Former Spurs manager blames three Tottenham stars for defeat against Brighton

Tottenham Hotspur's defeat to Brighton continues to raise questions, and now a former Spurs manager has specifically pointed out three stars from the team.

Tim Sherwood has openly called out three Tottenham players for their lacklustre performance during the second half of the team’s defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The former Spurs manager expressed his disappointment over how James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson failed to make an impact when their side desperately needed them.

Tottenham went into the match at the Amex Stadium on the back of a solid defensive record, having conceded just five goals in their first six Premier League outings.

However, that good work was quickly undone by a disastrous 20-minute spell at the start of the second half. The team’s defensive frailties were laid bare as Brighton surged forward, and Sherwood suggested that the offensive players did not step up to alleviate the pressure.

Former Spurs manager blames three Tottenham stars for defeat against Brighton

Sherwood, speaking on Premier League Productions, lamented the absence of key contributions from Maddison, Solanke, and Johnson in the crucial second half:

“I never saw Maddison in the second half. I never saw Solanke. I never saw Johnson,” he remarked. He noted that these players should have been the ones trying to settle the game down and regain possession for Spurs.

The former manager further illustrated his point with a striking metaphor, comparing the difficulty of maintaining possession under pressure to “dropping the soap in the bath.”

He mentioned that once Tottenham let in a goal, it felt like they completely lost their grip on the game, making it really tough for them to bounce back. Sherwood gave a nod to Brighton for their display, recognising that they capitalised perfectly on Spurs' mistakes.

The second half saw Tottenham lacking intensity and urgency, appearing completely shell-shocked by Brighton's aggressive approach.