Every player who has entered the pitch this season has contributed to the 26 points earned so far. So in that respect, it is ultimately difficult to choose just five players who have made a significant impact on the scintillating start.

The ranking of the five players will be based on both on and off-pitch actions, with age and experience considered. There will also be comparisons with the dismal previous season in the cases of the players who regularly started for us last season. Without further ado, it is time to begin the list.

(Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)

5. Pape Sarr (21 years old)

The signs of an impressive player were prevalent for Pape Sarr at the San Siro in the Champions League knockout game against AC Milan in February. With Postecoglou gifting Sarr a proper string of games this season, the Senegalese midfielder has drifted naturally into this Spurs side.

Pape Sarr’s presence in midfield at his young age is a sublime quality to have. His long stride and tall build is reminiscent of Yaya Toure, and while Sarr is not technically complete, his raw ability has assisted Spurs in midfield. Tottenham’s ability to nullify strong possession-based sides such as Liverpool and most notably Arsenal in the North London Derby are partly due to Sarr.

His standout moment this season was the opening goal against Manchester United in the first home game of the season. The instinct to anticipate where the ball is going in the box is something many top strikers struggle with, accentuating the impressive intuition of an inexperienced midfielder.

(Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)

4. James Maddison (26 years old)

This might come as a surprise in terms of the goal contributions which Maddison has already made in such a short amount of time. James Maddison was already a superb player at Leicester though, it is just being highlighted at a greater level in N17.

This is not disputing the quality he possesses. The healthy addition of a creative player who has an intelligent read on the game and can make line-cutting passes is more than welcoming considering there has been a drought of that for Spurs for some years.

Maddison has been so freakishly consistent so far this season. Most notably, his two assists in the North London Derby were absolutely crucial to earn a point where in previous years Tottenham would have faulted. Maddison is the missing piece of the jigsaw.

LUTON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 07: Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Luton Town and Tottenham Hotspur at Kenilworth Road on October 07, 2023 in Luton, England. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

3. Micky van de Ven (22 years old)

There is an overused term to describe central defenders of van de Ven’s ilk, which is the mentioning of a certain luxury car manufacturer. However, I would have no qualms in branding him that. His adaptation to a difficult league has been smooth, and for that, he deserves enormous credit.

Micky van de Ven physically suits Ange Postecoglou’s style of play to a tee. His ability to close down space and use his stature to retain and recover the ball for Spurs is superb. In contrast to the defenders last season, it is night and day.

The most recent game against Crystal Palace was the most impressive for van de Ven, where he was gifted man of the match by Jamie Carragher. He kept the counterattacks to a minimum and remained composed to help Spurs to maintain the unbeaten run. He truly is a Rolls Royce.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

2. Heung Min Son (31 years old)

After a disappointing campaign last season, pressure was on Heung Min Son to be Tottenham Hotspur’s main man. The South Korean was handed the captaincy and has transformed the relationship between players and fans already this season.

From the outset of this season, Son focused on improving relationships in the club. The team huddle by the Spurs away end against Brentford is a moment that cannot be underestimated. His off-pitch decisions have been as efficient as his on-field contributions.

The hat-trick at Turf Moor was just an example of the world-class quality which Son holds. A set of fantastic finishes, but the adaptation to leadership and to being Tottenham’s main reliance for goals is what has been the most impressive addition to Son’s locker.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with the fans after Joel Matip of Liverpool (not pictured) scores an own goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

1. Cristian Romero (25 years old)

If you cast your mind back to a game at St. James’ Park near the end of last season, Tottenham leaked five goals in 21 minutes in an embarrassing 6-1 defeat. Cristian Romero started in that embarrassing performance, so the turnaround has been astonishing.

The Argentinian was named co-captain alongside James Maddison this season and has taken responsibility for organising an extremely raw, inexperienced defence. Tottenham currently boast the third-best defensive record in the league with nine goals conceded. It is clear that Romero’s influence and commanding presence are a large reason for that.

Cristian Romero has provided strong and composed performances in every Spurs game so far this season. In terms of a standout moment, it has to be the screamer against Burnley. What should be recognised is the turnaround in defence, and for that, he has been the most impactful player of this season for Spurs.

Honourable Mentions

It was painfully difficult to exclude Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie, who have also had a great impact on Ange Postecoglou’s progressive style of play.

While Spurs are almost certainly in a honeymoon period, the encouraging start of such an inexperienced team is simply exciting. Ange Postecoglou deserves the credit but it is the team which is fuelling the results have earned recognition.

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Fast-forward a few years and Chelsea, injected to bursting with Abramovich’s billions looked to be dining at the summit for the rest of time.

More recently, it is hard to see how Manchester City will be chiselled off the top of the league table any time soon (especially with Pep at the helm).

So it is with my own team, Tottenham Hotspur. We talk about the ‘Tottenham way’ and equate it with being free-flowing and attacking football, but I feel this is too simplistic and quite at odds with my lived Tottenham experience.

Indeed, the ‘Tottenham way’ I have grown up with is actually about interspersing attack minded coaches with defence minded managers and it is such for several generations of supporters.

Sadly, I never saw Arthur Rowe’s ‘push and run’ side of the fifties – nor the football played by Rowe’s acolyte Bill Nicholson. Nor did I witness the flair sides of Burkinshaw, Pleat and Venables (despite knowing all about them thanks to Chas and Dave).

Indeed, I have to admit to being in the crowd, mournfully lamenting ‘We want our Tottenham back! We want our Tottenham back! We want our Tottenham back!” under the turgid reign of George Graham.

Conversely, I was there gleefully chorusing “We’ve got our Tottenham back!” during one of the more hopeful periods in Glenn Hoddle’s time as Spurs manager. Being a Tottenham supporter has felt like a neverending cycle of hope and despair.

Once I looked at the list of managers in my lifetime – it actually is a bizarre pattern of defensive to attacking managers – from the sublime to ridiculous if you will. The reckless abandon of Ossie Ardiles, followed by the more pragmatic, and beautifully mulleted, Gerry Francis.

As mentioned prior, George Graham was followed by Hoddle. Then Jol from Santini and Redknapp from Juande Ramos. After Villas-Boas and the ‘one-man Bale team’ came Poch. In true Tottenham fashion, in 2023 Ange has followed in the steps of Messrs Jose, Nuno and Antonio.

So what can we learn from this? Firstly, that possibly there is no inherent ‘Tottenham DNA’ that is a continuous thread running through the history of the club.

In an era when people love to use buzzwords such as ‘vision’ and ‘culture’ the appointments seem erratic and driven by the individual and not looking to maintain a club ‘brand’. Indeed, the leap from certain managers, who appear to be polar opposites seems incongruous.

Not only that, but the money the club must have haemorrhaged signing specific players for managers whose methods quickly become obsolete is frightening.

But I still inherently believe that if Scott Munn is reading this, and I assume he is. One of his most pressing jobs is to establish what the club is and align it with our deeper history and expectations.

In this moment, we have the most clarity about ‘who we are’ that we have had in years – arguably since 2018. Some may be frowning at that date, but my argument is that by 2019, the team was patched up, threadbare and so stale that they weren’t recognisable as the team that twice went close to the title.

This moment in time is emblematic of where the club need to be better. Just because today is sunny, you don’t sit back with a beer and your feet up and ignore the potential potholes down the road.

If Scott Munn is proficient in his job, he will be creating a profile of what a Tottenham manager ‘looks like’ and already be looking at succession planning.

The old adage is correct ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ – this may as well have been the motto inscribed over the boardroom door of Tottenham in the last few decades. They should be looking after the club, not just in the here and now, but in two or three managers’ time – years down the road.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not just a Tottenham issue. A lot of clubs lurch from one manager to another, hoping to stumble upon the magical formula. Look at the continuing hilarity of what is happening at Manchester United.

At the moment, people will point to clubs like Brighton. An approach was instilled by Potter and now De Zerbi is carrying on and developing that project. They are not the only club to do so, Leeds after appointing Bielsa opted for Jesse Marsch and then Javi Gracia – completely ‘on brand’.

The quandary they found themselves in was when they were looking down the barrel of a gun and facing relegation. Instead of sticking to their principles, they abandoned their DNA and sent up the flare to summon ‘Big Sam’.

Despite the best efforts of Weston McKennie’s hopefully launched long throws into the box, Leeds got relegated; parted ways with Allardyce and returned to their ‘brand’ in Daniel Farke. An entirely predictable debacle.

