Tottenham players have been baffled by Jose Mourinho’s claim that Toby Alderweireld was left out of his team to face Newcastle United because he didn’t train until Saturday.
Spurs needed to field their best players for the game against the Magpies because it was a fixture they had to win.
Mourinho started the game with a central defensive partnership of Joe Rodon and Davinson Sanchez.
They failed to help the club keep a clean sheet and Mourinho was asked why Alderweireld didn’t start the game instead.
The Portuguese manager said as quoted by Mail Sport: ‘They (with Serge Aurier) went for their national teams and they didn’t make the Covid tests on time to be in the training session on Thursday, not even on Friday. They come only yesterday.’
However, the same report claims that Alderweireld was in Spurs’ training on Thursday and took to the field with his teammates.
These comments by the Special One have left members of his squad baffled, according to the report.
It further reveals that there is evidence that the Belgian was in training on Thursday and Friday and Aurier trained on Friday as well.
If the defenders truly prepared for the game, then there might be a more serious reason why they weren’t named in the team.
Jose brilliant in placing ‘ a red herring’ in regards to Toby not training, thus avoiding one of the main reasons for the player not being selected. Journalists have got a juicy news story to write about and the focus is on Jose and not the players for another slip up!!
I think, Jose was clearly disappointed that Toby had played all 3 matches fully for Belgium.
Toby would have had to compete against Newcastle’s pacy attackers – Saint-Maximin, Murphy, Longstaff, Gayle and Willock.
It was quite clear, Newcastle’s strategy was to place the balls into space for their payers to run to – thereby stretching the defense and leaving big gaps in between.
Toby would have been embarrassed due to his lack of speed.
In my opinion, Jose saved him for the Man United match next week.
But for some more horrid defending – Tanganga and Sanchez unable to clear a simple ball leading to the 1st goal and panic stations before the 2nd goal, we should have come away with the win.
And Yes, Newcastle had their chances but we had them also as Jose stated.
But that still doesn’t explain why the whole team have been so poor this season. Ok, a decent center back to replace Jan is required, a second striker would probably not play if Kane played either so these are not the key issues for me when looking at our overall problems at the moment.
A few Jose cultists on here need to take note…
Guilty as charged, innit.
Same situation as Poch then, not getting the targets he wants. An excuse for Jose but not for Poch it seems..
Jose gave new deals to Toby and Dier when he came in so he must have been happy with them? So much so that he persisted with them for almost half the season.
Just saying…
With fans in the stadium this season, it would have got very messy. I’m not sure Jose would still be there had that been the case. There were rumblings of discontent last season, it was cr*p to watch too, especially when your day out with your child can cost you north of 300 quid.
Stay at home and watch it, save some money and spend it on something else? That’s part of the reason that the brand of football is not this irritating irrelevance it’s made out to be…
Levy refused to give Jan a deal long enough to keep him, definitely would have done amore than decent job until the likes of Rodon were up to speed. Another mentor too for young player, he was let goo too early, we were not ready.
Yet another example of the atrocious manner in which Levy conducts football matters…
He does love Dier, he’s had to play extra bad to get dropped!
That’s the point when he brings in Dybala with a glossy video montage to announce his arrival and shirt number. Levy genuinely thinks football fans are mainly idiots that can be manipulated by being throw a few crumbs here and there.
The gig is up Danny, you’ve been taking the p*ss for far too long…
That doesn’t make for a good read!
21 November 2019
José Mourinho has dismissed suggestions he needs new players at Tottenham, insisting he is happy to work with the current squad.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager was speaking in his first press conference since being appointed Spurs boss on Wednesday.
This has led to talk of a squad overhaul in the January transfer window, but Mourinho has described the players currently at his disposal as a “gift”.
“The best gift are the players who are here. I don’t need new players. I just need to get to know these ones better,” said the Portuguese.
“I know them well but you never know them well enough until you meet them.”
Saturday 17th October 2020
Mourinho has praised chairman Daniel Levy for helping him to assemble a Spurs squad that has significant strength in depth.
“They are happy that the squad is good, they are happy to see players coming in and making the squad better but at the same time they are worried about themselves.
“This is the kind of feeling you have in the top teams and we are having that now.”
Spurs, who have scored 13 goals in their last two games, have an embarrassment of riches in the attacking third, with Bale and Vinicius to come into the frame
Mourinho says it is among his best ever.
So, had Maureen’s ability to judge a squad fallen through the floor, or have the players all developed into worse players than when he arrived and it’s nothing to do with him, or was his assertion that he always spoke the truth untrue, and if so what else that he’s said or is saying is untrue?
Confused? You will be, after the next episode of …….. Spursy.
They’re both shocking. We should have kept SuperJan thats for sure. Him and Toby would have done a better job than the current bunch of muppets. We need to sell Dier and Sanchez and buy Andersen and Demiral in my opinion…. but anything’s better than Dier/Sanchez.
Good point. I forgot just how badly I wanted to try the new cheese room!!!!! Sums up the modern football fan.
