adminTottenham Hotspur have finally secured their first Premier League point of the season, but there is still plenty of concern surrounding Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
After three league matches, Spurs remain without a win or a goal, while several important attacking players continue to work their way back from injury.
The goalless draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground at least halted the run of defeats to Brentford and Newcastle. However, Tottenham still looked short of creativity and attacking threat.
Savio and Destiny Udogie both continued their carefully managed returns against Forest before being substituted shortly after the hour mark. Importantly, neither player suffered a new injury, which will come as a relief to De Zerbi and the Tottenham medical staff.
Kulusevski suffers minor setback
Dejan Kulusevski has returned to training with the Tottenham squad, but the club are understandably unwilling to take unnecessary risks with his recovery.
The Swedish international has been sidelined for almost 18 months following a serious patella injury, meaning Spurs are taking a cautious approach as he works towards full fitness.
De Zerbi provided an update on Kulusevski, revealing that the midfielder had trained earlier in the week before experiencing a minor issue.
“Kulusevski started [training] with us at the beginning of the week, and then the last two days, a small, small problem, stopped [him from training],” De Zerbi explained.
The Tottenham boss remained positive about the player’s progress, adding: “But I think he’s in a good way. It’s going very well. I already said the medical staff is very high level.”
De Zerbi also admitted he is eager to have Kulusevski available again.
“We can be positive with him. I’m looking forward to having Deki in the squad.”
While the comments provide encouragement, Tottenham have yet to establish a definite date for Kulusevski’s return to competitive action.
Simons and Odobert face longer spells on the sidelines
Xavi Simons is expected to remain unavailable until 2027 after suffering an ACL injury against Wolves in April last season.
His absence has been particularly noticeable for Tottenham, who have lacked creativity in the attacking midfield areas during the opening weeks of the campaign.
Simons’ ability to create opportunities and unlock defensive lines is something Spurs have clearly missed, and his expected return in early 2027 means De Zerbi will have to find alternative solutions for the foreseeable future.
Wilson Odobert is also recovering from an ACL injury sustained last season. However, his rehabilitation is understood to be further advanced than Simons’, raising hopes that he could return before the end of 2026.
Tottenham desperately need attacking reinforcements
For Tottenham, the situation is becoming increasingly straightforward: they need to start scoring goals.
The draw at Forest finally put a point on the board, but Spurs remain without a league goal after three matches. With several of their most creative and dangerous attacking players still unavailable, De Zerbi faces a difficult challenge.
The potential returns of Kulusevski and Odobert could provide a major boost, but Tottenham will need to remain patient and avoid rushing either player back before they are fully ready.
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