This article was updated on 26 September 2026 to reflect Tottenham Hotspur’s draw at Nottingham Forest. The result leaves Roberto De Zerbi with plenty to solve, and it raises fresh questions about player availability that he must answer before the goals start to flow.
Tottenham earn first point but goal shortage continues in September update
Spurs picked up their first Premier League point of the season with a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. It was a battling display, but it did nothing to solve the bigger problem.
De Zerbi’s side are still waiting for their first league goal of the campaign. A point is welcome after a difficult start, yet the lack of a single goal in open play tells its own story about the work still ahead in attack.
De Zerbi assesses Mudryk fitness after substitute debut
Mykhailo Mudryk made his first appearance for Tottenham as a late second-half substitute against Forest. It was his first competitive outing in more than two years, and De Zerbi was careful to manage expectations afterwards.
Speaking to Football London, the head coach said Mudryk still needs time to reach full sharpness. “He’s not ready yet. He’s working to reach the best physical condition. He needs time, he needs work,” De Zerbi said.
It is a measured assessment rather than a concern. Mudryk has barely played competitive football since his long injury lay-off, and a cautious introduction from the bench fits that reality.
Tottenham Hotspur player availability under De Zerbi
On current evidence, Tottenham Hotspur player availability de Zerbi has outlined comes down to two attacking names: Mathys Tel and Mykhailo Mudryk. Both are available for selection, but neither is yet the finished article in De Zerbi’s eyes.
Discussing his forward options, De Zerbi grouped the pair together. “In that position, we have Mathys Tel, big potential. But also, Mathys takes too many wrong decisions, and Mudryk. So, two big players, two big potential players,” he said.
That is a direct, if pointed, verdict on where things stand. Tel has the tools but is making the wrong calls in the final third. Mudryk has the talent but needs games to sharpen up. Neither is being ruled out, and both remain part of De Zerbi’s plans.
What happens next for De Zerbi’s attack
The evidence available points to patience rather than panic. De Zerbi has described Tel and Mudryk as two players with genuine potential, even while flagging the specific issues holding each of them back.
What is not yet known is when either man will be trusted with regular minutes, or how quickly Tottenham can turn possession and promise into actual goals. Those answers will come with time and games, not with this single set of comments.
It is a familiar theme for a squad still finding its shape. Supporters have already read De Zerbi’s comments on new signings settling in, and the manager faced similar scrutiny after the defeat at Brentford earlier this season. The draw at Forest, and the original De Zerbi post-match comments behind this update, form part of the same ongoing search for attacking balance.