I actually think he’s better than Sanchez, but that’s not saying a lot.
He dropped him for the last game but he’ll play him next week or the week after I’m sure. He loves him cos he speaks Portuguese. I can’t see any other reason for selecting him. He’s a donkey!
But of course they will. Season tickets are a monopolists dream, and what about the swanky restaurants & bars, not to mention the shopping, and the cheese room, and there’s the VIP tunnel, and the end of lockdown rush, it’ll be retail carnage from the blindly loyal with or without the star names.
LB is okay, and Tanganga will make a good right back but that’s promise, just remember how much he’s played and be patient. Dier isn’t a CB and Jose was wrong on that point, but he’s called outSanchez pretty early but what other options?but your right it’s not a top 4 back four, but neither was Liverpool until the splashed the cash
I think Jose did express it but maybe not in the way you or th British media expect or wish him to. He passed comment that we wouldn’t buy a Dias or another ready made solution, but then you need time to evolve a younger talent like a Rodon.
Hasn’t JM dropped Dier?
😆 The mail sport says it all.. Terrible journos.
If we are ready to be relegated then why not?
If the fans were back I think it would be extremely uncomfortable for Levy. From what I read, even the pro-stadium brigade are against him. When Kane and Son leave, we won’t need social distancing at the toilet bowl, no one will bother going to watch the rest of that dross.
It makes you wonder…!
Imagine if things were normal and fans were attending as per usual, the level of discontent towards Mourinho would be so bad.
We should have bought Andersen a few seasons ago when we were “looking at him”. He’s killing it at Fulham and would walk into our squad today. The problem with Jose is he puts too much faith in Dier and Sanchez. Toby should be playing every week and I’d prefer to see Rodon or Tanganga supporting him than Dier and Sanchez. Would love to see us go for Andersen and/or Demeral in the summer, but will probably end up with some average Joe and see Kane leave for bigger things. Levy & ENIC Out!!!
Keep him here and make him see out the contract while getting pelters from the fans and pundits. He needs to take responsibility for this and learn that can’t just throw his toys out of the pram and take his money without seeing out his contract.
I think he might be buying more than one…
Teams usually get a season or two of moderate success under him, good to see Spurs (ENIC) are capable of breaking even JM’s hot streak
Why was Rodon bought, because as usual the chairman prefers to buy cheap, buy twice as they say, because he’s still going to have buy a centre back in the summer.
They, ie Levy wouldn’t pay Inters valuation of Skriniar and they didn’t buy Rodon until the January window. The problem at centre back had been identified but not satisfactorily dealt with, the same as a second striker, not dealt with.
100%
He sees no future in the role, I personally don’t think he ever did…
How do you know Jose specifically asked Levy for a “top centre back”? If he did, why was Rodon bought and why hasn’t Jose expressed his displeasure at the situation? it’s because whoever works under Levy must accept the conditions. Therefore Jose is not less a patsy than the last manager was accused of being…
If they didn’t make the Covid protocols then they would not be allowed to play, training or not makes no difference.
As to the defence Mourinho told the chairman to get a top centre back and he didn’t do it.
He also asked for a proper backup striker and instead was given a player who is still learning his trade.
If we’re handing out blame let’s not forget who is really responsible for the mess the football side of things is in.
Shock.
Who would have thought with Mourinho in charge.
There can’t be anyone out there who didn’t see this coming. Surely
That defence was good enough to beat Villa away while keeping a clean sheet so why would Jose change it? We need to start preparing for life without Toby and I would have thought this was another ideal oppirtunity for Rodon and Sanchez to build on their partnership. Perhaps Jose felt Toby needed a rest after 3 internationals in 10 days with Man U, Everton and City on the horizon? The fact is we have one good ageing centre halve, another with promise and 2 that are liabilities. Our full-back situation is not much better. Our defence is not top 4 material.
Very ugly indeed
They saying Mourinho is not telling the truth and he blaming Toby and Aurier the loss of Europa League against Dinamo Zagreb that is the real reason why he don’t want to play them again and Mourinho also criticised Son and Lamela and questioned their decision making in the final third it seems the wheels have come off for Mourinho he is bashing right and left let’s see where and when it ends.
This is turning ugly !
So who is telling the truth? Mourinho says the reason why Toby didn’t play was that he didn’t train with the team on Thursday. Yet the photographs say otherwise. So why did Mourinho decide to leave out our best and most experienced CB and a consummate professional from a must-win match and select a backline that was inexperienced and which has led to us dropping two points that would have taken us into the fourth spot above Chelsea? Had we won this match it would have lifted the mood and given us a week to prepare for yet another must-win match against Man Utd on Sunday. It would have given us back to back away wins in the EPL. What impact do Mourinho’s comments have on the players who must be questioning why he made that statement to justify his selections.Clearly, there is a lot wrong behind the scenes that need sorting out now
“sparked confusion among players and staff”….wheres that then?
It is time for Mourinho he don’t care anymore he saying just pay me let me get out of here, to me it seems like that now.