‘The back four is an absolute shambles’ – Mourinho told to overhaul Tottenham

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Jose Mourinho has been told that he needs to reassess his defensive options if he is to save his job at Tottenham.

Spurs suffered a 2-1 loss to West Ham on Sunday that leaves them ninth in the Premier League, nine points short of the Champions League spots.

A dreadful run of form has seen Mourinho’s men rapidly fall from title contenders before Christmas to an outfit facing a major fight just to make Europe.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara believes the issue lies in defence rather than the dugout, branding the centre-backs the worst pairing in the league .

“It’s getting embarrassing, isn’t it?” O’Hara told Talksport of Mourinho’s side. “We should be turning West Ham over!

“I don’t think we’re going to win anything this season, I think we’ll end up trophyless again, I really do.

“You look at the team and the back four is just an absolute shambles. I don’t know why Mourinho keeps playing [Davinson] Sanchez and [Eric] Dier because it’s probably one of the worst partnerships in the Premier League!

“[Japhet] Tanganga plays right-back, but Mourinho takes him off and puts [Matt] Doherty there, he’s played [Moussa] Sissoko at right-back, [Serge] Aurier, he just doesn’t know the team.

“The only player you’d say deserves to play in that back-four is [Sergio] Reguilon, I really like him, he’s decent.”

Tottenham play Wolfsberger in the Europa League on Wednesday, a tie that is a formality given they lead 4-1 from the first leg, then face Premier League matches against Burnley, Fulham and Crystal Palace in quick succession.

Mourinho has been in charge of Spurs for little over a year, having taken over from the popular Mauricio Pochettino in the autumn of 2019. After a promising start to this season, the former Real Madrid and Man Utd boss has been criticised for his dour style.