THAT decision to exile Richarlison is looking riskier by the week.
Because right now Spurs’ goal threat is so negligible, they can ill-afford to shun one of their few players who actually knows how to hit the back of the onion bag.
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Boss Roberto De Zerbi insists he had no other choice but to leave wantaway Richarlison out of his Premier League squad following his behaviour in the last month and a half.
But after this toothless stalemate made it four league games, no wins and no goals scored so far this season – despite more than £350million spent – fans will continue to question the sense in ostracising the 29-year-old.
Richarlison was top-scorer last season with 11 Prem goals but was sat watching from the sidelines here, unable to take part.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi’s expensively-assembled new side looked like they would not score in 900 minutes, let alone 90, barring a decent opening quarter of an hour.
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They would have lost, too, had Brennan Johnson – the man who won Spurs their first trophy in 17 years with his Europa League final winner two seasons ago – not blazed over late on for Everton.
Regardless of their mega-bucks summer, fans have no idea where their next win is coming from and will be fearing another season toiling at the wrong end of the league.
Spurs actually started OK, particularly through lively widemen Savio and Omar Marmoush.
Jan Paul van Hecke blazed over an early chance when attempting to half-volley home Andy Robertson’s floated free-kick.
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Saturday 12 September
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0 – 0
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Sunderland
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Saturday 12 September
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While Van Hecke also played a great ball through for Mateus Fernandes, but the £85million midfielder ended up dribbling into traffic.
After that exciting opening quarter of an hour, though, Everton weathered the storm and suddenly Spurs were looking as short of creativity as they have for much of the campaign.
End product, once again, was sorely lacking.
Coached by the vastly experienced David Moyes, the Toffees looked comfortable and seemed happy for Spurs to have the ball, so long as it was far away from their goal.
It is not like Everton carried much of a threat, either.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles attempted one effort from range but could not replicate his wonderstrike against Manchester United from last week, dragging well wide.
The atmosphere in the ground grew flatter and flatter as the half wore on.
Fans had seen this film far too many times before and seemed in need of a spark from the team to get going, rather than being the ones to supply it to the players with their support.
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Everton almost nicked an opener just before the break through James Garner’s free-kick, which had to be smartly palmed away by Antonin Kinsky.
There were no boos as the players went in for the break but you could sense the frustration and anxiety.
Not only had Spurs now made it seven halves of Premier League football this season without a goal.
But the fear was it could get a whole lot worse after the interval if things went against their side, as they have so often done here in the last few years.
Worryingly for De Zerbi, there were ironic cheers from fans when Fernandes fired a tame shot on target from distance two minutes into the second half.
Then came a flurry of Toffees chances, first via Thierno Barry, whose close-range header was saved by Kinsky’s face.
Barry then should have played Brennan Johnson clean through moments later, but inexplicably played it left to Tyrique George, whose cross was blocked.
It was a poor choice as Johnson, who netted the winner in the Europa League final for Spurs two seasons ago, was waiting to pounce.
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George then hit a sweet strike which probably would have gone in were it not for a Rodrigo Bentancur’s excellent block.
Bentancur was outstanding in last week’s 0-0 at Nottingham Forest, but even the Uruguayan was looking jittery here as he horribly miscued a routine pass and gave away possession.
Despite the stalemate scoreline, and the lack of goals all season, De Zerbi subbed off centre-forward Dominic Solanke just after the hour, along with Fernandes and Bentancur.
In fairness, the England striker had been anonymous all game and never came close to hitting the net.
With every passing minute, the nerve-jangling intensified around the stadium and for the men in white on the pitch.
It was not helped by Kinsky firing a routine pass out to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who had a great opportunity to score but he could not beat the relieved Czech.
Johnson then had a golden chance of his own when Dewsbury-Hall cut it back to him inside the area, but the Welshman’s effort flew over the bar.
He was subbed immediately afterwards and the Spurs fans gave him a standing ovation.
It was because of his Europa League heroics but it could easily have been for his generous miss just seconds before.
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Sub Lucas Bergvall drew a smart stop from Jordan Pickford in the final minutes.
But had it gone in it would have been far more than Spurs deserved, as De Zerbi’s side were booed off at the final whistle.