After the end of the first half, Tottenham was very close to a 6th consecutive victory in all competitions, preparing to narrow the gap to only 1 point from the Top 4 of the Premier League.
Goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison gave Ange Postecoglou's side a two-goal advantage and complete control of the game against Brighton.
However, when the match ended, Spurs were let down when they completely collapsed in the second half. Brighton successfully turned the tide 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 shortened the gap thanks to Yankuba Minteh's goal, the "Roosters" appeared extremely confused. Their composure was completely broken.
A player who was not easily shaken like Micky van de Ven was also discouraged in Brighton's two equaliser goals. Meanwhile, destiny Udogie had a very poor performance when making mistakes in all 3 goals conceded. In addition, Pedro Porro could not contain Kaoru Mitoma and let the Japanese star cause difficulties throughout the match.
This collapse was not only due to individual errors, it was also proof of Tottenham's inability to control the match. They tend to panic when they score consecutive goals. Before the match against Brighton, Postecoglou affirmed that his team would play openly. However, the second half performance at Amex certainly was not what the Australian strategist wanted.
A top team will try to slow down the pace, hold on to the game for a while and gradually extinguish the opponent's hopes. Tottenham, on the other hand, lost their cool after conceding a goal. Postecoglou's team could only endure the match, exposing weaknesses for Brighton to attack continuously.
Taking a 2-0 lead but still attacking aggressively is not the way to play in the Premier League. The match at Amex Stadium is similar to Tottenham's opening day of the season. At that time, Spurs had a comfortable game and led Leicester City but lost their cool and were lucky to escape defeat with a 1-1 draw.
A big problem for the London team is that they always leave gaps for opponents to exploit. In all 5 recent victories, Spurs have had moments where they almost conceded goals from home mistakes.
After the match, Ange Postecoglou described the players' performance as "un acceptable". However, the Tottenham captain was not at fault when he was helpless in regaining control of the game in the second half. The Australian coach did not make any changes until the 78th minute, before bringing on Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr 10 minutes after they conceded a third goal.
Spurs will enter the international break with an worrying defeat. Ange Postecoglou understands that his team is still learning a new philosophy and developing and needs time. However, despite some progress, the loss to Brighton is a reminder that Tottenham is still a project in the works.
