Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham goal drought faces ultimate test at Anfield

Four Premier League matches into the season, Tottenham Hotspur have produced zero league goals. Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium delivered another installment of offensive inertia with a dreary 0-0 draw against Everton. Spurs dominated possession and shuffled the ball across their backline, yet generated almost nothing inside the box.

The tactical rhythm has broken down completely. Aside from a 5-1 win against Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup second round, Roberto De Zerbi's attack has looked toothless. The quick combinations that defined De Zerbi's best teams have dissolved into slow sideways passing.

De Zerbi is trying personal gestures to lift squad morale. According to reporting from The Guardian, the Italian manager took his squad for dinner in Mayfair last week and paid the bill. He laughed off his personal expenses afterward with characteristic charm.

“As long as I keep some money for my cigarettes, then no problem.”

Generous dinners build team spirit, but they cannot fix spacing on the pitch. When Everton sat in a compact mid-block on Saturday, Tottenham's build-up stalled immediately. The ball moved lazily from center-back to full-back without any penetration into central channels.

De Zerbi's system requires opposition teams to step forward and press. When opponents decline the invitation and defend deep, Spurs look bewildered. They recycle possession without purpose, compiling pass counts while threatening no one.

The underlying numbers confirm a troubling trend. Putting five goals past lower-league Charlton masked structural flaws that top-flight defenses expose weekly. Tottenham are not simply missing chances; they fail to create high-value shots.

Unlocking low blocks demands aggressive off-the-ball runs or wingers delivering early service. Against Everton, Spurs lacked both. Their possession was predictable and simple for Sean Dyche's defense to neutralize.

De Zerbi pointed to his head after the Everton match, calling for mental strength. Yet psychological resolve cannot compensate for static positioning when defenders compress thirty yards of space.

The Dominic Solanke Problem: Misalignment in De Zerbi's Setup

At the heart of this scoring drought stands Dominic Solanke. Tottenham spent £55m to bring the 29-year-old forward from Bournemouth following his 19 goals in the 2023-24 Premier League campaign. Yet right now, Solanke looks isolated inside the opponent's eighteen-yard box.

An ankle injury during the pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia derailed his conditioning. That missing sharpness showed against Everton, where he registered minimal touches inside the area before being subbed off. De Zerbi maintains total faith in his striker ahead of Tuesday's Carabao Cup trip to Anfield.

Speaking to reporters before the match, De Zerbi emphasized his commitment. As De Zerbi confirmed in his press conference, Solanke retains his manager's full backing.

“Dom is a sensitive guy. He needs to feel full confidence – and from myself, he has big, big confidence. I believe he can score 10-15 goals, for sure. He’s already scored in Bournemouth so why not he can score in Tottenham? It’s the same sport.”

De Zerbi recalled watching Solanke dismantle his Brighton defense at the Amex Stadium in September 2023. Brighton won that match 3-1, but Solanke's intelligent movement left a lasting impression. De Zerbi turned to his assistant during that game and asked who the striker was.

The issue today is that Bournemouth's attacking mechanics under Andoni Iraola differed radically from De Zerbi's build-up. At Bournemouth, Solanke attacked wide channels on fast transitions with open space ahead. He fed on direct service against retreating lines.

At Tottenham, De Zerbi expects Solanke to act as a target wall-pass hub while center-backs pin him from behind. Without midfielders making late runs past him, Solanke's chief assets are wasted. He receives the ball with his back to goal, thirty yards out, surrounded by defenders.

That is not a confidence crisis; it is a structural mismatch. Solanke has scored 22 additional Premier League goals across his career, including 12 for Spurs, proving his finishing capability. Expecting a rhythm striker to produce without box entries is unrealistic.

Spurs do feature Omar Marmoush, who scored seven Premier League goals for Manchester City in the second half of 2024-25 after moving from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. Marmoush offers direct dribbling and explosive pace out wide. Yet De Zerbi keeps leaning on Solanke, trusting that minutes will kickstart his season.

