Jose Mourinho can be a prisoner of his past. It invites comparisons and when Mourinho fails to touch the heights he scaled in his prime, they can be unflattering. His gift for a memorable phrase and his mastery of the barbed taunt mean Mourinho provided a memorable commentary on his glory years. His old words can be used against him.
And so it was that, when Tottenham were losing 5-4 at Everton on Wednesday, long-time Mourinhologists remembered his verdict on an earlier 5-4 Spurs defeat, to Arsenal in 2004. "This was not a football score, it was a hockey score," Chelsea's brash young manager said disparagingly.
Even in three-against three matches in training, he added: “When the score reaches 5-4, I send the players back to the dressing room, because they are not defending properly.”
Seventeen years later, Mourinho found fault with Spurs’ defending at Goodison Park. In 2004, Mourinho was speaking from a privileged position: none of his teams had ever conceded five times. Now, almost 1,000 games into his managerial career, three have. And the architect of that first evisceration awaits him on Saturday.
In 2010, Mourinho’s Real Madrid lost 5-0 to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. His response in following Clasicos was to field three defensive midfielders, including Pepe, to seek to spoil in bad-tempered affairs. In January 2015, his Chelsea lost 5-3 to Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham. His Chelsea had played attacking football for the first half of that campaign but battened down the hatches and defended their way to the title.
If nothing else, perhaps Mourinho has found a way of answering his critics. Some of Tottenham’s recent football – the 1-0 defeats to Brighton and Chelsea in particular – had been out of keeping with the club’s traditions and identity, devoid of ambition or entertainment.
To dare is to do? Not for the innately cautious Mourinho. But some of Spurs' attacking football at Goodison Park was genuinely good. Mourinho has marketed himself as the pragmatic winner and was not appointed to come eighth but if Tottenham are to be eighth, there is no doubt supporters would rather their path was action-packed.
But so to a game where Mourinho's inferiority complex tends to lead to defensiveness. As Spurs manager, he has actually won both meetings with Guardiola. The first, last February, came in improbable fashion. Manchester City had 19 shots to Spurs' three, registered an expected goals total of 3.25 to 0.42 and lost 2-0. Come November's rematch, Tottenham felt more convincing, but the shot count was still 22-4 and not in their favour.
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Everton v Spurs ratings
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EVERTON RATINGS: Robin Olsen, 6 – Pulled off a number of reactionary saves in the first half, a trend that continued in the second where he was unfortunate to palm a save down to the feet of Davinson, whose second goal brought the game level. Ultimately conceded four goals. Getty -
Ben Godfrey, 6 – Set up a lovely shot for himself on the quarter-hour mark and drove it well from distance. Defensively, he read situations well and made movements before Tottenham’s attacking players made their moves. This trait faded, though, as the game developed and play was stretched. EPA -
Michael Keane, 6 – Torrid start to the game, but eventually settled and would’ve been relieved to see three goals scored in seven minutes as Everton reversed their one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead. Missed a real sitter with 15 minutes to play, fortunately wasn’t left to rue that chance. Reuters -
Yerry Mina, 5 – Can be blamed for allowing Spurs back into the game when failing to clear his lines when Son and Lamela’s smart one-two on the stroke of half-time found the back of the hosts’ net. EPA -
Lucas Digne, 6 – Was strong defensively in the first half, though this trait fell away in the second when Everton went into freefall amid Spurs’ efforts to reclaim their one-goal lead. At the other end, his delivery from corners proved a useful asset. Eventually subbed with an apparent injury. AFP -
Abdoulaye Doucoure, 7 – Could’ve worked more closely with his midfield teammates initially, but that is being picky. This was a fine performance from Doucoure who appears to be growing in confidence as each game passes – looking like a great signing for Everton at just £20million. Getty -
Tom Davies, 7 – A fine performance. Could have been more accurate with his passing on occasions but settled well into the game and coped well considering the ebb and flow. Getty -
Alex Iwobi, 6 – Struggled for form initially and had to get tighter to Tottenham’s players early on as pace in front of the hosts’ penalty area was significant. Struggled to pick out the correct crosses too before being switched to the left after Calvert-Lewin was substituted. Reuters -
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 7 – Should be questioned for not clearing danger in the seconds leading up to Spurs’ opening goal. Great power with his shots and forced a fine save out of Lloris before scoring to spark an inspired seven-minute period for the hosts. AFP -
Gylfi Sigurdsson, 8 – Executed a lovely flick to Calvert-Lewin to spark Everton’s comeback. Struck a cool penalty and pulled off a fine assist for Bernard’s winner. AP -
