Yes, this time it's the points from the first season at Wembley that are being deducted, so it's quite a hit as there was a point for every PL home game, as well as the points for cup games and all away games. So anyone getting away games as well that season would have lost a big chunk. I lost 24 net (would have been 34 but I'm on the Gold scheme now whereas when I started at Wembley I wasn't, so the 30 I lost for my ST for that season was replaced with 40 for this season).
Towards the end of last season I was in the top 5,000. This season, despite the points loss, I've moved into the top 3,500 (excluding Premium & Corporate). So you do move, but it is slow progress. A couple of away European games helped, which of course will be lacking this season.
I still don't expect to get many away games. Maybe Burnley and Saudi Sportswashing Machine, and any away cup ties where the allocations are bigger.
Yes, they have.
https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/tickets/buy-tickets/ticketing-points/
Re the lottery, I am not so sure about that. Having been making the effort to get my points up, I'd be annoyed if I would otherwise qualify but then lost out in the ballot. I think it is a fair system with the way points are removed on the rolling 5-year period, they just need to find a way to stop passing on of tickets but keeping the points, which technology will probably deal with, eventually.