Winless Spurs remain goalless after another draw against Everton

25:32And, you know, it's a brilliant place that, speaking to the boys, where they've said, you know, playing at Hill Dickerson Stadium is brilliant when the fans are with you. So I think if they build on their home form, I think away from home, they're going to play a lot of men behind the ball and try and play counter-attacking football, especially when they're at home. I think they get on the front foot, they go at teams, and when they've got the roar of that crowd behind them, I think it's going to be difficult for every team that goes there. Let's talk about Spurs now, and this wait for a goal, unfortunately, goes on for them.

25:58It's now four games and six hours at the start of this season without scoring, but still some way short of the record. set in 27-18 by that Crystal Palace side, which was under Frank De Boer. And then Roy Hodgson came in and managed to have an incredible impact on the team. Jamie, did you sense, I mean, James Tarkovsky spoke about it there, how tough that opening was. Did you sense this was, when we watched those opening 10 minutes, that this was going to be the night for Spurs? Yeah, well, I said it beforehand. I still can't believe I'm talking. There hasn't been a goal. But I did feel they came out really fast, which they haven't done in previous games.

26:33Obviously been coached the last couple of weeks because not having a midweek game so much. And there were a lot of positives. I thought, yeah, look at Savino going in behind there. Good bit of opposite movement. But can you play the ball across your right foot? No, he checks back. But then you see this sort of thing. He takes a touch. Did it first time. There's your opportunity. It's wasted. And I think a lot of the Tottenham Hotspur players right now are just second-guessing themselves. Van Hecker plays the ball into him there. Brilliant. Shoot, shoot. Instead, two free, four touches. Takes too long.

26:59And I think that was indicative of what they were playing like today. Just second-guessing themselves. Robertson was playing obviously high. This is a good block. Brilliant by Bramfwaite there. This one here, this was the chance. You can see Bergvold gets it into a position, opens his body up, tries to bend in that corner, and that's what Pickford is in goal for. Keep saving you three points. He sets that out perfectly. Look, he thinks that's going to drift in. Great goalkeeping there, and he just obviously gets his team a point there. But that was really probably their one moment, their spark.

27:29But the first 20 minutes, I was like, yeah, that's more like what I want to see. But then after that, they lose a bit of confidence. There was a moment, I think it was 50-odd minutes, when someone had a shot and all the crowds started going, it's not great. That connection with the fans and the players is not there. Now, I don't know when they're going to get their first home win. It might even go on for longer, this. But I do still see some positives. It cannot stay this way with the players they have at their disposal. There are things that I don't like, and it's obvious to see down that left-hand side.

28:01Andy Robertson was your wide left player. He was your left back and your wide left. Mahmoud wanted to come inside as well and play with Solanke. That balance didn't really work. So I think you're very lopsided in what you're trying to do. Obviously, if you have Mudrick playing out on the left, that might be an option. He's going to be out for a while. So trying to get the best squad and the best team at the moment is what the problem he has to solve. In midfield, I think that the balance isn't right. With Benton Coeur sitting and then you've got Fernandes and Tonali, Three similar sorts of players in a way.

28:32I think somehow you've got to find a way of getting Akudas into the 10 or you've maybe got to get Madison if he gets fit. I'm not sure how Kulicheski is going to be, but he will be one that I would certainly fit into the team once he gets fit. But he's going to be out for a while, it seems as well. So trying to find the right balance. And even as we played, we know, you know, understand football to a large degree. But even I'm looking and thinking, how would I change it? How can I get the best out of this team? There are, at the moment, more questions than answers. And I'm sure he's in there thinking, like, he tried everything today.

29:03He's flipping over that coaching manual non-stop, trying to find a way, a system to open up and get a goal for Everton. He couldn't find it. The quality wasn't there. But they have got quality players. They're not playing anywhere near as well as what they can. Goal to straw. The first ever in the Premier League there. But we will hear from De Zerbi in just a moment on Sky Sports Premier League.

29:31The football season is back and you can keep across all the action on Sky Sports with 1 ,500 live games available for you to watch this season. That includes 80 % of all televised Premier League games, plus matches in the WSL, EFL and Scottish Premiership. If you're not already a Sky customer and want to sign up, head to sky.com to get all the details. Now, though, let's get back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

30:27I love the pod. I'd love to meet you and Af, and I still think it's a wind-up. So thank you, Chris, for following us and listening to our nonsense. I'm Mike Atherton. I'm Nasser Hussain. Follow Sky Sports Cricket or get your podcasts the usual way. However you get them, we will be there. Welcome back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. It's time to get more analysis of today's match and head back to the studio. The wait goes on for a victory and indeed for a goal at the start of this season. 0-0 tonight with Everton. And the headaches continue for Roberto De Zerbi, who's giving it... Oh, and the yawns from the fans as well.

