Spurs end the campaign with a 3-0 win over Sheffield United

With a 3-0 win over already-relegated Sheffield United on Sunday, the 2023/24 Premier League campaign is now over for Tottenham Hotspur.

After a very disappointing eighth-place finish that saw the team implode under three different managers last season, Spurs have really started to turn things around under first-year manager Ange Postecoglou.

The North London side finished fifth in the Premier League with 66 points and locked in a place in the Europa League for next season. This should promise more game time for the young players and possible new additions that Postecoglou and technical director Johan Lange could make to the squad in the summer transfer window, which starts on June 14.

Before we look ahead, though, let’s discuss the weekend’s turn of events.

After a heavy 2-0 defeat against Manchester City on Tuesday, a win on Sunday was just what The Lilywhites needed to cap off a season in which definite progress was made.

As much as the Big Angel talks about his goal of winning the Premier League without finishing fifth, it is still a massive improvement on the disaster that occurred under former manager Antonio Conte and under subsequent caretakers Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason.

Goals in both halves from winger Dejan Kulusevski (in the 14th and 65th minutes) and right-back Pedro Porro (in the 59th minute) helped Tottenham win away.

Spurs led in every major category of the match, including total shots (18 to six), shots on goal (nine to one), chances created (17 to five) and possession (76.1 per cent to 23.9 per cent) (FOTMOB).

Is this the display they should have put in against an already relegated team? Yes, of course it was. But does it make this season’s final victory any less sweet? No, definitely not.

Other standouts on the day included goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who kept a clean sheet despite only facing one shot on goal all afternoon.

Spurs back four Porro, centre-backs Cristian Romero and Radu Drăgușin, plus left-back Micky Van de Ven, also had excellent games, helping to keep the hosts’ attack largely non-existent throughout the day.

Even young stars Mikey Moore (making his second successive Premier League appearance) and Dane Scarlett made appearances towards the end of the game, giving the visiting Lilywhite fans a glimpse of future potential.

Now that the season is officially over, that future may be here sooner than some realize. With the start of the 2024/25 Premier League season just under three months away, the countdown is on for Big Ange and Lange, as well as consultant Fabio Paratici (former director of football), head of football Scott Munn and club chairman, Daniel Levy, to make changes to the squad.

Postecoglou spoke about the need for more changes, and quickly too. For the club to take the next step and make a real sustained challenge for the Premier League title next season (and the seasons to come), more outgoing and incoming transfers will be needed to round the squad into a gaffer’s team Australian.

All in all, the 2023/24 season has been a great first start.

As nice as it would have been to win a trophy or two, Tottenham are on the right track. Sitting back and not being aggressive is not the right choice now. Spurs must dare. Spurs must do.

The future of the Postecoglou era and for the club itself depends on how he progresses. It’s time to stay true to the club’s motto and bring silverware back to North London, back to a fan base that so desperately craves it, starting next season.