Therefore, my point is this. If Angeball fails, and it may well do – football is a fickle mistress – let us not oscillate to someone who can bolt the gate once the horse is bolted. We have attacking and possession-based football and the players who can implement it. Stick to our guns.

The poster boy club for this way of working is Swansea City. Since 2007, the managers they have appointed have all played in the same way and maintained the ‘culture of the club’, with varying degrees of success. We all remember Bob Bradley.

Some may churn out the riposte ‘but now they’re in the Championship’, but the truth of the matter is that in football there is no such thing as a certainty, despite how much research is done. Swansea massively overachieved and their scouting hit a hot streak that was the envy of many.

(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Is Daniel Levy what Tottenham Hotspur need?

So where does our old friend ‘COYS Daniel’ fit into all this?

For many, no matter what he does now, it will not be enough and it will not be good enough. They are entitled to their opinion, but the truth of the matter is that Daniel Levy will be chairman for as long as he wants to be.

Despite the onfield disappointments, he is too good at the ‘other stuff’ to be dispensed of. So what can he do to ingratiate himself or even redeem himself in the eyes of some? To me, there is one word. Legacy.

If Munn and Lange (with Don Fabio still in the background) have been employed on the strength of their CVs, their expertise and their skillset – then allow them to operate in the role they are appointed too.

Almost everyone is united in that we do not want Levy involved with the day-to-day of the club – the minutiae so to speak. If those beneath him want to lean on his experience of seeking his opinion then fair enough, but he cannot be like the ghost at the feast, looming over everyone like a sinister spectre as they go about their work.

He needs to trust his employees and give them a mandate about what the club is and what parameters need to be adhered to the ensure the ‘Tottenham way’ is not a mythological concept but is indeed the foundation upon which this club is built.

There is a possibility that in fifteen years’ time, Daniel Levy will leave the club having learned from his mistakes and I can genuinely say “‘The Tottenham Way’ I know what that is”.

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The choice was clear, obvious and only needed to be announced. Son would be captain and that would be that.

Yet there is a reason that Ange Postecoglou is the Tottenham manager and I am just a bloke sitting behind a laptop (despite leading Vauxhall Motors to multiple Champions League on Football Manager 2013).

When Son was duly announced as captain, it was part of a leadership triumvirate. This is a relatively new concept and not something that has been commonly seen in football despite people being anointed vice-captain or being part of a ‘players’ representative group’.

In this system, Son would be the new sheriff in town, ably by his deputies, Messrs Maddison and Romero. In theory, it made sense (despite some chuckles from opposition fans), but time has proved that it has been a masterstroke from Postecoglou.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates their first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

By having three leaders, Anger realised, you can combine a range of characteristics to create one ‘super captain’ and also give all players a ‘link’ to a leader, be that be by position, age or nationality.

However, for such a combination to work effectively, the constituent parts have to work both individually and as a collective. So let’s look at what each brings to the role.

In all honesty, the South Korean was the obvious choice for the role of captain. He is the elder statesman of the starting eleven, and a player whose open devotion to a club is rare in this day and age.

In the depths of the darkness under Nuno, while Harry Kane was trying to wangle a move to Manchester City, Son came out and signed a new contract. To do so at such a time spoke volumes – he is Mr Tottenham.

However, his appointment challenges the traditional view, bandied about by a collaboration of pundits and former pros – that there are two types of captain.

Either you fall into the category of badge-thumping, loud shouting, heart-on-the-sleeve leader, or there is the lead-by-example player – an individual that lets his feet to the talking and inspires others thus.

Although Son does lead by example, that is not what makes him the leader he is. In all honesty, he is a modern man. Yes, he usually does perform, but when he is not, he is openly vulnerable and takes and accepts criticism.

Previously, I thought this would be a reason to not give him the captaincy – as it might be extra responsibility that he did not need. I was wrong and am a victim of my antiquated thinking.

Imagine the culture in that dressing room now. If you make a mistake, or are suffering with form, you have a captain, who will be there for you and seems as though he will emotionally connect with people – rather than just offering the same tired platitudes about ‘you’ll turn it around’ or ‘better luck next time’.

This is not to criticise others, it is to shine a light on the fact that, in a world of alpha males and hyper-competitiveness, you have a man who is capable of bucking the trend and succeeding.

Some may, lazily in my opinion, attribute this to his ‘culture’ or ‘heritage’. This does Sonny a disservice; the truth of the matter is that he is just a beautiful human being – I hate the phrase ‘one of the good guys in football’ but here it is apt.

From the moment he walked through the door, Son has been a bundle of positive energy. From his elaborate collection of handshakes with the likes of Dele and Kyle Walker, to his warm welcome of new, younger players such as Pape Mate Sarr.

Son’s personality also seems to dovetail nicely with that of Postecoglou. Some like to lean into the narrative that ‘Big Ange’ is a warm and avuncular character, however, he has made it clear – in various interviews – that he is somewhat detached from the players.

They love him, that is true, but that is because he is direct and unequivocal in his communication and his expectations and is not driven by his own self-ego. It does not sound like much – but doesn’t everyone wish their respective bosses behaved in such a fashion? Anyway, I digress.

In true Sonny fashion, he is more than happy to be part of a ‘leadership team’. Many would see it as a slight, or would feel that their ego was somewhat bruised at having to ‘share’. Sonny however has embraced the idea of a ‘team’ and made both Maddison and Romero feel just as important.

The fact that he was never part of the previous ‘leadership committee’ seems bizarre and wondering why may take one into more uncomfortable avenues of thought.

At the time, the selection of Maddison as vice-captain would have to be regarded as a calculated risk. Now, a quarter of a season in and playing like he has been at The Lane for years, it seems an obvious choice, but at the time it seemed like even more pressure on his shoulders.

However, pressure, it seems, is something that Maddison thrives upon. This is where he demonstrates his true leadership.

When Spurs are in the proverbial ‘pickle’, he has the desire, combined the technical excellence, to be that talismanic figure and drive the team on. He wants to be ‘The Man’. It reminds me, to some extent, of Gareth Bale. When the chips were down and all hope was lost, he would come to life.

Do not be surprised to see multiple Maddison-inspired last-minute reprieves in the coming seasons.

He is also symbolic of the new era at Spurs and represents hope, change and excitement at what might come to pass. A player not tarnished by previous disappointments or associated with past regimes.

He has that intangible trait of being charming and has already developed a strong relationship with both the squad and the fan base.

At the team’s nadir last season, I had never felt so detached from the club I love. It is incredible that having orators such as Ange and Maddison, who are so excited to be at the club can serve to reforge links that many thought might take years to repair.

Cristian Romero is turning into a Tottenham leader

So why is Romero a good choice? When I wrote my aforementioned article, I did not truly believe it myself (Spurs Web) but the arguments were logical at the very least.

In his role, he has stepped up as the main man in defence. He is their leader and acts as such. His plethora of fouls and yellow cards he acquired at will have all but evaporated.

For now, such claims about his commitment to the club seem to have dissipated. I am showing my age here, but he is still a boy – but boys quickly grow up when responsibility is laid on their shoulders.

There is a final angle that needs to be observed when looking at the leadership group as a whole – there is the bigger picture. Few places are more cosmopolitan in places of work than a Premier League dressing room.

In the current first-team Tottenham squad, there are players from sixteen different countries and three different continents (The Premier League).

Despite the myriad nations represented, the previous leadership group had a distinctly Western European feel to it. Kane, Dier, Hojbjerg and club captain Hugo Lloris compromised the group and purportedly the next inductee was to be Oliver Skipp.

Consider all the players in that dressing room who previously may not have felt represented by this selection. This is not a dig at those players, but an observation around diversity and inclusivity – we are constantly given the message ‘See it to be it’.

This limited selection could only serve to lead to a fragmented dressing room and the building up of cliques and factions. Now, the squad seems, like the peak Pochettino days, to be a united and integrated family.

Like almost every article relating to Tottenham at the moment, there needs to be a nod to the greater challenges and adversities that will undoubtedly lie ahead. However, you get the impression that the current guidance and togetherness will hold them in good stead.

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Let’s take a look at the five things we learned:

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

That Heung-min Son aura –

Harry Kane always had that aura in North London where you felt he could pop up with a goal at any time even if the team weren’t playing well. Heung-min Son seems to have that this season. Whether it’s a simple finish in the right place at the right time, or a sensational curled effort from 30 yards, Son is proving the difference week in, week out. That armband is doing wonders for him.

Five points clear at the top –

Of course, it means very little this early in the season when everyone else has a game in hand. But you would rather be five points clear than not! Wherever Spurs finish come the end of the season, let’s enjoy this period while we can. The longer this promising start to the season continues, the more Tottenham’s credentials for Champions League football next season increase. (Plus… who knows?)

