When the 2023/24 season ended, the feeling around the Tottenham fan base was a mix of contentment and concern.
Contentment that for the first time since that Champions League final Spurs was on an upward trajectory and had a plan that involved the entertaining, attacking football associated with the North London club.
Concern that the manager was overly dogmatic about his approach, and that even if his style could achieve success, ENIC would not give him the tools to do so.
One month into the season, that still feels like the sentiment coming out of the Spurs fan base.
There is overwhelmingly a recognition that Spurs have been the dominant side in all three August fixtures - both in terms of possession and attacking play, with the club topping metrics around touches in the opposition area (142), possession (69.2%) and second on both shots and shots on target (both times to Nottingham Forest).
However, while this paints a picture of territorial supremacy and great build up play, there are concerns about whether this Spurs side has the tools to penetrate a defence (with a 5.12 xg ranking 7th in the league) and more-so, the continued theme of defensive fragility undoing much of the good work on the ball.
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Defence is the worst form of defence
One simple ball over the top or in between any two defenders seems to be all it takes to create a golden chance against this side, with very little forgiveness forthcoming for any less than a perfect performance from each defender.
This was no more evident than against Newcastle - a match in which Spurs were the aggressors throughout.
Newcastle won this match with a goal made from a simple ball into the channels, catching Destiny Udogie flat footed at left back, and Alexander Isak sauntering unchallenged into the Spurs area to apply a simple finish because Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin had different ideas about where the defensively line should be.
Given the perceived quality of all three Spurs defenders mentioned here, and the regularity with which Spurs concede this type of chance, it is only fair to question whether any defenders could successfully implement Postecoglou's off the ball demands. Or if in fact that style of defence is untenable at Premier League level.
Even if Celtic conceded that type of chance in Scotland, it would not have been to players of Jamie Vardy and Isak's level.
There were two other similarly avoidable goals to choose from, but I elected to use this one as it neatly paints the other major area of concern among the Tottenham faithful: the transfer window.
Had Micky van de Ven been on the pitch, that goal would likely have been prevented due to his ferocious pace on recovery. His injury forces the question as to why Spurs did not find any passable depth for him in three months of summer.
There are certainly remnants of the many summers during which ENIC saw fit to provide no suitable alternative to Harry Kane up front.
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Another manager left short
On the face of it, Spurs spent significantly and produced the largest single outlay of the window when buying Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.
However, the squad still feels imbalanced. 3 of the 6 career midfielders at the club are under 21, with 2 of those teenagers who had never kicked a Premier League football in anger before this season.
Only Wilson Odobert from Spurs' many options on the flanks seems at all suited to Postecoglou's preferred style of winger, and he too is still a teenager.
There appears to be no natural number 6, and Ben Davies, a good servant to the club but not one who seems suited to aggressive, high line football, is seemingly the only cover for both Udogie and van de Ven.
Yes, Dragusin deputised against Newcastle, but what happens if Spurs were to lose either centre back and Udogie at the same time?
The first month of the season appears to have largely acted as a nutshell of the previous campaign, so Spurs supporters could be forgiven for feeling that this season will see a repeat, without progress, and potentially even the familiar autumnal managerial change.
Though it is very early to fear the worst. Yes, 3 dominant performances would ideally have yielded 6, 7 or even 9 points, but those matches do not tell the whole story.
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Some room of optimism
For a start, Spurs sustained intense and energetic attacks for the majority of each match - a far cry from last season's strong opening quarters followed by fatigued clumsiness.
The side has also seen far more variety in attack, with longer passes from defence to midfield runners (Romero to James Maddison on a couple of occasions notably) now part of the armoury instead of a desperate plan Z when plan A fails and B-Y do not exist.
Set pieces are vastly improved too (albeit Guglielmo Vicario is still seemingly unwilling to move from his line), without any real chances from a corner or free kick. That argument is not hugely helped by the entire defence falling asleep to allow Harvey Barnes an opener for Newcastle, so there is still progress to be made.
At the other end, Spurs have put together far better set piece routines and it is only a matter of time before a panel of pundits crows over a well worked goal from a corner.
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Patience will be rewarded... probably
However, the biggest sign that there are winds of change, and that the Lilywhites are not about to serve up more of the last half decade's drivel, is that the manager now has a collection of players almost entirely separate from the Jose Mourinho to Antonio Conte era.
Triers lacking in imagination, subtlety on the ball or the ability to receive a pass in tight spaces have been expelled from the club.
Footballers from whom it is unfair to ask of the things that Postecoglou demands have been replaced with players far more suitable to the Australian's ethos, and while patience will be needed with what is now a very young squad, the Spurs squad has gone from one which was at the limit of its potential to one which can blossom far higher.
There is much work to do, and Postecoglou will need time and perhaps some fortune for everything to click, but Spurs' opening month to the 24/25 season has displayed the ingredients for a good season where progress is made.
Now chef Ange just needs to get the measures right to serve up something to the Tottenham Hotspur crowd's tastes.
