Tottenham’s run of three straight Premier League wins ended at Elland Road on Saturday, when a late Noah Okafor goal gave Leeds United a 1-0 win. The talk afterwards was less about the scoreline than about one Spurs attacker, and about the pressure on Roberto De Zerbi to change something.
Mohammed Kudus took most of the criticism in a forward line that was poor throughout. The Football Group gave the Ghanaian a 3/10 after he lost ten of his thirteen duels, landed only one of his seven crosses and created a single chance before being substituted late on. The BBC was kinder with a 5/10, crediting his effort but saying he had little to show for it. Either way, the picture is the same. Kudus is yet to score this season, he averages just 1.1 chances created per game, and Spurs have managed only ten league goals in ten matches in 2026/27.
De Zerbi now has to decide whether Kudus is a player to work with or a position to upgrade. He has options. Dejan Kulusevski came off the bench at Leeds and brings experience and directness. Young Luca Williams-Barnett, who got a late cameo, has apparently impressed the coaches enough to rank above James Maddison in the matchday pecking order. Savio, the Brazilian winger signed from Manchester City, is reportedly close to returning from injury.
Publicly, though, De Zerbi spread the blame across the whole squad rather than singling anyone out. After the game he said the team had lacked personality and identity, had won no duels or one-on-one battles, and had wasted the space available by making the wrong decisions. Even so, Kudus was statistically the weakest of the forwards. Omar Marmoush, playing through the middle, was rated 3/10 by one outlet, while the BBC gave him a 5/10 and called him poor and lacking in physical presence. Dominic Solanke came on before half-time for the injured Mathys Tel and did not manage a single shot.
A controversial first-half incident clouds the assessment. Leeds defender Jayden Bogle challenged Tel on the achilles, and despite a four-minute VAR review nothing was given. Tel went off with what De Zerbi fears could be a serious injury, and former Premier League referee Mike Dean said it was unquestionably a red card. Spurs have a fair grievance, but a second half in which they generated only 0.56 xG points to bigger problems than one refereeing call. Leeds grew in confidence after the reprieve, and Daniel Farke’s substitutes Harry Wilson and Okafor combined for the winner within minutes, while De Zerbi’s changes did nothing to turn the game.
The international break gives De Zerbi a fortnight to think before Ipswich Town visit North London. Making an example of Kudus to show that reputation guarantees nothing would be tempting, but dropping a player of his ability carries risks, especially for a manager still trying to build a coherent attacking identity in an expensively assembled squad. Whether Kudus is part of Spurs’ chance to bounce back after the break, or Williams-Barnett, Kulusevski or a fit Savio gets the nod instead, could be one of the more important selection calls of De Zerbi’s time at the club.
Supporters are asking more and more questions. Kudus was signed to bring spark and a cutting edge, and against Leeds he brought neither. A 3/10 may be harsh, but the numbers behind it are not, and De Zerbi has a decision to make that the coming weeks will show he is willing to take.
