Expectations were modest when Ange Postecoglou took charge of a Tottenham team starting life without their record goalscorer Harry Kane.
However, Spurs made a fast start to the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, winning eight and drawing two of their first 10 matches, and they were still on course for a top-four finish at the start of April.
A run of five defeats in six games allowed Aston Villa to pip them to Champions League qualification although a fifth-placed finish, above Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United, represented a positive first campaign for Big Ange.
The problem for Spurs is that their rivals are likely to improve in 2024-25 so they cannot afford to stand still if they are to land odds of 3.25 by making the top four.
Premier League Top 4 Odds
Team | To Finish in Top 4 Odds |
Tottenham | 3.25 |
Manchester City | 1.06 |
Arsenal | 1.08 |
Liverpool | 1.44 |
Chelsea | 2.50 |
Newcastle | 2.87 |
Manchester United | 3.00 |
Aston Villa | 4.00 |
All odds are courtesy of 1xBet, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
Consistency of selection crucial for Spurs progress
Former Celtic boss Postecoglou won the Premier League Manager of the Month award at the first attempt in August 2023 but Tottenham's flying start stalled in November.
They took just one point from five matches against Chelsea, Wolves, Villa, Manchester City and West Ham despite scoring first in all five games.
Spurs snapped that frustrating sequence with an impressive 4-1 home victory over Newcastle and they won 13 of their 19 league games on their own patch.
Tottenham also produced some stirring displays on the road, drawing 2-2 at Arsenal and 3-3 at Manchester City before a 4-0 rout of top-four rivals Villa in March.
Injuries and international call-ups disrupted their rhythm and Postecoglou will hope for more consistency of selection in 2024-25.
Influential players James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie were restricted to 26, 27 and 28 league starts respectively while Brazil striker Richarlison scored 11 goals despite starting only 18 times.
Exciting youngsters should provide quality squad depth
Big Ange's attacking style of football contrasts sharply with that of his predecessor Antonio Conte so there were bound to be some teething problems in his first season.
Despite the injuries and a lack of quality squad depth, Spurs went toe to toe with the Premier League's big guns, scoring 17 goals in eight matches against the top four.
They ran out of steam during a tough run-in, losing to five of the top seven in April and May, and their Europa League campaign is another challenge in Postecoglou's second season.
However, Tottenham's early transfer business has been encouraging as Sweden international Lucas Bergvall and his fellow 18-year-old Archie Gray are terrific young talents.
Striker signing could take Tottenham to the next level
More quality signings are required for Spurs to break into the top four, especially with City, Arsenal and Liverpool long odds-on to fill three of the spots.
The Tottenham defence is shaping up well with Udogie and Pedro Porro in the full-back positions and Van de Ven, Cristian Romero and January arrival Radu Dragusin as centre-back options.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was an ever-present in a solid maiden campaign in England while Heung-Min Son contributed 17 goals and 10 assists in 34 league starts last season.
Another striker is a priority, providing competition for Richarlison and allowing Son to play in his most effective role on the left flank.
England's Ivan Toney is reportedly a target for Tottenham, who must show ambition in the transfer market if they are to deliver on the promise of Big Ange's debut season in north London.