
Anthony David Junior Elanga is a Swedish professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United.
-
Pedro Porro - Spanish footballer
Pedro Antonio Porro Sauceda is a Spanish footballer who plays for Primeira Liga club Sporting CP, on loan from Manchester City. He also represents the Spain national team. Mainly a right back, he can also play as a winger.
-
Jan Paul van Hecke - Dutch soccer player
Jan Paul van Hecke is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for Blackburn Rovers on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.
-
Nottingham Forest F.C. - Football club
Nottingham Forest Football Club, often referred to as Forest, are a professional football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England.