AS Jose Mourinho’s first month in charge of Tottenham drew to a close, it was possible to believe that all was well at the club. Four wins out of five had encouraged the belief that all was needed was a change of manager, that things had just gone a bit stale under Mauricio Pochettino and all would be well with some fresh ideas at the top. Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea gave the lie to that complacency. Significant rebuilding is required.
Pochettino was aware of the lurking danger of decay two years ago and, with hindsight, his bizarre public pronouncements around the time of the Champions League final can be seen as evidence of his frustration that he was not being allowed to rebuild his squad. Whether Daniel Levy was hampered by financing the stadium move or this was further evidence of his notorious caution is unclear but the result was that the squad was not only allowed to atrophy together but that numerous players remain at the club with less than a year left on their contracts and their commitment in doubt.
Toby Alderweireld has officially signed a new contract with #thfc until 2023. pic.twitter.com/gN4TNvPV1J
— Daily Hotspur (@Daily_Hotspur) December 20, 2019
One of those issues has been dealt with now that Toby Alderweireld has signed a new deal to 2023 – and given he is 30, that marks a major departure from Levy’s previous reluctance to give extended deals to players entering the final years of their careers. Mourinho has made little secret of the fact that he wants to overhaul the back four in particular and that probably means three new faces arriving before the start of next season, although the likelihood is that that business will be done in the summer rather than January.
The need for new full-backs is clear and while Davinson Sanchez may survive the cull, it is worth remembering that during his time at Ajax, he was the player Mourinho targeted as a weak spot win the final when Manchester United won the Europa League in 2017. Mourinho is understood to like the West Ham centre-back Issa Diop, but it’s hard to see why West Ham would let him go for much less than £50m, particularly in January when they may be gearing up for a relegation fight.
The goalkeeper is another area where there is a desperate need for change. Hugo Lloris was looking fallible before suffering his dislocated elbow while any thought Paulo Gazzaniga might prove adequate back-up disappeared in the aberration that conceded the penalty on Sunday, the culmination of weeks of jitteriness. Depending just how shot his confidence is, there may be a case for bringing in a keeper as short-term cover.
Gazzaniga!!! Worst keeper in the league! ♂️ pic.twitter.com/rP2WBgqOsZ
— Rants (@rantsnbants) December 28, 2019
The front end of the team looks relatively healthy, particularly now Dele Alli is back in form. Harry Kane is as complete a centre-forward as there is the league, Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min offer pace and intelligence. Christian Eriksen remains an issue and while the assumption must be that he leaves when his contract expires in the summer, the case of Alderweireld shows that players can be persuaded to stay – and when is not there or not focused, Spurs do miss his creativity. His apparent indifference this season, though, surely counts against him.
Giovanni Lo Celso was signed as his replacement but injuries mean it’s been impossible properly to assess his capacity. His performances at Paris Saint-Germain and Real Betis, though, surely make it worth trying to give him more of an opportunity to prove himself in the second half of the season before a decision is made on whether to make permanent his loan.
Minutes per pass into the attacking third during Spurs vs Brighton:
•Winks – 8.50
•Dele – 7.50
•Sissoko – 6.92•Lo Celso – 2.83
•Eriksen – 2.75When the 2 technical playmakers who could connect Spurs’ midfield to their attack were on the pitch, things improved for Spurs. pic.twitter.com/3RlXX8wUkv
— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) December 26, 2019
Midfield is far more complicated. Until fairly recently, Eric Dier was a fine midfielder, a little slow and clumsy at times, perhaps, but a vital part of Tottenham (and England)’s rise. He too probably has six months to prove himself. At least he is getting pitch time, though. Mourinho’s reluctance to field Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks suggests he is unconvinced by both. Moussa Sissoko, meanwhile, remains the player he has always been: wildly inconsistent, his level always seeming to map the level of the team.
That the defence needs rebuilding can hardly be denied but more telling about how Mourinho sees the future of the side and how he wants to get Tottenham playing is what he does with the midfield. An area that even two years ago appeared a major strength is now shrouded in doubt.
