Roberto De Zerbi took aim at his attacking players after Tottenham’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Spurs earned their first point of the new Premier League season following back-to-back defeats to Brentford and Newcastle United.
But De Zerbi was unhappy with the quality his side showed in attacking areas and highlighted an opportunity wasted by Spurs’ new summer signing Omar Marmoush.
De Zerbi also criticised Mathys Tel, who was replaced by Mykhailo Mudryk in the second half, by claiming that the 21-year-old French winger ‘takes too many wrong decisions’.
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Speaking after Spurs’ draw with Forest, De Zerbi said: ‘I think we played well but in the last third we have to improve.
‘We have to take the better decisions. We have to keep more calm when we are very close to doing something important in the last third.
‘I remember the chance when Marmoush shot at goal, the way we had Robertson overlapping. If we take the right decision and we play with Robertson then on the second post there is Kudus to score like this.
‘Or how many crosses went over the second post? From Mathys Tel, two times, Savio, one time. Savio I think it’s the last decision. The ball from Pedro Porro on Mateus Fernandes when he played with Kudus and then for the header of Solanke, Mateus was completely alone to go forward to score.
‘Anyway, I’m very happy for the spirit of the team, for the organisation, with and without the ball. We didn’t suffer nothing. Their style of play is very clear, long ball and second ball. But even this second ball, we won many, many duels. They have good players and taking points in this stadium is not so easy.
‘We are not happy because we didn’t win, but I think this is the right spirit and the right way to move on in this moment. Because we started just last Thursday to work together and to create, to build the team, to build the organisation. It’s not enough the paper, the transfer market.’
When asked about Mudryk’s debut, De Zerbi then took aim at Tel’s decision making.
‘He’s not ready yet,’ De Zerbi said of Mudryk.
‘He’s working to reach the best physical condition. He needs time, he needs work. 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.
‘But anyway, if we want to score, I think Marmoush has 15 goals. Solanke, the chance header for Solanke, I consider a chance to score. It’s not a shot on goal. But how many shots did Nottingham have today? I think, anyway, it was a good game.’
Asked how he can improve on Spurs’ mistakes in attack, De Zerbi replied: ‘Meeting, watching, analysing together with the players. Also, I think, winning the games, because, you know, the confidence, the enthusiasm, it can be crucial to find the right decision.
‘But I love these players. I spoke now about Marmoush. But Marmoush, we have to analyse if he has, or not, 15, 12 goals. I think, yes, because he has all the qualities, enough to score that number of goals. He has to improve, of course.
‘Like Domi Solanke, I think if Domi is fit, is in the best physical condition, the chance he had was completely different.’
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