There were plenty of ups and several downs, but things were never dull in Ange Postecoglou’s first season at Tottenham.

Spurs raced out the blocks at the start of the Australian’s tenure, rising to the top of the Premier League table following an unbeaten 10-game run.

However, things came crashing down in one of the most bizarre and chaotic Premier League games of all-time when they lost 4-1 to Chelsea at the start of November having been reduced to nine men.

From there, Postecoglou’s men could be brilliant, but also poor in equal measure and after a thumping 4-0 win over top-four rivals Aston Villa in March, they faltered and narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification as they came fifth.

Yet, it was still a season of overall progress as Spurs returned to Europe and with the curtain now drawn on the 2023-24 campaign, Mail Sport’s MATT BARLOW gives his verdict on every player to have featured five or more times.

Guglielmo Vicario (38 PL apps and no goals): 8

An outstanding first season in English football for the goalkeeper signed from Empoli. Settled quickly, understood the demands of Ange Postecoglou’s style and made some fabulous saves. Broke into the Italy squad.

Struggled a little when he became targeted at set-pieces, pinned on his line in the second half of the season but worked his way out of the problem. Seven clean sheets in a team not designed to defend.

Ben Davies (12+5 apps, one goal): 6

Dependable as ever when required to step in at left back or as a central defender during the time when there was a defensive injury crisis.

Not the sort of flying full-back Postecoglou wants from a tactical perspective but versatile and experienced, a soothing presence around the dressing room and a valuable squad man.

Radu Dragusin (4+5 apps, no goals): 6

Did not play as often as he would have liked after rejecting a move to Bayern Munich in midseason to join Spurs from Genoa.

Filled in as an emergency left back at times and ended the season in a central role when Micky van de Ven moved to left back. In his limited time on the pitch, Dragusin proved to be strong and athletic, capable of meeting the physical demands of English football.

Pedro Porro (35 apps, 3 goals): 7.5

Transformed under Postecoglou from a defensive liability, seemingly unsuited to play right back in a back four to one of the stars of the season.

His strengths remained going forward. Terrific delivery from wide and a regular goal threat. But he also worked hard to be back making up the numbers in defensive areas.

Cristian Romero (33 apps, 5 goals): 8.5

Matured into a genuine leader at the back, setting the tone with his courage, aggression and determination. Also selecting the right times to step out and join the attacks. Scored five goals.

His disciplinary record improved with seven yellows and one red compared to 13 yellow and two reds in the previous season but still liable to the occasional eruption.

Emerson Royal (11+11 apps, one goal): 6

Started the season in the team ahead of Porro and scored on the opening day but immediately displaced and from then on rarely anything other than stop-gap in various positions across the back-four.

Did perform well in the centre of defence during the time when Postecoglou was desperately short on centre halves.

Destiny Udogie (28 apps, 2 goals): 7

Adapted instantly to life in the Premier League as part of Postecoglou’s new-look back four. Always more at ease when barrelling forward than defending.

Made occasional mistakes on the ball and was sent off against Chelsea as a flying start ground to an abrupt halt in November. Scored an important goal in a comeback win against Brentford.

Micky van de Ven (27 PL apps, 3 goals): 8

Made a sensational impact after making the move from Wolfsburg and voted Tottenham’s Player of the Year by supporters. His power and searing recovery speed caught the eye and became a feature of Postecoglou’s Spurs.

Missed three months with a hamstring injury and his absence coincided with the team’s loss of form after a fine start. Injured a hamstring again soon after his return, which is a concern going forward but one of the Premier League’s signings of the season.

Rodrigo Bentancur (13+10 apps, 1 goal): 6.5

Start to his season delayed as he completed recovery from serious knee ligament injury, then injured on his return against Aston Villa and needed time to find his best rhythm in a midfield which rarely settled after mid-season upheaval caused by injuries and international call-ups.

Perhaps starting to find his best form in the deepest midfield role as the season came to an end.

Yves Bissouma (26+2 apps, no goals): 7

Outstanding at the start of the season. Took quickly to life under Postecoglou, who trusted him deep in midfield, often picking up the ball on the turn as the team broke out of defence with a licence to skip past the press and dictate the counterattack.

Exceptional through the first part of the season but two red cards, including one for a dive, tarnished the good form before he went to the Africa Cup of Nations. Never quite found the same rhythm upon his return.

