Spurs Post 1.60 xG and Zero Shots on Target in 0-0

Tottenham left the City Ground with a first Premier League point of 2026 and a strange stat line. Roberto De Zerbi's side generated 1.60 expected goals from 12 shots and still failed to register a single shot on target in a 0-0 draw with Nottingham.

Key Numbers

Possession sat 41-59 in Tottenham's favour. Passes were 235/308 (76%) for Forest and 372/443 (84%) for Spurs. Corners were 2-10. Touches in the opposition box were 11-30. Big chances: Forest 1, Tottenham 2.

The finishing split is the story. Forest put two of 12 shots on target (xGOT 0.05). Tottenham put zero of 12 on target (xGOT 0.00) despite nine attempts from inside the box to Forest's five. Expected assists were 0.29-0.70.

Forest fouled 21 times to Tottenham's 13 and still won 57 duels to 58. Clearances were almost even (23-24). Neither side recorded an error leading to a shot or a goal.

Tactical Reading

Oliver Glasner's 3-4-2-1 at home was compact and physical. De Zerbi's 4-2-3-1 held the ball and piled up corners without finding the frame. First-half xG was almost level at 0.38-0.34, with Forest actually taking seven shots to four.

After the break Tottenham's volume rose. Destination changes — Andrew Robertson and Mohammed Kudus on 61, Mykhaylo Mudryk on 74, then Mateus Fernandes and Dominic Solanke on 84 — added width and a second striker. The xG climbed to 1.60, but xGOT stayed at zero.

Forest's late looks were no cleaner. Chris Wood replaced Liam Delap on 74 minutes; the hosts still finished at 0.65 xG. Cross accuracy of 5% (1/19) for Forest and 25% (6/24) for Tottenham shows both attacks struggled to deliver quality into the box despite the corner count.

Standout Performers

Matz Sels did not have a save to make. Antonin Kinsky made one save against 0.05 xGOT faced. That is the clean-sheet profile of a match with 24 total shots and almost no end product on frame.

Destin Udogie, Nikola Milenkovic, James McAtee and Fernandes all saw yellow cards. The game stayed 0-0 because finishing quality, not chance creation, collapsed — especially for the visitors who owned the box.

What It Means

Forest sit 16th on two points from three games (2 scored, 3 conceded). Tottenham are 18th on one point, still without a league goal after three matches (0-5). The 1.60 xG will encourage De Zerbi more than the blank scoresheet will.

For live soccer on TV audiences this was a control-without-end-product night. Spurs won the territorial battle and lost the shot-on-target battle 2-0. Until the 1.60 xG starts hitting the net, the table will keep treating them as a bottom-three side.