Alan Brazil didn’t hold back after Tottenham’s heavy defeat to Arsenal, using his platform to call out what he felt were some of the most baffling tactical decisions he has seen in a North London derby.
Tottenham fans already had a difficult weekend to digest, watching their team concede four goals and show very little resistance, but Brazil’s comments only added to the conversation around what went wrong and why Spurs looked so unprepared in key moments of the match.
The 4-1 defeat at the Emirates was painful enough, with Leandro Trossard opening the scoring before Eberechi Eze completely took over with a sensational hat-trick. For the Tottenham supporters watching, it was another big-game collapse that felt avoidable, especially as the goals highlighted issues that have been brewing for weeks.
Most of the blame after the match fell on Thomas Frank, who has been under pressure for the team’s lack of creativity and timid approach in big moments.
His safety-first style backfired spectacularly against an Arsenal team full of confidence and aggression. However, while many people focused on Spurs’ lack of ambition in open play, Alan Brazil found something else to criticise, and he made it clear that this issue was just as damaging.
What caught Brazil’s eye was Tottenham’s behaviour during Arsenal’s free kicks in the first half. He found their setup so confusing and poorly judged that he questioned whether anyone on the Spurs coaching staff had properly thought it through.
Watching the highlights back, it became obvious why Brazil was frustrated. Tottenham’s defensive line was sitting almost on top of their own goalkeeper, with the players positioned just outside the six-yard box.
That gave Arsenal huge areas of space to attack, especially Bukayo Saka, who repeatedly found room to run onto deliveries from dead-ball situations. Brazil described it as an open invitation for Arsenal to create danger, arguing that Spurs had effectively removed their own ability to deal with even the simplest ball into the box.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he labelled the defensive setup as senseless. He questioned how a Premier League team could allow themselves to be pinned back that deep, particularly away from home in such a hostile environment.
He argued that by standing on the edge of their own six-yard box, Spurs left no room for Vicario to make a confident decision, as he was forced to either commit to a risky punch or stay frozen on his line.
Brazil stressed that any flick-on from an Arsenal player could have easily resulted in a goal, and he was shocked that Tottenham were willing to take such a gamble. In his words, he had “never seen anything so stupid” in his life.
Despite all this, Tottenham did not actually concede from those set pieces, which in a small way might suggest the plan worked. But the criticism remains valid because even though they survived in those moments, the approach never looked comfortable, logical or sustainable.
Tottenham have earned a reputation for being strong on set pieces since Thomas Frank took over in the summer, but this particular strategy didn’t line up with what has worked for them in the past.
Many fans and pundits speculated that Spurs were more worried about a direct shot from Saka than a cross, yet the decision still puzzled many, as even a tiny deflection inside such a crowded area would have created a nightmare for Vicario.
For supporters, it was just one more thing to feel frustrated about on a day when almost nothing went right. Thomas Frank did later speak about the performance and his decisions, but talking about it is not enough.
Spurs now need a reaction, and they need it quickly. With a huge Champions League fixture against PSG arriving on Wednesday, there is barely any time to reset.
The team must find answers not only with their creativity but with their defensive discipline and decision-making, because nights like the one at the Emirates cannot continue if Tottenham want to compete at the highest level.
