Who is to blame for the downfall at Spurs?

On November 21st, Tottenham were flying high in the Premier League. Jose Mourinho led the club to an impressive 2-0 win over Man City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the North London club were top of the Premier League after eight matches. 

However, a run of two wins in eight Premier League matches followed, and, more recently, Spurs have been unable to put another strong run of form together. 

Spurs are currently seventh in the Premier League and six points off the Champions League places. Spurs were also eliminated from the Europa League after Dinamo Zagreb defeated 3-0 Mourinho’s side before the international break.

Spurs’ fall from the top of the Premier League has been causing concern at the club in recent months. But is the dip in form a result of Mourinho and his often-negative tactics, or the players themselves? Naturally, whenever a manager of such high standing is under pressure in the public eye, the bookmakers like the kind found on betting.co.uk speculated about whether he would remain in the role much longer, but what were the odds of Jose losing his job if the poor form continues, especially right before a cup final?

Mourinho’s Methods

Mourinho was capable of getting results from his Spurs team. Tottenham went on an 11-match unbeaten run at the beginning of the season and recently went on a five-match winning run in all competitions.

When things were going well for a Mourinho team, they look unstoppable. However, he is a manager who does not shy away from criticising his players in more difficult times, which can cause problems. 

Spurs failed to beat Premier League strugglers Newcastle last weekend and drew 2-2 after conceding an 85th-minute goal following a stray pass to Joe Willock, who finished for Newcastle’s equaliser. 

It was a tough result for Tottenham, but late mistakes have cost them this season. The North London side have now dropped 15 points in the Premier League from winning positions, 11 of which have come from goals conceded in the last 10 minutes of matches. 

It is an unusual statistic for a Mourinho side as he places so much emphasis on rigidness and discipline in defence. After the Newcastle draw, Mourinho was quick to blame the players for dropping the points rather than at his own tactics, which he may have been justified to do. 

Mourinho to Blame?

But Mourinho’s regular confrontational comments may have backfired among the players. After Spurs’ disappointing 3-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb, club captain Hugo Lloris made it clear that there was a lack of togetherness in the dressing room and that certain exiled players were causing problems. Lloris also highlighted how team cohesion had diminished since former boss Mauricio Pochettino’s departed the club in November 2019. 

Mourinho’s public criticism for players not pulling their weight is not unusual. But it can alienate the players. The likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have been performing at their top level this season. But others, such as Dele Alli and even Gareth Bale, have been left outcast by Mourinho after public criticism.

Furthermore, the continuous pressure from Mourinho could be a factor in player confidence and may lead to errors on the pitch. 

Reversed Since Pochettinho

When Mourinho arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 18 months ago, he made it clear that his job was to build on the foundations laid by Mauricio Pochettino over four seasons. However, there have been signs that the club has reversed under Mourinho.

Pochettino guided Spurs to four consecutive top-four finishes and a Champions League final in his tenure. Last season, Spurs finished sixth under Mourinho. 

With the Portuguese manager unable to guide the team to a Champions League place this season, the blame will largely stop with him and not the higher management. Tottenham still have the core squad of players Pochettino had when he left. Therefore, anything less than a fourth-place finish was classed as a disappointment after the investment in a new, high-profile manager.