Tottenham stars told vital Roberto De Zerbi demand as Everton opportunity revealed

Tottenham escaped the City Ground with their honour intact but little in the way of inspiration as their slow start to the season continued with a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Still without a league win after three games, they were industrious yet insipid against Forest. Physical in midfield but procrastinating in the final third. It was progress after back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and Brentford , but nothing more.

Roberto De Zerbi knows his side can play better. “If you watch the game in Nottingham, it was a bad game,” he said of the attritional fare the two teams served up.

Spurs , in particular, were devoid of any creativity or composure as they hurried from one loose ball to the next, unable to get a hold of a game that was played as much in the air as it was on the ground.

Commitment is not in short supply. De Zerbi demands that as a minimum having informed those whose heart is not in this arduous Spurs project that they are free to leave.

Tottenham have room for improvement after insipid draw at Nottingham Forest PA But that is a baseline, a non-negotiable, for the style De Zerbi wants to implement. Now, having shown they can compete with Forest’s physicality, it is about adding layers and “personality” to Spurs’ football.

“I would like to see one team playing with courage, with energy, to try to dominate the game, dominate the pressure with the right spirit, with the spirit I like.”

This is the blueprint for De Zerbi’s new era. Courage, energy and control. But what is courage if it is not also commitment?

For De Zerbi, courage is a different form of bravery entirely. The confidence to take a risk in possession - receive the ball on the half turn, break the lines with a pass, or even just to have a shot on goal. Spurs did not manage to trouble the Forest goal once last weekend.

De Zerbi wants his side to take more risks AFP/Getty “It is like we don't want the ball or we don't want to take any risks because if we lose the ball, if we lose the ball, we can concede a goal,” De Zerbi rallied, clearly sending a message to his players ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Everton .

If this weekend’s game is not yet a must-win, then it is, without a shadow of a doubt, a must-score.

“I'm the coach, I take the responsibility I have to take without problem, but I would like to play, to play, to play, to play, to run, to press, to dribble, to shoot many times, more times on the goal, because I know the potential of my players.”

Spurs’ last Premier League win came in this fixture on the final day of last season. A victory that remarkably secured Spurs’ top-flight survival.

It was a result that ended up being the catalyst for a summer splurge in excess of £300million and a heightening of expectations that have as yet been unfulfilled.