Ange Postecoglou has made the best start of any Premier League manager in history after nine matches. His Tottenham Hotspur team currently sit top of the table after seven wins and two draws and it’s not just the results that have caught the imagination. Indeed, Postecoglou’s side are playing a brand of attacking, entertaining soccer.
This is in stark contrast to last season when Spurs were in bad shape. They fired Antonio Conte in March and coasted to the end of the 2022/23 campaign because they essentially had nothing to play for. Many anticipated a long and painful rebuild when Postecoglou was appointed Tottenham’s new manager.
Instead, Postecoglou has found a way to get more out of the squad he inherited. The likes of Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero and Pape Sarr have reached new heights under the Australian coach who has also added shrewdly to his team – see the signings of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven, primarily.
All this begs the question – can Tottenham Hotspur win the Premier League title this season? Can they really maintain this pace for the full campaign with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City on their tail? Or will Spurs fall away as the pressure of being in a title race starts to take its toll?
“I think I’ve sat here every week and said that we have a long way to go. That doesn’t change,” said Postecoglou. “We are nine games in and we’re at the beginning of building something. It would be so much easier for me to sit here and say ‘yeah, we’re a great team’. What I’m saying is we have to improve and that puts the responsibility on me to make sure we do it. We can be better, absolutely we can.”
There’s no doubt Tottenham’s squad is lacking depth when compared to the strength of other teams around them. This was evident in the second half performance against Fulham on Monday, when a series of substitutions resulted in Spurs losing their way somewhat. They still managed to win the match, but there was a drop-off.
However, Tottenham don’t have the burden of European soccer like their rivals do. They have more time to rest and recuperate between Premier League fixtures. That could be a factor in Spurs’ efforts to win a title for the first time in the Premier League era. Arsenal, City and Liverpool all have Champions League and Europa League matches to worry about.
Even if Spurs fall short of winning the Premier League title, Postecoglou is putting in place the foundations that should sustain the club for a long time to come. This season has marked the start of a new era for the North London outfit.
