The Tottenham Hotspur season preview 2023/24 is as encouraging as it has been in years for Spurs fans - let's just hope this one lasts.
A(nother!) new era gets underway at Tottenham, as incoming coach Ange Postecoglou is tasked with cleaning up the mess left by predecessor Antonio Conte and his interim successors. Big Ange’s early months in charge haven’t been easy, with the Harry Kane saga dominating headlines, but there’s no time to grumble.
This group of players finished eighth last season, outside of the European spots, having conceded six more goals (63) than 17th-placed Everton. Confidence is shot, there’s no clear playing style and fans don’t seem convinced that the Aussie ex-Celtic boss has the stature to fix things as he makes his major-league bow aged 57.
But even so, a top-four finish is the minimum requirement for supporters and chairman Daniel Levy to call this season a success. Piece of piss, mate. FourFourTwo previews Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League season.
Tottenham Hotspur season preview 2023/24: The lesson from last year
Tottenham’s over-reliance on Kane in 2022/23 was genuinely shocking, with over £158m spent on new recruits, the seventh-highest outlay in the Premier League. Somehow the England captain hit 30 league goals – one of the Premier League’s top 10 hauls and 43 per cent of his club’s entire tally.
Luckless £60m arrival Richarlison got one in 27 games. Other players must step up, especially with the signing of James Maddison – 52 goal involvements in his last three seasons, including 10 goals and nine assists in Leicester’s annus horribilis.
Postecoglou’s Celtic treble kings earned praise for their team spirit as the whole cast chipped in with goals, assists and work rate. This has to be the blueprint, but it’ll take patience and greater effort from the entire squad, especially those who went hiding in the last campaign.
The coach: Ange Postecoglou
Australia, Japan, Scotland – Ange Postecoglou silences his doubters wherever he goes. His tactically flexible teams press aggressively and dominate possession, traits passed down by Ferenc Puskas, his former mentor (yes, really). But are Spurs a step too far for the Premier League’s first Antipodean gaffer?
Key player: Dejan Kulusevski
Dejan Kulusevski’s decision to join permanently after his loan from Juventus is a cause for celebration (and some confusion). The ‘Ginger from Sweden’ is a wide playmaker with divine footwork, vision and an eye for goal, and the Postecoglou era could be moulded around his ethereal talents – he’s still only 23.
The mood around Tottenham Hotspur
Bleak. The exciting crop of players that reached the 2019 Champions League Final have nearly all left or turned stale, while those brought in to replace them have largely failed to deliver. A string of misguided managerial appointments and transfers have eroded almost all trust in Daniel Levy, and Spurs’ trophy drought has now lasted a decade and a half. Still, the stadium’s really nice.
One to watch
Having sealed a deal on deadline day in January, Spanish wing-back Pedro Porro was, on debut, labelled “so bad it’s unbelievable” by ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood, who should know. Then the £45m man produced three goals and three assists in an impressive first few months. “He won’t be the first who then had to shut his mouth,” he barked back towards Sherwood. “Let me loose in a prison and I’ll end up owning the place.” OK, keep an eye on this one…
Most likely to...
Get on the blower to Ryan Mason before the Christmas turkey is served.
Least likely to...
Win anything. The list of English-league clubs who have won major silverware since Tottenham’s last pot in 2008 has now grown to 11, with new additions West Ham the most painful of them all. Spurs fans haven’t heard the end of it.
The fan's view: Tom Hayward
Last season was cowardly, pathetic and predictable.
This season will be different because in new manager Ange Postecoglou we’ve got a progressive gaffer who’ll have a full week on the training ground between games to improve a horribly under-coached squad. It’s still a huge ask, not only to adapt to the Premier League but to do it while arresting a struggling team’s decline.
If he left, he should be replaced by Daniel Levy. Go on, sunshine, you have a go.
Look out for young left-back Destiny Udogie, who’s looked great in Serie A.
The thing my club really gets right is absolutely nothing, right now – I’m generally positive about Levy and what he’s done for the club, but it’s hard to think of any decision he’s got right in the past five years.
The one change I’d make would be the ticket prices. It’s simply unacceptable that a team getting progressively worse on the pitch is costing progressively more to watch.
The opposition player I’d love here is a centre-back like Virgil van Dijk or Ruben Dias, or just any competent goalkeeper. Sorry, Hugo, but bon voyage.
The opposition player who really grinds my gears is Bruno Fernandes, because he’s a straight-up cheat.
Fans think our owner is utterly delusional, cosplaying as a big club without any idea of how to achieve it.
The pantomime villain will be Mauricio Pochettino – at least, it’s going to be really interesting to see how he’s received when he brings his Chelsea team here.
I’m least looking forward to playing Arsenal. They looked terrifying before their massive bottling, and I can’t imagine they’ll get worse.
We’ll finish 7th.
Season previews for the Premier League, League One and League Two are all available HERE
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