31:13He's giving his reaction to David Craig. Roberto, this is a tough moment for you, for the players, for the supporters, for the club. How do you assess... No, it's not a tough moment. I stop with you because it's not a tough moment. Tough moment was last season in Sunderland, last season when we were legating. Now it's not a normal moment, but it's one of the moments in football when you rebuild the team when you start late because we started together with Marmouche, Savio, Solanke, Madison last two first days ago. Now we have the I think we played very well the first 30 minutes and then and we lost maybe energy because our physical condition is not the best, and we are working for that.

32:21We didn't shoot for the quality of the play we showed. We have to shoot more times in goals. We went inside of the goal area of Everton 74 times, but we didn't create the chance, the normal chance, the chance enough to explain the quality of the play we did. We have to work for sure. We have to analyse the last decision because we made too many wrong decisions. But I think we played well. A lot of things to pick out from what you've said there. Let's start with what you're talking about, about the physical condition of the players. Is this because you've not had the opportunity to work with a lot of them coming in?

33:09Or are there other issues you're having to deal with? No, because after the World Cup, with many players involved in the World Cup, it's like this, because we suffered two or three injuries, Mateus Fernandes and Miki Van Devene in Australia, and they couldn't work. and other injuries Solanki but I'm not positive I'm not negative I'm realistic and I think if you play like this 30 minutes is because you are capable to play football we have to extend that 30 minutes in 60 65 70, 80 and 90 and then we have to stay focused, more focused on the last 25 metres. Because today, if we would have won, now we would speak about the different, completely different game.

34:18First you. It's the first time this club has started a season and gone four games without scoring a goal. You've invested very heavily in attacking talent, some that while you've been here, some that was brought here before you were here. How frustrating is it when you look at the names in your squad that within six hours of football you've yet to score a Premier League? No, I'm not a journalist. I don't write in the social media. I just coach and I have to analyse the performances, I have to analyse the qualities of my player and I have to analyse the a potential situation where we could shoot, score, make a better decision.

35:09You've used the word courage a lot lately in your press comments. Are your strikers needing to have more courage, more belief? No, I forgot to say one thing is important. I think the first 30 minutes were very, very good, but we didn't find the goal. And I think in that moment we suffer too much as a confidence in ourselves. And this is another important part for us in this moment. Also in the second half, in many parts of the second half, I observed my players a little bit with less confidence and I don't like for this because they have to not be happy because we didn't win, we didn't score, but happy to understand and to believe that we are in the right way.

36:08What do you put that lack of confidence down to? Because you by nature are always very positive from the front and lead from the front. Why is it the players can't follow what you show? Yes, because the players are human and they have a sensitive, they have emotions and they think with their head, with my head. My position is to help them to stay focused on the improvement we have to do because if If we play 90 minutes like the first 30 minutes, I think we're going to win many games. Are you seeing something different on the training ground week to week than you're seeing out here? No, no. Today I saw right players, especially in the first 30 minutes.

37:01And just finally, obviously, it's never nice for managers, coaches, players to hear booing at the end of a game at any time. What do you say to those fans who were showing that frustration this early in the season? I'm sorry for the fans. We are sorry for the fans. They were fantastic today, especially in the first part of the game. Because when they see the team is playing well, is pushing, is trying to find the solution to score, they were inside of the pitch with my players. and then it's normal, the reaction of the fans is normal. We have to say thanks all the time. And this will change? What change?

37:48You believe this run that you're on will change? You're confident that it will change? My confidence? I already said that I'm realistic and not negative and not positive. Thank you, Roberto. Appreciate you as always. Yeah, it's difficult. A lot of questions will come Roberto de Zerbi's way. The first time ever that Spurs have failed to score in the first four games of a new season. Jamie sort of talked about some of the possibilities of trying to think about how this might resolve itself. He's not looking for scapegoats at this stage. But what do you make of his explanation for where we're at?

38:29I don't know. He was talking about, you know, players are not fit enough. They've just come out of four, five, six weeks of pre-season. That's where you build up your fitness to go into a season. Okay, Mahmoud should come late. Savio come late as well. But there's other players there. He mentioned Dominic Solanke. Solanke's been at the club for years now. So I don't know which way he's going. Of course, he's the manager who wants to protect the players. And I think as players, you've got to think to yourself, we're not doing enough. It's that simple that I don't think the players are doing enough.

