Graeme Souness was unhappy with the role of two Tottenham players during Sunday’s dismal defeat to Aston Villa which saw boos ringing out around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Antonio Conte’s side started the match in fifth place, but with a chance to return to fourth above Manchester United, who had moved above them on Saturday. However, Spurs have been far from their best this season – especially at home. And it perhaps came as no surprise when Unai Emery’s hungrier-looking side earned a 2-0 win thanks to second-half goals from Emi Buendia and Douglas Luiz.
That was Spurs’ third home defeat in the last four Premier League games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And with Conte’s side developing a dangerous habit of allowing opponents a one or two-goal headstart, it proved one game too many for Spurs to recover in.
After the match, Conte admitted his disappointment at the defeat and laid clear his transfer plans for the January window.
However, without naming names, Conte also suggested there were some players in his side not performing at their best.
“In the first half we played with good intensity,” he told BBC Sport. “We didn’t concede anything and we found a team that defended too deep and then we conceded this goal and then the confidence dropped for my players.
“We have to know that our life is this. And we have to fight every game for one point or for three points.
“This is the truth, especially when you are without two or three important players and have difficulties.”
Souness tears into Yves Bissouma and Hugo Lloris
However, pundit Souness was less shy in picking out individuals ane he was quick to pick out two players he felt let Conte down.
And the Scot was less than impressed by the roles played by one major summer signing in Yves Bissouma. Experienced star and captain Hugo Lloris was another one who Souness feels let the club down.
Analysing the goals conceded, Souness did not mince his words to Sky Sports.
“Harry [Kane] loses it [for second goal], bad area, it’s a great ball from [John] McGinn and the first and second touch is an absolute delight. Great goal. He [Bissouma] just gives up on it. He’s ballwatching.
Turning the heat to Lloris, Souness insists it is high time Tottenham looked for a new goalkeeper.
“I am not a big fan of Lloris, I have said it for a long time. I think he, since the start of last season he has made four errors that have led to goals. That’s the worst in the Premier League for goalkeepers. For me, he is past his sell-by date.”
TEAMtalk can reveal Tottenham are casting their eyes over three Premier League goalkeepers as successors to Lloris this summer.
Now in his 11th season at the club, Lloris has worn the armband since the start of the 2015/16 season. However, errors are creeping more frequently into his game now and the feeling is that this will be the two-times World Cup finalist’s last as Spurs’ No 1.