Roberto De Zerbi is under mounting pressure at Tottenham Hotspur after his side failed to score for the fourth successive Premier League fixture this season, drawing 0-0 with Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend.

Rather than accepting tactical responsibility for his team's blunt attack, De Zerbi pointed to the physical condition of his squad as the primary explanation — a move that has raised eyebrows among supporters and pundits alike.

"The physical condition of the team is not the best," De Zerbi told Sky Sports after the final whistle, adding that he was frustrated his players did not attempt enough shots despite entering the Everton penalty area on multiple occasions.

A familiar script in north London

The criticism cuts deep for Tottenham fans because the narrative sounds painfully familiar. Just seven months ago, former Spurs boss Igor Tudor levelled almost identical complaints at the same squad — accusing players of lacking fitness and desire during a difficult run of form. Those comments alienated key members of the dressing room and hastened Tudor's departure, leaving a toxic atmosphere at the club.

De Zerbi was appointed in part to clear that air. During the final months of last season, he succeeded in restoring confidence within the group — most notably rebuilding the form of captain Micky van de Ven — and earned considerable goodwill from supporters in the process.

That goodwill is now being tested. The Italian oversaw a summer transfer outlay of £350 million, a spending spree aimed at returning Tottenham to the UEFA Champions League. Yet after four league games without a goal, the investment has so far produced no visible return in front of goal.

Fitness claims raise questions

Placing fitness concerns at the centre of a post-match debrief just four games into a campaign that De Zerbi himself shaped through pre-season is a notable deflection. The manager had a full pre-season to prepare his squad physically and tactically, making claims of insufficient fitness difficult to square.

Everton, for their part, defended with discipline and structure — a tight man-to-man system that stifled Tottenham throughout — yet the onus on a side carrying £350 million in new additions is to find a way through.

If De Zerbi cannot unlock his attack and integrate that investment into a cohesive, goal-scoring unit, finger-pointing will do little to protect him from hard conversations at boardroom level — or from losing the faith of supporters who had only recently warmed to his methods.