Is that the catalyst for change? Roberto De Zerbi's side have not scored a single goal in the Premier League throughout their opening four games.

Yes, this is not a good start to the new campaign. Out of the cup and sitting 17th in the top-flight, the manager needs to find solutions.

One of those should be to stop starting Mathys Tel.

Why Mathys Tel is a big problem for Spurs

After Tottenham's 0-0 draw with Everton last weekend, De Zerbi was seen barking at Tel. The topic of the conversation is unclear but the Italian was clearly unhappy with something his winger had or hadn't done.

Tel looked surprised, baffled in fact. Well, his performances so far this term suggest he shouldn't be.

After all, the £30m signing has not had a good first year and a bit in the English capital. Last season, Tel scored just four goals in all competitions. It explained why De Zerbi wanted an upgrade this summer.

The manager targeted Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, only for the Dutchman to remain at Anfield while Iliman Ndiaye had agreed to move to Tottenham in a £60m deal. He ultimately ended up at Manchester City.

So, they knew they needed a replacement, even despite Tel's pre-season performances. The young Frenchman was electric over the summer, scoring a wonderful free-kick during their mini tour of Oceania. He tried replicating that in the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle but blazed it high and wide.

That just about sums up Tel's campaign so far. The 21-year-old, like many of his colleagues, has not scored or assisted a goal yet. While others can be blamed, the displays of the former Bayern Munich man have not been good enough.

His decision making is poor and as he showed against Liverpool on Tuesday night, nothing seems to be going right for him. He didn't have a shot, gave away the ball on 17 occasions and also failed to register a key pass.

Spurs need more; it's just a pity that a possible solution in Mykhailo Mudryk is out injured.

How Spurs can solve their Mathys Tel issue

After a big summer of spending, Tottenham's depth is much-improved.

De Zerbi may not have got his hands on Gakpo or Ndiaye but before too long, he will be able to call upon the services of Mudryk, a player he knows well from his days at Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.

Another option could be to field Omar Marmoush in that position, as he did against Everton last weekend. That didn't go too well on the day but it is surely more preferable than fielding Tel out on the left.

While he may not be a proper solution this term, young superstar Luca Williams-Barnett is an option too. Like Tel, he had an outstanding pre-season. He is the club's answer to Max Dowman but supporters will have to remain patient with his development. He is not going to be thrown in at the deep end right away.

The same can be said of Mikey Moore, another who enjoyed a productive pre-season.

The 19-year-old is currently on loan with Koln in Germany so will not be seen this season but do not be surprised if that come next term, he takes Tel's place on that left flank.

Moore bagged twice against Hoffenheim in pre-season from the right flank and scored against Charlton in the Carabao Cup a few weeks ago. That said, he is certainly more at home on the opposite side. It was in that position that he thrived on loan at Rangers in 2025/26, scoring seven times and supplying four assists.

The teenager has only played two times for his new loan club in the Bundesliga but he has already made an impact, providing an assist. His development could soar overseas and it's incredibly exciting to see how the season plays out for him.

What's so exciting about him? Well, as Moore showed in the academy, he knows where the net is. This is one of Tottenham's brightest academy graduates since a certain Harry Kane.

Moore bagged a ridiculous 19 goals in 24 matches for the U18s, providing 13 assists. What should also excite De Zerbi is his versatility.

Over the summer, Tottenham were looking at signing Bournemouth's own spritely teenager in the form of Eli Junior Kroupi, only for the Frenchman to suffer a foot injury that has ruled him out for three to four months.

One of the biggest appeals of signing Kroupi is his ability to play all across the front line. At Lorient in 2024/25, he scored 13 goals in 16 games as a centre-forward, while also scoring seven times in six appearances from the left flank. At Bournemouth, he has also operated as a second striker/number 10.

Moore is cut from a similar cloth. Across recorded data at age group level and in senior football, he has played 35 times on the left, eight times as a striker and on 13 occasions as an attacking midfielder.

Boasting raw pace, end product and a willingness to make things happen, Spurs simply have to look at replacing Tel with their academy graduate next season.