Spurs goalless again as blunt finishing haunts De Zerbi

After defeats to Brentford and Newcastle, the point offered modest respite but little optimism. Spurs had earlier dismissed two opening-game losses with a summer outlay of nearly £400m, yet the profligacy persists.

Roberto De Zerbi's side dominated possession and territory. They created openings—Omar Marmoush squandered multiple chances, firing wide from promising positions, whilst Micky van de Ven headed over from a corner. Expected Goals metrics favoured Spurs by a considerable margin. Yet the clinical finish remained absent.

Forest's Neco Williams had a goal disallowed by VAR for an alleged handball, though the player disputed the decision afterwards, claiming he had headed the ball and the angles deceived. De Zerbi acknowledged the performance standards but blamed poor decision-making in the final third. "If you take the wrong decision you don't score but it's still a chance," he reflected, according to Sky Sports.

For Glasner's Forest, freshly installed after their own summer overhaul, the point marked a first result, though neither side claimed victory.

Spurs' shooting troubles and Marmoush's wastefulness will concern De Zerbi as the season develops. Pattern-building matters less than points; the wait for their first league goal extends.