Tottenham Hotspur embarrassed themselves once more on Tuesday night with their season still very much on the line, as they lost 2-1 to rivals Chelsea to complete not only a season sweep defeat against the newly crowned Premier League champions Arsenal, but also to their other big London rivals with the blue lion on their crest.
Spurs have been able to get results under Roberto De Zerbi despite a weak squad and an even worsening injury crisis that may be the worst we have seen in European football at any club in years, but even as De Zerbi has gotten marked improvements out of the midfield and some of the defensive stars, there is one weakness that is so horrible he cannot even come close to fixing it: the attack.
The Tottenham Hotspur front line on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge consisted of the same group as usual with Dominic Solanke still out injured at the 9. Richarlison started in the middle, Mathys Tel played on the left, and Randal Kolo Muani started on the right hand side with Conor Gallagher behind them as the 10 with James Maddison still not fit enough to start matches for Spurs.
Roberto De Zerbi can't do everything
All three of the starting forwards were beyond awful. Richarlison's form has dipped again at the worst possible time, offering no real threat to Chelsea up top with a weak performance in response to Carlo Ancelotti deservingly casting him out of the 2026 World Cup squad.
Worse yet were the showings of the wingers Tel and Kolo Muani. The latter barely needs any more remonstration than he has already received from the Spurs faithful. Kolo Muani has been shocking and one of the worst players Tottenham fans have ever seen masquerading as a footballer at their beloved club with a shameful lack of both quality and effort. And though Mathys Tel has quality, the young Frenchman had one of his worst games of the season for Chelsea.
Attacking quality is one of those thing you either have or don't and can display consistently at an individual level. Everyone knows Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, and especially Randal Kolo Muani are not good enough, and the players who are good enough like James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, and Xavi Simons have been injured. Then there is Mathys Tel, who could be good enough but maybe will never be - and clearly isn't ready yet, as evidenced by Chelsea. Roberto De Zerbi can only do so much with what he has; he can't score the goals or make the passes for the forwards.
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