Richarlison, 8 – Two marvellous goals that lifted Everton. Was switched into the middle after Calvert-Lewin was taken off, a move that led to his second. EPA -
SUBS: Seamus Coleman, (For Calvert-Lewin, 55) 6 – Perhaps Spurs were guilty of sitting too deep when defender Coleman came on in place of proven goalscorer Calvert-Lewin. Reuters -
Bernard (For Iwobi, 70), 8 – Made himself a match-winner when scoring in extra-time to register Everton’s fifth. AFP -
Mason Holgate (For Digne, 107), N/R – Did the job required of him as Everton closed the game out. Reuters -
TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris, 4 – Made a handful of fantastic saves, most notably when tipping Calvert-Lewin’s deflected shot on to the post. But hands weren’t strong enough on occasions and conceded five. EPA -
Matt Doherty, 5 – Possessed great vision to deliver a number of eye-catching balls from the right. At the other end, he defended strongly on occasions but will feel let down for letting five past. EPA -
Davinson Sanchez, 7 – Scored just once in 137 appearances for Tottenham before this, but that tally was increased when he struck twice – once in both halves of regulation time. Benefitted from Calvert-Lewin’s lazy defending to glance Tottenham in front before striking a poachers’ goal in the second half. PA -
Toby Alderweireld, 4 – Not his best game, made two key errors that contributed to Everton’s five goals and will be keen to put this game behind him. AFP -
Ben Davies, 5 – Struggled with his crossing – it was too slow and on too many occasions he failed to beat the first man. Defensively, Davies can perhaps take the least responsibility concerning the hosts’ five goals. AP -
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 4 – Held the ball up well when in possession and vision was a strong point moving forward. But two poor errors in quick time cost Spurs a pair of goals in short time. AFP -
Tanguy Ndombele, 6 – Played through the pain barrier after picking up an early knock and lasted beyond normal time before being replaced by Harry Winks in injury time. Decent performance. Reuters -
Lucas, 6 – Was wasteful with the occasional pass, but injected pace into which kept the topsy-turvy tie alive for Spurs. A sub-standard performance and was replaced with 20 minutes of normal time remaining. Getty -
Erik Lamela, 7 – Exploited the space Everton gifted by sitting in front of the hosts’ two centre backs. Made a number of good runs out of possession and was rewarded on the stroke of half time when linking up well with Son to keep the tie alive. Getty -
Steven Bergwijn, 5 – One of his better performances but hasn’t scored for the club since June 19, 2020. Played positively and was willing to try something different to enhance the visitors’ attacking threat. Subbed. AFP -
Heung-Min Son, 6 – Struck a number of shots and will perhaps be frustrated not to grab a goal of his own. PA -
SUBS: Harry Kane (For Bergwijn, 53), 7 – Did what was asked of him by coming on and scoring, but could’ve easily grabbed another one or two had it not been for the hosts’ determined defending. EPA -
Dele Alli (For Moura, 77), N/R – Has a point to prove if he is to become a regular in Spurs’ squad and didn’t make it. Getty -
Harry Winks (For Ndombele, 90), N/R – Questionable decision to bring him on. Reuters -
Moussa Sissoko (For Doherty, 99), N/R – Couldn’t make an impact when brought on midway through first half extra time. AFP -
Carlos Vinicius (For Lamela, 98), N/R – Would’ve came on the pitch earlier had it not been for Kane’s equaliser. AFP
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They remain the last team to defeat City, who are now unbeaten in 22 games and on a record winning run of 15, but it is a moot point if his formula is repeatable. Then Mourinho's tactical ploy entailed dropping midfielders Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Moussa Sissoko back inside the full-backs to form an ersatz back six.
Flaws at the heart of the defence have materialised since then. Eric Dier has been left out for the last two games since conceding the penalty against Chelsea. Mourinho has long appeared unconvinced by Davinson Sanchez, who tripled his Tottenham goal tally at Everton but who he targeted as a weak link in the 2017 Europa League final and took off at half time at Brighton.
Toby Alderweireld was a player he wanted at Manchester United but who is in decline now. Joe Rodon has plenty of potential but erred for Liverpool’s third goal. Behind them, Hugo Lloris was culpable for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s strike on Wednesday.
Mourinho has dropped hints he would have liked further defensive additions. But he made six summer signings – six more than Pochettino got in 2018 – even if one of them, Gareth Bale, was not on the bench at Everton, has only been given two league starts and seems an expensive sideshow. Mourinho appeared to question the Welshman’s attitude by deeming his latest injury “not obvious”; even if fit, however, he would not be starting at City.
The over-reliance on Harry Kane and Son Heung-min is in part of a consequence of Mourinho’s tactics and a preference for a workhorse – probably Steven Bergwijn – alongside them in the front three. A defensive attacker should be accompanied by a defensive mindset. Mourinho does not often concede five, but when he does, he gets more negative.
