Soccer-Tottenham's striker shortage exposed in goalless draw at Forest

Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - September 5, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Savio in action with Nottingham Forest's Murillo Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

NOTTINGHAM, England, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur's failure to sign ⁠a recognised striker despite spending over £300 million ($405.63 million) on a rebuild was exposed in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest ⁠on Saturday which earned a first Premier League point but left them waiting for their first goal.

A frustrating end to ‌the transfer window saw Spurs miss out on Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye, who ended up signing for Manchester City, while last season's top scorer Richarlison has been omitted from the club's Premier League squad.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi has received strong backing in the market, especially with a host of attacking midfielders and wingers, but his side look powder-puff up ​front.

Savio, who along with Omar Marmoush arrived from Manchester City, flattered to deceive before being ⁠substituted.

The club's only out-and-out striker Dominic Solanke went close ⁠late in the game after coming on and Marmoush was guilty of missing a good chance before halftime, dragging a shot wide.

While a first ⁠clean ‌sheet after 3-0 and 2-0 defeats at Brentford and home to Newcastle United respectively was welcome, Tottenham's lack of proven firepower looks like being a problem.

"I think we played well but in the last third we have to improve," De Zerbi, who saved Spurs from ⁠relegation last season after arriving with seven games to go, told reporters.

Tottenham failed ​to force goalkeeper Matz Sels into a save -- ‌the first time they have not had an effort on target in a Premier League game since April 2022. They last ⁠failed to score in ​three straight league games back in November 2021.

But Italian De Zerbi played down the statistics.

"We could have scored three or four goals today because if you take the wrong decision, you don't score. But for me it's a chance to score," he said.

He also sounded confident that the goals will come.

"I love these players. Marmoush, ⁠we have to analyse if he has, or not, 15, 12 goals. I ​think, yes, because he has all the qualities, enough to score that number of goals," he said.

"He has to improve, of course. Like Domi Solanke, I think if Domi is fit, is in the best physical condition, the chance he had was completely different."

MUDRYK NOT READY YET

Missing out on Ndiaye ⁠meant Spurs made a late swoop to sign Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk on a season-long loan from Chelsea on Tuesday and he made an appearance off the bench at the City Ground, without making much of an impression.

"He's not ready yet. He's working to reach the best physical condition. He needs time, he needs work," De Zerbi said.

While it was frustration for Tottenham, it was the same for the hosts, whose manager Oliver Glasner ​felt his side were denied a clear goal after Neco Williams bundled the ball home in ⁠the second half after some chaotic Spurs defending.

After a VAR check, referee Craig Pawson decided the ball had hit Williams' arm as he dived to head ​home on the goal line.

"It's not clear and obvious. You needed four different (camera) angles ‌and then you guessed that he probably touched the ball with his ​arm," Glasner, whose side have two points from their opening three games, said.

"The VAR should say to stay with the on-field decision because it is about strengthening the referee. Stick to the on-field decision."

($1 = 0.7396 pounds)

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Thank you for your report!

足球 - 英超联赛 - 诺丁汉森林对阵托特纳姆热刺 - 英国诺丁汉城市球场 - 2026年9月5日 托特纳姆热刺队的萨维奥与诺丁汉森林队的穆里略拼抢中 图片来自路透社/安德鲁·博耶斯

英国诺丁汉，9 月 5 日（路透社）——托特纳姆热刺队尽管花费超过 3 亿英镑（4.0563 亿美元）进行重建，却未能签下一名正牌前锋，这一问题在周六客场 0-0 战平诺丁汉森林的比赛中暴露无遗。这场平局为他们赢得了英超联赛的首个积分，但他们仍然需要等待第一个进球。

转会窗口以令人沮丧的方式结束，热刺错失了埃弗顿前锋伊利曼·恩迪亚耶，他最终加盟了曼城，而上赛季的最佳射手理查利森则被排除在了俱乐部的英超联赛阵容之外。

主教练罗伯托·德泽尔比在转会市场上得到了强有力的支持，尤其是引进了一批进攻型中场和边锋，但他的球队在前锋线上显得软弱无力。

萨维奥和奥马尔·马尔穆什从曼城加盟，他在被换下之前表现得有些令人失望。

俱乐部唯一的正印前锋多米尼克·索兰克在比赛尾声替补上场后险些破门，而马尔穆什在上半场结束前错失了一次绝佳机会，他的射门偏出了球门。

虽然在分别以 0-3 负于布伦特福德和主场 0-2 负于纽卡斯尔联之后，托特纳姆热刺首次零封对手，这令人欣慰，但球队缺乏可靠的火力似乎是一个问题。

“我认为我们踢得不错，但在最后三分之一的比赛中，我们必须有所改进，”德泽尔比告诉记者。上赛季，他在赛季还剩7轮比赛​​时加盟热刺，帮助球队保级成功。

托特纳姆热刺队未能迫使门将马茨·塞尔斯做出扑救——这是自2022年4月以来，他们在英超联赛中首次没有射正。他们上一次连续三场联赛未能进球还要追溯到2021年11月。

但意大利人德泽尔比淡化了这些统计数据。

“我们今天本来可以进三四个球，因为如果你做出了错误的决定，你就进不了球。但对我来说，这是一个进球的机会，”他说。

他也听起来很有信心，认为目标终会实现。

“我喜欢这些球员。至于马尔穆什，我们得分析一下他能不能进12个球还是15个球。我认为可以，因为他具备所有必要的素质，足以进这么多球，”他说。

“他当然需要进步。就像多米·索兰克一样，我认为如果多米身体健康，处于最佳状态，他的机会就会完全不同。”

MUDRYK 尚未准备就绪

错失恩迪亚耶意味着热刺在周二从切尔西租借了乌克兰边锋米哈伊洛·穆德里克，租期一个赛季。穆德里克在城市球场替补出场，但并没有给人留下太深刻的印象。

“他还没准备好。他正在努力达到最佳身体状态。他需要时间，需要训练，”德泽比说道。

虽然托特纳姆热刺队感到沮丧，但主队也同样如此，他们的主教练奥利弗·格拉斯纳认为，在下半场热刺队防守混乱的情况下，内科·威廉姆斯将球撞入球门，错失了一次明显的进球机会。

经过 VAR 检查后，裁判克雷格·鲍森认定，威廉姆斯在门线上飞身头球破门时，球击中了他的手臂。

“这并不清晰明了。你需要四个不同的（摄像机）角度，然后才能猜测他可能是用手臂碰到了球，”格拉斯纳说道，他的球队在前三场比赛中只拿到了两分。

“VAR应该维持场上判罚，因为这关乎加强裁判的权威。坚持场上判罚。”

（1美元=0.7396英镑）

（Martyn Herman报道；Ken Ferris编辑）

感谢您的报告！