FINAL WORD Mourinho’s iron rule as Spurs show steel
ANGRY JOSE HOOKS ALLI AND SWITCH PAYS OFF
WHEN Jose Mourinho took over at Spurs 13 months ago he suggested, less than tactfully, his players needed to acquire the steel of serial winners.
Last night, they showed they might just have what it takes by keeping him on target for a fifth League Cup with this convincing win.
Cold winter nights at Stoke are recognised as the barometer of a side ready to deliver and, against tough, physical opponents, Spurs battled to victory.
Goals from Gareth Bale, Ben Davies and Harry Kane weighed against a strike from Jordan Thompson tilted a onesided affair the Premier League side’s way and put them in the semi- finals.
If this win showed Spurs’ hard side, there has never been any doubt about Mourinho as he displayed after Dele Alli lost the ball in the build- up to Stoke’s goal.
Admonishing the midfielder by the touchline, he hooked him soon after in a double substitution, the player making clear his frustration as he passed the bench.
Yet minutes later Spurs were ahead through Davies. And when another substitute, Moussa Sissoko, provided the assist for Kane, the case for the manager was made.
With Mourinho at the helm pretty football may not be guaranteed usually are.
He plays strong sides in this competition and despite giving Alli a rare start, as well as Bale, last night was no exception.
But for all their possession and a host of chances, Mourinho’s men were just one goal up at the break. Goalkeeper Andy Lonergan had no answer to Bale’s deft header, the striker waiting for the ball to drop over the jump but trophies
POISE TO
Bale takes the plaudits after his deft header makes it 1- 0 while POWER
Davies hammers in the second of Harry Souttar, before guiding Harry Winks’ curling ball just inside the far post after 22 minutes.
Stoke’s 53rd- minute equaliser came from a quick break down the right flank. Jacob Brown whipped a cross towards the far post that Jordan Thompson buried past Hugo Lloris at his near post.
While Davies was outstripped a little too easily Mourinho laid blame squarely at Alli’s feet after he gave away possession. “Your flick cost that goal,” he said. Minutes later Alli’s number was up, the pair exchanging further words and not warm ones, as the player passed the bench.
But the boss was proved right as Davies thumped a 25- yard piledriver past Lonergan five minutes later before Kane settled nerves late on, hammering a shot on the turn into the roof of the net.
STOKE ( 3- 4- 3): Lonergan 7; Collins 5, Souttar 5, Batth 5; Smith 5, Cousins 5, Thompson 6, Fox 4 ( Fletcher 34, 6); Oakley- Boothe 5 ( Vokes 79, 5), Brown 5 ( Powell 71), McClean. Goal: Thompson 53. TOTTENHAM ( 4- 2- 3- 1): Lloris 6; Doherty 6, Sanchez 5, Dier 5, Davies 6; Winks 7, Hojbjerg 7; Bale 5 ( Son 46, 6), Alli 7 ( Lamela 66, 6), Moura 6 ( Sissoko 66, 6); Kane 6. Goals: Bale 22, Davies 70, Kane 81.