Tag: Tottenham Hotspur

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Jose Mourinho brushes off critics, says he’s still one of most important managers

Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho said he had learnt to turn a deaf ear to the criticism of his coaching methods and that he remains “one of the most important managers” in the game.

Mourinho started his managerial career with Benfica in 2000 and has since managed trophy-winning sides at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

The Portuguese boss was hired to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs because of his record of claiming trophies but finds himself under pressure with his team slipping to sixth in the Premier League after leading the table in November.

The north London club were also knocked out of the Europa League this month after losing 3-2 on aggregate to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb in the round of 16.

“I don’t think anybody is going to discuss rocket science with the guys from NASA, with everybody around the world,” Mourinho said in a virtual event organised by the club’s sponsor.

“They think they can discuss football with one of the most important managers in the game. That’s the beauty of football.

“I got used to it. I appreciate that. So that’s fine for me.”

The 58-year-old said his supporters, whom he labelled ‘Mourinistas’, motivate him to bounce back from a difficult spell.

“I used to call them the Mourinistas, because in Portugal we use ‘ista’ in the end of the name of the club that we love, to express the support,” he said.

“I have so many Mourinistas around the world that I play for them.”

Spurs play away to Newcastle United in the English top-flight on April 4 after the international break.

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ORSIC HAT-TRICK HELP DINAMO ZAGREB DUMP TOTTENHAM OUT OF EUROPA LEAGUE

Mislav Orsic scored a brilliant hat-trick as Dinamo Zagreb produced a remarkable fightback to dump Tottenham out of the Europa League.

The Croatian side trailed 2-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie but hit back to win the return 3-0 after extra time and snatch a place in the quarter-final draw.

Jose Mourinho’s Spurs looked set to prevail after holding the hosts in a goalless opening half at the Maksimir Stadium but Orsic gave Zagreb hope with a fine long-range just after the hour.

He then levelled the tie by finishing off a fine team move seven minutes from time and capped a fine comeback following a superb solo run in extra time.

Spurs upped the tempo in a frantic finish but Dinamo held on for a deserved win.

North London rivals Arsenal were also below par but did enough to go through despite a 1-0 defeat to Olympiacos at the Emirates Stadium.

Youssef El-Arabi, who also scored in the first leg, grabbed the only goal on the night but Mikel Arteta’s side held on for a 3-2 aggregate win.

The visitors’ hopes effectively ended when Ousseynou Ba was sent off for a second bookable offence seven minutes from time.

Roma cruised through as they claimed a 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in Kiev to win 5-1 on aggregate.

Spanish striker Borja Mayoral scored both goals for the Italian side either side of a reply from Junior Moraes.

LaLiga side Granada reached the last eight despite going down to a last-gasp defeat at the hands of Molde in Norway.

An own goal from Jesus Vallejo and a last-minute penalty from Eirik Hestad gave the Norwegians a 2-1 success but Granada, who scored a crucial away goal through substitute Roberto Soldado, progressed 3-2 on aggregate.

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MOURINHO ACCUSES TOTTENHAM PLAYERS OF ‘HIDING’ DURING THE NORTH LONDON DERBY DEFEAT TO ARSENAL

Jose Mourinho has slammed many of his ‘important’ Tottenham players for ‘hiding’ in their north London derby defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

Spurs led at the home of their rivals thanks to Erik Lamela’s clever ‘rabona’ flick but Martin Odegaard brought the Gunners level at the break before an action-packed second-half took the game away from Mourinho’s men.

Alexandre Lacazette won then scored a controversial penalty for Arsenal before Lamela was sent off for two yellow cards. Harry Kane then hit the post in the dying moments as Spurs came away from the derby empty-handed.

Mourinho claimed his side were ‘poor’ in the opening exchanges against Arsenal and lacked intensity in one of their biggest matches of the season.

The Spurs manager said after the game: ‘The only two things that were positive in the first half were an amazing goal and the result – 1-1 was not a fair reflection of that first half where they dominated us. We were very poor.

‘Some important players hiding. I’m not even going in direction of individuals. I’m as guilty for that first-half as the players.

‘People hiding themselves, no intensity, no passing and moving. We were poor. As simple as that.’

Spurs improved after the half-time whistle and created several chances before and after Lacazette’s winner from the penalty spot.

Mourinho made two significant second-half changes by taking off Gareth Bale and Tanguy Ndombele for Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli, with the Portuguese coach claiming the two players who came off were not showing enough intensity.

When asked why Bale and Ndombele came off, Mourinho told his post-match press conference: ‘Intensity. Gareth Bale and Tanguy, we need more intensity in that game.

