Tottenham Hotspur finally found the back of the net for the first time this season when Conor Gallagher struck in the 69th minute against Liverpool in the League Cup earlier this week.
Unfortunately, that goal came whilst the Lilywhites were already 2-0 down at Anfield and the match ended in a 3-1 defeat for Roberto De Zerbi’s side, who are yet to win a match this term.
The last goal scored by Spurs in the Premier League was defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha’s winning goal against Everton in the first half of their 1-0 win on the final day of the 2025/26 campaign.
They have, to put it simply, not been good enough at the top end of the pitch in the division this season, and Mathys Tel’s underwhelming form has been one of the contributing factors.
Why De Zerbi must drop Tel this weekend
Spurs welcome Aston Villa to North London on Saturday in the Premier League and one of the first players dropped from the starting line-up after the loss to Liverpool should be the French winger.
Tel was given the opportunity to start on the left flank after being dropped from the XI for the 0-0 draw with Everton, but he failed to make the most of his chance at Anfield.
Vs Liverpool | Mathys Tel |
|---|---|
Minutes | 85 |
Shots | 0 |
Key passes | 0 |
Big chances created | 0 |
Crosses | 0 |
Pass accuracy | 71% |
Dribbles completed | 2/4 |
Possession lost | 15x |
He did not make any significant contributions in the final third, taking no shots and failing to create any chances for his teammates, before being substituted with 15 minutes left to go.
His performance, unfortunately, did not come as a surprise. In the Premier League, Tel has not scored, created a ‘big chance’, or provided an assist in 259 minutes of action across the first four matches of the campaign.
The 21-year-old forward, who only scored four goals in all competitions last term, has not been effective enough as an attacking force for the Lilywhites, and should be taken out of the side for this clash with Villa.
Spurs must regret losing Mathys Tel upgrade for nothing
Spurs spent £30m to sign Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2025, a decision which they may now regret, particularly when they have had more impressive forwards slip through their fingers in the past.
One of the wingers who slipped through their grasp at academy level was Noni Madueke, who left the club on a free transfer to sign for PSV in the Netherlands in 2018.
After four years with the club’s academy side, the left-footed star opted to try his luck abroad instead of signing a scholarship contract with Tottenham, as he felt that it would be better for his development.
It is hard to argue with the England international’s decision-making because he has gone on to enjoy a very respectable career, and is now a far better forward than Tel, whom Spurs paid £30m for.
Noni Madueke since leaving Spurs | ||
|---|---|---|
Season (club) | Goals | Assists |
26/27 (Arsenal) | 1 | 0 |
25/26 (Arsenal) | 8 | 3 |
24/25 (Chelsea) | 10 | 4 |
23/24 (Chelsea) | 8 | 3 |
22/21 (PSV & Chelsea) | 3 | 0 |
21/22 (PSV) | 7 | 5 |
20/21 (PSV) | 9 | 6 |
After spells with PSV and Chelsea, Arsenal swooped to sign Madueke from the Blues in a deal worth up to £52m in the summer of 2025, and he played a part in their Premier League title success last season.
It does not look good on Spurs that a player they had in their academy system for four years left them for nothing and went on to star for two of their London rivals, helping both teams to win trophies.
Madueke may not be a world-beater who is delivering 20 goals and 20 assists a season for the Gunners, but his return of 19 goals and seven assists since the start of the 2024/25 campaign is more than respectable.
The versatile winger, who can play on either flank, has proven himself to be a valuable player at the elite level, even starting four of his five appearances at the World Cup for England earlier this year.
Tel, meanwhile, is yet to make his senior debut for France and has only delivered seven goals and four assists in all competitions for Spurs and Bayern combined since the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
The French attacker has rarely contributed at the top end of the pitch, unlike Madueke during his time with Chelsea and Arsenal, and is currently looking like a flop for the £30m that the club spent on him.
Therefore, Spurs must regret failing to convince Madueke that there was a path to first-team football for him in North London back in 2018, because he would currently be a major upgrade on what De Zerbi currently has at his disposal.
Source: www.footballfancast.com
