LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur have endured an inconsistent and, at times, frustrating season. Despite sitting sixth in the Women's Super League (WSL) table, two points ahead of Liverpool and one behind Brighton, their performances have been far less convincing than last term and they are 10 points adrift of local rivals, and this weekend's opponents, Arsenal.
A sixth-place finish and FA Cup final appearance had set high expectations for 2024-25, with hopes that the club would continue their upward trajectory to break into the top four. However, their form and overall performances have noticeably dipped, and they have fallen victim to the all-too-common "second-season syndrome." While their position in the league remains stable, they are a staggering 20 points off leaders Chelsea (who have only dropped two all season.)
After finishing fifth in the Premier League in 2023-24, there were similar hopes for the men's team. But Ange Postecoglou's position as head coach appears increasingly uncertain following a disappointing run of 13 losses from 24 games and an ongoing injury crisis that has them 14th in the table.
Perhaps influenced by what's been going on around him at the club, women's boss Robert Vilahamn has been preaching caution when it comes to laying down expectations. "We are a top-six side, but we're not a top-four team," he said recently. "You need to remind yourself that if you think that you're going to dominate the possession and goal chances against the best teams in the league, we are not there yet."
With their FA Cup campaign already cut short after a 2-0 defeat to Everton, Spurs no longer have the luxury of a successful cup run to offset any shortcomings in the WSL and their hopes of improving on last season will rely on them securing points against lower-table opposition. Five out of their remaining nine games come against those clubs and consistency is crucial, especially as their tendency to squander early leads has cost them valuable points.
So what has gone wrong for a team that were expected to push further up the table this season? Can they find solutions, or will they fail to capitalise on the momentum of last year?
Gaps in attack
Spurs suffered a couple of significant setbacks in the summer transfer window as they lost two of their most influential attacking threats. Grace Clinton, who had been a key creative force last season, returned to Manchester United after her loan, while the dynamic and pacey Celin Bizet followed her to Leigh Sports Village on a permanent deal. The duo had played a crucial role in Spurs' attacking output, and their departures left a void that Vilahamn has struggled to adequately fill.
In an attempt to reinforce the squad, Spurs brought in experienced Australia winger Hayley Raso and technically gifted midfielder Maite Oroz, though the latter has been sidelined for much of the season due to injury. But without Clinton and Bizet pulling the strings, Spurs' attack lacks the same fluidity and potency they had last season.
The club signed two midfielders, Josefine Rybrink and Olivia Holdt, in the January transfer window yet the duo have been unable to turn the tide. Spurs have scored just 19 goals this season from 13 games, which is half that managed by league leaders Chelsea (38).
While the team still boast decent attacking options in Martha Thomas, Jess Naz and Beth England, the trio often find themselves having to create chances without a consistent presence in the box to finish them. This lack of depth has made it difficult for Spurs to maintain their offensive threat, forcing them to rely heavily on individual moments of brilliance rather than a cohesive, well-structured attack.
As the season progresses, finding a solution to this imbalance will be crucial.
Defensive woes
On "The Football Reporters" podcast, James Olley says Ange Postecoglou is part of the problem as Tottenham wrestle with an injury crisis.
Just like the men's team, Spurs' defensive struggles this season have been compounded by injuries, with key players ruled out for extended periods. Eveliina Summanen and Amy James-Turner are on the sidelines, while young defender Ella Morris has been absent for several weeks due to an MCL issue.
Despite the summer addition of Clare Hunt to bolster the backline, Spurs have found little defensive stability since the start of the season. Indeed, after 13 games they have conceded the second-highest number of goals in the league (26), only trailing bottom side Crystal Palace (35). Last season, Spurs conceded 36 across the entire campaign.
Vilahamn believes there have been improvements since the start of the season, giving hope to their chances of bettering their sixth-place finish last season. "I saw the bravery that I wanted to see today," he said after the 1-0 loss to Man United on Feb. 2. "We didn't concede more goals and lose 4-0 or 3-0 as we did at the start of the season [and in last season's FA Cup final at Wembley]. You need to look at the positives as well."
Although Spurs' previous campaign was widely regarded as a success, this season presents a different challenge. If they manage to secure another sixth-place finish but with worse goal margins and defensive statistics, it raises the question of how success should be measured. Without improvements at both ends of the pitch, their current trajectory suggests it could be seen as a year of regression rather than progress.
Gulf with top-four teams still too big
Spurs are one of the many WSL clubs struggling to keep pace with the financial might of the traditional top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City. These powerhouse teams have leveraged their substantial budgets to build world-class squads, widening the gap between themselves and the rest of the league.
Chelsea, in particular, have flexed their financial muscles, breaking the world transfer record twice in the past year and making history in January with the first-ever $1 million signing in the women's game: USWNT defender Naomi Girma. Clubs like Spurs, who operate on a far more limited budget, are left trailing behind in the market.
While the club have worked efficiently to maximise their spending -- bringing in Holdt, Rybrink and Leicester goalkeeper Lize Kop last month -- they simply can't compete with the financial firepower of the top clubs. And this translates to results on the pitch.
This season, Spurs have failed to beat any of the five teams currently ahead of them in the WSL table, with their best result being a 1-1 draw against fifth-placed Brighton. They have been comprehensively outclassed against the top four, losing heavily to Chelsea (5-2), Man City (4-0), Arsenal (3-0) and Man United (3-0). It would be no surprise if Arsenal were to beat them comfortably again at the Emirates this weekend.
"If you expect us to win against the top teams, it's too early to expect that," Vilahamn said. "You should have hope for it, you should aim for it, and we should try to do it. But if we don't succeed with individual details and tactical details, we lose those games because those squads are much stronger than ours right now. The board knows that. They know what we're doing, they know how much we're going to invest every year to grow organically."