Hits and misses: Spurs hit self-destruct again as Arsenal prove imperfect

Sky Sports' writers assess the Premier League action from Friday and Saturday as Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham all suffer embarrassing defeats...

This Tottenham team are not a lost cause. But being bad in both boxes is a footballing nightmare. And that is where Spurs find themselves right now. Five games, no wins. And back in the relegation zone.

They are wasteful in front of goal and then seemingly determined to self-destruct at the other end. Sloppy passes, poor decisions, defensive lapses - gifts being handed out to the opposition.

And Roberto De Zerbi cut a frustrated figure. He called the defending for Aston Villa's second goal "unacceptable".

You could feel the anger bubbling underneath him in his post-match press conference. The most damning admission? He didn't even speak to his players after the defeat. That tells you plenty.

What was there to say? The same mistakes keep appearing. The same problems keep costing Spurs. And now, just when the manager needs his players on the training pitch to put it right, the international break arrives. Some of them won't see De Zerbi again for more than two weeks.

This isn't a lost season. There is too much talent in this Tottenham squad for that. But talent means very little if you keep shooting yourself in the foot. Top teams don't behave like this.

And if De Zerbi doesn't get that habit out of them quickly, this project is going to become another season of humiliation. Lewis Jones

Nicolas Jackson absolutely tormented Tottenham with a brilliant mixture of silky touches and bruising physicality. He gave Spurs' centre-backs no peace, constantly offering an out-ball, protecting possession and bringing those around him into the game.

It was the kind of performance that reminded you why Chelsea saw so much in him. Jackson doesn't always get the goals his all-round game perhaps deserves, but that can sometimes disguise just how valuable he is to the team. When he is playing with this confidence, everything seems to click. The midfielders have someone to find. The wide players have someone to combine with. Runners have space to attack.

It was a proper centre-forward's performance that included the game's key goal, which doubled Villa's lead.

It was a demonstration to Tottenham of exactly what they are missing through the middle. Lewis Jones

Arsenal lost 3-0 but it should have been six. Brighton missed three big chances to add to their hefty tally. We've rarely seen this from Mikel Arteta's team.

The last time Arsenal conceded three goals in a Premier League away game was in December 2023, and the Gunners even won that game at Luton 4-3. The last time they lost by a three-goal margin was May 2023, coincidentally against Brighton.