From Survival to Stability: How Tottenham Hotspur Have Improved

From relegation fears to renewed ambition, Tottenham Hotspur Women have experienced a dramatic turnaround this season.

After a turbulent 2024/25 campaign, Spurs now look reinvigorated in 2025/26, operating as a far more competitive and cohesive side.

The improvement is evident not only in results and league position, but also in underlying performance metrics, tactical organisation and squad confidence.

The 2024/25 season represented a clear regression for the club. Under head coach Robert Vilahamn, Spurs finished 11th in the Women’s Super League, narrowly avoiding relegation.

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Across 22 league matches, they recorded just five wins, five draws and 12 defeats, collecting 20 points in total.

Defensive instability was a major issue. Spurs conceded 44 goals, making them one of the leakiest sides in the division, securing just two league clean sheets – the second lowest of all teams.

Vilahamn’s side struggled to control games against both top-half and mid-table opponents, making it incredibly difficult for the Lilywhites to pick up consistent points.

Heavy defeats against leading teams further highlighted the gap in quality and organisation, while a poor run of form late in the season ultimately sealed Vilahamn’s fate.

He was dismissed in June 2025 after a torrid collapse in form, with Spurs ending the 2024/25 season winless in their final 10 league games — a run that ultimately forced the club to reset in the summer.

That fresh start arrived with the appointment of former Manchester United Assistant, Martin Ho, as he was appointed head coach ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, following his time in Norway, coaching Braan.

Ho brought new ideas, clearer structure and renewed energy, while maintaining squad stability rather than opting for wholesale changes and the impact has been immediate.

By mid-January 2026, Tottenham sit fourth in the WSL, having accumulated 23 points in 12 matches, already surpassing last season’s total in 10 less games.

This represents a dramatic turnaround when compared to last season’s struggles. Spurs are now averaging close to 1.9 points per game, more than double their return from 2024/25, when they managed just 0.91 points per game.

One of the most striking improvements has been consistency. Spurs’ record of seven wins, two draws and three defeats at the midway point already surpasses last season’s win total, achieved in just over half the number of matches.

That consistency has propelled them from relegation concerns into genuine top three contention, placing them firmly among the league’s stronger performers, sitting above last season’s 3rd place Manchester United, and level on points with North London rivals Arsenal.

League Table via FotMob

The statistical improvements extend beyond the league table. Ho’s side are now scoring at a rate of around 1.42 goals per game, reflecting a more reliable and varied attacking threat.

Last season, goals were often hard to come by for Spurs, who frequently failed to capitalise on promising spells. The side scored just 26 league goals and failed to find the net in eight matches, underlining their struggles for attacking consistency.

This season, the contrast is stark. The Lilywhites have already scored 17 goals in fewer games, blanking in only two league fixtures so far.

If their first-half form is replicated across the remainder of the campaign, Ho’s team are on course to comfortably surpass last season’s goalscoring total and reduce their scoreless outings to just four matches.

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Defensively, there has also been clear progress. Spurs are conceding approximately 1.33 goals per game, a marked improvement on the previous campaign.

While not yet among the league’s elite defences, the reduction in goals conceded points to better organisation, improved defensive transitions and greater collective discipline.

Clean sheets have become more achievable, and heavy defeats have been little to non-existent, which has been down to improved organisation and the recruitment of defender Toko Koga, who has been a standout at the back.

Beyond the numbers, Tottenham’s tactical identity has sharpened. Under Ho, the side has shown better structure both in and out of possession.

Defensive shape is more compact, pressing is more coordinated, and transitions are handled with greater control. Spurs appear more comfortable managing games, rather than reacting chaotically when momentum shifts.

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This was epitomised by their 0–0 draw with rivals Arsenal. Faced with relentless second-half pressure, Ho’s side showed discipline and resilience, standing firm to deny the Champions League winners and preserve a valuable clean sheet.

This balance has been crucial in turning narrow defeats into draws and draws into wins — the marginal gains that define progress in a competitive league like the WSL.

These improvements highlight a side that is not merely riding a short-term run of form, but one that has fundamentally improved its performance level.

What once felt like a relegation battle has evolved into a credible push for the top four. Tottenham now find themselves looking upwards rather than over their shoulder, with a side that is tactically coherent, resilient and competitive on a weekly basis.

An impressive January transfer window has only enhanced Spurs’ prospects, with the arrivals of highly rated youngsters Signe Gaupset, Maika Hamano and Julie Blakstad adding depth, quality and long-term potential as the club targets its strongest-ever league finish.