Tottenham Hotspur fans are fuming with Mohammed Kudus after another poor showing in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Leeds United at Elland Road, and calls are growing for Roberto De Zerbi to drop the Ghanaian winger from his starting line-up. Spurs went to Yorkshire hoping to stretch their three-match winning run in the Premier League, but Noah Okafor’s second-half goal sunk them and laid bare several worrying problems in attack.
Supporters were rightly annoyed by the controversial refereeing call involving Jayden Bogle and Mathys Tel, yet attention has also turned to the players who failed to deliver when the team needed them. Kudus has become one of the biggest talking points. The former West Ham attacker was expected to bring creativity, energy and individual quality against Leeds’ defence, but his display fell well short and fans are now asking whether he deserves his place in the XI.
He has had a tough time in a Spurs shirt, especially after injury disrupted his first season at the club. De Zerbi has slowly handed the 26-year-old chances to find his best form, but this performance gave little sign that he is ready to become the consistent threat Tottenham badly need. He struggled to make an impact in the final third and kept giving the ball away when the team needed someone to take responsibility.
The numbers make for uncomfortable reading. Kudus lost 10 of his 13 duels, completed only one of seven crosses and created just one chance before being substituted late on. Despite 47 touches, he could not turn his involvement into anything useful, and Tottenham’s attack looked predictable and toothless. For a player expected to make a difference in games like this, it was not good enough, and it is no surprise that some fans are losing patience.
The big question for De Zerbi is whether to keep backing Kudus or give other attacking options a go. Spurs have players who can offer something different, and the Italian may need to make big changes after the international break. Dejan Kulusevski could benefit from a reshuffle, while young Luca Williams-Barnett has given fans reason to believe he deserves more minutes. Williams-Barnett came on for Kudus late against Leeds, a reminder that the manager could lean more on youngsters rather than struggling senior names. James Maddison’s absence from the starting line-up also raised eyebrows given how little creativity Spurs showed.
The defeat was disappointing in several ways, but the attacking display will probably worry De Zerbi most. The Bogle incident will keep people talking, particularly as Tel had to be taken off after the challenge, yet Spurs were already struggling to create enough to control the game before that. Their lack of a cutting edge is becoming a real concern, and the manager must find a fix before it does more damage, especially while trying to build momentum under a new boss.
Kudus is still a talented player, but reputation alone cannot guarantee a starting spot. The coming weeks are important for him, as he needs to show he can offer more than the odd flash of individual brilliance. Tottenham need consistency, sharper decision-making and players willing to step up when games get difficult. One bad game should not end his Spurs career, but repeated performances like this will make his position harder to defend.
With Kulusevski, Williams-Barnett and others competing for chances, De Zerbi has alternatives. If Kudus cannot respond, leaving him out until his confidence and form return may become a decision the Tottenham boss can no longer avoid.