‘We need to press more. We need to get more depth. We need to be more intense in the game.

‘We needed initially Sissoko to give us that intensity in midfield that Tanguy was not bringing.’

Spurs became more of a threat after the two changes. Alli came inches away from scoring a header from inside the penalty area, Kane’s late free-kick struck the woodwork before Davinson Sanchez’s shot was blocked on the line by Arsenal defender Gabriel.

Mourinho claimed his side did all they could to level the tie in their bid to recover from a disappointing opening 45 minutes.

‘The second half was under control, we recovered what we lost in the first half. We made changes to try and win it and then it’s a penalty.

‘After the penalty a second yellow for Lamela, but even so the team in the last 20 minutes, we did what we could and tried to get a result.’

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ARSENAL EDGE PAST 10-MAN SPURS TO CLAIM NORTH LONDON DERBY VICTORY

Alexandre Lacazette scored Arsenal’s winner from the penalty spot as they downed 10-man Tottenham despite captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being dropped due to disciplinary issues.

The striker was only named among the substitutes as the club confirmed a breach in pre-match protocol ahead of the north London derby – but his team-mates would win regardless, coming from behind to secure a 2-1 victory.

Lacazette turned home a second-half penalty after Martin Odegaard had earlier cancelled out a sublime rabona finish from Spurs substitute Erik Lamela – who was sent off for picking up two quick bookings as the visitors chased the game.

With both sides very much on the periphery of the race for the Premier League top four and no Emirates Stadium crowd, it felt like a shadow of previous north London derbies.

But this was a big win for Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta, especially after his decision to axe Aubameyang before kick-off.

The Spaniard had lost his previous two games against Spurs as Arsenal boss – but he got the better of Jose Mourinho to move within four points of their neighbours in the table.

While Lacazette replaced Aubameyang, Emile Smith Rowe and Cedric Soares were also recalled into the Arsenal side.

Both would see efforts hit the woodwork either side of a breathtaking moment of skill from Lamela.

The Argentinian forward had replaced Son Heung-min, who pulled up injured less than 20 minutes into the contest.

His first involvement was to take a pass from Lucas Moura and direct a rabona finish along the ground and into the corner of Bernd Leno’s goal.

Arsenal would deservedly go in level at the interval as Odegaard scored his first Premier League goal – his tame effort deflecting off Toby Alderweireld and past Hugo Lloris.

Arteta introduced Nicolas Pepe for Bukayo Saka at the break, while Mourinho would turn to his bench as Moussa Dembele and Dele Alli replaced Gareth Bale and Tanguy Ndombele.

But just moments after Alli’s introduction, the visitors would find themselves behind as referee Michael Oliver adjudged that Davinson Sanchez had wiped out Lacazette in the box.

The VAR was in agreement and Lacazette dusted himself off to send Lloris the wrong way and score the 20th penalty in Premier League games between the two sides, the most in any fixture in the competition’s history.

Tottenham’s task of earning a result was made all the harder as Lamela was dismissed for two bookings in seven minutes.

The first was for a late lunge on Thomas Partey and he was given his marching orders soon after for raising his arm in a challenge with Kieran Tierney.

Harry Kane endured a quiet afternoon leading the line for Spurs but thought he had headed them level – only to see his 83rd-minute header chalked out for offside.

He then arrowed a late free-kick past Leno but against the post as the numerical advantage was failing to show for a nervy home side.

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KANE BRACE PUTS TOTTENHAM IN DRIVING SEAT AGAINST DINAMO ZAGREB

Harry Kane’s sensational season continued as his two goals put Tottenham on course for the Europa League quarter-finals as they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in the last-16 first leg.

The England captain is having one of his most productive campaigns and took his tally to 26 goals in 37 appearances, while also contributing 16 assists.

A strike in either half against the Croatians justified Jose Mourinho’s decision to select his main striker, despite the north London derby being just 72 hours away, and he equalled a club record of eight European goals in a single season set by Martin Chivers twice and Martin Peters.

He will surely break that if Spurs are to go on and win the competition, which Mourinho is targeting, though his display here might give him next week’s second leg in Zagreb off.

Spurs still have work to do in the Croatian capital, but the result here makes their task easier and the last eight is looming.

Dinamo arrived in north London on the back of an eight-game winning run and they were a clear step up from the standard of opposition Spurs have previously faced in this competition.

Indeed, the night could have taken a different path had Mislav Orsic taken a golden chance presented to him in the opening minute.

A wayward pass from Tanguy Ndombele set Orsic in the clear but once he got into the penalty area, his effort was tame and straight at Hugo Lloris.

