In his days as a serial champion, Jose Mourinho used to be defined by his own position at the top of a table.
In the construction of his teams, he likes to have what he terms a “positional midfielder.” Others might call it a defensive midfielder or a No 6. Whichever, Tottenham have lacked a quintessential Mourinho ball-winning midfielder, his modern-day Claude Makelele or Costinha.
Until now, perhaps. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s signing from Southampton should rectify the greatest shortcoming in the Spurs squad.
Eric Dier prefers to play in defence these days and has not really excelled in midfield for two seasons. Victor Wanyama’s January departure was rather overlooked, but he never recaptured the form he showed in his stellar 2016-17 in arguably Mauricio Pochettino’s best team.
The common denominator among Tottenham’s very different central midfielders, from Harry Winks to Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso to Moussa Sissoko, is that none wants to be the most defensive presence in the heart of the team. Each would rather be the No 8 than the No 6.
Hojbjerg would not. He sees himself as a facilitator, a worker who can let others play. "My biggest strength is making other players better," he told the Football Ramble podcast.
“Supporting them, playing the right balls, doing the right runs, fighting for them, feeding them, analysing the game, reading the game.
"Of course, I have qualities but to be the guy who brings the team together to get the best out of everyone is what I really feel very comfortable in and strong in."
Such words might be music to Mourinho’s ears. He has long liked footballers willing to sacrifice themselves for a greater cause. “Mainly it’s about responsibility,” said Hojbjerg, and a demonstration of his willingness to assume it came last autumn.
Southampton's 9-0 defeat to Leicester was a historic low. The fixture list gave them back-to-back trips to Manchester City and their only specialist left-back Ryan Bertrand was suspended. Hojbjerg slotted in selflessly.
It is no surprise he has the skill-set to be versatile. Hojbjerg became a protégé of Pep Guardiola when the Catalan became Bayern Munich manager.
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Spurs 2019/20 season ratings
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2019/20 RATINGS: MANAGERS: Mauricio Pochettino - 4: Still beloved by Tottenham supporters, despite the troubled start to the campaign that cost him his job in November. And the feeling seems mutual, given he was pictured in Spurs leisurewear when his son signed a pro deal at the club late in the season. Getty -
Jose Mourinho – 6: Judged by his celebration at winning a point at Crystal Palace to secure sixth place on the final day, he regarded his start at Spurs a success. Few fans seem to fancy the football his side play, though, and they flounced out of the cups on his watch. Reuters -
GOALKEEPERS: Hugo Lloris – 6: His excellence after lockdown papered over a chequered season before it, which included some significant errors and a nasty dislocated shoulder injury. EPA -
Paulo Gazzaniga – 6: The Argentine proved himself the ideal No 2 behind Lloris as he played nearly as many games as the club captain – appearing in 25 matches compared to 27 for Lloris. Getty -
DEFENDERS: Danny Rose – 5: It has felt as though the England left-back had wanted out of Tottenham for years. He spied his chance when Mourinho arrived, and headed the Newcastle United on loan. Reuters -
Toby Alderweireld – 7: More appearances than any other Spurs player. He had to get used to a new set up at the back, as his long term partner for club and country Jan Vertonghen started to be phased out. PA -
Jan Vertonghen – 5: One of Tottenham’s most important players in the Premier League era signed off in ignominious style. His absence from the squad on the opening day foreshadowed a problematic campaign, but he will leave with the best wishes of Spurs fans. PA -
Davinson Sanchez – 6: Not exactly the reassuring presence of peak Vertonghen, but he at least earned the backing of Mourinho – who had once targeted Sanchez as a weak link in the Ajax side when he was in charge of Manchester United. PA -
Eric Dier – 6: All’s well that ends well. He has a new contract, a fixed position at centre-back, and the faith of the manager. But the season was turbulent, what with being subbed after 29 minutes of Mourinho’s first home game, as well as a four-match ban for wading into the crowd. AP -
Kyle Walker-Peters – 5: Enjoyed some fine displays after lockdown. By that point, though, Mourinho had jettisoned the young right-back out on loan to Southampton. Reuters -
Juan Foyth – 4: Once seen as potentially being the future at centre back – or even right back – for Tottenham, but he stalled this year with just four appearances, and with the departure of compatriot Pochettino as manager. AFP -
Serge Aurier – 6: Extraordinary that his best form arrived when he was grieving his brother. That show of character apart, his campaign was typified by loose defence and was riddled with mistakes. AFP -
