AliousTottenham Hotspur have only themselves to blame for much of their Premier League struggles this season, but their failure to hold on against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday will feel particularly costly.
In football, you often create your own fortune, yet there’s a growing sense that Spurs have been on the wrong end of key moments for months. Their frustration peaked in stoppage time when Georginio Rutter struck in the 95th minute to snatch a point and stun the home crowd.
Both Brighton goals—arriving at the tail end of each half—felt avoidable. Still, recurring defensive frailties and costly individual mistakes denied Roberto De Zerbi a first league win of 2026 with Spurs.
The decisive error came late on, with Kevin Danso unable to deal with the danger, allowing an unmarked Rutter to fire past Antonín Kinský. It summed up a wider defensive issue. Even earlier, while Kaoru Mitoma produced a brilliant finish, questions remain about why he was given so much space in the buildup.
Spurs’ injury problems have been severe all season, but the absence of Cristian Romero—ruled out with a serious knee injury suffered against Sunderland—was particularly telling. The captain’s aggression and defensive leadership were clearly missed.
Looking ahead, Tottenham face a relatively favourable run of fixtures, starting with a crucial trip to Wolves. However, without their Argentine leader, the task appears far from straightforward based on this latest display.
There are still options for De Zerbi to consider. With Rodrigo Bentancur returning to fitness, changes in midfield seem inevitable after a difficult evening.
Conor Gallagher, despite criticism since his January move from Atlético Madrid, showed energy, pressing intensity, and commitment—enough to justify keeping his place in the starting lineup.
In contrast, Yves Bissouma once again failed to convince. The 29-year-old struggled to impose himself, offering little protection to the defence before being substituted for Archie Gray in the 57th minute. Notably, he failed to win any of his ground duels up to that point.
While a lack of match fitness may be a factor, this performance fits a worrying pattern. With his contract nearing its end and an expected summer exit looming, it increasingly feels like Tottenham should have made this decision much earlier.
| Yves Bissouma vs Brighton | |
|---|---|
| Stats | # |
| Minutes played | 57′ |
| Touches | 28 |
| Accurate passes | 21/23 (91%) |
| Chances created | 0 |
| Possession lost | 1x |
| Dribbles | 0/1 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Tackles won | 0 |
| Ground duels | 0/4 |
| Fouls | 3 |
Against his former side, Bissouma flattered to deceive. How often have we actually seen the erratic midfielder produce a top-class performance?
The experienced, tough-tackling midfielder doesn’t offer enough protection, and his suspensions and injuries have hindered and stemmed his hopes of fluency. The most frustrating part is that he has it within him to be an elite player.
His struggles are emblematic of the deep and dark issues at the club, a microcosm of long, interminable recruitment failures that have left Spurs on the edge of a precipice.
For De Zerbi, there are positives to take here, but there’s no question that time is running out for this imperilled Tottenham team, and if they are to turn things around and preserve their precious Premier League status, Bissouma needs to be dropped.
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