Although there is no question that Tottenham Hotspur's performance as a team in their 3-0 loss to Brentford to open the 2026/27 Premier League season was inexcusable, it is true that the starting XI Roberto De Zerbi had to field this weekend is both very different from the best XI - and should be quite different from the one he uses next weekend against Newcastle United.
That's because Savinho and Omar Marmoush are both on the precipice of joining Tottenham, with the Savinho transfer on the wings finally agreed. Savinho will be registered and ready next weekend, but, most importantly maybe, Tottenham will finally have a credible No. 9 again with the anticipated arrival of Savinho's former Manchester City teammate Marmoush.
Although the summer transfer window is coming to a close and a striker may not leave the club, there is a sense that when Marmoush goes, one of Richarlison or Dominic Solanke will then go with him. For many fans, the choice between the two veteran strikers leans toward Richy staying after the Brazilian was more available and more effective last season, scoring a team high 11 goals in the Premier League.
Richarlison was horrible against Brentford
But there is a reason why Tottenham Hotspur have been trying to sell Richarlison for the last couple of years, and he reminded fans of that against Brentford. Richarlison was horrendous in every phase. He created no chances for himself or others and was genuinely pathetic on the ball, failing to hold it up effectively against a mediocre Brentford defense, crumbling under pressure any time he was touched. Richarlison, as was the case last season in his worst games, seemed to spend more time on the floor than he did upright on the ball.
If Dominic Solanke were looking for a lifeline, then this was it. Roberto De Zerbi has publicly stated multiple times that he backs Solanke to do well, and since Solanke spent the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season injured again, De Zerbi never actually got an extended look at the 65 million pound man.
Tottenham face Charlton Atheltic in the League Cup on Wednesday before facing Newcastle next weekend, and depending on when the Omar Marmoush deal is closed and when the Egyptian international can integrate into the squad, Richarlison and/or Solanke could get one more chance to start and either impress or seal their fates elsewhere. Solanke just got a boost with Richy's self made misfortune vs. Brentford.
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