Ben Davies – 6: Clearly well liked by Mourinho. The Welshman was installed in the line up as soon as he was fit, and Rose was summarily let go to Newcastle. Solid enough, but lacks the dynamism of Rose in his pomp. AFP -
Japhet Tanganga – 7: The local lad immediately won a place in the fans hearts when he was thrown in for his first Premier League start against a rampant Liverpool side, and did a fine job marking Sadio Mane. Reuters -
MIDFIELDERS: Harry Winks – 7: The midfielder’s progress has been stunted in the past by injuries, but he played in 41 games this time around and had established himself as a fixture in Mourinho’s first-choice starting XI by the end of the term. EPA -
Moussa Sissoko – 7: A player who has turned his reputation around entirely. Once unfancied by the majority of Spurs fans, they were counting down the days until he returned from injury this season. Getty -
Giovani Lo Celso – 8: A difficult campaign at Tottenham has had one clear and obvious silver lining: the arrival of an Argentine schemer of class and style. He could be the rock on which Spurs’ immediate future in built. AP -
Erik Lamela – 7: Not always a guaranteed starter, but Lamela might be the face of a nastier Spurs under Mourinho. No player made more fouls after the season resumed that the Argentine. EPA -
Ryan Sessegnon – 4: Big things were expected of the left-sided player after his big-money move from Fulham last summer. He failed to force his way in to the starting line up, though, and appeared a timid presence when he did play. Getty -
Dele Alli – 6: Mourinho breathed some life back into Alli after goading him by saying he thought his brother had been playing instead of him. The revival was brief, but he did at least manage nine goals across the course of the season. Reuters -
Christian Eriksen – 4: The wantaway star undermined the start of Tottenham’s campaign, and the end of the Pochettino-era. His mind was clearly elsewhere, so Pochettino could hardly pick him – but the side could not yet cope without him, either. Left for Inter Milan in January. Reuters -
Steven Bergwijn – 8: His arrival provided a rare source of optimism in what was a bleak midwinter for Tottenham. He sparkled immediately, scoring a fine goal in a man of the match display on debut against Manchester City. AP -
Lucas Moura – 7: Seven goals, and he has moved past the role of impact-sub that seemed to have been earmarked for him to become a pillar of Mourinho’s team. AP -
Tanguy Ndombele – 3: It all started so well, with a goal and a powerhouse display against Aston Villa on the opening day. What followed was a tale of woe. Too often unfit, and the subject of public criticism from a manager he didn’t sign for. AFP -
Oliver Skipp – 5: No clear progression towards a place in the side, with just three starts and eight substitute appearances. But being a squad player might be just what he and the club require for now. PA -
Gedson Fernandes – 4: His stats at Benfica did not exactly scream “potential superstar” but his arrival was welcomed at a time when morale was low. That said, he did not manage a start in the league, and missed a penalty that cost Spurs their place in the FA Cup. AFP -
ATTACKERS: Son Heung-min – 9: Swept the board in Tottenham’s various player of the season awards, having accrued 18 goals and 12 assists across all competitions. And all that despite picking up one red card, a fractured arm, and completing his military service in South Korea during lockdown. PA -
Harry Kane – 8: Takes ages to get match sharp after injuries. Can’t play in a Jose Mourinho team. And he was only ever a one-season wonder, anyway. Really? A haul of 24 goals in 34 games across all competitions suggests a slightly more nuanced take on the story. Reuters
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"It has taken just a couple of training sessions for him to fall in love with the player," wrote Marti Perarnau in Pep Confidential. That affection did not translate to regular starts in a talent-packed Bayern team.
If Hojbjerg was then billed as Guardiola’s new Sergio Busquets, such predictions were never quite realised. “I had him a bit too early in my career,” Hojbjerg reflected in 2018.
He became something else instead and if he has now crossed the great divide from Guardiola to Mourinho, a third manager has significance.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was quick to make the Dane captain – he stripped him of the armband in June when it became apparent he would not sign a new contract and wanted a move – but Southampton’s all-action, front-foot football is more in tune with the footballing Zeitgeist.
Does Hojbjerg’s arrival suggest Mourinho is trying to move with the times, to play a more upbeat brand of football?
Certainly the centre-backs should benefit from added cover and the more creative midfielders from a supply line.
And yet it is also about a fourth manager. Carlo Ancelotti did not have enough pulling power to take Hojbjerg to Everton, whose wasteland of a midfield needed him even more than Spurs.
Everton’s mediocrity may have cost them the services of a target who could have alleviated it.
Tottenham are instead getting the man who regained possession in the Premier League last season. Mourinho should enjoy working with a man who relishes the ugly side of the game.
