Mourinho’s football is boring
Well hello there Tottenham. How you doing? If I had hair, I’d flick it and check my nails too. Spurs are in a flirtatious mood once more, be it in pockets of pomp, but it’s enough for me to start believing in the Special project that Daniel Levy has committed too.
I’ve purposely not blogged after every game since Mourinho arrived. I’m still processing. My intentions (for this blog) was to be more reactive in terms of content but that will come in time. Not that quantity is a necessity for modern consumption of digital reading. Unless the aim is to make coins. Social media, the comments section…so much is dissected and discussed almost instantly within any given community or online hive that often, repeating the bleeding obvious with grandeur for clicks or attention isn’t worth the effort. Especially hours, days, weeks after the event.
Having these micro-sabbaticals also allows me to, well, take it all in. And do some of that processing. In fact, it’s best to be less reactive when it comes to the deeper questioning. The philosophical stuff. The famed existential crisis that defines being Tottenham. With Mauricio gone from our minds (never from our hearts), I’ve stated that I’m going to be patient with Spurs for the rest of the season. I’m going to embrace the basics; I’m going to enjoy watching us play. That’s if we do so with a degree of fast and furious flair and urgency and sweeping aggression. Spoiler: I’m enjoying watching us play.
Since I last wrote something on here, we have:
Beaten Olympiacos in the Champions League. A stern test of both the players mentality and Mourinho’s influence in the dressing room. 2-0 down thanks to some pretty lethargic movement and the state of mind of the players was jarring. They appeared nervous, fearful. Jose made a snap substitution, removing Eric Dier for Christian Eriksen. A bold move but perhaps Dele’s goal before the break was the game changing moment. We’ll have to wait to see the Amazon Prime documentary to see what was said in the dressing room, but Spurs run out 4-2 winners with a vibrant and energetic second half performance. We responded. We never gave up. A Poch trait of old, touched up with a new gloss.
Bournemouth at home was easy, that’s until the later stages when we allowed two messy goals for the visitors. Against better opposition, we can’t afford to be so open and we have to retain discipline and shape to kill a game off rather than invite pressure, which ultimately takes the shine off the result. But here’s the thing about Spurs right now and how I’m choosing to enjoy them; We are improving, awakening. Slowly but surely.
There’s no need to go over old ground about what went wrong and whether Poch could have sorted the relationship - it’s now irrelevant. And whether you believe in the reinvention of Mourinho or not, whether you find the charm initiative to be insincere or if you prefer to see the classic siege mentality Jose - this also doesn’t matter. Not for the moment. Not if the reaction of the players on the field is a positive one.
We have to rediscover our form and style. It won’t kick in over night. Jose has to get these players to a certain standard, one that we expect from them and one strong enough to build on. Even if you dared to go over the old ground and quiz why you perhaps thought this side was ‘dead’ and needed overhauling - the paradox that it is. I love the word paradox. I use it all the time and Spurs are just that. But rather than try to work it out and seek defining answers, I need a rest from the introspection and prefer to salivate watching us enjoy our football.
Jose subbing Dier, a player he obviously rates, speaks volumes in terms of his own discovery project. He has to work these players out. He has to find the best formation, be it 4231, be it X midfielder in the middle or X midfielder in the channels. He has to get to know the personality of the individual and the character of the team. Our synergy is rebooting, so expect the occasional blue screen.
Dele’s expression (and goals) was also a joy to behold. Sissoko’s finish was almost impossible to fathom based on his prior attempts. Jose stating that he isn’t a central midfielder, is perhaps another indication of how you eradicate the staleness that festered before the new managerial appointment. Everything is of course, easy to agree with, when results are bright and cheerful. Spurs are playing with expansive freedom rather than intricate tactical movement. It’s basic stuff but there’s nothing basic about the players leading from the front. Square pegs and all that.
