Tottenham have spent heavily, changed the mood around the place and still find themselves staring uneasily at the lower reaches of the Premier League. Roberto De Zerbi’s side are 17th after taking two points from four league matches, and the most awkward line of all is a simple one: Spurs have yet to score in the competition.
Key takeaways
- Tottenham are fourth from bottom with two points from a possible 12.
- The club invested €366.35 million on new players, a total exceeded only by Manchester City and Chelsea among Europe’s major leagues.
- Spurs have drawn blanks against Brentford, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Everton.
- Richarlison has been left out of the Premier League squad after a public dispute with De Zerbi.
- De Zerbi believes Dominic Solanke can deliver between 10 and 15 goals this season.
Big spending has not yet changed the table
Last season’s narrow escape from relegation was supposed to be the warning shot. Tottenham responded by opening the chequebook, bringing in players including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Sávio, Jan Paul van Hecke and Tosin Adarabioyo in an attempt to restore the club to the Big Six conversation.
The €366.35m outlay was vast by any measure. Manchester City spent €526.2m and Chelsea €406.7m, but no other club in the major European leagues went beyond Tottenham’s total. For now, though, the new pieces have not settled into a functioning side.
The league record reads two draws and two defeats: a 3-0 loss at Brentford, a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle, and scoreless draws with Nottingham Forest and Everton. Two clean sheets in the latest pair of matches offered De Zerbi a sliver of encouragement, even if goals remain notably absent.
“If this were Italy, I would be called the best manager in the world because we have kept clean sheets in the last two games,” De Zerbi said, recalling that he arrived last term when the club were in a desperate state.
Tottenham have won only one of their six matches in all competitions. That came in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Championship side Charlton, before Liverpool knocked them out 3-1 in the following round. De Zerbi felt the Liverpool result had been harsh on his team, admitting frustration while insisting his players must come through what he described as a difficult spell of bad fortune.
Richarlison row adds to De Zerbi’s workload
There is also a sharp edge to the situation around Richarlison. The Brazilian forward has been omitted from Tottenham’s Premier League list, and De Zerbi made clear that the striker would not be selected even if fit, including for Carabao Cup matches.
The manager pointed to Richarlison’s involvement in the Brentford defeat and said he had repeatedly tried to persuade the player to remain at the club at the start of the campaign. In De Zerbi’s view, he could not keep asking a reluctant player to stay. Richarlison’s response on Instagram was brief: “Why?”
Despite the noise, De Zerbi has not abandoned the longer view. “Results are our life,” he said. “When we lose, we suffer, feel sad, disappointed and frustrated. It is hard, but this project is only starting.” He believes that once the side begins to click, victories and goals will follow in numbers.
His faith extends to Solanke, whom he described as a sensitive player requiring complete belief from his manager. De Zerbi expects the forward to reach 10 to 15 goals, noting that Solanke has already managed that sort of return for Bournemouth. Tottenham need that prediction to become reality soon; the Premier League table is rarely patient with expensive rebuilding jobs.
SEO title: Tottenham’s goal drought leaves Roberto De Zerbi under early pressure
SEO description: Tottenham sit 17th after four Premier League matches without a goal, despite a €366.35m transfer spend and Roberto De Zerbi’s faith in Dominic Solanke.
