Mauricio Pochettino Questions Tottenham Players' Fight After Leicester Loss

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has questioned the fight in his players after they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City in the Premier League on Tuesday. 

Spurs' form has plummeted domestically, as the team have lost their last three games on the road. They have slipped a long way back in the title race as a result and trail leaders Manchester City by 13 points having played a game more.

When reflecting on the team's latest setback, Pochettino didn't mince his words, questioning the application of his players, per Stuart James of the Guardian.

"We need to learn from this game, that we need to start every game with the first idea being fighting and competing," he said. "If you don't compete and fight in the Premier League, the gap, or the quality, is even and you are sure that you are going to struggle. And of course the performance today was a very clear example [of that]."

The steeliness that made Tottenham such a force last season appears to have softened:

After a bright start to the season during which Spurs looked likely to be the closest challengers to City, the wheels have come off Pochettino's side in the Premier League as of late.

A 1-0 loss to Manchester United contained some similar flaws, with Tottenham struggling away from home against fellow top-six sides. That was followed up by a morale-sapping loss to bitter rivals Arsenal, a disappointing draw at Wembley Stadium against West Bromwich Albion and then Tuesday's surrender.

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At the King Power Stadium, the visitors were slow out of the blocks, allowing Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez to fire Leicester into a 2-0 lead. While they were both fine goals, they are the types of strikes Spurs have not conceded too often under Pochettino.

As noted by James Dickens of Yahoo Sports, Tottenham don't look as secure at the back with Toby Alderweireld sidelined:

While recent form has been disappointing, it's unlikely too many Spurs fans will be getting hysterical about their recent troubles.

After all, since Pochettino took over at the club they have been on an almost constant upward trajectory. Even amid this poor run of results, there have been some wonderful displays in the UEFA Champions League, as Tottenham have beaten both Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund to top their group.

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Things will need to change if the Londoners are going to pull themselves out of this rut, and Harry Sherlock of Goal suggested the manager has a role to play:

There's still a long way to go in the campaign, though, and Spurs have shown over the last two terms they are strong in the second half of the season. 

Pochettino evidently wasn't pleased with this side of his team's display at Leicester and will want to see a reaction when they face a tricky trip to Watford on Saturday.