Merson questions De Zerbi’s public criticism after Tottenham draw
Tottenham remain without a league goal after a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest, prompting scrutiny of Roberto De Zerbi’s post-match comments about his forwards and medical staff.
Tottenham’s difficult start to the Premier League season deepened after a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest left them without a goal in the competition. They also finished the match without a shot on target.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi criticised his forwards for failing to make better decisions in the final third, saying they needed to remain calmer when close to creating scoring opportunities.
He also said medical staff influenced the decision to substitute Savinho and Destiny Udogie after about 60 minutes to avoid risking further injuries. De Zerbi said the changes disrupted Tottenham’s balance and momentum, while acknowledging replacements Mohammed Kudus and Andy Robertson performed well.
Writing for Sky Sports, Paul Merson said De Zerbi’s decision to discuss the forwards and medical staff publicly was worrying. Merson argued that such concerns should be dealt with internally and questioned the wisdom of publicly attributing substitutions to the medical team.
Merson also said Tottenham were fortunate to draw, suggesting Forest might have won had Neco Williams been more decisive. He urged patience with the club’s rebuilding process and said the immediate focus should not be on Tottenham’s points gap to Arsenal.