Spurs took advantage of their let-off and went ahead in the 25th minute after assuming control of the match.

Kane was the goalscorer but it was Erik Lamela who he had to thank as a fine piece of skill saw the Argentinian ride a challenge and breeze into the box, where his shot hit the post, giving the England captain a simple tap-in.

It was Kane’s 25th goal in all competitions of a highly productive season.

The hosts continued to be the aggressors but they found clear chances to add to their lead hard to come by against a compact defence.

They thought they should have had a penalty early in the second half when Ndomeble appeared to be clipped by Lovro Majer but referee Serdar Gozubuyuk waved away appeals and the incident was not referred to VAR.

Spurs eventually doubled their lead in the 70th minute and it was that man Kane again.

Ndombele’s long ball found Aurier in space and his cross was not cleared by Kevin Theophile-Catherine, with Kane pouncing to fire home from 10 yards out.

Gareth Bale stepped off the bench and almost put the tie beyond Zagreb with a trademark free-kick from distance which swerved and dipped and forced Dominik Livakovic to punch clear.

Kane’s work for the evening was done and he was replaced by Carlos Vinicius before being seen on the touchline with ice on his knee, which Spurs will hope is just a precaution ahead of Sunday’s trip to Arsenal.

Bale had another chance to completely kill the tie at the death but he poked Steven Bergwijn’s cross wide.

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KANE, BALE BOTH HIT BRACE TO HELP SPURS SECURE 4-0 VICTORY AGAINST PALACE.

Gareth Bale and Harry Kane starred with braces to help Tottenham make it three Premier League wins in a row and boost their top four hopes after a 4-1 home success over Crystal Palace.

The duo combined twice with Kane the architect for both goals by the Real Madrid loanee before the England captain hit a wonder strike and then created history with another in the 76th minute.

Son Heung-min assisted Kane’s second and it was their 14th goal combination in the Premier League this season to beat the previous record of 13 set by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton for Blackburn back in the 1994-95 season.

Christian Benteke had threatened to spoil proceedings for Jose Mourinho’s side when he equalised just before half-time, but two quickfire goals after the break ensured Spurs were able to secure a fifth straight victory.

Dele Alli was back on the bench after his second league start of the season at Fulham in midweek while the visitors listed the returning Wilfried Zaha as a substitute.

Bale showed no early ill-effects on his third consecutive start and should have had an assist in the sixth minute but Son headed straight at Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

The Welsh attacker had slalomed between two opponents to create the chance and it was a sign of things to come.

After a brace in Tottenham’s win over Burnley last weekend, Bale added to his tally again with 25 minutes on the clock.

Palace captain Luka Milivojevic was dispossessed by Lucas Moura deep inside his own half and Kane dropped a shoulder to beat the midfielder and race into the area where he squared for Bale to tap in.

It was a poor way for the visitors to concede and not long after the hosts almost produced a superb team move but Sergio Reguilon sliced wide on the volley.

A flurry of corners in quick succession saw Palace build some momentum and in the first minute of stoppage time they levelled against the run of play.

Ebere Eze found Milivojevic in space and the captain atoned for his earlier error with a fine delivery into the area where Benteke headed home for his fifth goal of the season.

Zaha was introduced at the break, but he was largely a spectator during a lightning-quick start to the second period where Tottenham scored twice in the space of three minutes.

First Bale doubled his tally for the night when he nodded home from Kane’s header across the face of goal after another excellent Reguilon cross in the 49th minute.

It made it 10 goals for the season for the Spurs number nine and back-to-back braces at home, but soon the focus was on the creator.

A slick move was concluded in style when Matt Doherty cut back for Kane in space and he produced a 25-yard curler into the top corner to leave Guaita with no chance.

The Bale and Kane show was ended in the 70th minute when the Real Madrid loanee was replaced but it had been another impressive showing to continue his return to form.

A minute before the substitution Zaha had almost reduced the deficit but his shot from outside the area hit the post.

There was still time for one more Spurs goal and it proved a record-breaking effort when Son squared for Kane to head in from close range for their 14th goal combination in the Premier League this season.

It bettered Shearer and Sutton’s efforts of 13 for Blackburn 26 years ago and ensured the 4-1 win for Tottenham moved them up to sixth in the table while Palace remain in 13th.

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TOTTENHAM EDGE FULHAM 1-0 WITH A CONTROVERSIAL HANDBALL RULING

Tottenham were the beneficiaries of the controversial handball law as they held on to a 1-0 win at Fulham that boosts their top-four hopes.

