Full Breakdown
Tottenham’s Early-Season Goal Drought Highlights Squad Turnover and Pre-Season Fatigue
By Drooid · · How we work
Spurs’ Struggling Start
Four league matches into the 2026-27 Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur have failed to score, a first-time occurrence in the club’s history. The goalless draw with Everton marked the fourth consecutive league game without a goal, and the team remains winless.
High Turnover and Limited Cohesion
Only four players who logged at least half of the previous season’s league minutes returned to the starting lineup, and the eleven players who began the match against Everton had an average tenure of just 1.3 years with the club. Manager Roberto De Zerbi has already made 12 starting-lineup changes, the most of any Premier League manager, averaging four alterations per game. This exceeds the 2.8 changes per match the side made in 2025-26.
Pre-Season Tour and Injury Load
Tottenham’s summer tour of Asia, repeated from the prior year, coincided with the club leading the league in injury days (1,560) in 2025-26, according to Premier Injuries data. While a causal link is not established, the demanding travel schedule has been questioned as a factor in the current injury-laden squad.
On-Field Production Gaps
| Metric | Tottenham | League Context |
|---|---|---|
| Take-ons (completed) | 46 (most in league) | Only 5 resulted in a chance or shot |
| High turnovers (recovered < 40 m) | 34 (4th most) | Produced a goal attempt from 5.9 % of turnovers (league average 19.9 %) |
| Touches in opposition box | 119 (second-most) | 3.97 touches per shot – 0.47 more than any other team and 1.15 above average |
| Shots on target | 6 (vs. Liverpool’s 5) | Chelsea and Bournemouth have twice as many shots on target despite only nine extra attempts |
| Goal contributions from key signings | Richarlison omitted; Andy Robertson top summer signing; Solanke yet to complete a full league season |
The data show Spurs generate opportunities—evidenced by leading take-on numbers and frequent presence in the opposition box—but conversion is markedly low.
Official Statements & Responses
Roberto De Zerbi said after the Carabao Cup loss to Liverpool that the team must improve shooting volume and accuracy. He described the previous season as a “school” for the squad and emphasized the need for the side to “click” before it can consistently win and score. De Zerbi also highlighted higher expected goals (xG 2.34 vs. 1.53), greater possession (56 % vs. 44 %), and more shots (17 vs. 12) despite the defeat.
Why It Matters
The scoring slump threatens Tottenham’s push for European qualification. Low conversion rates, a high injury tally and continual lineup changes risk hampering on-field chemistry and the return on recent player investments.
What’s Next
Tottenham’s next Premier League fixture is a home match against Aston Villa, who are also winless.