Get a picture in your mind of Tottenham playing at their peak.



You do not have to think back especially far.



Think of the side that chased Leicester City to the title in 2015-16 but just let them out of their grip. Or, even better, the 2016-17 team who got 86 league points, their best record in modern history, but finished as runners-up to Chelsea.



When you picture those teams playing, what you see is a blur of white shirts. They were the most physically intense team in the country and would tear into opposition every week, desperate to win the ball back within three seconds of losing it. They played with the zeal of true believers, and their religion was pressing.



Come back into the present day and the picture has changed.



Watching Spurs now is a different experience — less physical and less arresting than it used to be. That ferocious energy has dissipated and even at their best, they do not play in the same way. Last...