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If Tottenham Reflect Mourinho, Spurs are Ready for Liverpool

By Aaron Coe

Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (R) and Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp shake hands after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 16, 2018. - Liverpool won the game 3-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (R) and Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp shake hands after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 16, 2018. - Liverpool won the game 3-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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If Tottenham Hotspur can follow the lead of their coach, then Spurs can win Wednesday at Liverpool, as José Mourinho was masterful with the media Tuesday.

Some people call it mind games, where José Mourinho is talking up this team or that. Really all José Mourinho is trying to do is what he always does, win. For Mourinho with the media winning is a matter of winning the perception battle for both he and his team. Whereas the objective for Tottenham Hotspur on the field is much more straight forward, as the team goes to Anfield “to try to win the match”.

If José’s success with the media is any indicator of success for the team on Wednesday against Liverpool, Tottenham should feel confident heading into the match.

Tottenham are the Underdog

One of the great things about José Mourinho is he really does not try to hide what he thinks or how he wants you to think about something. It is clear Mourinho is going to hang onto the idea of Spurs being an underdog until the horse is cold and buried. When asked how he is different and how the team is a results machine, you get a media 101 lesson in deflecting and redirecting.

Step one do not talk long about yourself. “I’m the same guy nothing changed it’s just perception”. With a few short words José Mourinho had taken the question about he and his team and completely flipped it to be about the reporter and his opponents and he was about to prove it.

The first word after perception was “Jurgen” as in Klopp the coach of Liverpool and now we are no longer really talking about Tottenham, but their opponent, the juggernaut that is Liverpool because “It’s too early” to talk about Tottenham as the team to beat.

From here José was just wonderful, as he compared the results of Tottenham, whom Mourinho admitted “are a good team that works hard” to that of the real “result machine” that is Liverpool who have gotten results “for the past couple of years”.  Or if looking for a results machine one could look at “my Chelsea”, when “they won two consecutive titles”, the point is do not come looking at Tottenham right now.

It was at this point when Mourinho really blows your mind as he showed some of his research.  If “I’m not wrong 1894 days of work with Jürgen 1894 if I’m wrong, I’m wrong for a few days and we are the result of a work of 390 days”. From there Mourinho talked about how 390 was not even real with the “quarantine were days being at home unable to work”.  The point is Spurs are at a different spot in their journey, so do not compare my team and our place to his team and theirs.

Ultimately, the fact the question is even asked is simply a testament to his players. That ability to compete so quickly “at the level we are doing I can only give credit to the player and be very, very happy with what they are doing”. In one minute, Mourinho has now made a convincing argument that Tottenham are not the machine, it is Liverpool, but that Tottenham is working hard and is “able to compete”. Spurs are the underdog here, do not get it twisted, but thanks for noticing.