Tottenham have reasons to be cheerful

Tottenham were outclassed by Manchester City for much of today’s encounter, but Spurs fans shouldn’t be too concerned about that.

A draw today was a very flattering result for Spurs, albeit a hugely enjoyable one for pretty much everyone who doesn’t support either Manchester City or Arsenal. And Tottenham supporters shouldn’t be unduly concerned about their good fortune.

There’s no doubt that Spurs are a team in transition, and this game – clearly the most difficult of their Premier League season on paper – came far too early in the campaign to draw meaningful conclusions from it, especially as they were also without the injured Dele Alli and the suspended Son Heung-min. The reverse fixture at the beginning of February will tell us far more about Tottenham’s credentials.

City look a class above everyone in the league, and there’s nothing either in Liverpool’s performances or their underlying numbers to suggest that even they will run Pep Guardiola’s side close again this season.

Indeed, there are only two things that seem likely to end City’s current dominance of the Premier League. One is that the investigations into the club’s conduct currently being undertaken by UEFA and other bodies result in sanctions.

The other is that the extended altercation that occurred between Guardiola and Sergio Aguero following the latter’s substitution today is indicative of a broader rift between the coach and his squad.

Neither eventuality seems remotely probable at this time.

Tottenham’s struggles today were to be expected, then, especially in light of the recent arrivals of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, the departure of Kieran Trippier and the ongoing uncertainty over the futures of Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen.

Putting that to one side, there’s much for Tottenham’s fanbase to be excited about.

Spurs’ home form was poor last season – they only picked up five more points at home than in their away games. The atmosphere at Wembley didn’t seem to intimidate opponents at all – or referees, for that matter, who failed to award Tottenham a single penalty in their home matches.

So the potential upside to playing at the club’s impressive new stadium is huge.

Moreover, in Mauricio Pochettino they have a manager who looks to be markedly superior to those in charge of the clubs that finished around Spurs in the table last season.

There was little during his time at Derby County to suggest that Frank Lampard is likely to improve Chelsea’s fortunes, and much the same can be said of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer so far at Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Unai Emery had a middling first season with Arsenal, although his good track record at both Valencia and Sevilla does at least suggest that fortunes at the Emirates could improve this term.

In contrast, Pochettino has been at Spurs for more than half a decade and offers not just continuity but also a track record of consistently over-performing in terms of wage and transfer spend throughout that period, with four consecutive top-four finishes to his name.

That alone puts Tottenham ahead of the pack, and their summer recruitment is further cause for encouragement. Much was made last season of Spurs’ shortcomings in midfield, in light of Eric Dier’s decline and Mousa Dembele’s departure.

It’s an area that’s been addressed impressively during the transfer window, with both Ndombele and Lo Celso being among the standout performers in the big European leagues last season at Lyon and Real Betis respectively.

It remains unclear whether or not Christian Eriksen will leave, but the club could well have already signed a ready-made replacement in the form of Lo Celso, who made his debut off the bench today. The last PSG cast-off signed by Spurs – Lucas Moura – certainly hasn’t worked out too badly for them.

If Eriksen does opt to play out the final year of his contract in North London, that shouldn’t be too much of problem, especially as Spurs were largely ineffective against Aston Villa in the opening game of the season prior to his introduction.

After all, Liverpool reached a Champions League final and finished fourth in the Premier League two seasons ago with the departing Emre Can as a fixture of their midfield. And Eriksen’s continued presence would give Lo Celso – who’s only 23 – a year in which to grow accustomed to Premier League soccer and become fully integrated within the squad.

There is one obvious area of concern for Tottenham, of course — namely, their full-backs. That was underlined today, with both City goals being created – and one of them finished – from areas of the pitch policed by Spurs’ full-backs.

The club’s fans often seemed to regard Trippier with ambivalence at best, but he played well over 2,000 minutes in the league alone last season and his absence will be felt. It’s here that Pochettino’s gift for improving the players in his squad will again be put to the test.

So, neutrals can enjoy Tottenham’s good fortune today, and their fans shouldn’t lose any sleep over it. The manner in which Ndombele, Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon adapt to life at their new club is likely to be among the most intriguing narratives of the coming season.