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Tottenham Hotspur: Fans Wonder If Mourinho Can Cope After Son’s Injury?

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Image for Tottenham Hotspur: Fans Wonder If Mourinho Can Cope After Son’s Injury?

Tottenham’s head coach Jose Mourinho is facing a difficult task in north London. The last years’ Champions League Finalist are struggling to collect the critical points in the 28th season of the Premier League to settle within the ambitioned top four / five spots. Recent problems did not only see Spurs concede “cheap goals”, but also found it difficult to score goals. Since the serious injuries of Harry Kane back in December and Heung-Min Son this Sunday, Mourinho is facing further difficulties due to not having a back-up striker.

Mourinho joined Tottenham in November last year, and this far, the Portuguese managed to win ten games in his 19 appearances, of which he also drew four and lost five. Harry Kane, the Spurs’ target man, started most of these. His injury set back Mourinho drastically, which made Spurs joining the winter transfer market. The north Londoners managed to sign midfielder Gedson Fernandes and attacker Steven Bergwijn. Especially Bergwijn looks like the crucial addition to the squad to keep the goals coming. And it seemed like the influence of their new coach started to show. Last year, Tottenham were not active in the winter transfer market and yet managed to go far with the squad at that time.

But since now Son and Kane are both out of the picture, could Tottenham pick up the pace again?

Same Case, Different Year?

It is not the first time Tottenham struggled without their target man. While Kane had a long-lasting ankle injury last season, former Spurs player Fernando Llorente had to step up. Alternatively, Heung-Min Son or Lucas Moura took the striker position becoming a challenging read to the opponents. Both Son and Lucas had a strong physique, bringing in the pace when attacking and designed their build-up with accurate ball control. During the vital phase of last season, Son and Moura proved essential for the team as their goals sealed the advancements in the Champions League knock-out stages. Ahead of their match against RB Leipzig, Mourinho addressed the media about Son’s injury, saying there could be some time before we see him in action again.

Germany’s RB Leipzig will travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today for their first leg in the round of 16. The odds for advancing to the next round do not seem too bad for the Lillywhites. Football fans who still trust Mourinho’s tactics can choose from a football betting sites top rank list to quickly review some of the best bookies offering odds on the Spurs. However, Leipzig’s head-coach Julian Nagelsman is well known for his perfectionism in tactics, which promises to be an interesting Champions League clash today.

Can Mourinho repeat Tottenham’s run from last season?

Mourinho’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1, but he will have to reconfigure the attack after Son got sidelined. Here, the Portuguese could shift Dele Alli as a full striker, with Moura, Bergwijn and Ndombele behind if they he is keeping the same formation. Tottenham will have plenty of options for the centre attacking midfield and winger positions. Having Moura previously taken the role of the striker, Steven Bergwijn can prove to be the third option with the Dutchman being a very flexible attacker.

A squad with many talented players is now in the hands of Jose Mourinho, who admittedly was not too unfortunate with what he has been given when taking over from Mauricio Pochettino. With an attack-minded elven, Tottenham can shift and change flexibly throughout their game, which seems to be one of Mourinho’s first touches when arriving at Hotspur Way.

The Top Four within reach

The obligatory top-four ambitions of the top clubs are challenging to reach. Tottenham have one point to catch up to reach their London rivals, Chelsea. Mourinho has the chance to do so when both teams clash in a crucial game later this week. Mourinho managed to move up the table ever since his appointment as head coach of Tottenham, and his direction shows that a top-four place is still within reach. The new additions to the squad will most likely prove crucial within the next few matches. Tottenham is also still competing for the FA Cup and the Champions League, two trophies Mourinho is very familiar with.

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