Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou stunned by Premier League collapse

Spurs's head coach, Ange Postecoglou, minced no words after the painful defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion by 3-2. Spurs were good in the first half, dominant, and went to the tunnel with a two-goal lead, courtesy of fantastic displays by Brennan Johnson and James Maddison. But just as the second half got underway, Spurs' house simply came crashing down as Brighton enjoyed an incredible comeback to defeat them in dramatic fashion.

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This unexpected collapse is part of a recurring pattern: Spurs have lost 10 Premier League games when leading by two goals-more than any other team in the competition's history. So, what explains this recurring problem? More importantly, why does it just keep happening?

What went wrong in the second half?

Ange Postecoglou made no bones about the explanation: in his mind, there was a single reason-the team didn't do what it needed to do in the pitch to retain competitiveness. They lost duels, lost intensity, and did not show the needed mentality to compete at the top. As he bluntly put it, that is unacceptable.

Postecoglou suggested, too, that there might have been a sense of complacency within the squad following a few recent victories - but rowed back on that. "Regardless of where it came from, the fact is we didn't do the basics. It's unacceptable. You can lose a game, but there are ways to lose, and this was the worst defeat I've had here so far, because of how we let it happen."

This was painful to see, further exacerbated by the fact that on occasions, such opponents had been dealt with by Tottenham with panache in times gone by. Brighton was desperate for those three points, and Spurs just could not stem the tide from running riot. Tactical deficiencies, coupled with a second-half drop in intensity, sealed the deal of their fate.

Tactical collapse or mental lapse?

Undoubtedly, the most exciting question relating to this collapse would centre on whether the instigator was tactical or mental. You could, on one hand, argue for a tactical collapse in as much as their back four, seemingly impregnable in the first half, were unable to cope with the increased Brighton press; on the other hand, you have to say that concentration and intensity dropped down in the second half, hence indicating a mental problem. The moment Spurs take the lead, they tend to get into a relaxed mode, and more often than not, it has come back to haunt them.

Ange was blunt in saying his side failed to show the competitiveness that their advantage deserved, and the solution might not be confined to an adjustment in tactics. There could be a psychological barrier when his team is leading, as that sense of complacency takes over. Whatever the cause, though, the coach claimed responsibility for it .

The impact of Brennan Johnson and James Maddison

The bright spots for them included Brennan Johnson and James Maddison's display in the first half. Particularly, Johnson was full of energy and effectiveness, opening the score and being a constant source of threat to Brighton's defense. Maddison was equally as good, with his accurate passing and intelligent movement that opened Spurs' second goal.

But in the second half, just like for the rest of their teammates, both went down in performance. What was missing was for that intensity to be kept going, that rhythm which eventually started to affect the entire squad's performance.

Changes needed?

Changes will therefore be made following this defeat, and Postecoglou made sure to indicate that. If the problem couldn't be fixed by him, then that would be a job for someone else, he said with much conviction. He knows it is not just about winning matches but how the team competes throughout the game. The intensity from the start of the match simply cannot fall in the second half, as happened against Brighton.

Postecoglou has proven to be a coach of action, so changes may be made to make Spurs focused for all 90 minutes. It may be some system changes and even personnel if needed.

For Tottenham to get back into the races for the top spots, Postecoglou needs to mend both the tactical problems and work on the mental resilience of the players. Matches like this one chip away at confidence within a team. It is now up to the coach to make sure this defeat does not snowball into a streak of bad results.