2 Points Dropped, but Tottenham Can Set Sights on England's Top Teams

Unbeaten in seven Premier League games, Tottenham are second in the form table and have clawed back points against all the UEFA Champions League contenders but Arsenal in recent weeks.

Their 2-2 draw against Swansea in Wales produced a puzzling mixture of both frustration and relief.

His side unable to convert dominance into a deserved victory, manager Mauricio Pochettino will have plenty to work on during the international break.

Yet the fact that Hugo Lloris was able to prevent Federico Fernandez from stealing all three points in the dying moments provides some solace.

Harry Kane appears now to genuinely be struggling. His inability to score the goals that came easily last season is evidently affecting him in this campaign, and his own goal at the Liberty Stadium won't have helped.

Tottenham's only first-rate striker, Heung-Min Son, is flexible but better suited to wide or deeper roles, while Clinton Njie is a rough diamond.

With that said, Kane is their most important player. As he goes, so goes Spurs' season—or so it would seem.

While it is a matter of urgency that Kane find his best form, his team are performing well in spite of his own difficulties in front of goal, with eight of his teammates weighing in already.

Spurs' defence continues to improve and looks largely resolute.

Swansea tested them more than most with their quality and varied front three, but the Toby Alderweireld-Jan Vertonghen axis is developing into a first-class pairing.

Last season, two of Tottenham's most reliable performers were Danny Rose and Nabil Bentaleb.

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Each has started only once in Spurs' resurgent run and now must take up posts as excellent options on the substitutes bench.

That reflects the strength in depth that Pochettino has sprung on England's top flight.

When compared with their rivals for the Champions League places, Tottenham are well-placed to compete.

While Manchester City and Arsenal seem strong enough to avoid a top-four dogfight, the remaining contenders are deeply flawed.

Chelsea are struggling for the cohesion that their first-team managed last season while their squad players are evidently not up to the job. Their best is too good for Spurs, but they seem far from that level for now.

Manchester United were lucky to beat Tottenham on opening day and question marks remain over their manager's temperament.

Liverpool are manager-less, and despite a mammoth summer spending spree, they lack talent across the pitch.

Tottenham's greatest problem has been a lack of creativity, but the emergence of soon-to-be England international Dele Alli, Son's rapid adaptation to the Premier League and the return to form and fitness of Christian Eriksen have palliated those concerns.

Alli and Eric Dier have rapidly formed a brilliant central midfield duo.

Respectively 19 and 21 years old, the young pair have bossed far more experienced and highly rated midfields already.

The result against Swansea showed—not for the first time—that Pochettino's Spurs have a ruggedness that runs counter to the club's cliched soft underbelly.

They have continued to pile up points and climb the table despite an injury crisis in midfield and a form crisis for their main attacking weapon.

Ryan Mason, Bentaleb, Mousa Dembele and Alex Pritchard have all missed most of the season with injury.

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Each would certainly have played significant time and eased the strain on Alli and Dier. Without those important squad members, Spurs have soldiered on.

Not only have they won far more than they've lost, they've dominated vaunted opposition.

The 4-1 win over Man City has been the highlight so far, but Spurs have produced sparkling football on numerous occasions.

With a touch more luck, they would have hammered Stoke, Everton and Swansea rather than producing the draws that reflect unfairly on them.

Dwelling upon hypotheticals is worth little, but the performances in these games are instructive.

Last season, there were numerous examples that something special was brewing at White Hart Lane. Hammerings of Arsenal and Chelsea and a handful of other brilliant performances were the exception rather than the rule.

Now it seems that Pochettino's team have added consistency to their other attributes.

When Spurs host Liverpool in the first match after the break, they will have a chance to exact some measure of revenge on a team that have repeatedly embarrassed them in recent years.

Clearing that hurdle would only underline the progress that has been made.