Tottenham's struggles in front of goal have been a recurring problem throughout the 2026/27 season. While Roberto De Zerbi has several talented attacking options at his disposal, his two recognised centre-forwards, Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush, have yet to deliver the performances and goals expected of them.
Given the decision to leave last season's top goalscorer Richarlison out of the Premier League squad, the reliance on Solanke and Marmoush to deliver goals is more important than ever. However, with just three goals between them in all competitions so far, they are yet to produce the output expected of them.
While there is a big responsibility on Solanke and Marmoush to produce more goals, De Zerbi himself must also consider whether his approach to managing the pair is helping them perform at their best.
Tottenham's Strikers Have Yet to Find Their Rhythm
Solanke arrived at Spurs in August 2024 off the back of a 19-goal league season with Bournemouth, but is yet to match that total in more than two seasons in north London. While injuries have taken their toll on the striker, he has scored 24 goals in 77 appearances for Spurs, including just 13 in 52 Premier League appearances.
Marmoush, meanwhile, netted 37 goals in 67 games for Eintracht Frankfurt and a further 16 for Manchester City, but has found the net just once in ten games for Spurs since joining in the summer with a brilliant strike against Coventry City.
There is no doubt that both players have the ability to produce impressive numbers and establish themselves as Tottenham's number nine in the future. However, neither has looked anywhere near their best during a 2026/27 season in which Spurs have scored just ten goals in ten league games.
Just two of those league goals have come from their strikers, while only three, including Mathys Tel's brilliant solo strike against Chelsea, have come from forwards. Jan Paul van Hecke being Spurs' leading Premier League goalscorer with two goals is undoubtedly a cause for concern.
De Zerbi Must Stop Chopping and Changing
One of the biggest questions surrounding Tottenham's start to the season is De Zerbi's team selections and decision-making, particularly his approach to the centre-forward position.
Marmoush and Solanke have been regularly rotated, with the Italian experimenting with both players individually and together. This has impacted Marmoush, as while his versatility and ability to cover multiple positions are assets, the constant changes have made it difficult for him to establish himself as a nailed-on starter in one position.
Marmoush's eight starts have been split across four appearances as a centre-forward, three from the left and one in attacking midfield against Crystal Palace. Solanke, meanwhile, has been used exclusively as a number nine, starting eight matches in that role and making four substitute appearances. However, Solanke went from captaining the side, playing 90 minutes and scoring against Manchester United to being benched against Chelsea just two games later.
The pair have started together on four occasions, against Everton, Aston Villa, Coventry and Crystal Palace, but are yet to develop any real understanding as a strike partnership or attacking duo, a far cry from the record-breaking combination of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.
Saturday's defeat to Leeds United provided another example of neither player making a significant impact, while their positions also shifted during the match. Marmoush started through the middle before moving out wide when Solanke replaced the injured Tel late in the first half. Marmoush registered two attempts but managed an xG of just 0.16, while Solanke failed to register a single shot despite playing for 50 minutes.
Finding the Right Solution
Solanke arguably offers the more natural solution as Tottenham's first-choice number nine. His physical presence, impressive work rate and pressing, combined with his previous Premier League goalscoring record, make him a strong candidate to lead the attack.
However, that does not mean Marmoush should be relegated to the substitutes' bench. The Egyptian could be particularly effective operating just behind the main striker or from the left-hand side, using his pace and movement to complement Solanke's more traditional approach.
Ultimately, though, both players need the opportunity to play regularly and make a position their own. It is difficult for either to build confidence when they are continually being moved around or dropped from the starting lineup.
That is particularly important given Tottenham's lack of attacking output. Mohammed Kudus is yet to score this season, while Tel has managed just one goal and could be facing a spell on the sidelines following Jayden Bogle's challenge on the Frenchman against Leeds. Luca Williams-Barnett has been a recent bright spark from the bench but cannot be relied upon to resolve Tottenham's attacking woes.
With injuries affecting Xavi Simons, Savio, Wilson Odobert and Mykhailo Mudryk, while James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are still working towards full fitness, Spurs desperately need one of their two senior centre-forwards to start firing and become the focal point of the attack.
De Zerbi must decide which player he wants to build his attack around, and he needs to make that decision sooner rather than later. Tottenham cannot afford to keep waiting for their strikers to find form while the team's goalscoring problems continue.
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