Jose Mourinho has blamed his players after another shaky defensive performance cost Tottenham the victory against Newcastle on Sunday.
Spurs traveled north knowing that they had the chance to go into the top four after Chelsea fell to a shock defeat against West Brom on Saturday. For 86 minutes, it looked like they were going to get there, when a Harry Kane double toppled Joelinton’s early opener to put Mourinho’s team in control.
But it would be a cruel fate from a Spurs perspective when Arsenal loanee Joe Willock came to the back post to steal a point for the Magpies.
Joe Willock is in the right place at the right time! ⚽
The man who is on loan from Arsenal scores a goal against Tottenham!
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– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 4, 2021
Spurs have been criticized for disappearing too late. They threw away their Europa League promotion from a seemingly secure position against Dinamo Zagreb, and while a 2-0 win over Aston Villa temporarily put their worries aside, they all rushed back here as they dropped points from a winning position once More.
“I’m frustrated. We needed to win the match and we came to win,” Mourinho told BBC 5 Live after the match.
“We were not far from winning it, but at the same time we created some instability in the game with as many individual defensive mistakes as we did.
The game is about glory, it’s about doing things in style and with a blossom, about going out and hitting a lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom
Great effort boys x https://t.co/2dBXAd0Hyg
– Jude Summerfield (@judesummerfield) April 4, 2021
“We always gave Newcastle a chance to be in the game.
“Of course we had the biggest chance in the game to make it 3-1 and kill it, then we concede a game in the next minute.”
Mourinho is known for his teams’ defensive solidity and after the match he was told that his Spurs side does not live up to that reputation. He was quick to lose the blame for it and suggested that it is the players and not his management that is the problem.
“The same coach, different players,” he said.
