Micky van de Ven celebrates after scoring for Spurs against Luton. Photograph: Shaun Brooks/Action Plus/Shutterstock

Spurs are unbeaten and top of the league. Are they title challengers?

This article is more than 6 months old

Tottenham have improved quickly under Ange Postecoglou but a lack of depth may be their undoing

Two teams remain unbeaten after eight games in the Premier League: Tottenham and Arsenal. They are level on points going into the second international break of the season, with Spurs occupying top spot as they have scored more goals than their north London rivals. It’s not a position many would have foreseen earlier this year.

When Ange Postecoglou’s appointment was confirmed in June, Spurs supporters just wanted a manager they could unite behind. José Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte were nigh-on impossible to warm to, but Postecoglou had brought the Celtic fanbase together and Spurs supporters hoped a similar feeling would coalesce around their club. His achievements so far – igniting the imagination of the fans and taking the team top of the table – are nothing short of a miracle.

Even with the departure of the club-record goalscorer, Harry Kane, Spurs have scored the fourth most league goals (18) in the league. To lose a striker of Kane’s pedigree as the campaign kicked off was a blow, yet the Australian has taken it in his stride, putting together a side the fans love watching. No wonder they’re loving Big Ange instead.

Six wins and two draws from their opening eight league games is a brilliant return, especially considering they have already played Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, securing seven points from the nine available. They have passed the tests presented by the Premier League’s big hitters and have also won games when their backs have been against the wall – as shown by their hard-fought 1-0 win at Luton on Saturday, when they held on for the victory despite being reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half-time.

Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min enjoy the moment as Spurs score against Bournemouth. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

So, how far can Spurs go? It’s very early in the season to judge whether they will challenge for the title or fall away completely. An unbeaten start is to be celebrated but there are reasons for caution. Four of their six wins have come against the bottom four teams in the league – Luton, Burnley, Bournemouth and Sheffield United – and they needed two goals in stoppage time to see off a very weak Sheffield United team.

Looked at another way, they have shown immense character to secure victories when the chips have been down. They kept going against Sheffield United, finally breaking down an incredibly low block, and it was similar in the late win over Liverpool, who were holding on resolutely with nine men. Liverpool showed superb game management despite their numerical disadvantage and it looked as if they had ground away a point, only for Joël Matip to turn Pedro Porro’s low cross into the back of his net.

Sometimes a narrow win tells you more about a team’s mentality than a thrashing does. Against Luton on Saturday, Micky van de Ven’s second-half goal was the difference, with Spurs showing monumental resolve to clinch the three points after Yves Bissouma’s silly dismissal in the first half. In previous years, Spurs would have crumbled and thrown away the victory but they dug in deep to go top of the league.

The underlying numbers are also solid. Spurs have scored the fourth most goals in the league (18 – only Brighton, Newcastle and Aston Villa have scored more) and they have conceded the fifth fewest (eight in eight games). To put that into context, Spurs shipped 63 goals in 38 games last season and had only the eighth best goal difference in the division (+7). They are performing considerably better this time around, which is especially impressive given that most of their regular back five are in their first full seasons at the club: Guglielmo Vicario in goal along with Porro, Van de Ven and Destiny Udogie in defence.

Postecoglou’s side also rank third for possession (61.4% – behind only Manchester City and Chelsea) and fifth for pass success rate (87.8%). They have also taken more shots – 19 per game – than any team in the division. Again, a new signing has been instrumental: James Maddison has taken more shots than any other Spurs player, taking over where Kane left off last season.

Spurs players are working hard to force mistakes in the opposition half – they have won the ball back in the attacking third 58 times this season, the third highest in the league. They are, however, still allowing too many shots on their own goal: they have conceded 13 shots per game, which is the same as Nottingham Forest and more than Everton. It is too high for a side with aspirations of contending for the title. Vicario has slotted in well in goal. His save success rate of 80.6% is the second best in the league, but they cannot expect the Italian to maintain that level of consistency for 38 games. Spurs have been far more solid this season, but there is still work to be done to smooth out the edges.

Next Generation 2023: 60 of the best young talents in world football

Postecoglou has the opportunity to make these tweaks. A lack of European action means Spurs can focus their efforts on domestic duties and, having been knocked out of the League Cup, they have just the Premier League to prioritise before the FA Cup returns in January. This weighs in their favour. Postecoglou and his players have a full week to prepare for most games, just like Leicester did when they won the title in 2016 and Chelsea did when they lifted it the following season.

It’s a bit early to be talking about titles though. This is an inexperienced squad whose lack of strength in depth could be exposed over a long season. Bissouma, for example, will miss the match against Fulham after the international break, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg as his likely stand-in is a drop down in quality. Luton were unable to capitalise on the midfielder’s absence, but Fulham stand a better chance given they have the ball-winning machine that is João Palhinha.

Beyond the two starting centre-backs, Spurs are short of quality options at the heart of the defence. Porro and Udogie have established themselves as key men in Postecoglou’s setup but the system could fall to pieces if either is out through injury or suspension.

All in all, Spurs are in a far better position than many expected when the season kicked off and Kane left for Munich. Supporters are loving every second of the campaign under Big Ange. They may not go the distance in the Premier League, but the club has some hope again.