Tottenham Positive 4: Big defensive play not lapse
When precisely the mental lapses on defence started for Tottenham is hard to say, likely toward the end of the Mauricio Pochettino era. Those lapses and mental mistakes were not something Jose Mourinho could rid the club of, as Spurs continuously blew leads under Mourinho.
This season, Tottenham has been better protecting their leads, but they are still making mistakes defensively that are costing them goals. Fortunately, against Leeds, that mistake never fully materialized.
Hugo Lloris did have a terrible misplay which some great defence saved him blushes. Lloris had done the hard part coming some 40 yards away from his goal to cut off a Leeds long ball. However, instead of playing a good pass, Lloris gimped a hospital ball in the direction of Eric Dier.
Stuart Dallas stole the ball and then avoided a sprawling Lloris as he was off to the races. Fortunately, both Sessegnon and Ben Davies got back to defend. Sessegnon got to the goal line, and Davies met Dallas and the ball in the box to block the shot and end the chance.
Following the lapses that have led to Spurs dropping points over the last several weeks, not succumbing to any mental mistakes on defence was significant.