Four matches into the new Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur find themselves alongside Coventry City as the only two clubs still searching for their first league goal. It is a curious situation for a club that spent roughly £320m in the transfer market over the summer, much of it on attacking reinforcements, and one that raises questions about how new manager Roberto De Zerbi is attempting to reshape the side.
De Zerbi, who took charge after leaving Marseille, has brought with him the same possession-based philosophy that made his teams so productive in France, where his side averaged 2.3 goals per game. The Italian's approach centres on inviting opposition pressure through patient, often backward passing, before suddenly accelerating play to exploit the space left behind. As he explained in a 2020 coaching seminar, "the stronger the pressure of the opponent, the more vertical [our] action becomes," adding that fewer defenders behind the press makes it "easier to go and score."
At Tottenham, this has translated into a fluid shape that often resembles a 2-3-2-3 in possession, built around a fixed back three of two centre-backs and a holding midfielder — usually Rodrigo Bentancur. Full-backs, wingers and central midfielders rotate freely around this base, filling space as team-mates vacate it. Sandro Tonali, for instance, has been seen operating in areas typically associated with a left-back, while Archie Gray — deployed unnaturally at right-back — has shown a good understanding of the tight, congested zones De Zerbi demands.
The central emphasis of this system serves two purposes: it draws opposition midfielders forward, opening pockets between the lines for Spurs' attacking players, and it can pull defenders infield, creating room out wide for direct wingers. Sequences from matches against Everton and Liverpool have illustrated these patterns taking shape, with gaps regularly appearing between opposition lines.
However, turning these promising build-up situations into genuine chances has proven difficult. Analysis suggests the main issue lies not in reaching advanced areas but in what happens next — specifically, a reluctance or failure to spot and execute the incisive pass into space. Attacking runs, particularly from new signing Omar Marmoush, have often gone unrewarded as team-mates opt for safer options rather than the killer ball.
Part of the challenge is habitual. Under previous manager Thomas Frank last season, Tottenham built play primarily through the flanks, largely bypassing central areas to minimise the risk of turnovers. De Zerbi's system demands the opposite mentality, and adapting to it will take time for players still adjusting to his methods.
The returns of James Maddison, back from a shoulder injury after appearing in the Carabao Cup win at Liverpool, and Pedro Porro, who played a more central role for Spain during their World Cup triumph this summer, could help ease this transition. Both are seen as well-suited to operating in the tight spaces De Zerbi's system requires.
Off the ball, movement also needs refining. At Marseille, diagonal runs from wide forwards — often finished by the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — were a key source of goals. Signs of similar patterns have appeared at Spurs, notably through Destiny Udogie's forward bursts against Liverpool, though final execution remains inconsistent. Right-footed dynamics have also proven awkward: with left-footed players such as Udogie and Andy Robertson often the ones getting into crossing positions, cutbacks have been harder to deliver compared to Marseille's right-sided combinations.
Despite the winless start in front of goal, the underlying process suggests Tottenham are closer to clicking than the results indicate. All of the side's goals this season have come in the Carabao Cup, but with returning personnel and growing familiarity with De Zerbi's principles, an upturn in Premier League fortunes may not be far away.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.