The International Football Association Board’s meeting on Friday could not be more timely after the Cottagers were denied an equaliser by a harsh handball rule in the second half.

After Spurs led in the first half through Tosin Adarabioyo’s own goal, Scott Parker’s men had the ball in the back of the net when Josh Maja fired home, but replays showed the ball cannoned into the hand of Mario Lemina from a Davinson Sanchez clearance when he was a matter of yards away.

VAR applied the laws and ruled the goal out, robbing Fulham of what would have been a worthy leveller and potentially having a huge impact on their quest for Premier League survival.

They did more than enough to take at least a point out of the game, completely dominating the second half but they could not find another way through.

It was far from convincing from Jose Mourinho’s side, but they held on to register an important win, staying in eighth position but moving four points off the top four.

After a sluggish start Spurs came to life after 15 minutes and began to look dangerous

Gareth Bale fired a free-kick over the crossbar while Harry Kane uncharacteristically put a free header straight at Alphonse Areola following Son Heung-min’s pinpoint cross.

Having fired their warning shots, they took the lead in the 20th minute.

Bale, fresh from his devastating performance against Burnley on Sunday, was again involved as he set Dele Alli free down the middle. The midfielder. making his first Premier League start since the opening day of the season, found Son on the left and then made his way into the box to get on the end of the return pass, with the final touch awarded to Fulham defender Adarabioyo.

That gave Spurs control of the game and they went on to dominate possession and territory.

Kane had a reasonable appeal for a penalty turned down after VAR backed referee David Coote’s decision before Son put a header wide at the far post when picked out by Alli.

Despite being in control, Spurs almost went in at half-time level as Fulham created their best opening in first-half stoppage time.

Antonee Robinson did well to get in down the left and the ball was pulled back to First the Frenchman expertly tipped over Joachim Andersen’s header from a free-kick and then from the resulting corner he kept out Adarabioyo’s effort.

The Cottagers thought they had a deserved leveller just after the hour as Maja fired into the bottom corner after Lemina’s first effort had been saved by Lloris.

But Sanchez’s clearance had hit Lemina’s arm from close range before falling to Maja and VAR ruled the goal out.

This was an all-too familiar sight for Spurs, taking a lead and then reverting into their shells as Fulham threw bodies forward. Lemina, who blazed over.

Fulham started the second half brightly and forced Hugo Lloris into two smart stops from set-pieces.

First the Frenchman expertly tipped over Joachim Andersen’s header from a free-kick and then from the resulting corner he kept out Adarabioyo’s effort.

The Cottagers thought they had a deserved leveller just after the hour as Maja fired into the bottom corner after Lemina’s first effort had been saved by Lloris.

But Sanchez’s clearance had hit Lemina’s arm from close range before falling to Maja and VAR ruled the goal out.

This was an all-too familiar sight for Spurs, taking a lead and then reverting into their shells as Fulham threw bodies forward.

It took until the 83rd minute for the visitors to have a shot in the second half and it should have killed the game.

Erik Lamela played in Kane, but the England captain had a rare off night in front of goal and allowed Areola to block the shot.

It was frantic at the end but Spurs held on with Fulham left feeling a sense of injustice

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GARETH BALE’S BRACE HELPS SPURS SECURE CONVINCING VICTORY AGAINST BURNLEY

Gareth Bale scored in either half as Tottenham Hotspur comfortably returned to winning ways with a 4-0 victory over Burnley.

Bale opened the scoring after only 68 seconds when he converted Son Heung-min’s cross.

Jay Rodriguez had a header saved at the other end before Spurs asserted their dominance.

Bale’s sumptuous long pass picked out Harry Kane, who doubled the home side’s lead on 14 minutes.

Lucas Moura added a third just past the half-hour with a low shot from Sergio Reguilon’s cross.

And Bale sealed the win with his second strike in the 55th minute, curling in after another assist from Son.

Burnley’s Nick Pope prevented Spurs grabbing more goals with smart saves from Kane and Son.

Spurs move up to eighth with 39 points while a first defeat in five keeps Burnley in 15th on 28 points, five points above the bottom three.

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DELE ALLI STARS AS TOTTENHAM PROGRESS TO EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 16 AFTER THRASHING WOLFSBERGER 4-0

Jose Mourinho saluted Dele Alli after the Tottenham midfielder ensured his side can still save their troubled season with a virtuoso display in Wednesday’s 4-0 rout of Austrian minnows Wolfsberger in the Europa League last 32 second leg.

Alli scored a brilliant opener early in the first half and provided the assist when Carlos Vinicius doubled their lead after the break.

