Tottenham Hotspur's goal drought has extended after a home loss to Aston Villa, meaning they have not scored in their first four league matches of the season. The weekend result leaves the club 17th in the standings with only two points.
Roberto De Zerbi, appointed in April, was questioned about whether he had faced a similar lack of goals before. He responded that he had not, noting that while he has sometimes conceded many goals, scoring problems were new. The coach highlighted the number of good opportunities created in a recent defeat at Liverpool as proof the team is creating chances.
Striker situation scrutinised
De Zerbi supported his forward players despite their lack of goals. He described summer signings Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush as good players. He also commented on the situation with Richarlison, stating it had recently changed and was not his choice. The manager questioned how many strikers were needed, pointing out he had three available.
Richarlison is part of a significant injury list that also includes other key players. With those individuals unavailable, others have had to try to score. Mathys Tel, who began the first three matches, has not scored and was left out after a game where the team did not manage a shot on target.
Historical company
This poor start places Tottenham alongside Coventry City as the only teams to begin a Premier League season with four scoreless games and not get relegated. The most recent side to have such a beginning and still finish well was an Aston Villa team managed by Unai Emery, which recovered from a similar start to place fourth and win a European trophy.
Emery's present Villa team delivered the latest setback. The loss extends a poor run for Spurs, who have been defeated in their last two games and earned only two points from four matches. Their goal difference is negative, and they trail the league leaders by a significant margin.
De Zerbi recognized that things need to improve. He mentioned needing a turning point, which could come from a fortunate victory to boost morale or from players developing a better understanding. He stressed the importance of remaining composed, arguing that based on their play, they should have more points.
Fans concerned about the squad can view the latest updates on the club's injuries page. The sole goal Tottenham has managed in their last five games across all tournaments came in a defeat at Liverpool, with the other four matches yielding no goals.
Focus now shifts to the next fixture following a long break. Tottenham will visit Manchester United, a team currently positioned 13th. The upcoming matches can be seen on the fixtures page.
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