Three Premier League games played, no goals scored, no victories claimed — Tottenham Hotspur's start to the 2026/27 season has been as difficult as any in recent memory.

The latest setback came in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest last weekend — a result that marked the first time in over four years that Spurs failed to register a single shot on target in a league match. It was, at least, their first point of the campaign.

Roberto De Zerbi's rebuilt squad has cost the club £332 million this summer, with 10 new players arriving at the club. Yet the blend has not yet materialised on the pitch, and Tottenham have made their worst start to a league season since 2008.

A crowded rebuild

Sky Sports News' Tottenham reporter Michael Bridge is urging patience, pointing to the sheer scale of the overhaul. "The last three games have shown me a little bit of a realisation that you can't expect it all to click so quickly when there have been so many incomings and departures," Bridge said.

He believes supporters should not expect to see the real Tottenham until as late as November, given that the squad features a new captain, an overhauled forward line, a new midfield, and a new defensive unit. Several key creative players — including Mohammed Kudus and James Maddison — remain unavailable or short of match fitness.

Bridge also pushed back on suggestions that De Zerbi is losing the dressing room, particularly after the manager's post-Forest comments were misread as criticism of his medical staff. "De Zerbi absolutely did not have any complaints about the medical team," Bridge clarified. "He's working closely with them — they are ensuring that he has these players for the long term."

The numbers tell a troubling story

The statistics beneath the surface make for sobering reading. Despite ranking mid-table for total shots attempted in the Premier League, Spurs sit bottom for expected goals (xG) per shot — meaning the chances they do create are of poor quality.

Their overall xG is the third lowest in the division, and only one club has underperformed their chances more than Tottenham this season. Since the start of last season, the average xG per game for a Premier League side is 1.41 — a benchmark Spurs have not yet reached in a single match under De Zerbi.

Inconsistency in selection has compounded the problem. De Zerbi has fielded three different attacking combinations across the opening three league games and has used 10 different starters in his front three across his 10 league games in charge. Tottenham have also made the most changes to their starting XI of any Premier League side in the opening three rounds — eight in total.

Physically, the drop-off is equally stark. Last season, Spurs were outrun in only one of De Zerbi's seven league games as the club dramatically escaped relegation on the final day. This season, they have been outrun in every single match, ranking second-bottom for distance covered and 16th for sprinting distance.

What are the targets this season?

With £332 million spent, Bridge believes the club must be aiming for a return to European football — ideally the Champions League, but the Europa League would also represent meaningful progress given how close Spurs came to the Championship last term. He is firm that mid-table should be considered an absolute floor, not an ambition.

Saturday's home fixture against Everton carries an additional layer of urgency. Should Everton keep a clean sheet, Tottenham will become the first side in their own history to fail to score in the opening four league games of a season. Higher physical output, improved attacking quality, and a more settled lineup are the minimum requirements if De Zerbi is to kickstart his side's campaign.