Twenty-five minutes into Monday's derby with Chelsea, Tottenham were on course to return to the top of the table and looked well-placed for a comfortable win over their rivals, which would have sent giddy optimism about their season soaring.
Four days on, the mood feels altogether more sober going into tomorrow's early kick-off at Wolves, after Spurs's implosion against the Blues.
There is no doom or gloom, and for many fans the team's bravery and commitment with nine men only strengthened long-term belief in Ange Postecoglou's approach.
In the here and now, however, there are jitters over how Spurs will cope with the damaging fallout from a chaotic, controversy-packed 4-1 defeat.
Fans had begun to invest hope into a season which started by feeling like a free-hit, with the club's record-breaking start under Postecoglou raising belief in a special campaign, which suddenly feels fraught with risk.
Most concerning is the injury to Micky van de Ven, who is set to be sidelined for a significant period with the hamstring problem he sustained against Chelsea.
The Dutchman had quickly established himself as one of the team's most important players, and his absence will make it harder for Spurs to execute Postecoglou's high defensive line successfully. He does not need surgery, a small blessing, but there are still fears it is a serious injury.
This story is from the November 10, 2023 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the November 10, 2023 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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