Tottenham Hotspur’s dreadful run of form continued as Jose Mourinho’s side crashed out of their second cup competition in the space of a week, losing 3-0 to RB Leipzig. The outcome means that there will be no trophy for the Portuguese manager, or his players, in his opening term in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dugout. Noticeably, there was a stark contrast in the head coach’s remarks after the game and those of his on-field commander, Dele Alli. Mourinho trod the path of pity once more by claiming: “Every team in the world would struggle with five or six of their most important players missing.”
However, quite refreshingly, after the game Alli fronted up to the Champions League exit, apologising to fans, while also revealing the players know they have not been good enough. But the most mature comment he made was the antithesis of his manager’s, where the England international told the media that Spurs could not use the absence of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min as an excuse for their dour displays. Despite being just 23 years old, Alli personally took responsibility for the way his side have performed without their leading goal scorers, which highlights how he has become a spokesperson for the Spurs dressing room.
Meanwhile, Mourinho was left pointing his finger in any direction that was not his own, using any excuses available to him, adding “I saw the mistakes” when referring to the opening two goals his players conceded. Instead of continually adding to the narrative that it is the world against Mourinho, it is time for the manager to learn from Alli’s comments and admit that even without his two leading attackers, Tottenham have not been up to the required level.
The spine of the Spurs side that bowed out against Leipzig is still incredibly strong, arguably more so than their opponents. Mourinho has a World Cup-winning goalkeeper at his disposal, an internationally acclaimed defender in Toby Alderweireld and in Alli, a playmaker with an eye for goal, who has found the back of the net eight times in the Premier League alone. Yet in spite of that, the north London outfit are winless in six in all competitions.
The Spurs boss is paid £15m a year to problem solve in these situations, yet all he has done is provide excuses. But on Tuesday evening Alli shouldered the blame for his side’s performances and it is time for Mourinho to accept some of that responsibility. The Portuguese veteran could certainly learn from Alli’s mature comments despite his playmaker’s younger years, and even though it is early days in North London, Jose Mourinho must ensure the same mistakes are not made as has been the case in some of his previous Premier League tenures.
