Bobby Zamora explains why Dominic Solanke will thrive under Roberto De Zerbi as Spurs target a top-half turnaround.
Dominic Solanke has been backed to become the primary goalscoring catalyst for Tottenham Hotspur as head coach Roberto De Zerbi continues to implement his tactical framework in north London. Despite an underwhelming opening stretch to the 2026/27 campaign, former Premier League striker Bobby Zamora believes the 29-year-old forward will flourish once Spurs master their complex build-up patterns.
Tottenham currently find themselves at the bottom of the Premier League table in 20th place following a difficult five-match winless start. Solanke has registered just a single goal in seven appearances across all competitions so far, with his lone strike arriving during August’s Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic.
Tactical Mastery Key to Unlocking Final Third Success
Speaking in an exclusive interview with football.london, Zamora explained that De Zerbi’s initial focus at Hotspur Way has been centered on foundational structural principles, which has temporarily impacted service to the front line.
“Roberto’s all about build-up, playing out from the back, fantastic patterns, and cutting through lines,” Zamora stated. “The final third, which is the hardest part of the game to do, will be focused on at some stage. I think his fundamentals and basics are probably taking up a lot of the time in training; Solanke will thrive when everything is finally there.”
Zamora emphasized that early-season service has been limited across the collective unit, but insisted that chances will naturally flow once positional discipline becomes second nature.
“As a striker, you want to be scoring early, and you want to be in a positive mindset when the pressure falls on you to take one chance that drops to you in a game. There just haven’t been enough chances for Tottenham in general; I think that will come.”
Solanke’s importance to the squad has been heightened following the exile of Richarlison. The Brazilian forward informed Tottenham of his desire to leave late in the summer transfer window, leading to a fiery disagreement with De Zerbi and his subsequent exclusion from Spurs’ registered Premier League squad.
With Richarlison sidelined until at least the January transfer window, responsibility in the central attacking role falls squarely upon Solanke and summer arrival Omar Marmoush.
“Both the manager and, from what I can see, Richarlison, are fiery characters, so I don’t know if there’s any make-up to be done there and [Tottenham] may have to wait till January for him to go. It’s down to one of those guys, one of the strikers, to take their opportunity and make their season, make them the number one choice.”
While public pressure has intensified due to Tottenham’s position in the table, Zamora maintains that internal progress is visible and that a realistic recovery remains well within reach. He expects Spurs to gradually find their rhythm as tactical mechanics settle over the coming months.
“I can see them [finishing] 10th, top half of the table, and then next season really kicking on. They’ve obviously signed a lot of players, and all eyes are on them because of that as well, adding even more pressure to them. But I do think that there are elements, and I’m seeing bits and pieces of the game that do show me improvement.”
With crucial upcoming fixtures following the international break, starting with a high-stakes encounter against Manchester United, Solanke will have an immediate opportunity to establish himself as the main man upfront and spearhead Tottenham’s climb away from the bottom of the table.
