The atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium turned increasingly hostile as Spurs were held to a 0-0 draw by Everton, marking the first time in 140 Premier League matches at the venue that a game has ended without a goal. Before kick-off, fans displayed a banner reading “Please Score A Goal,” a plea that shifted to “Please Have A Shot” by the second half as Roberto de Zerbi’s side failed to threaten goalkeeper Jordan Pickford despite dominating possession.
This result leaves Spurs in a precarious position, as they have now failed to score in their opening four league fixtures of the season. This marks the first time the club has endured such a dry spell in the top flight across all four tiers, and it represents their longest goalless streak in the Premier League since September 2006. The team’s scoring drought has officially extended to 407 minutes, with their last league goal dating back to the final day of last season via a Joao Palhinha effort against Everton.
The offensive frustration is particularly stinging given that the club spent more than £300 million during the summer transfer window to reshape the squad. Head coach Roberto de Zerbi, who oversaw this significant investment, expressed his apologies to the home supporters. He acknowledged that while the team showed promise during the opening 30 minutes, their confidence visibly waned as the match progressed, leading to an irritable atmosphere that included a heated exchange between the manager and substitute Mathys Tel at the final whistle.
Everton, while also struggling for an attacking edge, nearly capitalized on the hosts’ nerves. The visitors missed two significant opportunities through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Brennan Johnson during a second half defined by growing anxiety among the home crowd. Everton’s defensive stability was anchored by Jarrad Branthwaite, who delivered a standout performance to boost his prospects for a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s next England squad following his return from injury.
De Zerbi attempted to inject life into his attack by utilizing new arrivals including Omar Marmoush, Savio, and Dominic Solanke, who made his first league start of the campaign. Further substitutions saw James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus enter the fray, and late-game replacement Lucas Bergvall nearly secured a win, but his long-range strike was thwarted by Pickford after the goalkeeper had inadvertently gifted him possession.
The match was played under the shadow of off-field personnel issues, notably involving 29-year-old striker Richarlison. Currently in a contract dispute with the club and left out of the Premier League squad, the Brazilian watched from the sidelines after potential moves to Everton or Vasco da Gama failed to materialize.
Statistical analysis highlights the severity of the problem; while Spurs’ expected goals (xG) metrics suggest they should have netted three or four times this season, their non-penalty xG per shot sits at just 0.066, reflecting an expected conversion rate of only 6.6%. De Zerbi remains focused on long-term improvement, noting that the transition following consecutive 17th-place finishes will require time. He insisted that if the team can maintain the intensity displayed in the first half for the full 90 minutes, they will eventually return to winning ways.
Despite the manager’s defensive stance, the squad’s inability to convert pressure into chances remains a primary concern for the fans. As the final whistle blew, the sound of jeers underscored the growing discontent, contrasting sharply with the optimism that accompanied the start of this supposedly new era for the club. The report also notes that there was a compelling case for a hasty rewrite asking “Please Have A Shot” as, for all their possession, Roberto de Zerbi’s expensively assembled side struggled to get anywhere near Jordan Pickford’s goal, after another goalless 45 minutes. The report also notes that but it is even worse after Spurs spent in excess of £300m in the summer, much of it designed to give De Zerbi’s side an added edge, the grim statistic would be bad enough in any circumstances. The report also notes that instead, they are a blunt instrument. The report also notes that but De Zerbi felt the need as he said: “I’m sorry to the fans, it may seem early days for an apology to the supporters. The report also notes that especially in the first part of the game because when they see the team is playing well, pushing to find the solution they were inside the pitch with my players, they were fantastic. The report also notes that then the reaction of the fans is normal. The report also notes that we have to say thanks all the time to them. The report also notes that the stadium rattled to the sound of ironic applause, when £85m summer signing Mateus Fernandes had Spurs’ first shot on target after 46 minutes.
