Tottenham Hotspur have failed to score in each of their first four league matches this season, and that has already begun to pile pressure on Roberto De Zerbi.

Roberto De Zerbi appears to have started turning attention towards his Tottenham Hotspur squad, pointing to below-par fitness levels as one reason for the team’s flat start to the campaign after last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Everton.

Everton also played their part, using an effective man-to-man marking setup that helped prolong Spurs’ barren, goalless beginning to the new Premier League season.

Even after overseeing a £350 million summer spending spree intended to drive Spurs back into the Champions League, De Zerbi saw his side draw another blank this past weekend.

Tottenham have now been unable to score in their opening four league fixtures of the 2026/27 season. Instead of accepting tactical responsibility for his team’s lack of cutting edge, some will feel De Zerbi has chosen to shift the blame elsewhere.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Spurs head coach moved the focus away from his own system and placed it directly on the application of his players.

“The physical condition of the team is not the best,” De Zerbi said when asked about his side’s attacking problems.

It can be seen as a deflection from a manager eager to explain an unexpectedly poor start to the season.

De Zerbi did indicate that he believed the team played well on Merseyside, referring to the number of times they got into the Everton penalty area, but he was frustrated that his players did not shoot often enough. Opting to place responsibility on the physical condition of the dressing room, as well as the decision-making of individuals, is certainly one approach when this is a squad he had an entire pre-season to prepare both physically and tactically.

What may worry Spurs supporters even more is how familiar De Zerbi’s remarks sound.

Only seven months ago, in February, former manager Igor Tudor made similar observations. The Croatian said a tired Tottenham squad lacked basic fitness and desire during a miserable run of form. Tudor’s public criticism then alienated important players and ultimately hastened his departure, leaving a toxic atmosphere in north London.

De Zerbi was appointed to lift that mood, and he managed to do so in the latter part of last season by restoring confidence within the squad, especially in Dutch defender-turned-captain Micky van de Ven.

But with pressure building, he now seems to be reaching for the same book of excuses used by his predecessor.

Falling back on fitness concerns after only four matches is a warning sign. If the Italian cannot work out how to integrate £350m of new signings and get Tottenham scoring again, the blame game will do little to protect him from difficult discussions with his superiors and, crucially, from losing the goodwill of the fans.