Pondits favours Tottenham to win the league

Pondits favours Tottenham to win the league

Postecoglou’smen have made a record-breaking start to the season as they head into the international break at the top of the table

Tottenham find themselves at the top of the league table after eight games. Ange Postecoglou’s appointment has led to their best ever start to a Premier League campaign, and Spurs supporters are beginning to wonder what might be possible.

Are they genuine title contenders? Here, Telegraph Sport examines the changes that have been made at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and assesses whether this early run of form will be sustainable over the course of a full season.

Stylistic transformation
Under previous managers Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte, Spurs largely prioritised defensive shape and counter-attacking football. The reality, though, is that this style of play has not led to a Premier League title in more than half a decade.

The game has moved on and, in the modern world, the best teams are usually those who dominate the ball and control matches through possession, pinning the opposition back and dictating the tempo. In that regard, Spurs have made huge strides forward since Postecoglou’s appointment.
After eight games of last season, Spurs had enjoyed an average of 48 per cent of possession, completing 3,139 passes. This year, by contrast, they are averaging 61 per cent of possession and have completed more than 4,000 passes. Many of the players are the same, but this is an entirely different brand of football.

Spurs have also taken more shots (153 this season, compared to 115 at this stage of last year) and allowed fewer (104 this season, compared to 127 last year).

One concern will be the number of high-quality chances that Spurs have conceded. So far this season they have let in eight goals, but their expected goals conceded is 11. This time last season, that expected goals figure was lower than 10.

Such figures are perhaps the natural consequence of their new ‘high-risk-high-reward’ style of play. The key is to find the right balance, and so far Spurs have succeeded in doing so.
The less optimistic members of the Spurs fanbase might point out that Postecoglou’s side have already played four of the weakest teams in the division. Spurs have enjoyed victories over Sheffield United (currently 20th), Bournemouth (19th), Burnley (18th) and Luton Town (17th). The average current position of their league opponents is 13th.

When compared to the other members of the Premier League’s top four, Spurs have had the easiest run of fixtures. The average current position of Liverpool’s opponents is 9th, while Arsenal’s is 10th and Manchester City’s is 12th.

But you can only beat what is in front of you, and it should be said that Spurs have impressed in their most difficult fixtures. They defeated Manchester United in August, earned a creditable draw away to Arsenal and also beat Liverpool at home, albeit in controversial circumstances.

From late November to early December, Spurs have consecutive league matches against Aston Villa, City, West Ham United and Newcastle United. Their results in those fixtures should provide an indication of whether they will be strong enough to stay in the title race as the season unfolds.

New signings settling fast
One of the most encouraging aspects of their start to the new campaign has been the speed with which the new signings have adapted to life at Spurs. James Maddison, especially, has been superb since his move from Leicester City. In nine appearances in all competitions, Maddison has already scored twice and registered five assists.
At the back, central defender Micky van de Ven has had a similarly big impact. He scored the winning goal in Saturday’s victory over Luton Town and has shown himself to be more than capable of handling the physical challenges of Premier League football.

Van de Ven has started every league match alongside Cristian Romero and the duo have instantly become one the division’s most imposing partnerships. On the left of them, meanwhile, 20-year-old Destiny Udogie has been one of the standout full-backs in this early part of the season.

It should be said that Tottenham’s cause has been helped by last season’s failure to qualify for European football. Postecoglou has had clear weeks to prepare for matches, and the new faces have therefore had plenty of time on the training field to adjust to his methods. As the season continues, and the other contenders continue to juggle Premier League football with European commitments, this could prove to be a significant advantage.

Verdict
Spurs are playing “big team football” for the first time in years, and their players should benefit enormously from a lack of European fixtures. The progress is there for all to see, as is the talent in Postecoglou’s squad.

There are questions to be asked over the depth of that squad, though, and the opposition that Spurs have faced means it is too early to definitively say they are capable of challenging for the title. What is clear is that they are moving, at an exciting pace, in the right direction.