Defensive mistakes
All three goals that Tottenham conceded at the start of the second period were incredibly avoidable, with the away side’s defending leaving a lot to be desired.
It was Destiny Udogie’s hacked clearance in 48 minutes that allowed Yankuba Minteh to capitalise and bring the Segualls back into the game.
For Brighton’s third goal, Rodrigo Bentancur inexplicably allowed the cross to come into the box despite being in control of the situation, with the two Tottenham centre-backs caught flat-footed, allowing Danny Welbeck to capitalise.
Sutton fumes at Bentancur
While Sutton was a little forgiving of Udogie’s mistake, suggesting that it happens to everyone on occasion, he remarked that Bentancur had no excuses for allowing the cross to come into the box.
The pundit suggested that the Uruguayan simply did not want it as much and did not show the required aggression.
The former Celtic striker said on It’s All Kicking Off podcast: “Who wants to win a challenge more? And there were certainly two examples. Udogie was guilty of one of them for the second goal.
“And Bentancur, not closing down the Brighton player or just thinking that he had a position under control. Wasn’t aggressive enough. That’s as simple as that with Bentancur.
“I mean, Udogie, we’ve all been there, Ian. We’ve all panicked in situations. His clearance was wild. Well, it wasn’t even a clearance in the end and it was a decent finish.
“Then the panic set in. But Bentancur, sort of understand the Udogie one. That’s just a horrendous error. He should have just concentrated on his connection. He didn’t. He panicked. But Bentancur, I mean, there’s no excuse for a lack of aggression. What was going on there?”
Bentancur’s effort encapsulated Tottenham’s performance
Bentancur’s lack of urgency for Brighton’s third goal was a perfect microcosm of what we saw from Tottenham in the second half.
The midfielder was extremely lethargic, thinking he would allow the ball to run for a goal kick without anticipating that the Brighton player was not going to make a last-ditch sliding attempt to get a cross in.
While the Spurs players were going through the motions in the second period, the home side played with maximum intensity.
Scholes’s comments focus on the notion that Tottenham’s defensive blunders weren’t just bad luck but rather mistakes that could have been avoided due to a lack of focus.
The former England international pointed to the fact that all three goals conceded in the second half were avoidable, attributing blame to various players, including Destiny Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur. However, it was Romero who caught Scholes’s attention the most.
Romero, who captained the side during this match, was expected to set the tone for defensive discipline. Scholes noted that while Bentancur struggled to manage the situation, it was Romero’s responsibility to anticipate threats in the box.
Paul Scholes criticises Tottenham superstar for rookie mistake in Brighton clash
In his assessment, the Argentine centre-back was guilty of “ball-watching,” failing to track Welbeck, who capitalised on the moment and headed home to secure the victory for Brighton.
During his analysis for Premier League Productions, Scholes stated:
“You have to anticipate that your forward, the man you are marking, it might come to him. You stay with him. But he is just absolutely ball-watching.”
This isn’t the first time Romero has faced scrutiny this season. His performances have not matched the high standards he set last year, with several unforced errors leading to goals against Tottenham.
Everyone will be hoping Romero can take something away from this experience and raise his game going forward. With Tottenham facing a tough time in the Premier League, it’s essential for their key players, like Romero, to step up and bring the defensive stability that’s been lacking in recent matches.
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