Tottenham went four Premier League games without scoring a goal this season.
Roberto De Zerbi is already feeling the heat at Tottenham Hotspur after his side’s dismal start to the new Premier League season. The North London club have collected only two points from opening five games of the season and headed into the international break rock bottom in the table.
The ongoing international break could not have come at a better time for Spurs, as Roberto De Zerbi and his coaching staff look for ways to turn things around at N17. After a club-record spending spree in the summer, a lot more was expected from De Zerbi’s side. The Lilywhites also had to wait until Saturday to open their Premier League goalscoring account, with their first strike of the campaign arriving against Aston Villa, although it eventually counted for little as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat at home.
Tottenham are struggling to score goals, despite bringing in the likes of Omar Marmoush, Savio and Mykhailo Mudryk during the summer transfer window. As a result, De Zerbi is facing mounting scrutiny to turn the club’s fortunes around.
Clinton Morrison slams Tottenham’s decision against signing a striker
De Zerbi has handed the non-international Spurs players a week off after a physically and mentally draining month, with training set to resume at Hotspur Way at the start of next week. This break will provide the 47-year-old tactician and his players with a rest and a chance to switch off and start afresh.
Several pundits and ex-players have voiced their frustrations over the north London side’s poor performances so far this season. Former Crystal Palace forward Clinton Morrison pointed to Tottenham’s recent displays and stressed that they have shown enough positive signs to warrant patience. However, he thinks De Zerbi missed a trick by not signing a striker in the summer.
“I think they have good attacking players; they will score goals and win games at some point,” Clinton Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.
“The only thing they have missed is when signing all these midfielders and attacking players, they have missed a centre forward.
“De Zerbi will not put his arm around you – it’s his way or the highway, and you have to produce for him. The hierarchy has backed him and given him the money; now he has to get results.
“But their upcoming fixtures don’t look too bad. I do think scoring their first two Premier League goals, even in defeat, does help moving forward.”
Morrison argues that scoring two goals, albeit in a defeat to Villa, should help the Lilywhites get some confidence moving forward. The English pundit also remains confident that a breakthrough is coming for Tottenham, suggesting that one big attacking performance could spark them into life and see them suddenly start getting positive results.
Tough fixtures after the international break
After the international break, Tottenham face Manchester United at Old Trafford. They have London derbies against Chelsea and Crystal Palace in October, with further setbacks likely to increase the questions surrounding De Zerbi’s position.
The Italian tactician now has the important role of keeping the non-international players together, lifting their spirits in training and helping them achieve full fitness ahead of a gruelling October and November. He simply needs to find the right balance in his starting XI before the results start going their way after the extended international hiatus.
The Italian boss De Zerbi understandably needs some time to get a tune out of his squad after splashing the cash on a major squad renovation in the summer.
