De Zerbi Must Replace Spurs’ New Emmanuel Adebayor
Cristian Romero faces a potentially season-ending injury. That loss has intensified scrutiny on Tottenham Hotspur’s attacking deficiencies.
Roberto De Zerbi arrived with expectation. The forwards have failed to deliver since early February.
Goalscoring crisis and historical echo
Spurs have not scored more than one Premier League goal since an early-February draw with Manchester City. They also failed to score in each of their last two league matches.
No current player has reached double figures for league goals. Richarlison leads with nine. Only he has more than four.
| 2013/14 (PL only) | 2025/26 (PL only) |
|---|---|
| Adebayor – 11 | Richarlison – 9 |
| Eriksen – 7 | Van de Ven – 4 |
| Soldado – 6 | Romero – 4 |
| Paulinho – 6 | Palhinha – 3 |
| Sigurdsson – 5 | Tel – 3 |
| Kane – 3 | Gray – 2 |
| Gray – 2 | Sarr – 2 |
| Sarr – 2 | Kudus – 2 |
| Johnson – 2 |
The current crop resembles Spurs’ 2013/14 forward line. That season saw limited attacking options and inconsistent strikers.
Tim Sherwood took charge in December 2013. He posted a 59% win rate but was dismissed at season end. Spurs finished sixth and scored 55 goals that year.
Echoes of Emmanuel Adebayor and the Solanke comparison
Emmanuel Adebayor returned from injury in 2013/14 to score 11 league goals between December and May. He became the side’s main threat for that period.
Adebayor had earlier produced 17 league goals on loan in 2011/12. Still, he managed just 18 top-flight goals across the following three seasons.
Dominic Solanke draws unfavourable comparisons to that Adebayor pattern. Solanke has 22 goals in 62 appearances for Spurs.
He has scored 12 league goals in almost two seasons after arriving for a club-record fee of £65m. That return falls short of expectations.
Solanke returned from an injury-hit 2025/26 and struggled at Sunderland. He registered only 18 touches at the Stadium of Light.
Former player Jamie O’Hara said it “looks like he’s forgotten how to play football”. Writer Zach Lowy called Solanke proof that signing ‘Premier League-proven players’ is not a guarantee of success.
Many argue De Zerbi Must Replace Spurs’ New Emmanuel Adebayor if the club wants consistent goals. The manager must identify a reliable scoring solution.
Immediate choices for De Zerbi
- Assess internal options before the summer window.
- Consider a new profile of striker to supply regular goals.
- Restore creativity on the flanks to support the central forward.
De Zerbi’s spell started without the expected attacking flair. The manager faces a clear deadline to improve the forward line.
Filmogaz.com will continue to monitor developments as Spurs plan potential summer activity and internal adjustments.
