After the end of the first half, Tottenham were very close to a sixth consecutive win in all competitions, preparing to close the gap to just 1 point from the Premier League Top 4.
Goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison gave Ange Postecoglou's side a two-goal advantage and complete control of the game against hosts Brighton.
However, when the match ended, Spurs were defeated when they completely collapsed in the second half. Brighton successfully came back with 3 goals in just 21 minutes. The "Seagulls" played excellently after the break with necessary changes from captain Fabian Hurzeler.
For Tottenham, this was an alarming loss of control. When Brighton closed the gap thanks to Yankuba Minteh's goal, the "Roosters" appeared extremely confused. Their composure was completely broken.
A player as unflappable as Micky van de Ven was also disoriented in Brighton's two equalizers. Meanwhile, Destiny Udogie had a very poor performance, making mistakes in all three goals conceded. In addition, Pedro Porro could not contain Kaoru Mitoma and let the Japanese star cause trouble throughout the match.
This collapse was not just down to individual errors, it was also evidence of Tottenham’s inability to control the game. They tend to panic when they concede consecutive goals. Before the match against Brighton, Postecoglou insisted his team would play openly. However, the second-half performance at the Amex was certainly not what the Australian strategist wanted.
A top team will try to slow down the tempo, hold the game tight for a while and gradually extinguish the opponent's hopes. Tottenham, on the other hand, lost their composure after conceding a goal. Postecoglou's team could only endure the game, exposing their weaknesses to Brighton's relentless attacks.
Going 2-0 up and still attacking is not the way to play in the Premier League. The game at the Amex was similar to Tottenham's opening day of the season. Spurs were comfortable and ahead of Leicester City but lost their cool and were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw.
A big problem for the London side is that they leave gaps open for opponents to exploit. In each of their last five wins, Spurs have had moments when they almost conceded goals due to mistakes in their own half.
Ange Postecoglou described his players' performance as "unacceptable" after the match, but the Tottenham boss was not without fault as he failed to regain control in the second half. The Australian did not make any changes until the 78th minute, bringing on Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr 10 minutes after they conceded their third goal.
Spurs will head into the international break with a worrying defeat. Ange Postecoglou knows his team are still learning a new philosophy and developing and need time. But despite the progress, the defeat to Brighton was a reminder that Tottenham are still a work in progress.
