As the saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. That saying seems to be more and more applicable to Tottenham with every passing game despite the winning streak they had been on in the last three weeks prior to their deplorable defeat to Brighton.
This was a game that Spurs seemed to have in their grasp. Yet, despite a two goal lead in the first half, they let it slip away from them.
The loss has left Tottenham in 9th place, having the exact same number of victories as they have defeats with three either side and a draw in their opening game away to newly-promoted Leicester.
One of the concerns that Tottenham could be going backwards in some regards is the fact that they have not beaten any of the European contenders they have faced, with the only notable win being their three goal demolition of ten-man Manchester United.
This includes losses to an injury-riddled Arsenal side at home as well as a disappointing trip to Newcastle which resulted in a 2 - 1 loss for the Lilywhites. This is especially concerning with two of their next three games being against Manchester City and Aston Villa, who are seven and four points clear of Tottenham already respectively.
The Carabao Cup tie with Manchester City is interesting. Many fans are expecting at least a deep cup run with some expecting the long-awaited end of the Tottenham trophy drought which started after the League Cup win in the spring of 2008.
However, there is an alternative way to view the current situation at Tottenham. The rebuild will just need to take longer than anticipated for them to fully reach where they want to be as contenders and challengers.
Tottenham's main targets from the transfer window before this season were young players who could grow into the heart of a new-look team. The completion of 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall's move, as well as the signings of both Min-Hyeok Yang, Archie Gray and Wilson Oderbert with all of them still teenagers.
This shows an intent from Postecoglou and his vision being for the future, which may help Tottenham to be patient; an odd thing to see in modern football given the need from fans and clubs to produce instant results right away.
This also means the painful truth becomes reality that results may not be apparent instantly and could cause inconsistencies in performances like we have seen so far this season from the team in white and navy blue.
But however good the future is, can it realistically justify such a vicious cycle of disappointing results?
Some suggest that it's a culture problem plaguing Tottenham, and this goes all the way to the top of the club. It seems unlikely that it's a manager's fault if even the likes of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho can't bring success to Spurs.
But what can fall on Postecoglou's shoulders is the lack of control in games. The Australian has mixed his words at times, claiming after the Newcastle defeat that his team controlled the game but saying before the Brighton game that they'd rather entertain everyone.
The former Celtic manager also told a journalist that he wasn't interested in Tottenham's set piece struggles despite losing a North London Derby to an unmarked header.
It's all well and good signing young players who could resolve these issues as they grow, but there is a certain (justified) level of expectation in the here and now.
With a squad containing high quality players such as Son-Heung Min and Micky Van de Ven, there is absolutely no reason for Tottenham to be scrapping for a final European spot by finishing in the lower part of the half or working their way through the Carabao Cup.
The next few weeks will be a clear indication of where this team is looking to go in the short term of the 2024/2025 season with Postecoglou also saying to fans and media alike "My second year is when I have always won a trophy." On the face of it, it's going to take quite the turnaround for the Australian to uphold that record this season.
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