Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has called on his players to improve their decision-making in the final third after Spurs played out a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest.
Although Tottenham showed greater organisation and competed well throughout the match, they struggled to turn their attacking moments into clear opportunities. Spurs attempted 12 shots but failed to register a single effort on target.
Despite the disappointment of not winning, the draw gave Tottenham their first Premier League point of the season and brought an end to their four-match losing run against Nottingham Forest.
One of Spurs’ best chances in the first half fell to Omar Marmoush. Pedro Porro delivered an excellent pass into his path, allowing the Egyptian forward to break through, but his low shot went narrowly wide.
Nottingham Forest also had dangerous moments. Morgan Gibbs-White found himself through on goal against Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who made an important stop, although the assistant referee later raised the flag for offside.
Forest came close again in the second half following a chaotic moment inside Tottenham’s penalty area. Gibbs-White’s effort caused problems for Kinsky, while Sandro Tonali initially failed to clear the danger before recovering in time to stop the ball from crossing the line.
Neco Williams eventually put the ball into the net, but VAR ruled out the goal after determining that he had handled the ball immediately before it crossed the line.
Both sides continued searching for a late winner, but neither team could find the quality needed to break the deadlock.
After the match, De Zerbi admitted that Tottenham had performed well in several areas but insisted that they must be more composed and intelligent when approaching the opposition goal.
The Italian explained that Spurs had several situations where a better pass or decision could have created a major scoring opportunity. He pointed to Marmoush’s missed chance, suggesting that another option was available, while also highlighting moments involving players such as Mathys Tel and Savio where the final decision was not good enough.
De Zerbi also discussed a situation involving Mateus Fernandes, who he felt had space to move forward and create a better opportunity.
Despite those frustrations, the Tottenham boss was pleased with the team’s overall attitude and organisation. He praised how his players performed both with and without possession and felt that they dealt effectively with Nottingham Forest’s physical and direct style of football.
De Zerbi acknowledged that he was disappointed not to win but believes the performance showed that his team is moving in the right direction.
He also stressed that Tottenham are still developing as a group, explaining that the squad has only recently begun working together and that building a successful team requires more than simply making signings during the transfer window.
Several players received special praise from De Zerbi, including Rodrigo Bentancur, Sandro Tonali, Conor Gallagher and Micky van de Ven, with the manager impressed by their performances.
The Spurs boss also explained why Savio and Destiny Udogie were substituted after around an hour. According to De Zerbi, the changes were part of a plan agreed with the medical staff to avoid taking unnecessary risks with their fitness.
Although he was not completely happy about removing them, he admitted that neither player was yet in the ideal physical condition to play the full 90 minutes. He described both players as important members of the squad and said protecting their fitness was necessary.
When questioned about Tottenham’s failure to register a shot on target, De Zerbi refused to become overly concerned. He argued that his side still created enough situations to score several goals, but poor decisions prevented those opportunities from becoming proper attempts.
He also defended his attacking players, including Marmoush and Dominic Solanke, insisting that they have the ability to score regularly.
One of the major talking points from the match was the return of Mykhailo Mudryk, who appeared for the first time in almost two years.
However, De Zerbi admitted that the Ukrainian winger is not yet ready to perform at his highest level and still needs more time and training to reach full fitness.
The Tottenham manager also compared Mudryk with Mathys Tel, saying both players possess enormous potential but still need to improve their decision-making.
De Zerbi was similarly pleased with Tonali’s display and believes the midfielder is improving, although he feels there is still another level the player can reach physically.
Conor Gallagher was also praised after starting ahead of Mateus Fernandes. De Zerbi explained that the decision was tactical, as he believed Gallagher’s experience and understanding of physical English football made him particularly suitable for the challenge at the City Ground.
However, the manager also spoke highly of Mateus Fernandes and predicted that he could become one of Tottenham’s most important players during his time at the club.
Looking ahead, De Zerbi said Tottenham will continue working on their problems in the final third by holding meetings, watching footage and analysing situations with the players.
He believes that winning matches will also help improve the squad’s confidence and allow players to make better decisions during important moments.
Despite his criticism of certain mistakes and poor decisions, De Zerbi made it clear that he remains fully supportive of his players.
He also backed Marmoush to become a reliable goalscorer, insisting that the forward has the necessary qualities to score a significant number of goals.
Finally, De Zerbi said Dominic Solanke can become much more dangerous once he reaches full fitness, suggesting that the striker’s missed opportunity against Nottingham Forest could have had a different outcome if he were in peak physical condition.
Overall, while Tottenham were unable to secure victory, De Zerbi saw positive signs in the team’s organisation, mentality and defensive work. However, he made it clear that Spurs must improve their composure and decision-making in attack if they want to start turning promising performances into wins.
