How Tottenham got their mojo back

“It’s not easy especially at this time  when you can’t go outside to a restaurant or spend time outside the training ground. You just try to enjoy the moments between ourselves.” 

The dynamic of the squad has been a fascinating part of Spurs’ ascent to potential title challengers. Mourinho is working with a slightly larger squad than his ideal size but there have been enough games to keep most happy. 

It starts in goal, where Hart has been playing Europa League games as No.2 and has been given game time for moments of the season like this when Lloris could miss out. In defence, Joe Rodon is ineligible for Europe but stepped in for the goalless draw at Chelsea.

With no matches to ease himself into life at Spurs, he has been helped to settle in by Wales team-mates Gareth Bale and Ben Davies. Bale himself is building up his fitness and there is hope he will be at full tilt soon. 

“He has lots of positive things in his game and of course you can see there are a little bits he has to improve,” said Mourinho, when asked about Bale. 

Mourinho has brought in Carlos Vinicius on loan and the Brazilian striker is seen as ideal back-up for Kane, a squad player who can cope with not starting but with quality to make an impact when brought on. 

The Spurs manager has Kane, Heung-Min Son and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as players he depends on, with the others slotting around them and looking to hit peak form between now and the end of the season.  

Dele Alli is the most curious case for Mourinho, as he has dropped out of favour despite his stats in training being consistently high. He has still managed minutes in the Europa League in the past couple of months and scored last week against LASK. 

“The only thing that can help us is the savoir-faire of Jose Mourinho, with his experience,” says Lloris. “Of course you need the best from each player in the changing-room but also in the approach of the games, he knows where we go.

“His team are used to playing with a very solid block. He always gets the best from his offensive players but at the same time he needs a good organisation, a good team balance.