Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Mon 23 March 2026 12:10, UK

Tottenham Hotspur have a major Dominic Solanke issue but still don’t have a solution.

Solanke played the full 90 minutes in Spurs’ damaging 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest on Sunday, which saw them slip deeper into the Premier League relegation mire.

The striker delivered a reasonable display but was once again unable to stamp his authority on proceedings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – a common criticism levelled at him.

Igor Tudor has a myriad of issues to work through during the international break, presuming he remains in charge, and Solanke’s stuttering form is certainly one of them.

The loss against Forest means that time is quickly running out for Spurs, who are teetering just one point above the bottom three at the business end of a torrid campaign.

What did Dominic Solanke do against Nottingham Forest?

Not much, is the honest answer to the question. He has only escaped withering criticism after Richarlison put in a dismal performance, earning a 4/10 in Tottenham News‘ ratings.

Both strikers drifted throughout the match without grabbing it by the scruff of the neck. In truth, they were passengers for much of the six-pointer, leaving supporters disappointed.

However, Solanke was arguably the worst of the two. The £65million man was slow to press, poor when looking to link up with team-mates and painfully short of a cutting edge.

His main issue has been showcased by the graphic below from Sofascore.

A quick glance at his heatmap reveals that much of Solanke’s touches came around the edge of the box and out wide, taking him away from the areas where he is most dangerous.

He earned a glowing reputation as a penalty area predator during his time with Bournemouth and has showcased this clinical nature in fits and starts at Spurs.

Tottenham haven’t been able to get bodies around him, which would allow him to focus his efforts on finishing off moves rather than helping to start them.

Solanke took just two shots against Forest, both of which were on target, but his woeful tally of 0.16 xG proves the chances were speculative at best.

Making matters worse, he also completed just two of his four attempted dribbles.

How do Spurs fix Solanke issue?

While the solutions appear obvious, translating them to performances on the pitch is a different matter. Most of them revolve around taking more risks and committing bodies.

Tudor rightly opted to start both Solanke and Richarlison in the hope they would be able to dovetail, but there was barely any combination play between the two forwards.

Solanke is better suited as the lone No 9, with a playmaker feeding him balls in behind. His willingness to drop deeper frees up wingers, but they aren’t making the most of the space.

The brutal reality is that Tottenham have to gamble more when looking for the final pass. Pushing players on and around Solanke would allow him to poach inside the penalty area.

They could, of course, be caught short at the other end, but securing their Premier League status for next season is likely to rely on one simple motto: go big or go home.