Yves Bissouma escapes a ban –

He may not have been at his best tonight, but it will definitely be a boost for Ange Postecoglou to have Yves Bissouma available for selection against Chelsea next week. A yellow card this evening and he would have been banned. That being said, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg may have his eye on that starting spot.

The Destiny of Tottenham –

If Spurs missed one thing this evening, it was the drive and pace of Destiny Udogie down the left. Ben Davies struggled to get into the game and Emerson Royal did well, but Udogie just offers something different. After just 9 games in his new position, he already has such awareness both at left-back and even pushed all the way up to a left-sided number ten. He has incredible quality on the ball in tight areas and Postecoglou will want him back against Chelsea.

The return of Rodrigo Bentancur –

He is back! That is all! For the first time since February, Rodrigo Bentancur is back! And he even got a few minutes at the end. Happy days!

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Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

Tottenham Player Ratings vs Crystal Palace

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate Emerson (L) and Brennan Johnson of Tottenham Hotspur after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Guglielmo Vicario – 6.5 – Did his job when Tottenham needed him. A smart stop and some quick reactions early in the first half. After that, he was more of a sweeper passing out from the back.

Pedro Porro – 6 – Not at his best in the first half. Lost the ball a couple of times and never quite found the space he needed in the pockets. A lot more dangerous in the second 45 when he drifted a bit wider. A few really nice balls into the box. Gifted Palace a goal at the end with some sloppy defending.

Cristian Romero – 7.5 – A dominant performance from the vice-captain again. Gobbled up any Palace player that dared come near him, and was probably Tottenham’s chief passer across the back line today. Really positive and proactive display.

Micky Van de Ven – 7 – A little quieter on the ball than Romero as a lot of the play went down Spurs’ right, but he won so many races in behind to sweep up danger. Such a powerful defender.

Ben Davies – 5 – Struggled to impose himself on the game. Tucked inside but never quite got involved in the Palace half. I wonder whether he was fully fit after coming off at half-time.

Yves Bissouma – 6 – Way off it today from Bissouma. A few nice moments but gave the ball away far too much. Not his usual press-resistant self. Could be a real battle between Bissouma and Hojbjerg to start against Chelsea now.

Pape Matar Sarr – 7.5 – Set up the Maddison goal/own-goal with his run in behind and cross into the box. Then helped to create the second with a lovely cross-field ball. Always full of running, but also full of such quality on the ball today.

James Maddison – 7 – Not at his scintillating best today, but neither were Spurs. The important thing is that he turned up when required and provided the split-second spark needed to break the deadlock. Sometimes that’s all you need on tough nights like tonight.

Dejan Kulusevski – 6 – Not really his game tonight. Crystal Palace were really well drilled and doubled up on Kulusevski whenever it went wide. Spurs had more luck with the raw pace of Johnson and Son in the end. He was still involved in some nice interplay with Sarr, but sloppy at times.

Heung-min Son – 7.5 – Son has been amongst the goals for the best part of a decade for Spurs, but he has a certain aura around him this season where you just feel he will be in the right place at the right time – Harry Kane-esque. Turning into a real captain for the Lilywhites under Ange.

Richarlison – 6 – Never quite happened for Richarlison once again. Struggling to get to grips with the wide-left role under Postecoglou and had a fair few wasteful moments this evening. Given enough minutes, I’m sure he can adapt, but Brennan Johnson is knocking on the door now.

Substitutes:

Emerson Royal – 6.5 – Seemed to offer a bit more than Davies. Even though he is right-footed, it doesn’t seem to matter as much when the full-backs play so inverted. More confident on the ball in tight areas and also covered well in behind defensively. Good shift from Emerson.

Brennan Johnson – 7 – Comes on and grabs an assist. Not much more you can ask for. His pace in behind seemed to be more of a threat this evening and he will fancy his chances to start against Chelsea.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 6.5 – Postecoglou clearly really trusts Pierre, and with good reason. He calmed things down and used the ball perfectly after coming on. Could he displace Bissouma next week?

Rodrigo Bentancur – N/A – WOOHOO!

Bryan Gil – N/A

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Ange Postecoglou’s side head into the break currently level at 0-0 after failing to pose any real threat to opening the scorin.

Guglielmo Vicario: Tested early on by Ayew, but palmed the ball to safety at his near post.  His reactions moments later were even better. 6.

Pedro Porro: Apart from a couple of decent passes has not played to his usual recent standard.  Turned too easily by Ayew near the touchline. 5.

Cristian Romero: A solid half from the World Cup winner. 7.

Micky van de Ven: Had to use his pace to snuff out a counter attack which saw Will Hughes clear on goal. 7.

(Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Ben Davies: Making his first Premier League start of the season in place of the injured Destiny Udogie, has tucked in at times and also seen van de Ven bail out his lack of pace.  Needs to start winning his aerial duels. 5.

Pape Matar Sarr: Looked set to cross the ball into the penalty area and completely missed the ball, has been looking to take possession and get the ball forward. 6.

Yves Bissouma: Pulled rank on Maddison to take a free-kick and his effort went high into the stand behind.  Has broke the lines a couple of times but is quickly surrounded by Palace players. 6.

James Maddison: Would have been disappointed not to have been able to pick out Son in Spurs’ first counter attack.  A half-chance fell to him from a Richarlison knock down and he could not get the volley under control   6.

Dejan Kulusevski: Has not been able to threaten down the right with any purpose. 5.

Heung-min Son: The game has not been played to his strengths which has limited his impact. 5.

Richarlison: Did well to keep the ball in play to head back into the path for Maddison’s chance.  Linked up well with Maddison down the left to create an opportunity for himself but snatched at the shot which went the wrong side of the post. 6.

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Apply this to a Premier League campaign and it means it is a large enough sample size for people to start getting excited – and justifiably so.

Let’s get it right then. A quarter of the way through the 2023-24 Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur are top of the league. Now the cynical out there, and there are a few, will point to similar seasons where the club had good starts and roll their eyes.

Indeed, last season was the best the club has had in the Premier League. But even the most partisan of fans must admit that the football was not good. We were winning games solely through the brilliance of individuals and that formula does not last – just look at Manchester United this season.

Quite rightly, I believe, I laughed incredulously when some people tried to make a comparison between the manager of month successes of Ange and Nuno. Nuno won his after three 1-0 victories. Now I will not take anything away from him for the City win.

But the subsequent performances over Watford and Wolves were turgid and lucky. Conversely, Ange’s draw and two wins, were jammed full with daring, verve and panache. Above all, there is a plan and a clearly defined way of playing.

Roll on to the ninth game and very little has changed. The team has stayed true to their principles and sit on top of the pile. Unlike those previous campaigns, you cannot point to any lucky points acquired. Admittedly, we were, for once, on the right side of fortune with the Liverpool VAR debacle, but based on the stats for that game, we should have won.

People may argue that we could have won against Arsenal, but conversely, we could have lost quite easily – so a share of the spoils was about right.

Thus, I am left with a dilemma. Do I, in true Big Ange Cult tradition, commit to a wholehearted belief that we could indeed win the league? Or do I err on the side of caution and play down the possibility?

If I wanted to consider the title a viable option, I could draw on the Leicester experience of 2016. Weirdly, there are a number of similarities.

Both sides only had a fixture list consisting of mainly league games. In the make-up of the teams, there are genuine comparisons. A free-scoring forward: for Vardy, read Son. A centre midfielder capable of dictating play and breaking up attacks: Kante/ Bissouma, and a midfield maestro capable of scoring and assisting: Mahrez and Maddison. All of whom played in front of a solid, consistent and well-drilled defence and ‘keeper. Even as I write this, I am tempted to believe.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Can Tottenham really win the Premier League?

Yet I can’t do it – for two reasons.

Firstly, the ability Leicester had that season to put out the same starting eleven almost beggared belief. Too many of our key players have a history of picking up an injury and being out for a period of time: Maddison, Bissouma, Son and Romero have all had significant lay-offs in the last couple of years, and an injury to one or more of those players could prove fatal to any potential title charge.

Indeed, the Fulham gamed served to illuminate quite starkly our lack of depth outside the starting eleven. Without Bissouma, the slick play out from the back was just not possible at the level it has been. Credit to Sarr and Hojbjerg for trying, but they do not have the skillset to receive the ball, spin on a sixpence and release the forwards in a fluid motion.

Not many do. This in turn meant the defenders, Romero in particular, were more profligate on the ball and were trying to force the issue more than they have done recently.