Training Ground Fixes and Midfield Depletion

De Zerbi has intensified analytical routines to rectify these attacking errors. He has scheduled extra video sessions, analyzing clips in group meetings and sending footage to individual players. Training drills have focused on attacking crosses correctly and pressing high to regain possession in the final third.

De Zerbi also revealed that players voluntarily stayed behind after practice for extra shooting drills. While extra practice builds muscle memory, it cannot solve structural issues. Tottenham's problem is not poor finishing on target; it is the absence of clear chance creation.

Mounting injuries have further disrupted De Zerbi's tactical plans. Midfielder Sandro Tonali will miss the Liverpool fixture with a knock. Right-back Pedro Porro remains out, depriving Tottenham of his dangerous diagonal crosses.

James Maddison is also unavailable to start, leaving Spurs without their primary central playmaker. Without Maddison's vision to slice through low blocks, Tottenham's midfield lacks imagination. Possession gets trapped in wide areas, forcing full-backs into rushed crosses.

The return of Destiny Udogie provides a vital boost on the left flank. Udogie's capacity to invert into central zones can draw defenders away from Solanke. Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus is ready to start, giving De Zerbi essential 1v1 dribbling quality.

Richarlison will not feature at Anfield despite being eligible. De Zerbi indicated he will rotate his lineup, with Marcos Senesi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, and Mathys Tel all pushing to start. Changing five or six starting players ahead of a cup tie at Anfield carries structural risk.

Here is how De Zerbi's potential changes shape up across the pitch for Tuesday's clash at Anfield:

• Defensive adjustments: Marcos Senesi and Tosin Adarabioyo are in contention to start alongside Ben Davies in a rebuilt backline.
• Midfield structure: With Tonali knocked and Maddison out, Lucas Bergvall could be handed central ball-progression duties.
• Attacking options: Mohammed Kudus is ready to start on the wing alongside Mathys Tel, supporting Solanke or Marmoush up front.

The Anfield Crucible: Facing a 17-Match Ghost

Tottenham's record at Anfield is atrocious. Spurs are winless in their last 17 matches away to Liverpool across all competitions. Heading to Merseyside during a scoring crisis is an intimidating challenge.

Liverpool's counter-pressing at Anfield is relentless. If De Zerbi demands that center-backs invite pressure inside their own box, one misplay will result in a goal. Everton lacked the pace to punish slow build-up play; Liverpool will show no mercy.

De Zerbi's philosophy demands brave possession regardless of venue or opponent. As reported in Tuesday's pre-match briefing, he pointed to his head and insisted Spurs must stay stronger mentally. He urged his players to maintain faith in their decisions rather than constantly changing coaches or tactics.

Tactical conviction is admirable, but unyielding stubbornness can turn principle into self-sabotage. If Spurs try to play out from the back with a rotated defense featuring Adarabioyo and Davies, Liverpool's forwards will target those turnover triggers.

The key to unlocking Solanke and breaking this drought is faster transition speed. When Tottenham win possession in midfield, they must pass forward immediately rather than resetting to center-backs. Solanke needs early balls into channels while defenders retreat, not late crosses into a crowded box.

Mohammed Kudus could prove decisive in this setup. His capability to beat defenders 1v1 creates instant numerical advantages. If Kudus forces Liverpool's full-back to retreat, space will open for Solanke or Mathys Tel.

Yet if Tottenham produce another evening of lateral passing and zero shots on target, criticism of De Zerbi's tactical fit will grow rapidly. Mayfair dinners and video clips only buy a manager so much time. Tuesday's Carabao Cup tie is a direct test of whether De Zerbi's methods can work under pressure.

If Spurs draw a blank for the fifth time in five domestic games against top-tier opposition, no amount of managerial confidence will hide the cracks. De Zerbi needs goals, and he needs them immediately at Anfield.