Supporters in north London have every right to start dreaming of silverware after a near-flawless start to the 2023-24 season.
Six months ago, the future looked bleak for Tottenham. A disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League reflected a chaotic campaign that saw Antonio Conte and his interim replacement Cristian Stellini both sacked as a number of key players failed to live up to expectations.
Harry Kane was one of the few that could hold his head up high after another 30-goal season, but Bayern Munich quickly made it clear that the England captain was their top summer transfer target and his eventual departure felt inevitable.
It was reported that a number of high-profile managers turned down the chance to replace Conte, including the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique, which led Tottenham to instead turn to Ange Postecoglou. The former Celtic boss was a huge success in Scotland, but his initial appointment did little to lift the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Postecoglou was not the big name Spurs fans would have expected, and his lack of experience at the very highest level raised alarm bells. But the Australian has since proven to be exactly the right man to lead the club into a bold new era.
An encouraging pre-season campaign showed that Postecoglou was ready to implement a new forward-thinking style designed to get the best out of Spurs’ most dangerous players, and he was also able to bring in a host of new signings to fit his philosophy. By the time Kane’s move to Bayern was confirmed on the eve of the season, a new wave of optimism had started sweeping across north London.
And now here we are, with Spurs sitting top of the Premier League heading into the second international break of the 2023-24 season. Postecoglou’s men are ahead of arch-rivals Arsenal on goals scored, with reigning champions Manchester City two points further back in third, and they have yet to taste defeat.
The general consensus is that Tottenham won’t be able to stay the course, but that is more based on their recent history than anything else. Their current position is no accident – Postecoglou has transformed a confidence-stricken outfit into arguably the most well-rounded side in the division, and they deserve to be taken seriously as potential title contenders.
‘Ange-ball’
Spurs moved to the Premier League summit after a hard-fought 1-0 win at Luton Town, with Micky Van de Ven grabbing the winning goal early in the second half – after Yves Bissouma was sent off for a second yellow card just before the break.
It’s fair to say that last season, Tottenham would have dropped points in a game like that. But the players are giving their all for Postecoglou, and he can feel that everyone is pulling in the same direction.
It’s fair to say that last season, Tottenham would have dropped points in a game like that. But the players are giving their all for Postecoglou, and he can feel that everyone is pulling in the same direction.
“It is all credit to the players, the way they have bought into what we are trying to do,” the Spurs boss told TNT Sports after the game. “We are really tight as a group, which you see because not only are we winning games, but apart from the football, which has been good, the resilience we have shown has been great. The players want to change the destiny of this club and that is what they are trying to do on the pitch.”
Under Conte, and his predecessors Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho, Spurs were a cautious, counter-attacking side. They were quite content to sit back in numbers and win matches by the odd goal, with entertainment in short supply for supporters as a result.
That’s all changed since Postecoglou’s arrival, as he encourages his players to express themselves and take risks under pressure. Spurs are now inviting the opposition press, and have shown the quality to play through it time and time again, which is why they are creating so many chances.
During their thrilling 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the first North London derby of the season, ‘Ange-ball’ was in full effect, and Tottenham really should have left the Emirates Stadium with all three points. Heading into the latter stages of the game, it was Spurs that went all out for a winner, not Arsenal. There was one sequence that saw the visitors carve open the Gunners with a nine-pass move, starting from goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario, only for a potential goal-of-the-season candidate to be snuffed out when Pedro Porro’s cross was deflected out for corner.
Spurs were quite simply a joy to watch, as they have been throughout Postecoglou’s tenure so far. “If we lose playing his way, that’s on him, his responsibility, and it gives you freedom to go and play as well,” summer signing James Maddison said of the belief the manager has injected into the squad after Arsenal game. That mentality could take Tottenham a long way.
Magical Maddison
Maddison has been the standout player for Spurs in the new Postecoglou era, slotting into the No.10 role perfectly after his £40 million ($49m) switch from Leicester City. The England international has recorded two goals and five assists in his first eight Premier League outings, with his latest moment of magic coming at Luton.
Spurs won a corner to relieve some pressure as Luton started to make their numerical advantage count, and Dejan Kulusevski took it quickly when Maddison made himself available for a simple pass. Despite being tightly marked, the 26-year-old then managed to dance his way through to the edge of the six-yard box with a brilliant drop of the shoulder, and had the awareness to poke the ball back to Van de Ven for a simple finish.
