Considering they were building a 'new' machine with an equally 'new and untried engine' it was a quantum leap in to new technology compounded by the shere weight, power, and 'unknowns' of the Sabre. Of course this was sorted in the Tempest, so the Typhoon has to be looked at as a development machine that HAD to go in to service. Whether an enlarged and upgraded Hurricane type construction would have seen them through is interesting, because there were several issues with the Typhoon that led from the Sabre itself, and vibration nodes are quite difficult to predict. Also critical area's were at the 'joints' and the elevator mass balance structure.
As it was it served as a stop gap to intercept low level FW 190 raids, and despite huge (low level) casualties to the superb German flack it is accepted that it did its job well, and indeed succeeded in the ground attack mode. What was needed was a far more organised forward air com system to compliment the versatility of its firepower. When you look at our tank 'losses' in the ground war there is no doubt that the Typhoon with a full ground air system would have had even more impact if the system was more integrated.