De Zerbi, Tonali and Udogie misery continues as Tottenham held by Forest
Quick summary
Tottenham were held to a draw by Nottingham Forest, continuing a difficult run for the club and its Italian contingent, while Roberto De Zerbi and Sandro Tonali also faced setbacks.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceRoberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Hotspur were held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, as the Italian coach’s ‘revolution’ in North London struggles to gather pace.
De Zerbi guided the club to Premier League survival after taking over late last season and helped engineer an expensive squad overhaul in the summer transfer window, with over €200m spent on midfielders alone.
However, Spurs remain winless and are now without a goal in their opening three league matches for the first time since 1974. Pressure is already beginning to mount on the former Sassuolo and Brighton boss to quickly find solutions to his side’s mounting offensive woes, despite the vast amounts of money spent to supposedly improve it.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 01: Italy international Sandro Tonali of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring a goal during the Sydney Super Cup match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham at Accor Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images) Tonali and Udogie represent the Azzurri amidst De Zerbi woes Both Sandro Tonali and Destiny Udogie started for De Zerbi at the City Ground today. Tonali, who completed a marquee move from Newcastle United earlier in the summer, put in a full ninety-minute shift and stood out as one of Spurs’ few bright spots, dictating play from the base of the midfield.
Udogie, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon on the left flank. The Italian full-back picked up a yellow card late in the first half before being substituted just after the hour mark as De Zerbi sought fresh energy to break the deadlock.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 18: Roberto De Zerbi, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 18, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) Despite dominating possession, Spurs failed to create clear-cut chances against a resilient Forest defense, leaving De Zerbi with plenty to solve ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.
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What happened
Tottenham failed to secure all three points against Nottingham Forest, extending a frustrating stretch that has left the club struggling for form. The result compounds the misery for Italian figures in the Premier League, with Roberto De Zerbi and Sandro Tonali also experiencing difficult weekends. Destiny Udogie, part of Tottenham's Italian connection, continues to endure a challenging period as the team slides further from their early-season ambitions.
Chance analysis
Tottenham's inability to break down Nottingham Forest underscores a worrying pattern of dropped points against teams they would be expected to beat. The simultaneous struggles of De Zerbi, Tonali, and Udogie paint a picture of a difficult weekend for the Italian contingent in the Premier League, raising questions about form, confidence, and tactical cohesion across these connected figures. With the season entering a decisive phase, the pressure on Tottenham's coaching staff and players is mounting.
Tottenham's draw with Forest reinforces their slump in form, damaging morale and widening the gap to their top-flight ambitions.