Only the very best players can conjure up something out of nothing, and Maddison’s ingenuity has added a new dimension to Tottenham’s attack. He’s created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this term, and also appears to have taken on a leadership role.
Maddison’s performances are inspiring those around him to raise their level, with the collective spirit in the squad seemingly at an all-time high. The former Leicester man has grasped his chance to shine at a bigger club with both hands, and looks like he is loving every minute.
“When you start playing football as a kid, you don’t play for anything,” Maddison said after being unveiled at Spurs in June. “There’s no politics, nothing like that. You play because you love playing football and you do the things you love, and you become the player you become because of what you do and what you’re good at.
“And that will never change for me. That’s non-negotiable. That’s how I play. I’m never going to change and that’s why my journey has gone like this and I’m happy to have ended up at Tottenham.”
That passion is what sets Maddison apart from the majority of his peers. And there is no limit to what Spurs can achieve if he continues on his current trajectory.
Van de Ven’s colossal presence
Spurs spent another £43m ($52m) on Dutch centre-back Van de Ven in the summer, and he has made an instant impact in English football. The 22-year-old has shown a maturity belying his age, striking up a formidable partnership with Cristian Romero in the process.
Romero, recently described as the best defender in the world by Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi, was left exposed time and time again by the likes of Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and Clement Lenglet last season as Tottenham leaked goals for fun.
Van de Ven complements Romero perfectly, though, as former Spurs and Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Match of the Day after the Luton game: “Tottenham have been looking for a central defensive partnership for a long time now, that gives them composure with the ball and stability without. They just haven’t had that. Now they’ve got it. Van de Ven and Romero are looking like a real partnership. You need your centre-halves to be brave on the ball. Tottenham start everything with these two at the moment.”
It’s much harder for opposition teams to get in behind Spurs’ backline now thanks to Van de Ven, who is deceptively quick for such a big man. Very few players will be able to beat the Netherlands Under-21 international in a footrace, and his imposing frame also helps him to win most of his physical duels.
Van de Ven is like a Rolls Royce when he carries the ball out of defence – which he backs up with his excellent passing range and decision-making skills. He’s capable of chipping in with a goal every now and then, too, as evidenced by his impressive improvised finish against Luton.
The scary thing is, Van de Ven is only just starting to realise his full potential. It will be fascinating to see how he develops under Postecoglou as the season progresses.
Son taking centre-stage
Son Heung-min and Kane were a match made in heaven, as they combined for 47 Premier League goals in the space of eight years – the best partnership in the history of the competition. Kane wouldn’t have become Spurs’ all-time record goalscorer without Son backing him up, as the South Korean seemed to have a telepathic instinct for finding his strike partner in great positions.
Son saw the favour returned regularly, but it was always Kane who was considered to be Tottenham’s main man. And so although his departure broke up an all-time great double act, it also gave Son the opportunity to take centre-stage.
Postecoglou named Son as Spurs’ new captain after his appointment as manager, but initially kept him in his usual role wide on the left. The 31-year-old failed to score in his first three Premier League outings of the new season, before being asked to lead the line in an away clash at Burnley on September 2.
Spurs romped to a 5-2 victory at Turf Moor, with Son helping himself to a brilliant hat-trick. He exploited the Clarets’ high line on numerous occasions and more often than not, had the finish to match his intelligent movement.
Son had the Midas touch again during the North London derby as he netted a brace, and grabbed his sixth goal of the season in Spurs’ smash-and-grab victory over Liverpool earlier this month. “I think the way we’re playing suits him,” Postecoglou said after the latter contest.
It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Son was secretly eying the second Golden Boot of his career, given how many chances Spurs are creating right now. He is a natural when it comes to getting into goalscoring positions and can find the net from any angle, such is his superb technical ability with both feet.
Tottenham are not missing Kane, and that’s largely due to Son. He’s tailor-made for Postecoglou’s system and has taken on the responsibility of being the focal point in the team admirably.
Flying full-backs
Spurs barely ever used full-backs last season, with Conte favouring a 3-4-3 formation, but Postecoglou has emphasised their importance since his arrival at the club.
