adminTottenham Hit Historic Low as Goal Drought Continues
Tottenham Hotspur have made unwanted history after failing to score in their first four league matches of the season for the first time in the club’s history.
The latest setback came on Saturday evening when Roberto De Zerbi’s side were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Everton in North London.
Spurs were heavily backed during the summer transfer window, with the club spending huge sums in an attempt to strengthen De Zerbi’s squad. Sandro Tonali arrived for a reported £100 million, while Savio was brought in for around £75 million.
Despite the significant investment, Tottenham’s attacking players have yet to produce the results expected of them.
Perhaps the biggest indication of their problems in the final third is that centre-back Micky van de Ven currently has the highest expected goals figure in the squad, with an xG of just 0.57 after four Premier League matches.
That statistic underlines just how badly Tottenham have struggled to create genuine scoring opportunities.
Brennan Johnson Misses Huge Chance on Spurs Return
Everton could have punished Tottenham for their defensive lapses, but former Spurs forward Brennan Johnson failed to take advantage of one of the clearest opportunities of the evening.
The Wales international enjoyed some memorable moments during his spell in North London, including scoring the decisive goal during Tottenham’s Europa League campaign, but his inconsistent performances eventually led to his departure.
Johnson joined Crystal Palace in January in search of greater consistency, and his return to Tottenham Stadium presented him with an opportunity to make an immediate impact against his former club.
Unfortunately for Everton, he could not take it.
The 25-year-old was presented with a golden opportunity when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall cut the ball back into the penalty area. Johnson found himself unmarked in the middle of the box, but his first-time effort flew high and wide.
It was a costly miss because the chance could have given Everton all three points.
Johnson’s overall performance did little to compensate for the missed opportunity either. He failed to create a big chance for his teammates and did not complete a single attempted dribble on the right flank.
One of the major criticisms of Johnson during his time at Tottenham was that he often offered very little when he was not scoring or assisting. His lack of creativity and limited ability to beat defenders meant his overall influence could disappear during matches.
That problem was evident again against his former club.
Omar Marmoush Struggles to Make an Impact
Although Johnson endured a disappointing return to North London, he was not Tottenham’s poorest attacking player on the night.
That unwanted distinction belonged to summer signing Omar Marmoush, who is already beginning to attract comparisons with the very player Spurs eventually moved on from.
Tottenham secured Marmoush on an initial season-long loan with an option to make the transfer permanent, but his start to life in North London has been extremely difficult.
The Egypt international began his first two matches in the central striker role. However, De Zerbi subsequently moved him to the left wing to accommodate Dominic Solanke through the middle.
The tactical switch did little to improve Marmoush’s fortunes.
Against Everton, the forward struggled to influence the match, producing a performance that closely resembled Johnson’s less effective displays from his Tottenham days.
Marmoush finished the game without a shot on target and failed to create a big chance for his teammates. He attempted five dribbles but completed only two before being substituted after 77 minutes.
His problems were not limited to his attacking output.
The Manchester City loanee lost eight of his 11 ground duels and was unsuccessful in both of his aerial battles. In total, he lost 10 of the 13 duels he contested.
Those numbers highlighted his struggles both with and without the ball.
Marmoush subsequently received a 4/10 rating for his performance as Tottenham once again failed to find the back of the net.
Marmoush’s Tottenham Numbers Raise Concerns
The disappointing display against Everton continues what has been a difficult beginning to Marmoush’s Tottenham career.
The 27-year-old has now started three Premier League matches for Spurs without scoring, providing an assist or creating a big chance for one of his teammates.
His physical numbers are also concerning. Marmoush has lost 57 per cent of his ground duels in the Premier League and has yet to win an aerial battle.
For a forward expected to contribute consistently in De Zerbi’s attack, those figures will be a major concern.
Much like Johnson during his inconsistent spell at Tottenham, Marmoush currently does not appear to be contributing enough outside of his goalscoring.
When a forward is not finding the net, his ability to create chances, beat defenders, hold up play and contribute defensively becomes even more important.
At present, Marmoush is struggling in several of those areas.
De Zerbi Needs Marmoush to Find His Form
De Zerbi will now be hoping that Marmoush can rediscover his confidence in front of goal and begin delivering the attacking output Tottenham expected when they brought him to the club.
Spurs have invested heavily in their squad, but their historic scoring drought shows that money alone has not solved their problems in the final third.
With Tottenham still searching for their first league goal after four matches, De Zerbi urgently needs his attacking players to step up.
Marmoush, in particular, has an opportunity to change the narrative quickly.
If he can start scoring and creating chances, his early struggles may soon be forgotten. But if the drought continues, comparisons with Brennan Johnson are likely to become increasingly difficult for the forward to escape.
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