Toothless Spurs blank again as new era turns into a false dawn

Tottenham Hotspur's goalless league run stretched to 407 minutes after a 0‑0 draw with Everton, leaving the club searching for answers as a new era stalls. Before kick‑off a Tottenham Hotspur protagonist held aloft a banner reading “Please Score A Goal”. The message was less a statement of fact and more a desperate plea for a breakthrough. After a scoreless first half the call grew louder, with many urging a quick rewrite to “Please Have A Shot” as Spurs’ possession failed to translate into chances near Jordan Pickford’s goal. The atmosphere inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium became increasingly aggravated and frustrated. The goalless streak now marks the first time the club has failed to score in its opening four league games across all four tiers and also the first instance of four successive Premier League matches without a goal since September 2006. Spurs invested more than £300 million in the summer, much of it earmarked to give Roberto de Zerbi’s side an added edge, yet the team has looked blunt rather than incisive. The draw at the stadium was the first Premier League goalless stalemate in the club’s 140th top‑flight fixture there, and, on this showing, further similar results appear likely. De Zerbi addressed the supporters directly. He said, “I'm atrocious to the fans. We are atrocious to the fans.” He added, “They were fantastic, particularly successful the archetypal portion of the crippled due to the fact that erstwhile they spot the squad is playing well, pushing to find the solution they were wrong the transportation with my players. Then the absorption of the fans is normal. We person to accidental acknowledgment each the clip to them.” Everton, though not prolific themselves, missed two clear opportunities through Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall and Brennan Johnson as the half wore on, while nerves and anxiety grew among the home faithful. The £85 million summer acquisition Mateus Fernandes finally forced Spurs’ first shot on target after 46 minutes, prompting the stadium to reverberate with ironic applause. There was no irony, however, when the side played the ball out from the back with only seven minutes left; the final whistle sounded reminiscent of older, less productive periods, and jeers accompanied the players off the pitch. In an effort to break the barren run, de Zerbi shuffled his deck, introducing new Manchester City signings Omar Marmoush and Savio into attacking roles and handing Dominic Solanke his first league start of the campaign. Later, Mohammed Kudus and James Maddison were brought on, but it was substitute Lucas Bergvall who came closest to snatching a win with a long‑range effort that Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved after he had gifted the Swede possession and a chance. Watching from close quarters was a grim‑faced Richarlison, the 29‑year‑old Brazil striker whose contract has roughly nine months remaining. He was omitted from de Zerbi’s Premier League squad after a projected deadline‑day move to former club Everton fell through, and a hoped‑for return to Brazil with Vasco da Gama also failed to materialise.