39:07I don't think they're threatening to even look like they're going to score. OK, they created chances the first 20 minutes, of course, like Deserby said. They look like they were a threat. But then that just goes. So it is, I think there's a lack of confidence all throughout the whole team. And that's got to come back straight away. They've got games coming up where they're going to be tough. everything now for Tottenham whatever game it is they're going in to a game that's going to be extremely tough and you know they've got to start you know threatening you know making the ball get into the striker's feet and getting runners around getting runners in behind they just didn't look like they were going to score today Having made all these signings and plenty in forward positions as well Jamie they decided well I guess they thought that Richarlison was going to leave he was the only player of this list of Spurs' current attacking options who managed to get double figures, whether for Spurs or for their previous clubs last season.

40:03Were they hasty in making the decision that he would not be part of the Premier League squad? Richarlison? Yes. No, no, I don't think so. For me, he's had his time at Tottenham. He wanted to leave. Now, we're not privy to the conversation. But he's still there. That's what I'm saying. But he wanted to leave. He didn't want to be there. And the manager's probably thinking, right now, any players that want to play want to be around the squad. So I don't look at that as a bad mistake. One thing that did surprise me, he actually got 11 goals last year because it didn't feel like he had an 11-goal season.

40:32But he's never going to be prolific. They've got other players there. I still think they're one or two players short considering they've spent as much money as they have. The balance of the squad isn't quite right. Marmouche didn't play a lot of football last year. It's very difficult for him. You're playing up against Haaland. Haaland's obviously a better player than what he is. Mateus Fernandes, not a lot of goals in him. He didn't go to the World Cup. Imagine alluding to the fact that the players are going to the World Cup. He didn't go. Tonali didn't go to the World Cup. So these players should relatively be fit.

40:59Tonali didn't score for Newcastle last season. So if you're looking at midfield as an area, that might be a problem as well. So I ask the same question now, having watched another 90 minutes, another 90 minutes of evidence, who's going to get the goals for Spurs this season? Well, you've got to be reliant on players like Mahmoush. You've got to look at him as a goal scorer. As a nine or playing off the side? I mean, he played, he had one year in Germany as a nine, which was obviously prolific at Frankfurt. Was he Eintracht Frankfurt? I think it was. Then he went and had a good season. then he goes to Man City and he looked really good in his first season, but Pep fell out of love with him for whatever reason, which is understandable because of the options they've got.

41:33Is he an out-and-out fox in the box? Is he like a Van Nistel or is he one of those players that are going to be getting scruffy goals? No. You know, it feels like his best goals are always from distance because he's a wonderful striker of a ball. So they haven't perhaps really got that side of it right. You know, I don't really look at Koudis as an out-and-out goal scorer. He's a creator. You know, he can jink in and out. You know, Madison maybe. but they haven't really got that out-and-out goal scorer because I look at Solanke, you know, 15 appearances last year as an injury. He's your focal point.

42:04He's your number nine. Those numbers are not good enough in this day and age. And if you're looking at other strikers at smaller clubs, getting a lot more goals than that, so that is an area they have to fix. One of the positives I will say is clean sheets. Because the last few games, I did the Newcastle game when they were really poor at the back. And I was very critical of Mickey van der Ven. I thought he was excellent today. and that partnership at the back looked a lot better than what it has previously. So they are the positives. And if you can keep clean sheets, inevitably you will score goals.

42:34And I do believe they've got enough quality to score goals. They can't keep not scoring goals. It's just not going to happen. But next week, they've got Liverpool midweek, then they've got Aston Villa at home, who are obviously in transition themselves. They've got to find a way with that group, Ash, to get goals. Let's have a look at those games that they have got coming up. Do you think that Liverpool one is a big game? Yeah, definitely is now. I think that, you know, when you haven't been scoring goals, you go into that competition, you're like, this is a chance to get through into another round of that competition.

43:04But also for players to get confidence, to go and, you know, get them plans, go and get them goals, get assists, to then build on that for the next few fixtures you've got coming up. You've got Aston Villa at home again. You've got United away. Villa, desperate for the points, given their start. Which is going to be another tough game. I don't see an easy game, to be honest. four? No. No, I don't want to be that one. No, no. I've done too many. Ash, I don't know about you, what it was like when you was obviously at United and, you know, it's great success there and I'll try to think back into my career when there were times when as a team maybe you weren't scoring goals.