Similarly, if Romero or Van de Ven were to miss games, the drop-off would be significant. The pace, awareness and technique of our defensive duo has been beautiful to behold and has evoked nostalgic memories of Jan and Toby.

However, with Sanchez being sold the back-up looks bare. Ashley Phillips has been commanding a place on the bench of late and I wonder if he is showing something in training that gives Ange the impression that the youngster could be ready to step up.

Even so, he is untried, unknown and ostensibly a shot in the dark. Our full-backs have defied expectations and have performed at a superb level so far this season, but an injury to either, Destiny in particular weakens our team significantly.

Further up the pitch, it has become apparent that James Maddison is the literal and metaphorical heartbeat of this team. There is no one in the squad who comes close to giving us what he offers. The same could be said of Son, who is proving to be ruthless in front of goal in his new central position.

Indeed, the striking options beyond Son and Kulu, don’t scream out ‘consistent high performance’. Brennan Johnson is an exciting prospect, but needs to be given time to bed into the forward three.

The injuries to Perisic and Solomon do not help the cause, the Croatian, in particular, seemed to finally have been clicking into the player we thought we had signed.

Then there is Richarlison. Although I was never convinced that he had the ability to play for a top Premier League team, I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, the previous eighteen months have brutally demonstrated that Tottenham is too much of a step up – especially in this new way of playing that demands high technical ability, vision and subtlety.

All this could be potentially excused if he was able to convert chances. Unfortunately, he is not and it even appeared against Fulham that the opposition were happy for him to be on the ball, whereas Maddison, Kulu and Son were instantly harassed and closed down.

He is just not good enough and Spurs should cash in as soon as possible, because he will only depreciate in value.

The second reason I can’t entertain a title tilt is the quality of opposition. In 2015-16, Tottenham should have won it. Not only did they fail to, they came third in a two-horse race.

There were few viable contenders that year in all fairness. Arsenal were limping towards to end of the Wenger era, Klopp’s time at Liverpool was just in its infancy, and Manchester City and Chelsea were awaiting the arrival of Pep and Conte respectively.

Manchester United, for those that are interested, were in another fruitless transitional phase as they desperately sought (and still seek) to effectively replace Sir Alex Ferguson.

This season the calibre of opposition is much greater. The Manchester City juggernaut shows little sign of abating, despite the De Bruyne injury. At Liverpool, Klopp’s recent reinvention is in full swing and, as much as we hate to accept it, Arsenal are a formidable opponent under Mikel Arteta.

To be finishing ahead of one of these teams would be impressive – all of them, highly unlikely. Add into the mix teams such as Newcastle, Villa and Brighton and it looks like a tough league to be competing in.

I am loving watching Tottenham, but any fans who truly understand football will understand that Spurs supporters saying ‘Why not?’ are saying so with their tongue firmly in their cheek.

Certain outlets and radio shows will try and advance the ‘Tottenham for the title’ talk because it provokes outrage and debate. The truth is that this team need to evolve and improve without the added pressure of being identified as title contenders.

The future is bright and undoubtedly exciting, so let’s just enjoy the ride without worrying about the destination just yet.

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Let’s take a look at five things we learned:

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mates after scoring the team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Top of the League

How could we start with anything else? Tottenham Hotspur are not only back at the top of the Premier League, but also two points clear… with a chance to make it five points clear on Friday. We have to enjoy it while it lasts, right?

Unsung Hero Hojbjerg

All of the talk was about Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after the team news was announced, as Ange Postecoglou was forced into a deviation from his normal first-choice XI. Hojbjerg came in for the suspended Bissouma and did an excellent job. What I loved was that he made the role his own.

I was worried that Spurs would try and force Hojbjerg to become this Bissouma-esque press-resistant pivot and Fulham would have a field day. Instead, the Dane dropped deep, picked up the ball, recognised where the most dangerous point of attack was, and recycled the ball into the space. Very simple but very effective. He also ran his socks off for the team, creating the second goal as a reward.

Postecoglou Has High Standards

Although Spurs were 2-0 up and Fulham didn’t look like getting back into the game, Postecoglou cut a frustrated figure on the touchline. Spurs were sloppy in the second 45 at times, and it appears he holds them to high standards for the full 90. After all, one goal out of nothing and Fulham were within a sniff of a point. I love that Postecoglou is always thinking about the big picture. We are at the start of a process and a good performance means more to him than a simple win.

Captains Fantastic

I would argue that Tottenham’s three best players on the pitch last night, or at least three of the top five, were Heung-min Son, James Maddison, and Cristian Romero. Captain, vice-captain, and vice-captain. Two goals and an assist for Sonny, a goal for Maddison, and a commanding clean sheet for Romero.

If you watch any of the three off the ball for ten minutes, you also see how much they talk to the players around them. Romero applauded his fellow defenders a few times, Maddison had his arm around Richarlison, no doubt delivering some extra motivation or instructions, and Sonny is so much more of a talker than he was even 12 months ago. Strong leadership at Spurs!

Gugo, Gugo, Gugo!

Vicario deserves more than a mention here, and not just for his performance last night. He is among the most impressive goalkeepers in the Premier League this season, and there have been very few games where he has been allowed to sit back and enjoy a stress-free show.

More often than not, he earns his clean sheets with superb stops at important moments of the game, and that was no different yesterday. One to prevent Fulham from equalising with a header and another at 2-0 when the Cottagers went through on goal. The future of the Spurs gloves looks secure.

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Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal with teammate Son Heung-Min during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings vs Fulham

Guglielmo Vicario – 8 – He had a couple of nervy moments with the ball at his feet and, on another day, that could have cost Spurs a goal. However, his two crucial stops at important times in the game are worthy of more recognition.

Pedro Porro – 7.5 – A delightful performance from Tottenham’s right-back. Fulham afforded him a lot of space, both out wide and in the pockets, and he exploited that space expertly while also coming off best in his one-on-ones against Willian.

Cristian Romero – 9 – One of his finest performances in a Tottenham shirt, albeit not up against the most potent attackers. Fulham had an off day going forward and Romero was merciless. Winning the ball back for fun, covering in behind, and carrying the ball out of defence. Superb.

Micky Van de Ven – 8 – Almost as good as his Argentine partner, Van de Ven was cool, calm and collected on the ball. Defending as a two in a last-ditch manner really isn’t easy, but Van de Ven uses his pace and strength to make it look so.

Destiny Udogie – 7.5 – Picked up some really nice positions in the pockets between midfield and attack, while looking incredibly composed on and off the ball in defence. Only lasted 55 minutes.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 8.5 – There was so much attention on PEH before kick-off as he had a tough job of replacing Bissouma, but he made the role his own. Recycled the ball into the most dangerous areas for Spurs, setting up the attack for the second goal. Also spared Vicario’s blushes with an interception at one point when Tottenham otherwise may have conceded.

Pape Matar Sarr – 8 – Seemed to step up in the absence of Bissouma, dropping a little deeper at times to collect the ball and get Spurs up the pitch. Went down injured in the second half but fingers crossed it is nothing serious.

James Maddison – 9 – At first, I thought Maddison was just enjoying a purple patch, but he is maintaining these ridiculously high standards every single game. Another goal last night and it could have been a lot more. He took the game by the scruff of its neck and stamped his name on it.

Richarlison – 7 – It just won’t come off for Richarlison at the moment. He was arguably more impressive off the ball, with an incredible work rate and appetite to win the ball back. Unfortunately, he was wasteless in front of goal once again and could have had a couple.

Heung-min Son – 9 – A goal and an assist, plus a bunch of really bright moments in attack. When you give Sonny time and space around the box, you are going to have problems. His work in tight, central areas has really improved over the past year.

Dejan Kulusevski – 7.5 – Needs to be more selfish. Some of his work on the ball was crazy last night, wriggling through gaps that weren’t there and bullying the Fulham left-back with ease. Made a number of great chances, but also tried to tee up a teammate when he should have shot a few times.

Substitutes: 

Oliver Skipp – 6 – Came on for the injured Sarr and did a good job seeing the game out.

Emerson Royal – 6 – Came on for Udogie and looked really at home on the left and right.

Brennan Johnson – N/A

Alejo Veliz – N/A

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Ange Postecoglou’s side head into the break currently 1-0 ahead courtesy of Sonny’s stunner.

Guglielmo Vicario: Pulled off a stunning save to deny Paulinha from a corner kick when the Italian at full stretch palmed the ball away from goal.  Was fortunate when his pass went straight to a Fulham player which the visitors failed to capitalise on. 6.

