18 hours ago
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No goals in three games leaves Tottenham to ponder the wisdom of exiling last season’s top scorer while Nottingham Forest were left to seethe over the goal that was ruled out.
It was bundled into the net by Neco Williams in the second half, seemed briefly to become the difference between these two imperfect teams and would fuel the post-match debate.
James McAtee was the architect with a pass to release Morgan Gibbs-White, whose shot clipped goalkeeper Toni Kinsky and spun onwards towards the open goal.
Sandro Tonali, chasing back, missed the ball with his first attempt to clear and Williams arrived with momentum behind him and threw himself forward as the £100million Spurs midfielder prepared another clearance.
By this time, Tonali was back on his own goal line, off balance and struggling. Williams smothered him and Forest ran off to celebrate. Only when the slow-motion replays were scrutinised was it evident that the ball had struck Williams on a hand from point blank range.
Referee Craig Pawson took advice from his VAR and disallowed the goal, which incensed the home crowd and ensured a humdrum contest ended with the result it probably deserved.
Neco Williams saw a scrappy goal chalked off for handball to ensure Nottingham Forest and Tottenham finished goalless
Craig Pawson's took advice from his VAR and disallowed the goal, incensing the hosts
Roberto De Zerbi's side earned their first point of the campaign but a growing focus is on where Tottenham's goals are going to come from
For Roberto De Zerbi, a first point of the season is progress of sorts. There were signs of improvement for him to cling to, but after a week in which Spurs missed transfer targets and exiled Richarlison, all eyes were on where goals were going to come from.
In short, they didn’t. The visitors had a dozen efforts at goal without registering any on target.
Spurs have sold or discarded their top scorer in each of the last four seasons, starting with Harry Kane and Heung-min Son and Brennan Johnson, who was sold in January.
In the search for someone to shoulder this burden, eyes turned instinctively to Omar Marmoush, selected to lead the line albeit not in the traditional sense.
Marmoush is not going hold the ball up with his back to goal and link play, but his movement is slick and there were flickers of promise.
One when he burst onto a pass by Pedro Porro before firing wide in the first half.
Whistle-happy referee Pawson called it back for a foul on Williams, a generous decision. Even so, perhaps the Egyptian on loan from Manchester City would’ve felt happier if he found the net.
Another chance on the break in the second half from a long punt by Kinsky was blazed over by Marmoush from a good position. De Zerbi took issue here with Marmoush’s decision to go for goal when there were passing options.
There were flickers of promise from Omar Marmoush but Tottenham are still yet to score three matches into the season
Dominic Solanke, who replaced him near the end, headed over the last of the Spurs chances, from a cross by Mohamed Kudus.
True to his style, Oliver Glasner’s Forest were comfortable concede plenty of possession, direct and were dangerous on the turnover and had the better openings of the first half.
Liam Delap released Gibbs-White two minutes before the interval. Kinsky raced out to make a strong save. There was a flag up, but it looked onside. Murillo, Jair Cunha and Delap all fizzed efforts over in the first half.
Delap was making his first start for Forest after his £50million move from Chelsea. Spurs required no introduction to his combative style. On his last appearance against them, he broke Djed Spence’s jaw with a forearm slam.
Forest opened with a long ball from keeper Mats Sels for Delap to contest in the air. Brentford dominated De Zerbi’s team on the opening day but here they offered more resistance.
Much better defensively, and far more aggressive and competitive in midfield where Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur were effective, off the ball more than on it.
Spurs could not penetrate Forest’s well drilled defence, with three central defenders and hard-working wing backs ready to reinforce in a defensive five.
Savio, one of three changes to the team beaten at home by Newcastle skipped past one or two challenges early in the game, but the red shirts often crowded him out.
Mykhailo Mudryk came on for his Tottenham debut and his first appearance for 646 days
Spurs made a positive start to the second half, generating a good period of pressure and threatening to create more with Mathys Tel, Conor Gallagher and Savio on the ball in more advanced areas.
Still, Forest held firm, helped by the finishing.
Marmoush smashed a free kick into a wall and Micky van de Ven headed wide at the near post from a corner. Having got the better of goalkeeper Sels without conceding a foul and at such close range, it was a chance Van de Ven ought to have scored.
Glasner sent on Daniel Munoz for a debut and Igor Jesus and Forest regained control.
The goal was controversially ruled out, and home fans were still fuming when Pawson ignored claims for a penalty from Jesus, convinced he had been fouled by Bentancur as he tried to get on the end of a cross.
Glasner also thought his team deserved a penalty for a foul by Kudus, a nudge on Williams under a high ball.
Mykhailo Mudryk came on for a debut and his first appearance for 646 days, but this was destined to remain goalless, and the first time since 1974 Spurs have failed to score in their opening three league games.