43:36What are you doing? Coach, from a coaching perspective, you just think let's do some finishing drills, let's maybe just work on crossing, shooting, getting into areas just to get that confidence of players hitting the back of the net because right now that feels so foreign to them. I think that's exactly what they're going to be doing. I think Deserby, you're probably seeing training scoring non-stop and that's the thing you then see that in training you think right it's going to come out on the weekend and it's just not happening but you're going to keep on trying as much as you can like De Zerbe will be doing with the players the players will be doing it in training and thinking right it's going to come it's going to come what they need is just a scruffy goal that's exactly what it is if you get a scruffy goal those four games that they've got coming up that they played last season against Man U Villa, Chelsea and Palace they lost all four of those last season a chance to put things right and just for balance as well in terms of goal scorers getting double figures i think the champions arsenal only had one last year and that was victor jokeres so they did all right and they did all right so it's just a question of can you get goals from elsewhere don't think everton got a player in double figures last season but um they're hoping to get barry there this season he's going to be carrying a lot of the way to the top of the pitch and we'll hear from his manager next

44:54You can get free Premier League, EFL, WSL and Scottish Premiership highlights through the Sky Sports app. There are also exclusive videos, live scores, our 24-7 transfer centre and the very latest news. It's free and you don't need to be a Sky customer to use it. Just head to your app store and search for Sky Sports. Now let's get more reaction to today's game on the Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

45:4411am, with the podcast dropping as soon as we come off air. So if you don't already, give Sunday Supplement a follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and I'll see you on Sunday mornings.

45:58You're listening to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Let's get back to the studio for more reaction to today's game. Everton beaten twice by Spurs last season, but not tonight. They're a beaten start to this new season continues and here's David Moyes with David Craig. Well David, once again a very solid professional performance from your team. How do you assess that today? I thought we were under the cost really enough in the first minute but I thought once again the players stuck at it. We knew we were going to be under pressure. Tottenham were desperately looking for a win, as are we but them being at home put us under pressure right from the start and I thought it made it really difficult in the first 20 minutes especially.

46:42Just how well did you cope with that threat, particularly in that opening few minutes? I thought we coped brilliantly well. We blocked a couple of really important shots. I don't think the goalie had many saves to make, but we had to fill the box and make sure that we didn't allow them in and try to reduce the spaces for them to play in. They played well, Tottenham. At times, played really well on the ball, made it difficult for us. But we stuck to our task. How much did the combination of a clean sheet and some moments of real attacking threat please you today as well? Well, I think we've been playing a lot better than we played today.

47:17And I thought we turned the ball over a lot with chances to do better with the ball. When we got the ball, it broke down too often for my liking, which gave Tottenham more impetus to keep going. So probably as far as it goes, it was probably not our best game with the ball today. That was for sure, because we have been doing pretty well. The back four looks very, very solid indeed. I mean, as somebody who's played in that position, you know all about it. How impressed are you with the way that unit is operating at this moment in time? Well, I think with the boys at the back and the goalkeeper as well, there's a real resilience to try and make sure we don't concede any goals.

47:56The goalkeeper's got a great record for clean sheets and he got another one today. But I have to say the likes of Jared, Mikko I thought played really well today and Tarky. And Maitland-Niles needs a mention as well because he came in and he'd done very well for the first game. So I'm really pleased with that. How much does this group excite you with what you've got to work with? Do you know what excites me? It excites me that I've got a job that I have to probably try and prove a few wrong. And we have to probably come from behind because obviously we don't have all the tools now to probably challenge all the top teams.

48:30So we're going to have to fight for everything in the league. And I think here and at Bournemouth and recently as well, we've had to come from behind in games and we've shown we can do that as well. From a manager's perspective, and you're clearly very experienced, you've been there, seen it, done it, how much do you enjoy that test of going up against it when you've got your backs to the wall? No, I think I might have rather had the£300 or£400 million Tottenham had to spend. I think I'd have felt a bit better with that. But I think when you've not got it, then you've got to find a way of trying to get a result or winning or obviously trying to take something from all the games.

49:04So we've played well enough in some games to win. We've played well enough with the ball. Today was a really good defensive organisation which kept us in the game for long periods. You've got players clearly with talent and you've got players with character. We saw Jack Grealish come into the fray today. Does his ability harness with that talent as well and that character, does that excite you? And is that something that can really add to this team as he grows? Well, if Jack comes in and shows the form he did for the start of last season, we'll be thrilled. Got to remember, Jack's been out for six and a half months and not played.

