Why Spurs are struggling to score goals and what next?
BBC Sport explores Tottenham Hotspur's goal-scoring woes and Roberto De Zerbi's tactics.
A Struggle to Score
Spurs have brought in significant talent this season, but they remain winless and goalless in the Premier League after four games.
By Umir Irfan, Football Tactics Correspondent
Understanding De Zerbi's Philosophy
De Zerbi's approach involves enticing opposition pressure, slowing play, and then quickly countering with direct passing or powerful carries into open spaces behind the pressers. This method has been successful in his previous roles, including at Brighton until 2024.
Spurs' Set-Up: A 2-3-2-3 Shape
Spurs' formation often resembles a 2-3-2-3, with Rodrigo Bentancur as the holding midfielder and central defenders remaining stationary. The shape fluctuates with wingers and full-backs rotating positions, maintaining the side's structure through gap-filling rotation.
Central Play and Its Impact
De Zerbi encourages central play, which has two key effects:
- It draws opposing players forward, creating space for attacking midfielders between the lines.
- It opens up wide areas for direct wingers to exploit.
Glimpses of Success but Room for Improvement
Despite a slow start, De Zerbi's tactics show promise, with Spurs averaging 2.3 goals per game during his time at Marseille (2024-2026). With some fine-tuning, they could soon find the net more consistently.