Jonathan Woodgate has defended Jose Mourinho as some pundits and fans continue to talk about his team’s style of play, even though they have been winning games.
The Portuguese manager is a specialist at winning trophies and that is one reason why Spurs appointed him as a replacement for Mauricio Pochettino.
His team is arguably the best counter-attacking side in England, he has trained them not to pay too much attention to possession and instead get prepared to counterattack their opponents when they win back the ball.
The form of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min has made the tactic work well, as both players score from the few chances that they get.
Some fans who have been used to seeing their team play beautiful possession-based football under Pochettino are now worried about their new style, but Woodgate thinks that they should enjoy the success that it will bring them instead.
‘I want Spurs to win a trophy. I hear the fans moan about the style of football but they are four points off the top of the Premier League and in a cup final, what more do they want?,’ he says to Mail Sport.
‘They are playing counter-attacking football but winning games. Would they prefer not be in a final playing really good football. I don’t think it works for me, as players as well, they want to win trophies.
‘It will be tough against Man City but if you want any manager behind you to play in a cup final, it has to be Jose Mourinho.
‘At some stage I think he will win a cup competition there. He always plays good teams in the League Cup because he realises it’s another trophy in his locker. It’s clever. I wish when we had our good young team at Leeds, we’d have taken the cups more seriously and played our top team because there was a chance of winning a trophy.’