49:38He's always wanting a game. He loves his football and he's always wanting to be in the team, which is great. But we also want to make sure we bring him back and do the right things. But he's good for us. He really is. He's good. But Tyreek George has started the season well, gotten a goal and playing well. So we've got a little bit of competition, which is great. Seventh in the Premier League tonight. You're still in the Carabao Cup as well. Two-game week ahead. How much are Everton proving people wrong? well I don't know if it's proven them wrong I would have liked to have said that people were hoping and expecting everything to be challenging and in and around it, obviously that's not quite as possible but you know what I said a bit earlier, we have to try and win some games which maybe we aren't expecting, pick up points on the road when we can and we've done that today David, well done It's us against the world just how he loves it isn't it?

50:33That's exactly how he is. He's always been like that and I don't think he's ever going to change. I'm not really sure that he would have wanted the 300 million to be honest. He likes a tight-knit group and if they were able to go out and I think that of course a number nine is what he would have wanted. He would have wanted to get another body in which they tried to do but it wasn't possible and probably another full-back. I know Maitland-Nyres can cover both sides but other than that I think that the team and the squad You know, they've got players there that can fill in if Tiana Barry isn't playing.

51:07You know, Tyreek George can play there. Jack Grealish can play on the left. You know, Brendan Johnson on the right. Kim Driesville will win in the number 10. So, you know, I think he's going to be happy with today. He'd definitely be happy with a point away to Tottenham. You made the point, Jamie, a big spend brings big pressure, doesn't it? Yeah, more money, more problems. You tell me. No, that's not true. I was thinking about a famous rapper. But I think sometimes you want 300 million over a couple of windows, but not necessarily one where you're trying to do everything together. You can see it's been hard for Tottenham, and the manager's now thinking, OK, I've got all these players at my disposal.

51:49How do I fit them all in? I think David's... I think Ashley's right. What David probably wants is just one or two just to thicken up the squad and a little bit of extra quality. When you lose Njaye, he was a wonderful player. I love watching him play. He's a big loss for them. You need to get Jack Grealish fit and up to speed. He's been out for a while, as the manager says. But there are still some positives because one thing they've always had, and he's always had, is his teams, they have spirit and they have desire and they run and they chase and they get results when their backs against them a little bit like they did last week.

52:16Resilience, that was the word he used to David Craig there, which has helped them to this unbeaten start, which continued tonight at Spurs with that goalless draw and five games in with the Carabao Cup game as well. I think they would have absolutely taken that. So it becomes already a big week in the season for Everton. You know, the Everton fans that I would speak to actually would say that that Wolves game there, championship opposition in the Carabao Cup, there is a chance to have a little run in a competition. Would you get that same sense? Definitely. You know, I think that there hasn't been a decent enough cup run in Everton's history for the last few years that they've got an opportunity to welcome Wolves to Hill Dickerson Stadium and get into that next round.

53:01And then you look at the fixture after that, Ipswich at home as well. Two home games, that's what they want to build on. They want to build on what they've started this season, improve on the performance today, go through in the cup and then get Ipswich to Hill Dickerson and try and get three points there. They almost got three points tonight. There was a very good free kick that we saw in the game, but unfortunately for Everton, Kinski managed to keep it out. They just need someone like our man, Ashley. We promised it earlier. We've got the goal. The last Everton man to score a direct free kick.

53:37That's a great free kick. There it is. Oh, it's unbelievable. I've seen the wall, haven't I? That's why. Was it the wall? It was definitely the wall. What's the celebration? It was the knowledge. He's got Henry. It was there. That's what it was. I'm not sure I got back up from that. I needed Dwight to help me up. That's the way it was. that's when you knew it was time to retire yeah it was it told me my body said that's it they're done and that's the last free kick ever they've scored direct free kick yeah wow good one it was Ashley great to see you I'll see you next week Fulham Man United yes you will no nil nils please yeah let's hope statistically it can't happen three in a row it can't surely not no chance we're confident of bringing you goals next Super Sunday Jamie you'll be back next weekend as well Jamie thank you very much thanks mate there's some great State life sport coming your way tonight because not just US Open tennis, we've got amazing test match in the rugby between South Africa and New Zealand in the States.

54:30It's coming your way. Fourth and final test, 9.45 on Sky Sports Plus. Sorry we couldn't bring you a goal tonight. If you're a Spurs fan, surely it's coming. It's coming? I don't know. Next one. How's Christmas? Bye from us.

54:52Thanks for listening to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Make sure you give us a follow so you don't miss an episode. See you next time.

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