Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was furious after his team lost 3-2 at Brighton in the Premier League despite taking a deserved 2-0 lead into the interval.
The Spurs chief offered a damning post-match assessment of his players as they allowed what looked like certain victory to slip from their grap at the AMEX Stadium.
Brennan Johnson got the ball rolling in a thrilling first half, as the Wales star scored for the sixth successive Spurs game.
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James Maddison doubled Tottenham's advantage just before the break as Brighton's high defensive line was once again pierced by Postecoglou's attack.
Despite appearing set for a second-half cruise on the south coast, a revived Brighton overpowered their visitors, as three goals in 18 minutes completely flipped the script.
A loss against the Seagulls ends Tottenham's five-game winning run across all competitions, including the high of a 3-0 win at Manchester United last weekend, but Postecoglou had no time for excuses at the end of a wild contest.
"It's disappointing. I'm frustrated and absolutely gutted with that. It's probably the worst defeat since I've been here", he said.
"That was probably the worst defeat we've had since I've been here" 😬
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 6, 2024
Ange Postecoglou speaks openly about Tottenham's loss to Brighton 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/hZ6JHeJkcC
"An unacceptable second half. Nowhere near where we should be. We got carried away with how we were going.
"We kind of accepted our fate and it's hard to understand that as we've not done that while I've been here. We paid the price.
"The problem is we were travelling along too smoothly. Football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself. It's a terrible loss for us - as bad as it gets. There's only one way to fix it and that's my responsibility."
Postecoglou confirmed he will reassess the picture over the incoming international break before speaking to his squad when they reassemble in over a week's time.
Spurs are back in EPL action on October 19 for a London derby against West Ham United before a UEFA Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar five days later.
