A season predicted for top-three gate-crashing status has descended into a gritty battle for stability for Tottenham.
After a promising start in which Spurs secured three wins from their opening five league matches – their two losses arriving from Arsenal and Manchester City – Rehanne Skinner’s side fell to four successive league defeats dropping them to eighth in the league heading into the winter break.
That Spurs failed to register a single goal in those four defeats underscores the most flagrant issue shackling the squad. Skinner's side have found the net just 11 times in the league (joint-third worst in the league) while conceding 17. Only bottom three Reading, Brighton and Leicester boast worst goal differences.
Injuries and absences have not been kind to Spurs. Forward Kiyah Simon, newly-signed forward Ellie Brazil and attacking midfielder Kit Graham all comprise the injury list, with forward Rosella Ayane only returning recently and Chioma Ubogagu reinstated following her nine-month ban.
Frustration is the big elephant in the room for Spurs, and one they will hope to cut out of their game come January 15. Their Conti Cup form has been impressive as they topped Group E, but a quarter-final draw against Chelsea offers a litmus test.
The securing of Lionesses star Beth England for a UK record transfer fee offers a suggestion that Spurs are trying to put an underwhelming start to the season firmly to bed.
Here, we look at how each month played out for Spurs.
September:
Spurs started off the season right with a 2-1 win over Leicester City. Ashleigh Neville notched her first screamer of the season while new signing Drew Spence marked her debut with a similar goal into the bottom corner. A dogged defensive display showed good signs of the Spurs of old.
A record-breaking affair at the Emirates Stadium for the North London Derby marked Spurs’ next occasion, but it was one to forget as Spurs fell to a 4-0 loss in front of 47,367 fans. The gulf in quality was on display as Arsenal ran rampant.
October:
The reality check from the Arsenal rout was taken in good stride as Spurs won their first Conti Cup clash against fellow WSL side Reading and clocked a 1-0 win over newly-promoted Liverpool thanks to an own goal and some rugged defending.
But Spurs faltered against Manchester City and their difficult day was compounded as Brazil was stretchered off in the third minute. The result was a 3-0 loss at home.
Nevertheless, Spurs closed out October in style with an unprecedented 8-0 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion, their biggest ever Barclays WSL win. Spurs boasted five goalscorers, with Jessica Naz, Ashleigh Neville and Drew Spence each securing braces.
Spence and Neville in particular were revelling in the goal glutton. The pair eclipsed both of their previous seasons in terms of assists and goals and saw their efforts duly rewarded with nominations for the WSL’s October Goal of the Month award.
November:
The Brighton win went some way in inferring that Spurs' issues in front of goal were dissipating, but the opportunity to capitalise on the history-making victory was stymied as a waterlogged pitch saw Spurs’ clash against Everton called off. The postponement left Spurs without a competitive match for 21 days due to the international break leading up to their London derby against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
And a wretched first half proved impossible to offset as Chelsea, reinvigorated by the return of manager Emma Hayes to the touchline, rattled three past them, leading Skinner to admit that a gulf in quality and reinforcements was on display once more.
Still, Spurs responded well as they sailed five past Coventry United in the Conti Cup. The big plus from the match was the rotated squad and goals from the returning Kerys Harrop and Lenna Gunning-Williams on her first official debut.
December:
December proved rough. An early own goal from Amy Turner proved decisive as Spurs lost to lowly Reading, leading them to lose back-to-back league matches for the first time this season. The defeat seemed to hangover the squad as they fell to successive league defeats to West Ham and Everton. Once again, positive performances were undermined by lapses in defence and poor decision-making in the final third.
But Spurs ultimately ended December on a high, with a 1-0 win over Southampton in the final group stage of the Conti Cup to see them top of their group.
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