Hoddle slams Tottenham's "attitude" and "lack of ability" after Vitesse defeat

Glenn Hoddle took aim at Tottenham after their Europa Conference defeat to Vitesse Arnhem, saying they had the "wrong attitude" and blasting their "lack of ability".

Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo made 11 changes to the team that beat Newcastle at the weekend, as he prioritised Sunday's Premier League clash against West Ham.

Everyone who played against Newcastle was left behind for the trip to the Netherlands, meaning the coach couldn't call on the likes of Harry Kane or Son Heung-min.

And his second-string side failed to impress, making a poor start and never getting much better as Maximillian Wittek's late winner gave Vitesse a deserved victory.

Tottenham had shown brief improvement early in the second half, with Bryan Gil hitting the bar - but that was as close as the visitors got as they lacked creativity and a cutting edge.

Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle blasted his former club's performance against Vitesse Arnhem on BT Sport ( Image:

BT Sport)

Spurs legend Hoddle said the fans who made the trip "deserved better", telling BT Sport: "It's a very, very poor performance.

"The attitude was wrong - they have to look at themselves in the mirror. There are Spurs fans who have travelled across here, they deserve better."

A fuming Hoddle said it wasn't just Tottenham's attitude that was lacking, blasting: "Also there was a lack of ability.

"Sometimes you can say there was no desire or mental approach to the game that's one thing that wasn't there. But their abilities were poor today, there was no creativity."

With Nuno making wholesale changes, it was expected that the likes of Dele Alli, Giovani Lo Celso, Harry Winks and Bryan Gil would stake a claim for more first-team action.

But Hoddle said they failed to pass the manager's "test".

The former Spurs and England midfielder said: "Nobody really wanted to run the game out there or stamp their authority on the game, and say to Nuno, 'I am your man, I can get in your first team'.

"But also go and win this game, an important game for them. They weren't up for that test. I am very, very disappointed."

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Dele Alli looks dejected after Tottenham's dismal defeat to Vitesse Arnhem ( Image:

Getty Images)

The defeat Tottenham third in Group G with three games to go, with Vitesse moving up into second place.

Nuno's side are two points behind Vitesse and three off the pace of group leaders Rennes, who beat NS Mura 2-1.

Spurs travel to face West Ham on Sunday, with David Moyes' seventh-placed side just one point and two places behind their visitors.