Pierre Emile Hojbjerg (8+28 apps, no goals): 6

Useful contributions, mostly made from the bench from a midfielder who seemed certain to leave Tottenham last summer.

He stuck around but lost his place in the team with Postecoglou preferring more risk from his midfielders, especially during the first half of the season. Hojbjerg came more into his thinking towards the end of the season when he sought a little more resistance in that area of the pitch.

Giovani Lo Celso (4+18 apps, 2 goals): 4.5

Another disappointing season, disrupted by injuries and failing to seize the fleeting opportunities that came his way. Lo Celso has never justified his price tag.

He convinced Postecoglou last summer that he could deputise when need for James Maddison in the creative midfield role but did not rise to the challenge, although he did score an important goal in a draw at Manchester City. Surely on his way out.

James Maddison (26+2, 4 goals): 7

Like several teammates, made a wonderful start to the season with a flurry of goals and assists.

Quickly became a favourite with the fans for his flair and imagination but was less influential in the second half of a campaign, which was disrupted by an ankle injury in November. He missed 10 weeks and only scored once after his return, losing his place in the starting line-up towards the end of the season.

Pape Matar Sarr (27+7 apps, 3 goals): 7

A breakthrough season for the 21-year-old Senegal midfielder. The most consistently reliable of Postecoglou’s running midfielders.

He forged a good connection on the right of midfield with Porro and covered many miles. Often provided a goal threat and performed vital unsung defensive work, chasing back, winning the ball.

Oliver Skipp (5+16 PL apps, no goals): 5.5

Another difficult season for the homegrown midfielder. What promised to be a fresh start after a disjointed three-year period of managerial change since a successful loan spell at Norwich proved another false dawn, with Postecoglou rarely giving him a chance in his preferred role, deep in the midfield.

Ever willing, his five Premier League starts included one as an emergency left back.

Bryan Gil (2+9 apps, no goals): 4

Another who failed to win Postecoglou over and spent most of the season on the sidelines. Started only twice in the league, a defeat at home against Aston Villa and the 3-3 draw at Manchester City when injuries had devastated the team.

There seems to be no point his sticking around for the final two years of his contract. The 23-year-old Spain winger who cost £21.6million is firmly among those they need to move on.

Brennan Johnson (23+9 apps, 5 goals): 7

Inconsistent but made some vital contributions with five goals and 10 assists in the Premier League. Especially dangerous coming off the bench when Spurs were looking to inject pace.

Enjoyed a hot spell from the end of January to the start of April when he scored four and came on to turn a game against Crystal Palace in style. Equally, there were games when he looked overpriced at £47.5million but at 23 there is time to develop.

Dejan Kulusevski (31+5 apps, 8 goals): 7

Finished the season looking useful as a false nine. Also performed very well at times in midfield during Maddison’s absence. Did not prove as effective in his accustomed position on the right wing as he did under Antonio Conte.

Three of his goals came against Sheffield United, including a 100th minute winner at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September.

Richarlison (18+10 apps, 11 goals): 7

Enjoyed a sensational patch of form scoring nine goals in eight Premier League games across three months from early December, which was useful because it coincided with Heung-min Son’s absence on international duty at the Asian Cup.

Either side of that, the Brazilian looked erratic as he had done in his first season at Spurs.

Manor Solomon (2+3 PL apps, no goals): 4

First season at Tottenham wrecked by a knee injury before he really got going in September and a setback when he was on the point of returning, and surgery in March.

Devastating for the 24-year-old Israel winger, who signed on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer after a successful loan spell at Fulham.

Heung-min Son (34+1 apps, 17 goals): 8

Shouldered the burden of responsibility for goals left by Harry Kane’s departure on the eve of the season. Also stepped forward as captain and leader as Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier followed Kane out of the club in mid-season.

Scored 17 goals and made 10 assists in the Premier League despite missing a large part of the season on international duty at the Asian Cup.

Timo Werner (10+3 apps, 2 goals): 6.5

Maddeningly unreliable in front of goal and prone to offside but made a decent contribution after joining on loan from Leipzig at a time when the squad looked bare, in January.

His pace and direct style wide on the left would stretch defenders, move them back towards their own goal and create spaces for others. Important goal to turn a game against Palace.