More inexplicable decisions from Tottenham’s Portuguese gaffer
By Gary Pearson
Jose Mourinho inexplicably decided to go with a back three featuring Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez against one of the most explosive attacking forces in the Premier League.
Most of us recognize that Dier’s best position is at centre back. So giving him a chance to prove himself at his preferred position isn’t on it’s own an egregious error. In fact it would seem quite logical had he been stationed beside a reliable stalwart like Toby Alderweireld.
But to throw the struggling Englishman into the team at the most important position beside Tottenham’s most inexperienced player with a stand-in keeper as the last line of defence is as inexplicable as it is foolish.
Japhet Tanganga, being only 20 years old in the world’s toughest league, has enough to cope without being thrown to the wolves. The youngster was set up yet again for failure, positioned beside Dier, whose struggles this season have been well documented.
Like Dier, Tanganga needs to play beside someone who exudes confidence and proficiency. He must play in tandem with a bonafide stalwart, an experience senior member of the squad. That way the senior player, someone like Alderweireld, can make up for any inadequacies caused by inexperience. The senior player can show Tanganga the way, lead by example, direct and marshal. He would be able to cover any holes left by a player who’s still learning the game at the top level.
Instead, Mourinho negligently decided to place Tanganga under Dier’s care, a player whose surname reflects his play this season. Tanganga and Dier were burned on all three Wolves goals. But, based on experience and tenure alone, Dier has to take more accountability than his younger colleague for what disparagingly transpired at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon.
Left in the lurch, Tanganga struggled to cope with Wolves’ frenetic pace. Dier didn’t know how to take care of his own business let alone help his vulnerable, naive, unschooled partner. And for that, Mourinho is fully culpable.
The irrationality of the decision was compounded even more by the fact that Hugo Lloris was unavailable for selection.
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No two players have been set up to fail more so than Dier and Tanganga today against Wolves. It was hard to watch and Jose, after almost two decades managing the world’s top clubs, should know better. The fact that he made the absurd decision should concern dearly Spurs’ top brass.