Michael Dawson highlights the key defensive issue at Tottenham under Mourinho
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live (h/t Football.london), former Tottenham Hotspur captain Michael Dawson has touched upon the key ingredient that the club is lacking under Jose Mourinho.
Tottenham’s defence has come under the pump this season for being guilty of conceding late goals which have cost us many important points. As was the case this past weekend when Newcastle United scored a late equaliser to hold the team to a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park.
Following the game, Mourinho was quizzed as to what had gone wrong at Tottenham given that his teams in the past were renowned for protecting their leads. To which, the manager seemed to put the blame on the players.
“Same coach, different players.”
Dawson, touching upon Mourinho’s comments, partly seemed to agree with the Portuguese. The ex-Tottenham Hotspur centre-back claimed that Jose lacked a figure like Chelsea legend John Terry in his current squad.
It is no secret that Terry was one of the cornerstones on which Mourinho’s success at Chelsea was built – during both his spells at Stamford Bridge. And Dawson is of the opinion that the manager is struggling because he does not have anyone like the ex-Chelsea captain at his disposal.
“He hasn’t got that John Terry figure. He was one of the best, but he [Mourinho] hasn’t got that. I played against him at Chelsea when I was at Spurs, and I played alongside him with England, he was a massive help, I was fortunate to play alongside him, he guided people, he is a leader.”
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Dawson went on to add that he was lucky to have had someone like Ledley King when he came in at Tottenham. He insisted that this current Tottenham squad lacked that leadership in the defence, who can guide the team amid the pressure that they find themselves in.
With Mourinho not using Toby Alderweireld regularly and ‘Super’ Jan Vertonghen having left the club last summer, Spurs do lack that bit of experience and leadership at the back. Eric Dier is our next most experienced defender but hasn’t stepped up either. Hopefully, this issue gets addressed in the summer window.
