‘He has to improve’ - Roberto De Zerbi fires warning to Omar Marmoush after frustrating Nottingham Forest draw
De Zerbi demands more from new signing Marmoush
Tottenham finally got off the mark for the new Premier League campaign on Saturday, but the 0-0 draw at the City Ground did little to appease De Zerbi. After consecutive defeats to Brentford and Newcastle United, Spurs showed defensive solidity against Forest, yet it was their profligacy at the other end that drew the ire of their manager. The Italian specifically highlighted a wasted opportunity by Egyptian forward Marmoush, suggesting the marquee signing is still finding his feet in a system that demands perfection.
Speaking in the aftermath of the frustrating stalemate, De Zerbi did not hold back when discussing the Egyptian international’s contribution. "I spoke now about Marmoush. But Marmoush, we have to analyse if he has, or not, 15, 12 goals. I think, yes, because he has all the qualities, enough to score that number of goals. He has to improve, of course," De Zerbi said,
Frustration with Tel and the wingers
Marmoush was not the only player to face public criticism from the former Brighton boss. Mathys Tel, the 21-year-old French winger, was also singled out for his inability to execute in dangerous positions before being replaced by debutant Mykhailo Mudryk in the second half. De Zerbi lamented the lack of quality in the crosses delivered from the wide areas, noting that his side failed to capitalise on their tactical superiority.
De Zerbi explained his decision to hook Tel and his general unhappiness with the wide delivery: "Or how many crosses went over the second post? From Mathys Tel, two times, Savio, one time. Savio I think it’s the last decision. The ball from Pedro Porro on Mateus Fernandes when he played with Kudus and then for the header of Solanke, Mateus was completely alone to go forward to score. I think we played well but in the last third we have to improve."
Organisational positives despite attacking woes
While the attack failed to fire, De Zerbi was quick to praise the defensive structure and the team's resilience in a hostile environment. Forest’s direct approach often causes problems for visiting sides, but Spurs managed to dominate the aerial duels and control the second-ball situations. The manager acknowledged that while the points tally is not where he wants it to be, the foundation of the team is beginning to take shape following a hectic transfer window.
Reflecting on the defensive performance, the Italian said: "Anyway, I’m very happy for the spirit of the team, for the organisation, with and without the ball. We didn’t suffer nothing. Their style of play is very clear, long ball and second ball. But even this second ball, we won many, many duels. They have good players and taking points in this stadium is not so easy. We are not happy because we didn’t win, but I think this is the right spirit and the right way to move on in this moment."
The path to clinical finishing
To rectify these issues, De Zerbi plans to spend significant time in the video room, meticulously reviewing the errors made at the City Ground. He believes that a combination of tactical analysis and a boost in confidence from a first victory will eventually lead to better outcomes.
De Zerbi outlined his plan for improvement, stating: "Meeting, watching, analysing together with the players. Also, I think, winning the games, because, you know, the confidence, the enthusiasm, it can be crucial to find the right decision."
