Tottenham Hotspur with best start ever, how it compares to 2016/17

The bottom line is that both the 2016/17 Spurs team and the current iteration are good football teams with a legitimate chance to win some silverware. If that silverware is to be the Premier League, then it will be the next two months where Spurs separate the present from the past.

The next two months will determine the difference in Tottenham teams

Following an international break, the 2016/17 team returned and drew four straight games to start October. Then those four games were followed by a two-win and two-loss stretch that dropped Spurs from second to seventh in the table.

During that same time, where Spurs went 2-4-2, eventual Champions Chelsea went 8-0 as part of a 13-game winning streak under current Tottenham coach Antonio Conte. And although Spurs would close the season strong, winning 12 of their last 13 games, the stretch from October-November, where the team only got 10 points from eight games, ultimately cost Spurs the title.

For the current team, this period will be even more difficult as the Champions League and the Premier League have as many games as possible before the November World Cup hiatus. Tottenham plays 13 games during this stretch. If Tottenham can go on a similar run as Chelsea did, it could make for a meaningful season for Spurs.

If the team struggles over the next two months, then it is likely Tottenham will play catch-up the rest of the year if they want to compete for the top.