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Jose Mourinho’s first full season in charge of Tottenham has already provided a cup final date, plenty of late drama and a sprinkle of Mourinho’s magic.
Five key games
Tottenham 0 – 1 Everton
After a positive pre-season, Tottenham’s prospective ambitions were re-aligned by many after a poor opening day performance against Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton. A timid first-half performance was worsened by a passive second-half as Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header secured the victory for the Toffees.
The negativity around the performance, acknowledged by Mourinho at the time, prompted a flurry of activity in the market as Sergio Reguilon, Gareth Bale, Carlos Vinicius and Joe Rodon would all bolster the squad by the end of the window.
Tottenham 1 – 1 Chelsea (Spurs win 5-4 on penalties)
With Spurs having to play multiple Europa League qualification matches due to their sixth-placed finish in 2019/20 campaign, the Carabao Cup fixture against London rivals Chelsea represented the third game of four within a week. Therefore, a heavily rotated Tottenham side were expected to crash out against a strong Blues team.
After a first-half Timo Werner strike, substitute Erik Lamela levelled the scores to take the game to penalties. A perfect set of penalties ended with Chelsea’s fifth spot-kick as Mason Mount fired wide to send Jose Mourinho and assistant Joao Sacramento skipping down the tunnel in delight.
Since progressing against the Blues, Spurs have beaten Stoke and Brentford to reach the final against Manchester City on April 25th.
Manchester United 1 – 6 Tottenham
The victory over Chelsea was followed by a win against Maccabi Haifa to seal Spurs’ place in the Europa League group stages before Mourinho’s men travelled to Old Trafford.
A penalty within the opening two minutes was dispatched by Bruno Fernandes as Spurs’ fixture congestion was seemingly destined to catch up with them.
Tanguy Ndombele and Heung-Min Son’s goals ensured the away side were in front after only seven minutes played and after Anthony Martial’s red card, Tottenham ran riot as a Harry Kane double, a Serge Aurier finish and another for Son completed the rout.
Tottenham 2 – 0 Arsenal
Whilst Tottenham sat at the top of the table, their north London rivals Arsenal were languishing in 15th. The expectation was firmly placed on Spurs to claim victory and the Lilywhites delivered as Son and Kane’s goals ensured an easy victory.
The win ensured it was back-to-back home wins over Man City and Arsenal, with the media now tipping Tottenham for a title challenge.
Tottenham 1 – 1 Fulham
Since victory over the Gunners, Tottenham only collected six points from their next six games. Before their win over Sheffield United at the weekend that boosted that figure, Scott Parker’s Fulham secured a draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
After a first-half Kane header, Ivan Cavaleiro’s late effort secured a point for the Cottagers. In isolation, the result was a disappointing one but coupled with 1-1 draws when leading to Wolves and Crystal Palace and a worrying trend was appearing for Mourinho’s team. They currently sit fifth after 18 games, seven off the top with a game in hand.
Star players
The Kane and Son show is never-ending for Mourinho as the pair continue to win games on their own. Both players have 12 Premier League goals to their name, whilst Kane also tops the assist charts with 11, four of which came at St Mary’s in Spurs’ 5-2 win on the south coast.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is already a fan favourite due to his spirited performances in the centre of midfield, whilst Tanguy Ndombele is also displaying his ability further forward, culminating in his flicked finish at Bramall Lane.
Underperforming players
With the burden for goals heavily relying on Kane and Son, Mourinho must gain contributions from his other attackers as the season continues. Gareth Bale’s return has been underwhelming as his constant battle with fitness continues with Erik Lamela often joining him in the physio’s room.
Davinson Sanchez has also fallen out of favour with the recent emergence of Joe Rodon and the switch to a back four has impacted Matt Doherty’s effectiveness after his summer arrival from Wolves.
What’s next?
An April date for the Carabao Cup final will be firmly positioned in Jose Mourinho’s calendar as Spurs remain competitive across all formats this season. A kind draw in the FA Cup and Europa League mean progression is expected and barring injuries to their main attacking duo, the Lilywhites could mount a title challenge should they cease squandering leads.
Whether injuries or fixture congestion mean their Portuguese coach has to prioritise one competition remains to be seen, but Tottenham’s first half to the season has been a positive one, with the visit of Liverpool next in the Premier League a test of their credentials to challenge the reigning champions.
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