Tottenham Hotspur's 6-0 thrashing at Manchester City was reminiscent of the bad old days of the late 90s, when they were humbled 7-1 at Newcastle and 6-1 by Chelsea.
Ninth in the table and with just nine goals scored, here are six reasons why it's gone wrong at White Hart Lane...
THEY OVERSPENT ON POTENTIAL
Tottenham's summer spending was a case of quantity over quality in a bid to offset Gareth Bale's belated departure for Real Madrid. Daniel Levy had been relatively frugal in the transfer market since the ramshackle spending under Martin Jol and Juande Ramos, but André Villas-Boas and Franco Baldini appear to have fallen into the same trap.
Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli's injuries haven't helped, but neither have particularly imposed themselves when they have played. Erik Lamela looks like he'd rather be in Rome and Roberto Soldado also plays with the demeanour of someone pining for some Spanish sun. Paulinho is the only outstanding success of the seven signings so far.
NO BALE
As obvious a statement as Alastair Cook saying England's batsmen need to bat better, Tottenham did their utmost to compensate for the Welshman's transfer yet targeted the wrong age bracket. When you spend over £100 million you should acquire at least one world-class player.
DANIEL LEVY
He might have loosened the purse strings but you have to wonder whether waiting until the penultimate day of the transfer window to let Bale leave was prudent. Had Spurs received the £85m earlier maybe they could have brought in a proven player to pick up Bale's mantle as team talisman.
RIGHT POSITION, WRONG MAN
Had Spurs been more alert in the transfer market then Álvaro Negredo could have lined up for them at the Etihad Stadium, rather than the home side. Selfless and silky, he is a busier striker than Soldado, who is a more predatory centre forward and is contributing to his own isolation up front. Spurs have scored just nine Premier League goals (three of them penalties) and "Beast of Vallecas" Negredo cost £6m less, too.
WHERE'S THE NO.10?
Christian Eriksen is more effective in a deeper role than off the striker, where he has invariably played for Tottenham, and Aaron Lennon and Chadli's injuries have resulted in either Gylfi Sigurdsson or Andros Townsend emerging as the closest to a foil Soldado has had. Neither scenario is ideal, and Townsend's one-dimensional approach (run fast, cut inside and shoot) is easy to stymie.
LEFT-BACK
Danny Rose is another squad member sidelined through injury, although it is arguable if he is superior than Benoit Assou-Ekotto, on loan at Queens Park Rangers.
A problem position for some time now, Jan Vertonghen looks as chuffed at left-back as Jermain Defoe does on the bench. Right-footed Kyle Naughton has been an alternative, and their presence has contributed to Spurs' unbalanced look this season, even if theirs was the meanest defence prior to the City aberration.