Antonio Conte blasts 'emotional' Tottenham performance in Southampton loss

Antonio Conte claimed his Tottenham side's 'mental instability' and 'emotion' led to their 3-2 defeat to Southampton on Wednesday night.

Spurs twice took the lead courtesy of a Jan Bednarek own goal and Son Heung-min's goal, but efforts from Armando Broja, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Che Adams meant the Saints left north London with all three points, denting the hosts' top four prospects in the process.

Southampton pressed Tottenham out of the game for large portions of the encounter and deservedly earned all three points, with Conte admitting the mistakes his side made cost them the match.

"For sure, we have to be disappointed," Conte said. "They were good but I think we made many, many mistakes, especially with the ball, and I think this type of situation creates a bit of mental instability in my team.

"In the second half, then, we started to play, we started to press in the right way and then we created chances to score.

"We also did that in the first half because every time we play the ball in the right way, we created a situation to go and score, but I repeat, we made many mistakes in the first half - important mistakes.

"In the second half, we did well, scored, but then we had to be better to defend.

"I have seen the two goals and we conceded two goals with the defensive line had to stay there. We need to be more accurate but I know very well that this season we are going to struggle to get three points and I said this before and I continue to repeat it.

"For sure, I think we are now improving in many aspects but we are still too emotional.

"Against Leicester, we won 3-2 and we were losing 2-1. Today, we were winning 2-1 and we lost 3-2.

"I think on this aspect, we have to improve because if we want to grow as a team and try to be competitive, the first thing we have to improve is to be stable, not up and down, up and down.

"In a team, it's also important to have players with experience, to manage the situation during the game.

"But I repeat it was a pity because my players they gave 120 per cent and the effort was maximum. I cannot say that I didn't see the right attitude, or that I didn't see the right commitment, because I saw the maximum."

While Tottenham remain in the hunt for a Champions League spot - sitting four points behind fourth-place West Ham with three games in hand - the defeat on Wednesday night was one of their poorer performances since Conte took over from Nuno Espirito Santo as manager.

He added: "We have to try to avoid defeats like this. I think today we could have avoided this defeat. Especially when you go 2-1 and there are 15 minutes or 20 minutes to play, we have to try to manage the situation in a better way. We have to take experience from this game and try to improve.

"We have to struggle and give 120 per cent, and I repeat the effort today was the maximum. I can't tell you that my players the effort was not good, the commitment was not good - no.

"I have to tell thanks to my players because the commitments was top. But then you know you have to improve in many, many aspects - and we have a long, long road in front of us."

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