Biggest disappointments thus far in the Tottenham Hotspur season

Tottenham are lacking an identity as a team

Early in the season, it was easy to see the identity the team was developing under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, as the squad was a physical, bring your lunch-pail to work kind of team. However, since beating Manchester City opening day, that physicality has really dipped and the work rate with it.

Now we are left with a team that really has no sense of self in terms of identity. Is this a defense-first, counter-attacking team? Is this is a pressing team looking to create errors and suffocate opponents. While I realize Spurs are not good enough to simply impose their will on every opponent, even if they were, it is hard to say what that will would be.

Tottenham is clearly a team that is best when attacking but they are also too easily stretched and exposed in possession. However, the high-octane counter-attack from Spurs’ season’s past seems to have vanished and when defending first, Spurs are far too easy to pin deep in their own half.

Ultimately, it will take time for Nuno’s ideas to be fully integrated with the team, however, after nearly 20 percent of the season, you would think we would have a better idea of what those ideas are.

Continued…