Tottenham are enduring a difficult attacking start, having failed to score any goal in their first four matches in the Premier League this season, despite spending around £320 million in the summer transfer market.
Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush looks like one of the best bets to end that barren run, according to the British newspaper "Daily Mail". It comes down to the approach Roberto De Zerbi wants at Tottenham, one built on positional fluidity. Marmoush can drop into deeper areas, drag his marker with him and then attack the spaces in tandem with the winger or the attacking midfielder.
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De Zerbi used Marmoush on the left wing against Everton after playing him up front against Nottingham Forest. But his movements make him better suited to the striker's role in the Italian's system, according to the British newspaper.
He can drift away from the front line and help build up play, then return to the box and exploit the spaces. Those roles suit his mobility and his ability to play in more than one position.
Marmoush also boasts a strong record in finishing off attacks, having shown in Germany that he can score and create danger from different positions. His time at Manchester City was no evidence of a decline, either. Erling Haaland monopolises the striker's role in many matches, and that dented his chances of racking up big numbers.
Solanke's struggles
The report reckons the former City man looks more comfortable than Dominic Solanke when asked to drop into deeper areas as De Zerbi wants. Solanke is in clear decline. He hasn't scored in the Premier League since last March, and he cut a pale figure against Everton, managing just 19 touches without a shot on target.
Tottenham's current squad gives De Zerbi the chance to try Marmoush in a more advanced position, especially with so many wingers and players capable of filling the flanks. Savio, for one, started against Everton on the right. Moving Marmoush up front, then, wouldn't necessarily force a radical change in the shape of the team.
The crisis isn't just about a missing final touch. The team have created very few chances. Savio and Mathys Fernandez haven't provided the required cutting edge in the final third, while Mathys Tel faces a different problem, after De Zerbi flagged his tendency to think like a playmaker rather than a striker.
De Zerbi believes his side will need time to adapt, yet the continued failure to score piles the pressure on him. The upcoming match against Aston Villa in the Premier League may hand Marmoush the chance to be given a more advanced role.
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