A BRIGHTER TIME IN BRIGHTON

After three defeats that were not worth much ink to dwell on, Spurs finally were on the right side of a 2-1 score for the fourth game running.  The win against Brighton was not conclusive but it stopped the specter of club crisis in its tracks. Mauricio Pochettino did listen to fans this time around by allowing Son and Moura to play in the same side, but neither showed the zest to attack the defense and what makes both players great is their ability to dribble past players.

It was clear by the second half that Eric Lamela needed to come on and halt or at least check a Brighton comeback.  Brighton had come back from 0-2 deficits in their last two matches.  An inquest into recent performances would have intensified had Brighton completed another comeback.  The introduction of young Paul Gazzinga as a goalkeeper was something Spurs fans were calling on ever since main keeper Hugo Lloris got. A very poor Michel Vorm who conceded some awful goals that twice cost Spurs a lead got an injury that allowed Gazzinga to guard the Tottenham penalty area.

The introduction of Eric Lamela was timely and at least a substitution that most Tottenham fans would agree with and it was Lamela who cooled the nerves with a game-finishing goal.  Brighton did get a late goal that ruined Gazzinga's clean sheet but young Gazzinga also had some nervy and naive moments - not as awful as what Michel Vorm did against Watford and Liverpool, but he looked uncomfortable about handling crosses.

Even though Harry Kane gained a penalty and scored from that penalty, he still looked like the jaded player that was visible during the latter stages of the World Cup.  Either he is carrying an undisclosed injury or he needs some rest from over 5000+ minutes of game time under his belt.  Tottenham do have Son, Moura and Lamela as players who can score and having Son as a false number nine should work if Lamela, Erikson and Moura are his supporting cast.  There are also question marks against the other superstar status player Dell Alli - he has not touched the heights of his best season for Spurs well over a year ago.

The defeat against Liverpool was not a subject of discussion other than Liverpool actually played badly in that game by missing multiple chances, and so having caught Liverpool on an off-day, the gift Michel Vorm gave Liverpool becomes that much more of a concern.  Otherwise Liverpool should have been up by four or five goals by the first half alone. 

Against Watford in the Premier League and Inter Milan in the Champions League - Spurs should have finished that game with a least a point shared, but again Vorm did not help matters.   Tiredness should not be a factor for Tottenham because Manchester City had nearly as many players representing teams at this summers World Cup matches.  Thus the 2-1 win today was absolutely crucial to save Tottenham sowing seeds of doubt - and creating an actual crisis, when all teams go through a slight blip now and then.

Tottenham get a gift for their next Premier League game against bottom team Huddersfield Town, so their recovery can set to continue, as is the prospect of making up the six point difference between them and Liverpool.  Liverpool will be tested with successive games against  Manchester City and Chelsea.  The real question regarding Liverpool is whether they have finally solved their defensive weaknesses.  Liverpool lost the title a couple of years ago to Manchester City due to that frailty and this year they do look very formidable.

Mauricio Pochettino did take the blame for the Inter Milan loss where Spurs were leading 1-0 until giving two late goals up.  Today they nearly lost both points with a second half assault from Brighton.  Brighton had some really good chances to level the game up and even mount a comeback win - but at the end of the day Spurs got a 2-1 win, which based on possession stats alone was a very important result  - one that changes momentum back in Tottenham's favour.