Ange Postecoglou has made impressive and swift changes at Tottenham so far, drowning out the misery of last season with a revitalised new-look Spurs.
Harry Kane has been part of the transition, and whilst it all seems to be going well without the England captain, will it last?
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Harry Kane (L) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mates after scoring the team first goal of the game from the penalty spo during the pre-season friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Shakhtar Donetsk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 06, 2023 in England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
It is difficult to forecast due to all the changes under Postecoglou still being raw, but we can at least attempt to predict whether Spurs will feel the effects of Kane’s absence.
Prior to the season a lot of pundits and fans expected Spurs to struggle without their talisman, especially as the striker scored 43% of the club’s league goals last term.
Four games in though and Tottenham have a variety of goal scorers including Emerson Royal, Pape Matar Sarr and Cristian Romero, the latter putting a 20-yard strike in the back of the net in the latest fixture.
The chances are being converted from all over the pitch in a variety of methods and so it does look as though without Kane, many players have felt a confidence boost to step up and provide for the team, as the sole output and focus has now gone.
From the perspective of the opposition, how to neutralise Kane would’ve been the centre of their pre-match plans, but now the range of attacking threat has broadened, it does seem teams are still trying to adapt in how they take on Tottenham.
Taking on this Spurs team though is no easy feat due to the versatility of Postecoglou’s tactical deployment, which has been rather one-dimensional in previous seasons.
For example, Postecoglou appropriately shifted the team and style against Burnley compared to when they played Manchester United, with the former using a swift counter-attacking set-up and the latter being a possession-based, high-pressing style.
Both results ended with the Lilywhites taking three points, and the team performance was outstanding.
Will Spurs miss the clutch goals from Harry Kane?
Every season though there are always tight games or lacklustre performances, and there is no doubt Postecoglou will have a phase where some results don’t always go to plan.
Typically in those moments when the whole team disappoints though, out of nowhere would come Kane to save the day.
Spurs don’t have that clinical striker anymore, and it is yet to be seen whether the dying need for a goal out of nowhere will be needed.
Despite that though, unlike the previous coaches at Tottenham, Spurs’ current set-up is something we haven’t been able to say for the white side of north London in years… it’s sustainable.
There is youth combined with an attacking style of football that is easy to buy into, and a manager with enough self-belief to back himself and enforce his philosophy on the squad.
On top of this, the fans themselves have been absolutely starved of enjoyable football and so the majority of the club’s supporters have fallen in love with the Australian manager.
(Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
As a result, it’s hard to believe that Spurs will just suddenly drop off due to the delayed effects of Kane’s departure, as the project and vision to progress without the forward is there and has proved successful so far.
Postecoglou has a track record of playing without a striker like Kane, as he found the majority of his success at Celtic using a forward who was able to press, and be a metaphorical sacrificial lamb so the wider players and midfielders find more space.
His style of play is the perfect match for a new era, and further slims the chance that Spurs could suffer without Kane later in the season.
The primary reason Tottenham will suffer or drop below expectation this year is the lack of squad depth, especially in the defensive department where an injury to Micky Van de Ven or Cristian Romero could be worrying.
Spurs should look to continue strengthening in the January window though where squad depth for the final stages of the season could prove crucial.
But based on Kane’s absence, Tottenham should continue to march on and progress into a well-rounded side without the striker.
A huge test awaits in the next few fixtures where Spurs face Arsenal and Liverpool, which may hint as to where Spurs are really at under their new coach.
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