Pedro Porro: Has tried to get forward as much as possible but has also had to do his fair share of defending to cover Willian. 6.

Cristian Romero: Composed and assured from Cuti, he is back to his best. 8.

Micky van de Ven: Had half a chance on goal when he volleyed over the bar from ten yards out.  Did well to win the ball back in the phase of play for Son’s opener. 7.

Destiny Udogie: Has been tucking in to join the attack in his role as an inverted full-back on every occasion possible. 7.

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Pape Matar Sarr: Has pressed well but is certainly missing playing alonside Bissouma. 6.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Stung the hands with Leno with a shot from outside of the box after 26 minutes.  Booked just after the half hour mark. 6.

James Maddison: Has been causing Fulham all sorts of problems with his creativity.   8.

Dejan Kulusevski: Has been cutting inside in true Deki fashion and did well to set up the chance for Richarlison. He’ll be regretting not taking a shot at goal just before half time when he instead looked to pass. 7.

Heung-min Son: The captain has had a couple of half chances, one in the opening couple of minutes and snatched at an effort on the half hour.  He certainly made up for it with a stunning goal to bend the ball into the far corner. 7.

Richarlison: Was inches away from opening the scoring after a quick counter attack, but had to see his effort go the wrong side of the post.  Played a key pass to set up Son for the opener and has linked up well. 6.

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The relatively little-known Aussie is drawing plaudits from pundits and fans alike for the way he sets out his teams, his refreshing personality and his clear will to win.

His wider recognition has led to two Premier League Manager of the Month awards for his first two months in the job, the first time a manager in the league has ever achieved this.

The signings Postecoglou has made so far during his tenure in the Tottenham dugout, on paper to the average Spurs fan, looked promising but no one could have predicted the immediate impact that some of them have made.

Part of his philosophy is to develop young players, both signing them himself and from the youth system, and that is evident upon viewing a list of his additions.

Including future acquisitions and players agreeing to join at a later date, a total of ten new signings were brought in during Postecoglou’s first transfer window, and those signings will all be graded out of 10…

Rating Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham signings

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 19: Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Pedro Porro – Loan deal made permanent from Sporting, reported £39m

Having had a shaky start to life in N17, with his full debut coming in that 4-1 defeat to Leicester City in February, Pedro Porro has firmly established himself as one of the league’s best right-backs.

This was evident during his commanding display against Liverpool, where not only did his late driven cross find the back of the net off the foot of the unfortunate Joel Matip, but his defensive awareness and strong tackling ensured a quiet day at the office for Mo Salah, and firmly put to bed any doubts about his defensive abilities.

He looks to have come into his own under Postecoglou, freed from the shackles of Antonio Conte’s back five for his opening two months at Tottenham, and, at 24 years of age, is likely to only improve from here. 7.5/10

Dejan Kulusevski, loan move from Juventus made permanent, reported £25m

It seems that Dejan Kulusevski has been at Tottenham for ages, even though he is technically a new signing, the former Juventus man joining in January 2022 on an initial 18-month loan, with Postecoglou triggering the option to buy the Swedish international over the summer.

Another player who looks to have come under life under a new manager, Kulusevski is quickly putting a disappointing 2022/23 behind him, and our own “ginger from Sweden” is proving undroppable and unstoppable once again on the wing.

The scorer of the winning goal against Sheffield United already this term, completing the latest comeback in Premier League history, ‘Deki’’s work rate and endless determination has won the Spurs fans over again, after a fairly turbulent previous season on a personal level. 7.5/10

Guglielmo Vicario, from Empoli, reported £16m

The first ‘proper’ new signing for the season, it has been a fine start to life in N17 for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Despite some quite unstable performances in pre-season, his shot-stopping prowess is already proving a hit with the Spurs faithful and justifying every penny that Spurs paid for him.

It is a testament to the impact of Vicario that his former side, Empoli, comfortably mid-table in the Italian Serie A last season, are struggling in the relegation zone this year without their shot-stopper.

Overall, it’s fair to say that Vicario is becoming more and more comfortable with life in England with every passing week, proving he is not just a ‘cheaper David Raya’. 8/10

James Maddison, from Leicester City, reported £40m

The first true ‘statement’ signing of the Postecoglou era, and James Maddison has exceeded expectations.

A star man of the Leicester team for so long, Spurs beat numerous other clubs, including Newcastle, to his signature when the Foxes were relegated at the end of last season, and his impact on and off the pitch has been sensational, having been appointed vice-captain before a ball was even kicked this season.

Currently, the top provider of assists in the Premier League with five, and with two goals to his name, Maddison’s Spurs career has got off to a flying start, earning him a recall to the England squad, and a well-deserved Premier League Player of the Month award for August.

If he can stay fit all season, who knows how far he can help take this young, hungry Spurs team? 9.5/10

Manor Solomon, free transfer

Eyebrows were raised when Manor Solomon was brought in on a free transfer, upon the expiration of his contract at Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk.

However, the former Fulham man has proven himself to be a capable winger when called upon, as was evident with his two assists on his first start for Spurs in the 5-2 win at Burnley.

Unfortunately out for a few months due to an injury suffered in training, and subsequent operation, Solomon will look to hit the ground running when he returns, and prove himself to be the exciting winger that Ange Postecoglou is looking for. 6/10

Ashley Phillips, from Blackburn Rovers, £2m

It almost seems unfair that a grade has to be given for an 18-year-old centre back, signed from the Championship, with no first-team appearances yet for Spurs.

However, Ashley Phillips has proven a commanding presence at centre-back for the youth team, and has nine caps for England’s Under 19 team.

A composed centre-back, comfortable with the ball at his feet, and with first-team experience having made eight appearances in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers, Phillips is undoubtedly one to watch for the future. 5/10

Micky van de Ven, from Wolfsburg, reported £30m

The transfer saga that seemed to last a lifetime finally ended with Spurs getting their man, and what a signing Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven has turned out to be.

A string of sensational performances at the back alongside Cristian Romero, culminating in his first goal in Lilywhite away to Luton Town, it is clear that van de Ven is the authoritative centre-back that Tottenham so desperately desired to form a rock-solid partnership with Romero.

Being just 22 years old, van de Ven will surely have a long and successful career in North London and with the Dutch national team, who, amazingly, he is still without a cap for – only a matter of time surely. 9/10

Alejo Veliz, from Rosario Central, reported £13m

Again, it does not seem fair that a grade has to be provided for Alejo Veliz, with the young Argentine striker having played just ten minutes of Premier League football so far this season.

Moreover, he was on the pitch as the winning goal was scored against Liverpool, so it could be said that he already has a winning mentality…

An exciting signing from his native Argentina, the 20-year-old has bags of potential and, as he progresses, will surely be looking to knock on the door of the starting XI before long. 6.5/10

Brennan Johnson, from Nottingham Forest, reported £45m

Another young player with raw potential, Brennan Johnson was signed on Deadline Day from Nottingham Forest to provide competition in forward areas – however picked up a knock during the North London Derby and has not played since.

An unquestionably lively player, epitomised by the fact he scored immediately after coming on as a substitute against Sheffield United, though it was disallowed for offside, Johnson has a hunger and desire when he plays and, in the long run, will be an ideal option for Postecoglou. 7/10

Luka Vuskovic, from Hajduk Split, reported £9.5m

The only player to not pull on the Tottenham shirt for a match yet, unable to join the club until 2025, Luka Vuskovic is a highly-rated Croatian central defender, and Spurs, who are no strangers to welcoming Croatian talent, beat competition from other elite European clubs to sign him.

Provided that Ange Postecoglou stays to welcome him to the club, and therefore aids his development so that he becomes a starting centre-back, we look to have a real player on our hands. One to watch for sure. 6/10

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Ange Postecoglou’s side head into the break currently level at 0-0 in a match in which Spurs could have been comfortably 4-0 ahead.

Guglielmo Vicario: With the nature of how the first half has gone, he has been a spectator for large portions of it. 6.

Pedro Porro: Should have had his name on the scoresheet but pulled his shot wide. 6.

Cristian Romero: A comfortable half from the World Cup winner who has not been overly troubled by the Luton forward line, showing his new composure when dealing with the physical nature of Morris and Adebayo. 6.

Micky van de Ven: Comfortable at the back, even had a chance on goal after a quarter of an hour which went high over the bar.  Has been impressive driving forward with the ball. 7.

Destiny Udogie: Called up to the Italian senior side earlier in the week.  Was thankful that there was a foul on Romero when Luton thought they had scored when he switched off for a split second, thinking the ball would go behind rather than come back off the post. 6.

(Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Pape Matar Sarr: Did well to steal the ball and drive forward to create the chance for Kulusevski. 6.

Yves Bissouma: Booked and received a second yellow for a silly dive on the stroke of half time. 5.

James Maddison: Set up Richarlison for the Brazilian’s second opportunity to score with a neat through ball.  Has been causing Luton all sorts of problems and had half a chance to score just before the break.   7.

Dejan Kulusevski: Played a beautiful cross for the early Richarlison chance.  Has looked dangerous down the right with more than one good ball into the area.  Thought he had opened the scoring only to see Kaminski push the ball beyond the post. 7.

Heung-min Son: His through ball for Porro’s chance was inch-perfect.  Had his first sight of goal from a Maddison-headed knock-down but fired his shot over the bar. 6.

Richarlison: Had a brilliant chance to open the scoring in the opening two minutes but couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball in time from a couple of yards out.  Had another great opportunity to score minutes later but his effort was at the feet of the keeper.  He could have had a hat-trick  5.

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Luton have struggled to get going in the top flight so far, but could prove to be a stubborn defence at home with Kenilworth Road rocking.

Spurs come into the match off the back of a draw away to Arsenal and a win at home to Liverpool, albeit one shrouded in VAR controversy.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

We caught up with Tottenham legend and friend of The Spurs Web, Pascal Chimbonda once more to get his best score prediction for the Premier League match.

The Tottenham Predictions

Pascal – 3-0 Tottenham win

Spurs Web – 3-1 Tottenham win

The Rules

The rules are simple – We will be predicting Tottenham scores against Pascal for the entire 2023/24 season. Three points will be awarded for a perfect prediction, while a correct score will get one point.

The Table

Spurs Web – 10 points after 8 games (4 correct results, 2 correct scores)

Pascal – 6 points after 8 games (3 correct results, 1 correct score)

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Luton Town: Their Story

The Hatters had started to turn heads after the 2018/19 season after they had achieved back-to-back promotions, from League Two and League One. The Town started their first season back in the Championship since their dramatic fall from the top which started in 2006 and was made worse in 2008.

The 2008/09 season seemingly ripped Luton apart as they were deducted an initial 10 points for financial irregularities, then shortly after, the FA cut deeper wounds for Luton as they deducted them another 20 points; making it the most severe punishment to ever have been given. (FourFourTwo)

Despite, their constant setbacks, Luton arose from their ashes, flirting with promotion to the Premier League in 2022 with Nathan Jones, and then securing it with Rob Edwards in May 2023.

Their promotion was inspired by the club’s never-say-die attitude which has been ever-present since its re-emergence from the ashes. Luton have assumed a rebellious approach to the football league, flying through the leagues despite little financial muscle.

This attitude is symbolised by a flag that is hung in a corner of the famous Kenilworth Road simply stating ‘Luton Town – Betrayed by the FA’.

Now the club have reached the summit of English football, Luton have encountered a new form of resistance to them; the media. As much as the fairy tale story was covered widely when their return was complete, the club have certainly experienced a lot of doubters.

The most notable has been Garth Crooks whose comments were soon knocked back by manager Rob Edwards. Crooks claimed that he ‘can’t take them [Luton] seriously’, following it up by stating that the Hatters will be ‘down by Christmas’ (BBC).

Rob Edwards provided a reason for Crooks to be wrong instantly as his side impressively beat Everton away in a 2-1 win. Their victory was achieved due to their clinical nature from set-pieces, as both goals came from a corner and freekick respectively.

How will Luton Town set up?

As mentioned prior, set pieces are key to Luton’s game, Tottenham will have to nullify their potent nature from set plays if they want to minimise the chances of an upset.

Tottenham will have to expect a lot of competition in the air, as Carlton Morris wins around 6 aerial duels per 90 minutes (FBRef), Romero and Van De Ven are currently only winning 2.38 (FBRef) and 1.28 (FBRef), respectively, and therefore will need to adjust.

Those aerial chances are bound to come from not only Luton’s most creative player, but also the Premier League’s most creative, Alfie Doughty. The 23-year-old left-wing back is creating 3.7 chances per 90 minutes (Premier League) and with the pace of Chiedozie Ogbene also on the left wing, Pedro Porro will need to be at his best to prevent Luton’s threat from that side.

Luton are still seeking their first home victory in the Premier League and will be frustrated after a late goal from Jacob Larsen denied the Hatters a valuable draw against Burnley. Tottenham will have to expect a rampant atmosphere as Edwards promised ‘give them [the fans] a performance to sing about’.

The Hatters are likely to be most vulnerable when being attacked from their left and right side of defence. Amari’i Bell was pulled off after 21 minutes on Tuesday with an injury. Bell’s absence will cause Luton to field the inexperienced Teden Mengi as well as the deputising Reece Burke as their wide centre-halves.

With Postecoglou’s inverted full-back system, the Tottenham players should certainly be trying to find some joy through those gaps. There are certainly goals to be had in this game; Luton have conceded the joint-fourth most goals in the league. (FotMob)

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates the win with Pedro Porro and Alejo Veliz at full time during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Statement Win or Spursy Performance? 

Although Tottenham have come flying out the blocks this season with 17 points from their first 7 games; Spurs fans will be anxious at the ‘Spursy’ like nature of this game.

Early kick-offs always tend to throw up some unusual results in the Premier League, just look at how Villa picked apart Brighton 6-1 at 12:30 last Saturday, but if Tottenham do play in the same vein they have so far this season; there should be no worries for The Lilywhites.

Tottenham should be expected to control the ball, even away, as they are 5^th in the league for possession, averaging 60% per game, a stark contrast to Luton’s average of 37.7% (FBRef).

Saturday’s clash will likely be a test of Tottenham’s patience, persistence and dynamism as Luton aren’t likely to press Spurs frequently.

The Hatters have the least amount of tackles in the final third, 11, whereas Tottenham like to press high and have the joint 2^nd highest final third tackles with 24 (FBRef).

Rob Edwards even joked in his press conference that ‘we’re playing a flat nine with Carlton upfront’.

Tottenham have so far not appeared entirely comfortable facing an opponent that likes to sit back and allow them to have the ball, for example, Sheffield United and the final 25 minutes of last weekend’s battle against Liverpool.

At times in those games Spurs looked dumbfounded and lost in possession, struggling to find a way to unpick the tight lock in which both Sheffield United and Liverpool had constructed.

There’s obviously evidence that Spurs can break those low blocks down with Postecoglou’s men walking away with late victories in both games, but both of those fixtures were at home and the story may be different in the intimating setting of Kenilworth Road.

Opposition manager Rob Edwards has vowed to give Tottenham ‘the full Kenny experience’, an early goal could be key for Spurs.

Team News

Luton:

As expected, Luton manager, Rob Edwards confirmed in his press conference that The Town ‘will be without Amari’i Bell’ and he will ‘be assessed on Friday to see the extent of the injury’.

Luton have former Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley back as Edwards’ explained ‘he’s fit, he’s been training, he’s part of the squad and it’s good to have him back on the grass’.

An interesting story emerging is that Andros Townsend, former Tottenham winger, is training with Luton; but not expected to be near the squad against Tottenham.

The Luton manager said ‘We’re having a look at him, and he’s having a look at us’, Andros will play on Friday night for Luton’s U-21’s side against Leeds. (Luton Official)

Tottenham:

Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media ahead of the short trip to Luton, the focus was inevitably upon Spurs’ star players, Son and Maddison. What the Australian had to say would be music to Spurs fans’ ears.

Despite rumours of Son not training this week after he was brought off due to a groin issue, which he was seen to be wincing with as he was taken off against Liverpool, Ange revealed simply, ‘Sonny is fine’.

The manager was then asked if Maddison was being ‘wrapped in cotton wool’, to which Postecoglou denied stating ‘No cotton wool here’ and that ‘Maddison is fine, he’s trained in every session this week’. (Football.London)

Two other players also re-joined in training with the squad and will therefore be in contention of playing, those two are Bryan Gil and Giovanni Lo Celso as Postecoglou states ‘Gio and Bryan both trained’. Whilst two players have returned, two are out: Manor Solomon and Brennan Johnson.

The club stated that ‘Manor Solomon suffered a meniscus injury to his right knee in training this week’ and that he ‘has undergone surgery’, the Israeli international is expected to be out for 2-3 months. (Spurs Official)

Luckily, Johnson’s injury is expected to be shorter-term, with Postecoglou stating ‘Johnson is close but not quite there yet. With the international break, he’ll be able to recover’.

