There’s nothing like meeting old friends to remind you just how much you’ve changed. Former Tottenham captain Younes Kaboul spent this week accusing Mauricio Pochettino of disrespecting him during his time at White Hart Lane. On Sunday, Pochettino’s players did exactly the same to Kaboul and his new teammates, who included Etienne Capoue and Heurelho Gomes. All three were dire.

The first half was an embarrassment, the type of home performance that makes a manager shift uneasily in their seat. Watford’s defenders were humiliated by their own ineptitude and a Tottenham attack who led 3-0 at the break away from home in the Premier League for the first time since 1997. It took less than a minute of the second half for three to become four. It is the time of year to accept presents gratefully.

Kaboul was one of the guiltiest parties, a woeful clearance to assist the third goal and committing himself 30 yards from goal to assist the fourth, both scored by a resurgent Dele Alli. This made it back-to-braces for the first time in his career. Kaboul’s midweek pride came before weekend fall.

In November 2014, Kaboul and Capoue started their fifth straight league game together in a home defeat to Stoke, as Spurs dropped to 12th in the table. That run of five games included 4-1 defeat to Manchester City and a 2-1 home loss to Newcastle. Ryan Mason, Nacer Chadli, Federico Fazio and Andros Townsend all also started the defeat to Stoke. It is the names of those former friends that demonstrate just how far Tottenham have come under Pochettino, and consequently how much goodwill the Argentinean has earned.

So too does Tottenham’s points total, if not quite their league position. Continue at their current rate and Pochettino’s team will achieve 78 points this season, eight points more than last season’s total and only three behind Leicester’s. They’re set to score more goals and concede fewer than Leicester did too, comfortably beating their own records in the Premier League era.

It is hardly Pochettino’s fault that keeping up with the Joneses has never been more difficult. Tottenham’s wage bill is in the region of £120m, £40m below Liverpool’s, £50m below Arsenal and almost £100m below Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

So, rather than focus what Tottenham don’t have, concentrate on what they do. In Harry Kane they have the league’s most consistent striker when form and fitness are both considered. In Hugo Lloris they have arguably the best goalkeeper in the country, albeit one laughably untested at Vicarage Road. In Toby Alderweireld, Spurs have one of the league’s best central defenders, in Alli one of its most exciting midfielders and in Christian Eriksen one of the most creative. Kyle Walker and Danny Rose may be the best full-back combination; Kieran Trippier enjoyed his chance to deputise. Even if the gaps between Pochettino’s key dots leave room for improvement, it would take a staunch pessimist to be gloomy. No outfield player mentioned in this piece is older than 27.

59 – Harry Kane has now scored 59 goals in 100 Premier League games, the same number as Thierry Henry had at this stage. Updated. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 1, 2017

Kane’s brace took him to 59 goals in his first 100 Premier League games, an identical record to Thierry Henry, and there are real signs that the England striker is ready again to spearhead Tottenham. Kane’s shot conversion rate this season is now 29.4%, higher than in both of his previous league seasons. He has ten goals in his last 11 league games.

Another interesting development in Kane’s game this season is his increased creativity. The improvement in Heung-Min Son and Alli’s more attacking role has increased the fluidity of Tottenham’s attacking. Rather than a traditional No. 9 focal point, Kane is dropping deep and wide more often, allowing others to fill the gap. In 2014/15, Kane created a chance every 95.6 minutes, increasing to every 76.6 minutes last season. This season he’s currently creating a chance every 50.2 minutes. Against Watford, 11.8% of Kane’s touches came in the penalty area, compared to 12.3% of Son’s and 15.2% of Alli’s. Central striker is becoming all-round centre forward.

If this Tottenham season can be defined by anything yet, it comes off the field not on it. Several of the club’s key players have signed long-term deals at the club, each one accompanied by a smiling Pochettino so similar in expression each time that it has become a running joke. Do not underestimate the impact of those announcements.

“The more stable you are, if you have the same manager, mostly the same players, it makes it easier for the club to play as best as they can,” Christian Eriksen said in an excellent interview with the Daily Telegraph’s Jonathan Liew this week. “It gives a bit of comfort. It’s not like, ‘he’s going to leave in a week anyway’. So you know what you have to work for. And that gives you a good feeling.”

Cruised victory at Watford made it four consecutive league victories for Tottenham, a run that only Manchester United and Chelsea can better. Limp Champions League exit may have taken the wind from Spurs’ sails, but it’s getting breezy again. In a sport that never stands still, and before Chelsea on Wednesday evening, it’s worth remembering that Tottenham are not supposed to be title challengers. Looking on the bright side is seriously recommended.

Daniel Storey