Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has expressed confidence that his side will soon discover the attacking cohesion they have been missing, as the north London club continues its search for a first Premier League goal of the season.
Spurs remain without a top-flight strike this campaign, a statistic that has cast a shadow over the early weeks of De Zerbi's tenure. Despite the frustration, the Italian coach insists that his belief in the squad remains unshaken and that a breakthrough is imminent.
"I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players, and when we arrive to find the click, to win a game, I think we enjoy with these players," De Zerbi said, underlining his faith in the group's quality despite the lack of end product so far.
A significant boost for the club's attacking prospects came in the form of Mohammed Kudus, who returned to action with his first Tottenham start since Anfield, marking his comeback from a long-term quad injury sustained back in January. The Ghanaian international's return has clearly energized De Zerbi, who sees him as a crucial and flexible piece in his tactical setup going forward.
"Kudus is another (who is) great news for us, because he can play also as a number 10," De Zerbi explained. The coach went on to outline a potential attacking quartet featuring Kudus alongside Savio, Dominic Solanke, and Omar Marmoush, suggesting a fluid, interchangeable forward line could be on the horizon.
The returning options extend beyond Kudus. With midfielders and full-backs also capable of contributing going forward, De Zerbi believes Spurs have the personnel to field as many as eight attack-minded players simultaneously, a bold approach that speaks to his attacking ambitions for the team.
That philosophy was further reflected in his comments regarding James Maddison, another player working his way back from a serious injury lay-off. The England midfielder has not started a match since May 2025, having suffered a cruciate ligament tear that kept him sidelined for an extended period. He further complicated his recovery timeline with a shoulder fracture, though he has managed three substitute appearances this season as he builds his fitness.
De Zerbi was full of praise for Maddison's quality but stressed the importance of him reaching peak physical condition before being fully integrated into the starting lineup.
"Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player," De Zerbi said. "But he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition, because the Premier League intensity, even tonight, is incredible. And then we can play with eight attackers."
Tottenham's defense has also felt the effects of injuries this season, with Pedro Porro sidelined by a muscle problem, leaving a notable gap at full-back. Nevertheless, the growing depth in attacking areas offers De Zerbi reason for optimism as his side looks to turn performances into results.
With Kudus back in the fold and Maddison edging closer to full fitness, Tottenham's coach appears convinced that once his attacking pieces align, the goals — and results — will follow. For now, though, the pressure remains on Spurs to translate promising individual returns into the collective breakthrough that has so far eluded them in the league.
Based on reporting from standard-football.