Graeme Souness has hit out against 'disinterested' Tottenham Hotspur players after their insipid first-half performance against Brighton on Sunday.
Spurs went 1-0 down after 17 minutes thanks to a Leandro Trossard effort, and never looked much like wresting the initiative back from the Seagulls for the whole half.
The Londoners mustered just one chance of note in the first-half, which Steven Bergwijn struck wide of the post. Brighton, in contrast, came out guns blazing and hit the woodwork in the third minute before taking the lead.
Souness said Tottenham's lack of endeavour was very telling regarding the players' attitude at the moment.
'(It was) very disappointing, lacklustre, some of them (are) disinterested,' Souness said on Sky Sports at half-time.
'You are away from home knowing you will have a physical challenge. If you are the better players, match that effort and you’ll have a chance to win the game. But that first 45 minutes they have not been at it.'
Souness added that Spurs manager Jose Mourinho would likely have some choice words for his players for their woeful first-half performance.
'They have been second to everything, it is disappointing. I’m sure right now there’ll be some harsh words in the dressing room,' Souness said.
'A tell-tale sign is not pressing, when they are in possession they are rolling the ball to each other. If you go back to watching the last two games, Leicester versus Leeds game and the Liverpool (versus West Ham) game, the passes were sharper.'
The match saw yet another disappointing effort from Gareth Bale, who was given a rare Premier League start following Harry Kane's injury, but the Welshman was removed mid-way through the second-half.
