Spurs make an easy game hard

The game, from a Spurs point of view, was all about the second half. We were dreadful in the first half again.

It has to be remembered that the Spurs squad is trying to learn a new system under Jose Mourinho and that takes time. Liverpool didn't instantly take to how Jurgen Klopp wanted them to play. They had to learn and he had to bring in some players that he wanted.

To start calling for heads when Mourinho hasn't had any time and we haven't had a summer transfer window is unbelievably stupid.

Dele Alli is a poor passer of the ball in build-up play. He is at his best around the box where his flicks can have important consequences, but in our own half, when he drops there, he gives the ball away too often and tried passes that don't come off. There are places on the field to try a trick, in our own half is generally not one of them.

In the last two games, he has not spent enough time in the number 10 role, he has been out on the left more. He needs to be central.

The second half started and Brighton, through Connolly had an opportunity to seal the game from a free header that he totally mistimed and fortunately came off his shoulder. That was in the first 3 minutes and came about because Dele Alli tried a flick and gave the ball away in our half.

We have an attack after 50 minutes and yet another weak Vertonghen pass is intercepted. Why has nobody done anything about his strolling of the ball to teammates? I'll remind you it is a sign of laziness and displays the wrong mentality.

Kane then shot and had enough composure to bang in the rebound. 1-1.

A forward pass from Aurier is too soft, the ball travels to our left and then a forward finds a Brighton player between our midfield and defence able to attack our back line.

Sessegnon was replaced after 10 minutes of the second half by Giovani Lo Celso.

Eriksen came on and Brighton simply gave him too much time and too much room. They paid the price. 2-1.

After 75 minutes Eric Dier replaced Lucas Moura and Spurs dropped back too much. 

After 79 minutes we have a freekick 30 yards upfield so Vertonghen plays it back to the goalkeeper to hoof upfield, what for? Why are we going backwards? We immediately give the ball to the opposition. We should be passing the ball around.

In space, still before the 80th minute, Dele has the ball in space that he can drive forward with but tries a ball that had very little chance of success and simply gave the ball to the opposition again. We should be keeping the ball when we get it.

After 81 minutes Dele turns backwards and plays the ball 20 yards to our own goal, a couple of passes later and he does the same thing again. Back the ball goes to the goalkeeper who has to chip out and a Vertonghen header simply gives the ball to the opposition.

We should be keeping the ball in their half, putting their whole team behind the ball and playing across the field in front of them, but clearly, it is not in our player's heads to do that. They seem to think that we have to go backward and give the ball to the defence.

We put ourselves under undue pressure by not playing keep ball in midfield or in attacking situations.

After 85 minutes Harry Kane shows the right attitude running with the ball to near the corner flag and tussling for the ball, with no assistance he lost it but Brighton now have to travel the whole length and are not camped in our half.

A minute later Dele buys a foul. Why weren't we buying more? It's nieve not to.

Eric Dier is then fast asleep, not expecting a pass. His body was turned the wrong way so Dele's pass just went sailing past him and to a Brighton player.

Dele tried another ball just in the opposition half near the touchline and instead of playing it directly to Kane tries to play it in front of him, which simply takes it into the path of a Brighton player. That was 88 minutes and that led to a Brighton player getting in at the back post and a better ball to him could have led to an equalizer.

On 90 minutes Lo Celso plays with and keeps the ball from a corner with 2 Brighton players leading to another corner.

After 92 minutes we have had an attack and Eriksen's shot is blocked allowing Brighton to break with four of our players now out of the game. Dele rushes back to take up a central defensive position but isn't needed as Aurier and Kane bring Spurs out of trouble.

He was our furthest player forward in that attack so there is no doubting the commitment, it just needs to be channeled better and that takes a calmer head.

A win but a struggle, a few moments in a workmanlike display.

We really do have a lot to learn about closing down a game.