Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho was critical of a mistake by Dele Alli which cost his side a goal in their Carabao Cup win against Stoke City. Alli gave the ball away in midfield during the second half, allowing Stoke to counter and level the game through Jordan Thompson.
Spurs did go onto win the game, however, courtesy of Gareth Bale‘s goal before the leveller and strikes from Ben Davies and Harry Kane later in the second half.
Jose Mourinho Laments Dele Alli Mistake in Carabao Cup Win
Alli Created ‘Problems’ for the Team
Spurs were already looking cagey against their Championship opponents, and with a place in the semi-final of the competition on the line, a lapse in concentration that led to the equaliser was probably the last thing Alli needed.
This was a chance for him to impress after being left out of any Spurs starting 11 for over a month, and largely left out of matchday squads too. However, Mourinho was clearly upset with the error and took aim at the England international in his post-match comments.
He said: “For me, a player that plays in that position has to link and create and not to create problems for his own team. In that situation, a counterattack would probably end with a goal or an action and it ended with a counterattack behind our defenders [and a goal] and they transformed a game that was totally in our hands. So yes I was upset.”
The error has clearly irked the manager and it could push Alli closer to the exit door at Spurs. He has already been linked with a loan move to Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain in January but will likely have many others chasing after his signature in the window.
Spurs Looking to End Trophy Drought
It’s been a long wait for Spurs to lift any silverware. The 2008 League Cup was the last time they won a major competition, but this year is looking good for them to end that barren run.
They have been paired with Championship side Brentford in the semi-finals. It’s by no means an easy task, with Thomas Frank’s side arguably the best side in the second division and one that came agonisingly close to joining Spurs in the Premier League after their play-off final defeat last season.
However, it is a significantly better proposition than having to face either of the other two semi-finalists, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Spurs may have already handed out a 6-1 battering to United this season, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s team are in terrific form at the moment and seem to have turned a corner under his management.
Mourinho has also guided Spurs to a league victory over City this term, but facing them in this competition is a different prospect altogether – they have won it in four of the last five seasons, including the last three in a row.
Of course, should they see off Brentford, they will have to face one of them in the final, but anything can happen in those games and Spurs will feel a lot better about their chances given the draw has gone the way it did.
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