Moussa Sissoko has questioned Mauricio Pochettino's tactics in Tottenham's 7-2 thrashing by Bayern Munich, claiming the players "tired too quickly" in the manager's formation.
Pochettino continued with his preferred 4-4-2 diamond on Tuesday night, with Sissoko and Tanguy Ndombele rotating between the left and right sides and Heung-min Son supporting Harry Kane in attack.
Spurs were fantastic in the opening 30 minutes, deservedly leading when Son finished his third chance of the match from Sissoko's pass before they were pegged back by Joshua Kimmich's brilliant equaliser.
The hosts seemed to fade in the final 10 minutes of the first half and Robert Lewandowski's struck seconds before the interval to pave the way for Bayern's onslaught.
"We get tired too quickly physically when we play with a diamond midfield," Sissoko told RMC.
Spurs shipped the final three goals in a disastrous spell between the 83rd and 88th minutes and Sissoko added: "We gave up too quickly."
The defeat has led to more suggestions of unrest in the Spurs' dressing room but Toby Alderweireld, one of three senior players in the final year of his contract, has back the players to fight their way out of the situation.
"Sometimes you're up there and sometimes you're in the corner where you get slapped," the Belgian said. "But you have to fight a way out of the corner. And that's the moment we’re in now.
"Everybody cares, and we've been in difficult situations before and every time we come out, and this is very difficult, but like I said, we will come out of it.
"It’s important to know what is the reality and how everybody's committed to the club – and it's a shame sometimes people don't see how much effort we as players put in this club. We are having our commitment questioned. But it is nothing to do with this. You know, nothing, nothing.
"I think sometimes it's a shame that nobody can see the work ethic everybody brings to this club. Everybody's hungry and wants to work hard.”
Meanwhile, Pochettino is considering playing Davinson Sanchez at right-back in Saturday's trip to Brighton in place of the suspended Serge Aurier. Sanchez, a centre-back by trade, has had difficult outings at full-back at Arsenal and Olympiacos but he has continue to train there. Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth are also among the manager's options.
