In Round 4 of the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur drew 0-0 with Everton at home, marking their fourth consecutive Premier League match without a goal. The Athletic analysed the match, stating that the problems facing Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi are deepening.

Reports show that a major summer investment of over £300 million appears to have failed to strengthen the team's attacking prowess, as they failed to score for the fourth consecutive match. This was also Tottenham Hotspur Stadium's first 0-0 draw in the Premier League since its reconstruction.

Savinho, Dominic Solanke, and Omar Marmoush made their combined debut for Tottenham Hotspur, with Brazilian winger Savinho being the most impressive performer for the home side from the start.

However, the first half was largely uninspiring, made worse by a visibly uneven pitch. James Garner's free-kick, saved by Antonín Kinský, was the only shot on target throughout the match. Early in the second half, a Matheus Fernandes effort finally tested Jordan Pickford, and Kinský then blocked a header from Thierno Barry.

Frustration from the home fans was evident. Kinský nearly gifted Everton the lead with a direct pass to Hall, but then made a brilliant save to redeem himself.

As the match wound down, Pickford mirrored Kinský's mistake by sending the ball to Lucas Bergvall, but quickly recovered to push an opponent's shot over the bar as Tottenham Hotspur's attacks fizzled out.

How did Tottenham Hotspur's new attacking trio perform?

When De Zerbi was appointed to lead Tottenham Hotspur, the main concern was how he would set up his team to break down deep defensive blocks. This was a persistent problem during his previous tenure at Brighton in the Premier League.

The initial idea was that Tottenham Hotspur would bring in several quality signings in the transfer market, and by leveraging the individual quality and technical attributes of these players, De Zerbi would have more tactical options in the final third.

However, Tottenham Hotspur still struggled to penetrate Everton's defence. This continued the attacking malaise seen in previous matches against Brentford, Nottingham Forest, and Newcastle—though there was a bright spell against Newcastle.

The trio of Savinho, Solanke, and Marmoush, with Marmoush on the left and playing more centrally, collectively failed to create a significant threat, with none of them managing a shot on target.

Tottenham Hotspur's main attacking threat came from right-back Gray and the forward runs of Matheus Fernandes down the right flank. Moyes's side specifically limited both players in the latter stages of the first half.

Even after Tottenham Hotspur brought on Mathys Tél, Mohammed Kudus, and Lucas Bergvall, replacing Solanke, Fernandes, and Rodrigo Bentancur, and adjusting their attacking shape, the attack remained blunt.

So far this season, the inability to break down deep, compact defences remains the biggest challenge for De Zerbi and his players.

What's wrong with Tottenham Hotspur's home pitch?

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is not just a football ground; it has become one of London's premier large-scale event venues, also hosting two NFL matches each year.

Revenue generated by the stadium partly explains why Tottenham Hotspur spent heavily in the summer transfer market. It is unusual for a team that finished 17th in the league for two consecutive seasons to have the third-highest transfer spending in the Premier League, behind only Manchester City and Chelsea, with total investment exceeding £300 million.

However, hosting numerous events also has a downside: damage to pitch quality. American rapper Jay-Z held two consecutive concerts here last week, which may explain why some areas of the pitch were discoloured and uneven.

The stadium is equipped with a retractable pitch system, and even when the pitch is retracted, growth lights can maintain its condition. Tottenham Hotspur's groundstaff use automated cutting machines to cover the entire pitch for maintenance, ensuring it meets Premier League standards.

Nevertheless, this is only the third match hosted at the stadium this season, yet the pitch looked as poor as it typically does in May at the end of the season.

Will Gray become a permanent right-back in the future?

Gray's aspiration is to be a midfielder, but based on his performance against Everton, his attributes may be better suited to the right-back position under De Zerbi.

After Djed Spence moved to Inter Milan (approximately €30 million, equivalent to £25 million or $34 million), Tottenham Hotspur did not recruit a replacement right-back to deputise for Pedro Porro. On one hand, Porro has an exceptionally high availability rate; since his permanent transfer in 2023, his playing time has far exceeded that of other Tottenham Hotspur players.

On the other hand, this reflects De Zerbi's faith in Gray. Throughout pre-season and in the season's opening match against Brentford, De Zerbi entrusted the captain's armband to the young player.

Now, with Porro absent due to a minor injury (which may become more common as Tottenham Hotspur implements injury prevention protocols to avoid another injury crisis), the 20-year-old has another opportunity to feature.

Defensively, Gray effectively contained Tyrique George's dribbles and then competently handled Jack Grealish, who replaced George. However, it was in attack where he appeared most comfortable, rotating with Fernandes down the right flank and displaying excellent physical attributes and passing range.

When Gray plays in midfield, he sometimes struggles to keep pace with Premier League's speed of play. At right-back, with or without the ball, he can make explosive runs into space, which better suits his current attributes.

The Premier League is full of talented wingers, and he will face sterner defensive tests ahead. However, overall, this was one of his most complete performances in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.

Are both teams missing Richarlison?

Had circumstances been different, he might be in Rio de Janeiro now. On Saturday, the man who could have changed the outcome for both teams sat in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium stands, a solitary spectator.

Dressed in a casual black t-shirt, shorts, and trainers, Richarlison watched his former and current clubs battle it out, both struggling to score.

This match made one thing clear: Tottenham Hotspur struggle to score goals, and Everton have only one fit senior striker remaining. Both teams may well regret not having Richarlison in their squad. The Brazilian striker scored 11 Premier League goals last season, making him Tottenham Hotspur's leading scorer; had those goals been scored for Everton, he would have been their leading scorer as well.

The reality is that De Zerbi has omitted the player from the Premier League squad this season—the club has lost patience with his repeated requests to leave. And Everton's attempt to re-sign their former player on the final day of the transfer window ultimately failed.

At least the visiting side, Everton, can claim that their failure to re-sign Richarlison was beyond their control. It was reported that the financial terms of the deal itself were not particularly feasible, and Richarlison himself refused to return to Merseyside, despite his goals being exactly what Everton desperately needed.

Barry, Moyes's only reliable striker, squandered a gilt-edged chance for the second consecutive match: Tyrique George sent in a dangerous cross, and Barry headed it straight into Kinský's arms.

Richarlison has stated he came very close to completing a loan move to Vasco da Gama until December, but the deal ultimately fell through.

He now finds himself unable to play; and both clubs face serious questions about their goalscoring ability.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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