Another curious decision by Tottenham’s Jose Mourinho

As if life in the Premier League for a 20-year-old devoid of experience isn’t difficult enough, Jose Mourinho compounded Japhet Tanganga’s hardship by starting him out of position at left back. 

Tanganga’s first three matches in the Premier League have all been at different positions. I’m not sure if that’s a record, but it certainly should be. While I’m sure the youngster is malleable and incredibly adaptable, it’s entirely unfair of such an experienced manager to throw him in the deep end like he did against Watford yesterday.

I know the situation at left back is dire, but surely it’s not so wretched that one, namely Mourinho, must set his vulnerable 20-year-old defender up to fail. A peculiar and slightly negligent decision, Mourinho should by now know better.

Danny Rose, who returned recently from a minor injury, has been ostracized from proceedings at the club. And maybe Jan Vertonghen’s sluggishness is too severe a shortcoming to overlook. Don’t look to Daniel Levy to solve the problem, as the chairman has no intention of using his pocketbook as a way to cure what ails his club. He never has and never will. Spurs have now started six different right backs and five left backs this season, underpinning how severe the current crisis.

Thank the heavens of Ben Davies’ imminent return to the lineup. Spurs, whether you like to admit it or not, need him desperately. But back to the bugbear at hand, Mourinho’s foolhardy decision to start a fresh-faced 20-year-old out of position on his first away match in the world’s toughest league. Talk about a baptism of fire.

In fairness to Tanganga, he did his utmost to quell Ismaïla Sarr’s threat down the right wing. But Sarr used all of his guile, pace and physicality to boss Spurs’ rookie centre back (I mean right back. I mean left back). The old adage, “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” Let’s hope that’s true in Tanganga’s case.

You’d think Mourinho by now has experience on his side not to make such naïve decisions. No matter how dire the personnel dilemma in defence, you cannot afford to toss an inexperienced asset into the deep end.

Or maybe, just maybe, Mourinho, by showing Levy just how desperate the current situation is, is trying to goad the chairman into purchasing reinforcements. I hope that’s the reason, as I’m having trouble coming to terms with any other justification for the curious decision. Hopefully it doesn’t dent Tanganga’s confidence too much.

I guess it’s not all bad, considering Tottenham, with Tanganga out of position, achieved their first clean sheet on the road in over a year.