This will obviously keep the door ajar for the young Jamie Donley who was named in the first team squad for the first time last weekend, Ange confirmed that ‘I’ve been really pleased with Jamie [Donley] and Alfie [Dorrington] though, they’ve been working well’. (Spurs Official)

Expected line-up:

Luton: Kaminski, Kabore, Mengi, Lockyer, Burke, Doughty, Mpanzu, Nakamba, Brown, Ogbene, Morris. (3-4-3)

Edwards is likely to be unchanged from Tuesday’s defeat to Burnley, apart from Reece Burke who can be expected to come in for the injured Bell.

Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van De Ven, Udogie, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son. (4-3-3)

With Johnson and Solomon both out injured as well as his recent fine form, it can be expected that Richarlison will hold his place in the team, likely on the left of Tottenham’s forward three.

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We believe that Guglielmo Vicario will continue between the sticks for the Lilywhites, and will hope to carry on his superb start to Premier League life.

The back four will remain unchanged once again, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro playing as inverted full-backs, while Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven hold down the fort.

In midfield, Yves Bissouma risks picking up a one-match ban by starting in the pivot role, while Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison continue on either side of him. The latter passes a late fitness check to start again this week.

Up front, Heung-min Son is also passed fit, but is unlikely to play more than 70 minutes again for the Lilywhites. The South Korean starts in the number 9 role, with Richarlison out wide left and Dejan Kulusevski wide right.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Luton Town

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Fast-forward a generation and you find supporters discussing our side of the early 80s, the FA Cup wins of 1980/81 and 1981/82, with the culmination of those ‘glory, glory’ days being that famous 1984 UEFA Cup win, and those fans will name Ossie Ardiles, Ricky Villa, Tony Parks and Steve Perryman among their all-time greats.

The younger generation have not been as lucky. Just one League Cup in a barren run of one trophy in 32 years, and counting. Though, in more recent years, they have been blessed to watch the likes of Harry Kane, Gareth Bale, Heung-min Son, Jermain Defoe and Dele Alli from the views provided by both editions of the Park Lane, Shelf Side or the Paxton Road.

This current side, led by Ange Postecoglou, has the potential to be an all-time favourite. Maybe it’s because this young, exciting team, playing front-foot football and controlling games, is a far cry from the dull, uninspiring mess that was served up by Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte over the past few years.

Maybe it’s because, inspired by ‘Ange-ball’, the new stadium has seen matchday atmosphere on a consistent basis unlike ever before. Maybe it’s because it’s so refreshing to listen to Ange’s press conferences which, unlike his predecessors, are not repetitive and uninteresting.

But where does it rank among Tottenham’s greatest sides of the Premier League era?

(Photo By Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

2005/06 – Manager: Martin Jol

League Position: 5^th

Standout players: Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Ledley King, Edgar Davids, Michael Dawson, Michael Carrick

 On paper, you may question why this team have been included – no top 4, disappointing early cup exits, that final day debacle…

Forget about lasagne for a minute. The team of 2005/06 was a breath of fresh air for Spurs fans. The previous season was a dull 9^th, and it could easily have been worse had Jacques Santini been allowed to stay.

Exciting players were brought in (what was a Champions League winner like Edgar Davids doing at a team who had finished 9^th?), Martin Jol inspired Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe to score 25 goals between them in the league, and the emergence of Michael Carrick in midfield earned him a big move to Manchester United in the summer.

Final day fiasco aside, the points haul of 65 was enough to secure Spurs’ highest-ever Premier League finish of 5^th, and subsequent European qualification for the first time since an ill-fated 1999/00 UEFA Cup campaign.

Similarities can be drawn between this side and the current side. No, the team of 2005/06 weren’t managed by a charismatic Aussie, but what they did have was a rock-solid defensive pairing of Ledley King and Michael Dawson.

This is actually similar to the current pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero – the former already drawing comparisons with the great Ledley – and a team spirit to rival that of Ange’s side, who, to an outsider, seem more ‘together’ than any Spurs side has been for years.

Are they better than what we currently have? In short, no. This current team is packed to the brim with world-class players and a top, emerging manager – the team of 2005/06 were running on, mostly, solid players who could do a job in the Premier League – though that work ethic and team ethos was on another level to teams from the past.

Stephen Pond/Getty Images

 2009/10 – Manager: Harry Redknapp

League position: 4^th

Standout players: Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe, Luka Modric, Michael Dawson, Peter Crouch

The first Spurs side that fans born in the late 1990s to early 2000s were able to truly fall in love with.

On paper, with a solid mid-table manager like Harry Redknapp, and an uninspiring best XI, a few gems aside, it looked like a season of challenging for Europa League qualification for Spurs.

But we went one better.

It may be to do with the fact that we were up against Manchester City’s newly-found riches in the battle for 4^th place, but it seemed like most of the league were willing us over the line to Champions League qualification and our highest-ever Premier League position.

Redknapp’s second-to-none man management, memorable victories over Arsenal and Chelsea, and of course Peter Crouch’s winner at the Etihad, it was a season to remember.

A trip to Wembley was even on the cards for the FA Cup semi-final, but a dismal display against lowly Portsmouth ensured we would have to wait to lift that famous old trophy again.

Are they better than what we currently have? No. However, it could be argued that this Spurs team, in their prime, would give our current team a good game. A certain Gareth Bale was on the bench for most of the season…

FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images

2016/17 – Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

League position: 2^nd

Standout players: Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Heung-min Son, Hugo Lloris, Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele

 After a few years of ‘nearlys’, Europa League football and Tim Sherwood, Mauricio Pochettino arrived in the summer of 2014 and set about curating a squad that, at its peak, would go on to finish 2^nd in the league, with a home-grown superstar from the academy leading the line. It wasn’t bad, was it?

Time and time again on social media we are reminded of this team’s greatness – 86 points would have been enough to win the league in some seasons – and graphics of the strongest lineup from this season, consisting of Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dembele, Wanyama, Eriksen, Dele, Son and Kane.

It was a fitting farewell to the old White Hart Lane, and a true testament to the ethos that Poch brought to the club, that we would go unbeaten all season in N17 – we would also reach another FA Cup semi-final but eventually lose out to Chelsea.

On its day, the team just seemed invincible – another North London Derby victory, a memorable win under the lights against a Chelsea side which were the only team in the country better than us at the time, a win over Manchester United in the final game at the Lane… Pochettino built arguably our greatest team of the Premier League era.

Are they better than what we currently have? Yes – but not much better. This current team still has so much to prove, and with a captain who starred in the great 2016/17 side, Heung-min Son, the sky is the limit for Postecoglou’s boys.

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Spurs remain on course to return to Europe next season following a fantastic start under Ange Postecoglou, but there is a long, long way to go. As one of only two unbeaten sides left in the Premier League, how long can the team’s impressive run last?

Here are our predictions for Tottenham’s three-match October schedule.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Saturday, October 7: at Luton Town

Coming off a highly controversial victory over Liverpool in Matchweek 7, Spurs are now sitting second in the Premier League table on 17 points.

Just one point off of league leaders Manchester City at 5-2-0, Tottenham looks like a surprise early-season top-four contender under Ange Postecoglou. 

While Spurs have faced a few early season tests thus far (Liverpool, Arsenal, Man United), the next match against Luton Town will likely not be much of one.

While Spurs are unbeaten, Luton has won just once this campaign and scored a mere five goals in six matches.

Facing a team that is 17th in the table and a likely relegation candidate that struggles to score goals, Tottenham should make easy work of the Premier League debutants to start the month.

Prediction: Spurs 3-0 Luton Town

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 30: Fulham FC club badge on the corner flag during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Craven Cottage on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Monday, October 23: vs. Fulham

Following an international break, Spurs return with a home London Derby fixture, hosting Fulham.

One of the surprises of last season, the Cottagers are off to a bit of a mixed start in 2023.

While they secured a draw being down a man against Arsenal, they were also hammered by both Manchester City and Brentford and were held to a scoreless draw versus Crystal Palace.

Currently 13th in the table with eight points, Fulham struggles to score goals, having scored just five in seven matches.

Not only is the match a derby battle, but Spurs should be more than ready to beat the side that knocked them out in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

Prediction: Spurs 3-0 Fulham

(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Friday, October 27: at Crystal Palace

Ending the month with another London Derby fixture, Spurs travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.

Palace is off to a decent start in the campaign, sitting ninth in the table on 11 points, just two points outside of a potential European spot.

