adminTottenham Hotspur’s three-game Premier League winning streak came to an abrupt halt at Elland Road on Saturday, and the fall-out has been swift and uncomfortable. Noah Okafor’s late strike secured a 1-0 victory for Leeds United, but the focus in the aftermath has centred less on the scoreline and more on the individual performance of one Spurs attacker—and the growing pressure on Roberto De Zerbi to make a decisive change.
Among the many limp displays in North London’s attacking line, Mohammed Kudus has emerged as the primary target for frustration. The Ghanaian winger was handed a damning 3/10 rating by The Football Group following a performance in which he lost ten of his thirteen attempted duels and completed just one of seven crosses into the box . He created only a single chance before being withdrawn late on, and the statistics painted a picture of a player desperately short of confidence and end product.
While other outlets were marginally more generous—the BBC awarding him a 5/10 and noting “lots of endeavour but little end product”—the consensus was clear . Kudus, signed with considerable expectation, has yet to score this season and is creating just 1.1 chances per game. For a Spurs side that has managed only ten goals across ten Premier League matches in 2026/27, that simply is not enough .
De Zerbi’s Dilemma: Persist or Pivot?
The question now facing De Zerbi is whether Kudus represents a problem to be solved or a position to be upgraded. The Italian has alternatives. Dejan Kulusevski, introduced from the bench at Elland Road, offers experience and directness. Young Luca Williams-Barnett, handed a late cameo against Leeds, has impressed the coaching staff sufficiently to be preferred over James Maddison in the matchday pecking order . Savio, the Brazilian winger acquired from Manchester City, is reportedly on the cusp of a return to fitness .
Yet De Zerbi’s public posture has been one of collective accountability rather than individual scapegoating. Speaking after the defeat, he questioned his side’s character in terms that implicated the entire squad rather than any single player.
“We didn’t show personality or what we are, who we are,” De Zerbi said. “We won no duels, no one-to-ones. There was space to play and we didn’t take the right decisions.”
That broadside, however, does not mask the reality that Kudus was statistically the weakest link in a forward line that offered precious little. Omar Marmoush, deployed through the middle, was similarly ineffective—one outlet rated him 3/10 as well, while the BBC settled on a 5/10 and described him as “poor” and lacking “physical presence” . Dominic Solanke, introduced before half-time for the injured Mathys Tel, failed to register a single shot .
The Shadow of Injustice
Complicating any straightforward assessment of Spurs’ attacking failures is the contentious first-half incident involving Jayden Bogle and Mathys Tel. The Leeds defender’s challenge on Tel’s achilles went unpunished despite a four-minute VAR review, and Tel was forced off with what De Zerbi fears may be a serious injury . Former Premier League referee Mike Dean described it as “100%” a red card .
Spurs may feel aggrieved, and with some justification. But the broader pattern—a toothless second half in which Tottenham managed just 0.56 xG after the interval—suggests deeper issues than one officiating decision . Leeds, emboldened by their reprieve, grew into the contest. Daniel Farke’s substitutions, introducing Harry Wilson and Okafor, produced the winning goal within minutes . De Zerbi’s own changes, by contrast, failed to shift the momentum.
What Comes Next?
The international break offers De Zerbi a fortnight to reflect before Ipswich Town visit North London. The temptation will be to make an example of Kudus, to signal that standards exist and that reputation alone does not guarantee selection. But dropping a player of his talent carries its own risks, particularly for a manager still striving to impose a coherent attacking identity on a squad assembled at considerable expense.
Tottenham’s fixture list after the break offers opportunity for redemption. Whether Kudus is part of that opportunity—or whether De Zerbi decides that Williams-Barnett, Kulusevski, or a returning Savio represents a more reliable path forward—may prove one of the more consequential selection decisions of the Italian’s tenure.
For now, the questions from supporters are mounting. Kudus was signed to provide spark and incision. Against Leeds, he provided neither. The 3/10 rating may be harsh, but the underlying numbers are not. De Zerbi has a decision to make, and the coming weeks will reveal whether he is willing to make it.
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