Gareth Bale netted from another Alli assist before Vinicius bagged his second as Tottenham ran out 8-1 aggregate winners after cruising to a 4-1 victory in the first leg last week.

While progress to the last 16 looked a formality after the comfortable first leg success, nothing has come easy for Tottenham this term.

So Mourinho will have breathed a sigh of relief that his team kept alive their best remaining hope of qualifying for the Champions League.

Close to leaving in the January transfer window, Alli played the key role in a rare start after being frozen out by Mourinho for much of the season.

“The goal I don’t need to speak, because everyone watched it and I believe that all around the world on all these sports TV, people are going to watch it, no need to talk about it,” Mourinho said.

“But for me the globality of the performance is what matters. He played very well in every aspect of the game.

“Of course he’s not fresh, of course you can feel that his performance like in the first leg from minute 55-60 is going to go down, which is normal due to the circumstances – injured, not training for a long time.

“But in this moment when we are going to play every three days, 10 matches in March, to have Dele back at this level is amazing.”

A dismal run of six defeats in their last eight games in all competitions had seen Tottenham plunge to ninth place in the Premier League and crash out of the FA Cup.

They are languishing nine points behind fourth placed West Ham in the race for a top four finish, while Mourinho is mired in the worst run of his career.

Amid reports that Tottenham’s players are bored with his training sessions and conservative tactics, Mourinho this week insisted his methods are “second to none”, claiming morale among his squad was still high.

But the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss is likely to face the sack unless Tottenham can salvage their woeful campaign by reaching the Champions League.

Realistically that means winning the Europa League and Tottenham remain on course, even if much sterner tests lie in wait in the later rounds.

Mourinho says Tottenham’s travails only underline how “beautiful” the rest of his career has been.

Whether the final verdict on his rocky spell at Tottenham will be so flattering may be determined by the end of the season.

Tottenham were regulars in the top four and reached the Champions League final under Mourinho’s predecessor Mauricio Pochettino.

But Pochettino, now in charge at Paris Saint-Germain, was sacked by chairman Daniel Levy after a poor run of results last season and Mourinho could easily suffer the same fate.

Well aware that some media critics and Tottenham fans claim he is past his best, the prospect of a humiliating exit against unheralded Wolfsberger was unthinkable for Mourinho.

For once, his players didn’t let him down.

Alli put Tottenham ahead after just 10 minutes in eye-catching style.

When a loose ball fell to him 15 yards out and with his back to goal, Alli sent a superb bicycle kick looping into the far corner.

Vinicius benefitted from Alli’s excellence five minutes after half-time when the on-loan Benfica striker met the midfielder’s precise cross with a clinical far post header.

Bale came off the bench to fire into the top corner after another Alli assist in the 73rd minute.

Ten minutes later, teenager Dane Scarlett stole possession and teed up Vinicius to score from 12 yards.

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“NOBODY IS HAPPY, BUT NOBODY IS DEPRESSED” MOURINHO ON SPURS’ SLUMP

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is determined to turn around the club’s slump.

Spurs have lost five of their last six Premier League games to fall out of Champions League contention and Mourinho finds himself in an unprecedented situation in his long managerial career.

The Portuguese says that the current run shows how good his career has been and that he is committed to making a success of his time in north London.

“I want to know which coach has always had blue sky and never cloudy or a bit dark,” he said ahead of his side’s Europa League last-32 second-leg tie with Wolfsberger.

“Perhaps only a coach who is always at a dominant club in a league. It shows how beautiful my career has been. Does it make me depressed? No. It’s a challenge. I work for the club, the players and the supporters.

“I always feel I have to give them so much. It hurts me and it’s a great challenge for me and I believe I can give it. I give it everywhere I’ve been and I’m more motivated than ever.

“I never felt what normally coaches felt when the results are bad, they are lonely men. That’s what we normally are. I never felt that in this building. I feel not only respected but supported. Everybody in the same boat.

“Nobody is happy but nobody is depressed. I feel positive. Maybe a bit weird for you after losing so many matches but I’m positive. I’m not happy but I wake up wanting to come here. Everybody is loving training and working hard with so many matches.”

Mourinho says he is in constant contact with chairman Daniel Levy and there is no friction between the pair.

“My relationship is the same since day one which is one of respect and open communication,” he said. “We respect each other. There is no contradiction between us because we both feel the same.

“I believe we all feel the same feelings. Nobody is happy, nobody is depressed and everybody feels we are going to do better.

“What I feel to Mr Levy is what I feel in every club I’ve worked in. I want to give happiness to everyone, the chairman, the players, the fans, everybody connected to the club.

“I feel one of them and I want to give happiness to them. I don’t change.”