The Eagles have struggled however against the league’s stronger sides, losing to both Arsenal (1-0) and Aston Villa (3-1) in their toughest matches on the schedule so far.

Crystal Palace will likely sit back and defend against a Spurs team that has scored the third-most goals in the league (17), as the Eagles have only tallied above 50 per cent possession in a match twice this season in all competitions.

If Tottenham can break down the Crystal Palace defence that has allowed the third-least goals in the league (7), they’ll come away with all nine points possible from the October slate.

Prediction: Spurs 1-0 Crystal Palace

Will Spurs remain unbeaten through the month of October? Where do you think the side will be in the table?

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Liverpool’s clash at Tottenham saw VAR be called in for judgement three times. The first occasion was the dismissal of midfielder, Curtis Jones, whose challenge on Bissouma was deemed dangerous.

VAR instructed referee Simon Hooper to consult with the video replay of the challenge; to which the English referee decided to upgrade Jones’ punishment from yellow to red, much to the dismay of Liverpool fans and pundits.

The visitors then took the lead eight minutes after losing Jones as Diaz fired a shot into the bottom left corner. VAR yet again was called upon to check the call for offside, the goal was deemed illegal and Tottenham went on to go 1-0 up.

Despite little awareness amongst the fans inside the stadium, VAR had made a glaring error which prompted a later apology from the PGMOL (Sky News). Inevitably, this led to more media onslaught for inconsistent officiating which has been a theme throughout the start of this season.

The controversy seemed to absorb so much attention that little has been said about Tottenham finally defeating one of their toughest opponents, only beating The Reds once across the past six years.

So, exactly how good was Tottenham’s victory despite the officiating mishaps which continue to dominate the headlines?

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates the win with Pedro Porro and Alejo Veliz at full time during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Richarlison’s successful re-introduction?

Despite Richarlison’s heroic cameo against Sheffield United two weeks ago, Ange Postecoglou opted for the pace of Brennan Johnson against North London rivals, Arsenal, but an injury to the Welsh winger paved the way for the Brazilians’ reintegration into the starting line-up against Liverpool.

For many Spurs fans, it may have been perceived that Son would be pushed back out onto the left for the game, allowing Richarlison to operate through the middle, but those perceptions were quickly dispelled pre-game as Postecoglou confirmed to Sky Sports ‘He [Richarlison] will start on the left’.

Richarlison offered a different type of threat from the left-hand side than Tottenham had experienced so far this season. Richarlison despite creating 2 chances, one being an unselfish cutback for Son’s opener, the winger also had five shots of his own, two of which were on target and perhaps were unlucky to have not hit the back of the net (FotMob).

Postecoglou had deployed Solomon, Son and briefly Johnson on the left so far this season; Richarlison had the most xG out of them all. The Brazilian experienced 0.78 xG (FotMob), Tottenham’s highest xG from their left-sided attacker all season, by some way too with Johnson’s 0.59xG last weekend being the only performance that came close (FotMob).

It can be frustrating that Richarlison therefore didn’t end up putting himself on the scoresheet, but his quality of chances display that his runs and movement offer something Tottenham haven’t experienced all season, and with Tottenham’s number 9 now grabbing 1 goal and 2 assists in his last 111 minutes of football, it could allow him to lock down a spot in Postecoglou’s team.

Pedro Porro’s outstanding display

A common preconception before the start of the season amongst fans was that you could not start Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie together, but in true Postecoglou fashion; Ange ripped up the rulebook. Porro has found a new level at Tottenham since the Australian came in and Saturday’s performance was an embodiment of his hard work, especially on his defensive game.

Porro’s Spurs career certainly took off turbulently as former Tottenham boss judged him as being ‘so bad it’s unbelievable’ whilst also claiming his ‘positioning was absolutely disgusting’ (Sky Sports) as Tottenham fell to a 4-1 defeat away at Leicester, Porro failed to make a single tackle that game and was substituted after 75 minutes.

Porro when asked about those Sherwood comments at the time stated, ‘Let me loose in a prison and I’ll end up owning the place’, his flash of arrogance was balanced with a sense of understanding that he’d need to adjust as Pedro also stated ‘it’s hard: it was only a week, I’d never played a minute at City, never played in England in my life’ (The Guardian). It’s now seeming not so hard for the Spaniard.

His display against Liverpool was nearly immaculate, he often dampened the Liverpool attack and utilised his pace to stop any counter-attacking threats, especially when the visitors often used it as their only attacking outlet as they dropped to nine men.

Porro made the most tackles out of anyone in the game (6) (SofaScore) and made the all-important fizzing cross across the Liverpool box which forced Matip to deflect the cross into his own net, sending the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into raptures.

Porro’s performance was arguably man-of-the-match worthy and won Tottenham the tie; now that the Spanish international has improved his defensive ability, it’s hard to see a true weakness in the full-backs game.

The un-Spursy result

When Tottenham came from behind twice away to Arsenal last weekend to clinch a rare point at the Emirates, James Maddison stated that ‘Neutrals talk about Tottenham, they often say; soft, weak, bottle it, Spursy, all that rubbish.

I think the last couple of weeks shows we might be going in a slightly different direction’ (Mirror), and Saturday’s result suggests that perhaps the tide is certainly turning at Tottenham.

Obviously, the expectation would have been to get a winning goal in those final 20 minutes against a nine-man Liverpool, however, the Reds effectively had all nine of those men behind the ball at times.

Other than the odd outlier Tottenham have notoriously struggled to finish the job off against sides with a low block, but Postecoglou’s side have now defeated two teams back-to-back at home that end the game with an extremely low block with the intention of nullifying Spurs’ threat.

Spurs patiently plugged away, with little sign of players becoming frustrated, shown by the fact that Tottenham only had eight shots from the moment that Jota was sent off.

The patient passing around the Liverpool box is shown by the fact that Spurs had 42 more passes in the final 20 minutes of the second half than they did in the first 25 minutes of the second half (Opta).

Spurs’ winner was the clearest display of the confidence that Postecoglou has breathed into the side and the lack of ‘bottling it’ which Maddison alluded to.

Kulusevski doesn’t panic at the start of the move which caused the winner and even passes it back to the wide-open Romero; a decision which was met with audible groans around the ground.

Romero continues the calmness and confidence in playing Postecoglou’s way as the Argentine holds the ball for six seconds, a time which seems like an eternity when it’s the final minute of the game, but it was a much-needed wait as allowed Porro to drift out wide and ultimately fire in his cross which ensured Tottenham would get three points against Liverpool since October of 2017.

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The England international has fallen down the pecking order since the arrival of the Australian manager, who has relied on Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven as his preferred options in the backline.

As a result, Dier, a regular starter for Tottenham over the last few years, has found game time hard to come by and has yet to play a single minute under Postecoglou.

Spurs signed Dier in the summer of 2015 from Sporting CP and he was a key player for Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte during their stints in the North London side’s dugout.

The 29-year-old has been Tottenham’s leader in defence in recent seasons and made 42 appearances in all competitions for the Lilywhites in the previous campaign (TransferMarkt).

Eric Dier (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Dier is not in Postecoglou’s plans despite bench role

However, as per the report, it looks like Spurs no longer value Dier and were open to selling the centre-back this summer, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season.

One of Postecoglou’s first signings as a Tottenham manager was Van de Ven, who the North London side bought for £43 million from Wolfsburg in the summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international has been partnered with 2022 World Cup winner Romero for the most part and it looks like they will be the Australian manager’s go-to pairing for the foreseeable future.

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While Dier has left a lot to be desired with his performances over the years, Tottenham lack depth in the centre-back positions at the moment, with Clement Lenglet, Joe Rodon and Davinson Sanchez no longer at the club.

Therefore, while the former Sporting CP star has not been good enough at Spurs for some time, the North London side still need numbers at the back and the Englishman’s experience could prove vital as the season progresses.

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We believe that Guglielmo Vicario will continue between the sticks for the Lilywhites, with his familiar back four of Destiny Udogie, Micky Van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Pedro Porro.

In the centre of midfield, Yves Bissouma continues to serve as Postecoglou’s pivot, while Pape Matar Sarr adds extra legs down the right side.

James Maddison passes a fitness test to make the XI despite picking up a knock against Arsenal in the North London derby last weekend.

Up front, Postecoglou is forced into a change with the injury to Brennan Johnson, who made his full debut against the Gunners.

Richarlison gets the nod to start over Manor Solomon, with Heung-min Son drifting back out to the left. However, Son and Richarlison can interchange during the game to keep Liverpool guessing.

On the right, Dejan Kulusevski will look to continue his own good form.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Liverpool

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