Honeymoon period over for Tottenham under Mourinho, but not all is lost

The honeymoon period under Jose Mourinho that saw Tottenham score at will is well and truly over, with his dogmatic style now coming to the fore. 

It was fun while it lasted but nobody expected a free-flowing, expansive brand of football under Mourinho’s tight grip. Spurs, who provided supporters with innumerable highlight-reel moments, bagged 14 goals in the first five matches of Mourinho’s reign. Tottenham have since scored six in seven matches since.

It’s not like this dry patch was unexpected. And in fairness to Mourinho, he’s not to blame. The loss of Harry Kane crippled Spurs’ offensive clout, diminishing the side to a reliance on our attacking midfielders’ ability to lead the goal-scoring charge.

The Sun suggested, inaccurately according to some players’ testimony, that sections of the locker room is having difficulties coming to terms with Mourinho’s dry, old school, regimented training methodologies. The Sun also reported negativity is starting to pervade behind the scenes, which again was repudiated by the likes of Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier. They assure supporters nothing is wrong behind the scenes.

We all knew what to expect when Mourinho took control. And in fairness to the systematic manager, his side isn’t bleeding the copious amounts of goals it did previously. Spurs have conceded just three goals in their last four games and six in the last six. That’s a marked improvement over the first few games of his Tottenham tenure.

But Tottenham supporters are used to seeing their side push the offensive envelope and create chances through an innovative, high-tempo style of attack. You’re more likely to get a suntan at the height of winter in London than see Mourinho employ a run-and-gun, free-flowing style of play.

But by adding strong forward whose able to hold the ball up well, a crafty, imaginative playmaker and a marauding right or left back, Mourinho’s no nonsense, structured defensive tactics will pay off.

Spurs, under Mourinho, might not win any prizes for style, but they will, predicated on bringing suitable personnel reinforcements to Hotspur Way, improve defensively and start to win games ugly.

Daniel Levy knew what he was getting into when he signed Mourinho, so Tottenham faithful must learn to embrace his stubborn, sometimes painstaking methods. The question is whether Tottenham supporters are ok with winning ugly, forsaking the entertaining brand of football we so often saw under Mauricio Pochettino.