The Australian tactician tends to set up in a 4-2-3-1, with both his right and left-back moved up and inside when Tottenham are on the attack. They push into midfield as Spurs take on an ultra-attacking 2-3-5 shape that has reaped plenty of rewards so far in 2023-24.
Destiny Udogie has been a revelation on the left, with the former Udinese starlet’s £20m ($24m) price tag looking like a bargain already as he’s made the transition from Serie A to the Premier League look easy. The Italian is quick, strong and equally as impressive going forward as he is defensively, which makes him a great asset for Spurs.
On the opposite side, Postecoglou has been switching between Pedro Porro and Emerson Royal, both of whom underperformed in 2022-23. They have redeemed themselves in recent months, particularly Porro, who is clearly relishing the opportunity to make a bigger contribution in the final third.
“It’s a system that I’m really suited to and it’s really working well for me. It’s a new system that I haven’t played before,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports last month. “I’m playing inside as a full-back, but it’s somewhere I’m feeling confident. I’m feeling really happy out there and I think you can see that when I’m playing.”
Udogie and Emerson have also embraced Postecoglou’s methods, and Spurs are now the most attractive team to watch in English football because of it. The Spurs boss recently said: “I want exciting (football) that people talk about, not just the end result but also the manner in which you played.”
His full-backs are setting the tone at the moment, and no one has figured out how to keep them at bay yet.
Midfield steel
Spurs’ effective use of inverted full-backs has been facilitated by Bissouma, who has shown great positional sense in a deep-lying midfield role this term.
The 27-year-old’s debut season at Tottenham was a huge disappointment as injuries limited his contribution, but he’s worked hard to get back to full fitness and Postecoglou has shown great faith in his abilities.
Bissouma has rightly been criticised for his display against Luton, during which he picked up a second yellow for a shameful dive and left his team-mates in a very difficult spot. But his overall impact on the team over the past few months cannot be overstated.
Only two other players have completed more tackles than the former Brighton man in the Premier League this season, and he sits top of the pile for the most completed short passes. No midfielder has racked up as many progressive carries as Bissouma either, which underlines the fact that he has rediscovered his confidence under Postecoglou.
Pape Matar Sarr, meanwhile, has proven to be the perfect foil for Bissouma. The 21-year-old never really got a look-in with Conte, but the Senegal international is now one of the first names on Postecoglou’s teamsheet.
He showed exactly why in a 2-0 home victory over Manchester United in August, scoring the opener to cap an all-action display as Spurs dominated the midfield battle. Postecoglou was full of praise for Sarr after the game, as he told reporters: “He’s got a great energy about him, but he’s got quality there too. He’s one of those midfielders who causes the opposition real problems, because whether it’s him running with the ball or without the ball, he runs forward, he runs aggressively and he disrupts the opposition. He’s just got a great temperament for a young guy.”
Bissouma and Sarr have all the makings of a world-class pairing, and they’ve added much-needed steel to the engine room. They are the reason that Tottenham are no longer pushovers.
No European distractions
Spurs have enjoyed a few encouraging runs in the post-Mauricio Pochettino era that turned out to be false dawns. Mourinho took Tottenham to the top of the league in November 2020 after a 2-0 victory over Manchester City, and they had their best start to a season in 59 years in 2022-23, with Conte’s side amassing 23 points from their opening 10 games.
The difference this time is Postecoglou has got Spurs playing far better football. They go into every game thinking only of victory, and there is a fighting spirit in the group now that was sorely lacking in previous years.
Time will tell as to whether Tottenham can genuinely challenge City and Arsenal for the Premier League trophy, but that’s what they should be aiming for. The main rivals have far more exhausting fixture lists, which gives Postecoglou’s men an advantage.
Spurs are not playing European football this season, and they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the second round after Postecoglou fielded a much-changed team against Fulham. One or two games a week will be far easier to manage than three or four.
If injuries to key personnel can be avoided, Tottenham should be able to keep pace at the top of the league. It would be easy to just target a return to Champions League, but aspirations should be higher than that now.
There is certainly no danger of Postecoglou getting complacent or allowing standards to slip. “It’s going alright. But we’re in October and we’ve still got a lot of work to do,” he told reporters when quizzed on his fast start to life in the Premier League at the weekend.
After so many years in the wilderness, Spurs are finally heading in the right direction again. And it’s not too early to put them down as dark horses for the 2023-24 Premier League trophy.
