Tottenham earned their first league point of the season as they secured a scrappy 0-0 draw away to Nottingham Forest.
asserted
they → earn → Forest
In a game that lacked quality and clear-cut chances, Spurs held on to earn a rare clean sheet and an invaluable point.
asserted
Spurs → lack → sheet
Forest, meanwhile, will feel aggrieved not to have stolen the win after Neco Williams was adjudged to have handled the ball when bundling home on the goal line in the second-half.
asserted
Williams → feel → half
Spurs stop the rot with battling performance:
asserted
Spurs → stop → performance
It may not have been the result Spurs came for, but they at least put a stop to their losing run and ensured Forest were unable to make it four wins on the bounce against them.
uncertain
it → come → them
This result and performance could in time prove a useful building block for De Zerbi as his side showed guts and concentration to hold onto what they had.
uncertain
they → prove → what
Spurs have dictated games with more authority than this and still ended up on the losing side, so to hurdle that particular mental barrier and earn their first clean sheet of the season is important.
asserted
hurdle → dictate → season
De Zerbi’s side were imperfect - scrappy in possession and at times chaotic in defence - but they did enough to get their first point on the board, and that has to act as encouragement.
They fought admirably in the middle of the park and would have had something to show for their endeavour if they displayed more poise in the final third.
asserted
they → do → third
This performance may not live long in the memory, but it showed a team fighting in the same direction and committed to turning things around after a difficult start to the season.
uncertain
it → live → season
Spurs’ scoreless run continues despite earning their first point of the season:
Roberto De Zerbi and Oliver Glasner were engaged in a war of words in the build-up to this afternoon’s clash, in essence suggesting they could predict exactly how the other was going to set up their team.
In fairness to the pair, their pre-match jibes rang true as Forest and Spurs played out an evenly contested but utterly uninspiring match at the City Ground.
uncertain
Forest → continue → Ground
There was just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, with both teams cancelling each other out as the ball got lost in a scrappy midfield contest, and there was no improvement in quality after the break.
asserted
ball → be → break
Forest arguably edged the second-half and were unlucky to see Williams’ goal ruled out for handball.
asserted
goal → edge → handball
For Spurs, though, this was an important point, but a performance devoid of any inspiration as they failed to register a single shot on target.
asserted
they → fail → target
The north Londoners remain scoreless after three league games, and while they made adjustments in attack, with Savio and Omar Marmoush starting together for the first time, the same issues persist.
asserted
issues → remain → time
Ponderous possession and an inability to force high turnovers into shots on goal mean Spurs lack any tangible threat going forward.
asserted
Spurs → force → threat
They get the ball in good areas but lack the creativity or quality to turn territory into opportunities.
asserted
They → get → opportunities
Savio frustrates on unproductive full debut:
asserted
Savio → frustrate → debut
After a mesmerising performance off the bench against Charlton, expectations were high that Savio could be the man to finally inject some rhythm and incisiveness into Spurs’ attack.
uncertain
Savio → inject → attack
The anticipation for Savio’s full debut had only grown after missing out through injury against Newcastle last weekend, but supporters were left frustrated on an afternoon when Spurs toiled in front of goal.
asserted
Spurs → grow → goal
The 22-year-old saw plenty of the ball and offered flickers of promise, with short, sharp one-touch play, but ultimately there was too much pre-amble and not enough penetration from the young winger.
asserted
old → see → winger
De Zerbi knows he has a task on his hands to develop Savio’s promise into productivity, and his performance this afternoon suggests there is work to do if the former Manchester City man is to fulfil his potential.
uncertain
man → know → potential
These are early days, and Savio, like the rest of his team-mates, is trying to work out his place in De Zerbi’s system.
asserted
Savio → try → system
In weeks to come, though, De Zerbi will need to see more return on the club’s £85m investment.
asserted
Zerbi → come → investment
The Aporia