United away was our first blue screen. The midfield was bypassed. It was a fragmented display, weak in transitions. Again, I can’t over analyse. Sometimes things will work, sometimes they won’t. We have to afford Jose the time to redefine this squad and first eleven. But even with the loss, I’m willing to bet we’ll be fighting for a top four place this season. Even with the blips, he’s already proven that this group of players still have spirit in them to achieve something in the short-short term (flashback to the overhaul comment above about our squad being ‘dead’). Dele’s goal the only highlight. That and Arsenal losing at home to Brighton.
Burnley at the Lane. Oh wow. Okay, so you can dwell on their own performance and pretend they would not have gone above us had they won. But please don’t try to wipe the glitter away from what was a spectacular feast of thunderous goals and a Moura messy tap in. This was proper swagger from Spurs. Styling and profiling. This was that injection of fun and hope and belief - not in anything beyond the ninety minutes played. Simply within the two halves of swarming counter attacking majesty. Anthony Joshua said in his post-fight interview (in amongst his daft scripted soundbites) that it isn’t about winning and losing, it’s about creating memories (or words to that effect). Winning is obviously imperative but every goal we scored was a moment. It’s those building blocks of football that make it all worth while; your team, dishing out the wallops.
My word, the goals. Kane’s thunderbastard. Son’s utterly ridiculous speed demon run, that burst of unstoppable momentum, from his own pen into theirs. Worldies. Sissoko scoring AGAIN! WHAT IS HAPPENING FFS? SOMEONE EXPLAIN IT TO ME? It was so good to see us play with extreme urgency from the off. Early goals? I’ll take them every time. It settles everyone into the right type of dominating, confident tempo that we need to own on our patch. Sissoko’s surging runs and instinctive play, is wondrously confusing but highly contagious.
Add to it an actual clean sheet (just about, thank you Mr Woodwork) and no lacklustre late defending. Conceding two goals every game is likely to still be an issue against better quality opposition, but as stated, the fix will evolve over the course of the remainder of the season.
We are competitive again. We have regained self-pride, on the pitch and in the stands. Jose has shaken things up, just a touch, but just enough to get us ticking. It’s (thus far - I’m not celebrating a thing) a potential masterstroke from the chairman. Loyalties aside - (for Poch or for being anti-ENIC or not trusting in JM) - we’ve got that new manager bounce and Amazon have their spicy content.
Jose cited the ‘defensive process’ being the problem rather than the actual defenders. That’s all I need from him right now. The awareness that there’s work to do at the back. Up top, having Kane, Dele, Son and Lucas push forward with such ruthlessness, is exactly what we need to counter the broken former system; an antithesis of the slow build up.
Kane looked like Kane, complete in every conceivable way. 25 goals in 26 games is an outstanding return. Dele being visibly upset with being substituted/not performing to a specific level, throwing his boot to the ground whilst sat in the dugout. Lost his bite? I hardly think so. Two assists not quite the perfect shift for the lad. His run towards goal, that one on one opportunity, perhaps irritating him more than it should. Which is great. The bar has been set.
Toby and Jan look revitalised and visionary with distribution. Our quality will be too good for most. Our spine still needs surgery. The midfield (Winks, N’Dombele, Dier) will be the continued experiment before Jose works out the best foundation to build on. Eric was especially productive in the centre which is likely to be a future fixture. Lo Celso awaits his moment. Sess is being introduced into the fold. And N’Dombele will hopefully edge towards consistent fitness.
Amazing how turgid we looked not that long ago. Footballers hey? All they need is a hug and a pat on the head. I knew an Argentine that was pretty good at that. Once upon a time :(
The fact is, there are always going to be long standing questions repeated and new questions asked after each game. Don’t expect them to be answered conclusively at the end of every weekend.
I’ll leave it there for now.
I’m happy chaps. I’m hoping we push on through the festive period and find ourselves in that fight for a CL position and if the footballing Gods have any sense of goodwill, they’ll keep them lot down the road armed with pitchforks and torches.
Mourinho’s football is boring the sh*t out of me…
COYS