BT Sport pundits Peter Crouch, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Rio Ferdinand believe that Tottenham Hotspur can afford to change their tactical approaches in games after their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime.
Goals from Olivier Giroud - his first in Chelsea colours since August - and Marcos Alonso were enough to seal all three points for Frank Lampard's team before Spurs grabbed an 89th-minute consolation goal through an Antonio Rudiger own-goal.
It is now back-to-back defeats for Spurs, after they lost 1-0 to RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday evening.
And that has led to questions being asked about Spurs' tactics in games against fellow big-name clubs, with Crouch adamant that Jose Mourinho's side do not need to play in such a negative manner.
"I have played in systems like this, but I’m talking for Stoke City against Manchester United," Crouch told BT Sport. "Or against a much better side. This is a Tottenham side full of talent.
"They have got the ability to break teams down, I don’t think they have to play this way.
"It is so negative. No ideas. [Steven] Bergwijn is playing up there by himself, and similar to Dele Alli in midweek, became so frustrated.
"It is demoralising. You come off the pitch thinking you haven’t played."
Former Blues striker Gudjohnsen also delivered a similar assessment, relating back to his playing days at international level for Iceland.
"Unfortunately I played for Iceland in a system like this and you come off the pitch feeling depressed," he said.
After Crouch and Gudjohnsen had made comparisons about two of their former sides, Stoke and Iceland, Ferdinand weighed-in on the debate, highlighting the fact that, with respect to both sides, Stoke and Iceland can often carry the underdog-tag.
Ferdinand said: "You mention there, Iceland, always underdogs in most games. Stoke, underdogs in most games.
"Spurs can’t be seen as underdogs going into most games I have been watching."
