Through the years, or rather in recent memory, consistency and Tottenham Hotspur have never been synonymous to each other have they? In fact, they’ve been miles apart- consistency in one corner, Tottenham on the other. And it is one of those things in modern day football, that can help you win titles, or at least achieve your objectives. And Tottenham haven’t been doing that for some time now, falling short of the desired Champions League spot is something they’ve become accustomed to, thanks to their usually monotonous habit of messing things up. But, this season, things have turned a corner for good. And consistency and Spurs have now become synonymous to one another.

And all of it’s been down to one man- Mauricio Pochetinno. The man who was entrusted with the opportunity to transform the Spurs side after Andre Vilas Boas’ sacking, before himself transforming Southampton to a rather watchable side. A side which has become a really stiff one to beat, Spurs have definitely turned a corner now.

One of the most consistent teams in the division right now, you just can’t take Spurs for granted, much like any other Pochetinno-bloomed team in the world. They outrun the opposition like machines, or rather mechanical robots that have bundles of energy in them.

Last season was a one which showed clear glimpses of the fact that the players were getting acclimatized to the Pochetinno high pressing style and getting regular 2-1 wins, thanks to late winners had become a routine. Even during that phase, the Spurs players showed the hunger to press the opposition high up top during the fag end of games. And this season, the pressing carries on from the first to the final blast of the whistle.

A big part, or the biggest part has been played by the solid defense, which has the record for being the meanest in the league. Much like any other quality top four side, Spurs’ successes are based on the foundation of their rock solid that consists of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. The Belgian duo has, undoubtedly, been the best defensive duo of the season. While one- Alderweireld acts as a combative center back, capable of winning aerial balls and shrugging people off it, Vertonghen acts more as a composed, cultured defender.

And both act as ball-playing defenders too, who have the vision to pick out runs from as long as 80 yards out. Last season and the one before it made us feel a tad sad for Vertonghen, who was often deemed as a culprit for Spurs’ defensive woes. But the real deficiency lied in the player alongside him. The likes of Federico Fazio and Younes Kaboul weren’t good enough for giving Spurs a chance for the top four and with Alderweireld on board, Spurs have what they wanted.

The emergence and re-emergence of Dele Alli and Moussa Dembele has been vital too. Alli, who happened to be a largely unknown midfielder plying his trade at MK Dons was snapped up last January, amidst interest from Newcastle, before being sent back on loan at Stadium MK. No one expected the Englishman to come leaps and bounds so quickly that he ends up scoring on his England debut, that too a stunner against the ailing French. Without him, Spurs have lacked a bit of vibrancy in the play, though the swagger still lingers.

And it’s become a common sight to witness Moussa Dembele bulldoze past the opposition, creating and scoring goals for Tottenham. He has made a serious comeback in his career when we expected him to do the least. He dribbles the ball out of crowded areas very well, passes it very well and is a commendable ball winner too.

Harry Kane has soundly proved his doubters, who went on scoffing about the fact that he’s a one season wonder, wrong. The start to the season wasn’t full of goals, but it was clear that the youngster was transforming himself into a complete player. And he proved his detractors wrong by hammering Manchester City and by grabbing an impressive hat-trick against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. He’s scored 14 times this season and is probably back to his best.

But, another player whose rise to prominence was unexpected is Eric Dier. Someone who was utilized at center back and right back last season, Dier was slotted in the defensive midfield when Spurs visited Old Trafford during the opening day of the season. Although, Spurs lost 1-0 in a game they could’ve won, Dier proved that he could be the midfield general Spurs need.

Spurs have the lowest average age in the Premier League right now and in the modern day, it’s very tough to depend on youth, without spending as much as Manchester United or Liverpool have. A majority of the players are either youth products or have either been snapped up from clubs at a young age. In a world where, 40 or 50 million euros are shelled out for superstar players, Mauricio Pochetinno is building a side full of young superstars, by spending a low amount of money and by preaching a modern playing style that is pleasing on the eye.

Liverpool had spent almost 30 million for the capture of Hoffenheim’s Roberto Firmino and Manchester United had spent around 25 million for the acquisition of Memphis Depay. Both have scored 6 goals combined, while the 19-year-old Dele Alli has scored 5 times and arrived for a mere fee of 5 million. Liverpool signed Dejan Lovren for 25 million from Southampton, while Spurs signed Toby Alderweireld from Atletico Madrid for a fee in the region of 11 million, which is surprising indeed but speaks for the fact that Pochetinno is making use of the resources he has at his disposal very well.

Spurs have the new stadium project going on, which means that there will be a slight paucity of money at the club. And Pochetinno is someone who is defying logic that nothing can be done without money in football.