In Matchday 4 of the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur drew 0-0 with Everton at home, with the hosts failing to score in four consecutive Premier League matches. The Athletic analyzed the match, stating that problems for Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi are mounting.

Reports show that massive investments exceeding £300 million this summer appear not to have boosted the team's attacking power, as they have failed to score in four consecutive matches. It was also the first 0-0 draw in a Premier League match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since its reconstruction.

Savinho, Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmush started together in Tottenham Hotspur's lineup for the first time, with Brazilian forward Savinho often the most impressive performer for the hosts from the start.

However, the first half was largely uninspiring, compounded by noticeably poor pitch conditions; James Maddison's free kick, saved by Antonín Kinský, was the only shot on target in the entire match. Early in the second half, a Mateusz Fernández shot finally tested Jordan Pickford, and then Kinský blocked a header from Tiérnô Barry.

Frustration from the home crowd was clearly audible. Kinský nearly gifted Everton an advantage by giving the ball directly to Hall, but then made a brilliant save to atone. At the end of the match, Pickford repeated Kinský's mistake by giving the ball to Lucas Bergvall, but quickly recovered to block the shot, and Tottenham's attack fizzled out.

How did Tottenham's new attacking trio perform?

When De Zerbi was appointed Tottenham manager, the main challenge was how he would set up his team to break down deep defenses. This was an old problem he faced during his previous spell at Brighton in the Premier League.

The initial idea was that Tottenham would attract numerous strong reinforcements in the transfer market, and by relying on the individual abilities and technical qualities of these players, De Zerbi would have more tactical options in the attacking third.

However, Tottenham still struggled to break through Everton's defense. This continued the weak attacking problem seen earlier against Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle – although they had a bright spell against Newcastle.

The trio of Savinho, Solanke and Marmush, with Marmush on the left playing more centrally, failed to create any meaningful threat, with none of them registering a shot on target.

Tottenham's main attacking threat came from right-back Archie Gray and runs from Mateusz Fernández into the right half-space. Moyes' team specifically contained these two players in the second half of the first period.

Even after Tottenham brought on Matías Sels, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall as replacements for Dominic Solanke, Fernández and Rodrigo Bentancur, and adjusted their attacking setup, the attack remained blunt.

At this point in the season, the inability to break down deep, compact defenses remains De Zerbi's biggest challenge.

What's wrong with Tottenham's home pitch?

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is not just a football stadium; it has become one of London's premier venues for major events, annually hosting two NFL games.

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

However, hosting numerous events has also had negative consequences: deteriorating pitch quality. American rapper Jay-Z held two concerts there last week, which may explain why several patches of the pitch were yellowed and uneven.

The stadium is equipped with a retractable pitch system, and even when the pitch is removed, special lamps can maintain its condition. Tottenham staff use robotic lawnmowers to maintain the entire pitch, ensuring it meets Premier League standards.

Despite this, this was only the third match held at the stadium this season, yet the pitch looked as poor as it did in May at the end of the season.

Will Archie Grey be Tottenham's right-back long-term?

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

Following Djed Spence's transfer to Inter Milan (approximately €30 million, equivalent to £25 million or $34 million), Tottenham did not sign a replacement for Spence as backup right-back to Pedro Porro. On one hand, Porro has an exceptionally high availability rate; since his permanent move in 2023, his playing time has far exceeded that of any other Tottenham player.

On the other hand, this reflects De Zerbi's trust in Archie Grey. Throughout preseason and in the season's opening match against Brentford, De Zerbi handed the young player the captain's armband.

Now, with Porro sidelined by a minor injury (which may become more common as Tottenham implements injury prevention management to avoid another major injury crisis), the 20-year-old was given another opportunity to play.

In defense, Archie Grey effectively limited the dribbling of Tyrick Gathers, and also coped well with Jack Grealish after he replaced Gathers. In attack, he felt most comfortable alternating with Fernández in the right half-space, demonstrating excellent athleticism and passing vision.

When Archie Grey plays as a midfielder, he sometimes struggles to match the pace of Premier League football. At right-back, whether with or without the ball, he can make high-speed runs into open space, which currently better suits his attributes.

The Premier League is full of talented wingers, and he faces more serious defensive tests ahead. But overall, this was one of his most complete performances in a Tottenham shirt.

Do both teams miss Richarlison?

Had things gone differently, he could be in Rio de Janeiro right now. On Saturday, the man who could have changed the outcome for both teams was still sitting in the stands at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a mere lonely spectator.

Dressed in a black casual shirt, shorts and trainers, Richarlison watched his former and current clubs battle each other, both struggling to score goals.

This match made it clear that Tottenham struggled to score, while Everton had only one experienced striker available. Both teams could regret not having Richarlison in their squad. The Brazilian forward scored 11 Premier League goals last season, becoming Tottenham's top scorer; had those goals been scored for Everton, he would have also been Everton's top scorer.

The reality is that De Zerbi excluded the player from the Premier League squad this season – the team 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 visitors, Everton, can say that failing to sign Richarlison was beyond their control. It is reported that the financial terms of the deal were initially unworkable, and Richarlison himself refused to return to Merseyside, despite his goals being exactly what Everton desperately needed.

Barry was Moyes' only reliable striker, and for the second match in a row he squandered a clear goalscoring opportunity: Tyrick Gathers delivered a dangerous cross, and Barry sent the header straight into Kinský's hands.

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

Now he finds himself in a difficult position, without a club to play for; and these two clubs also face numerous questions about their ability to score goals.

Переведено ИИ.

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