Bale and Alli flop in Spurs shocker

GARETH BALE and Dele Alli were both hooked and humiliated by Jose Mourinho in this humbling Spurs defeat. Alli lasted 45 minutes before Mourinho made the Europa League’s first-ever quadruple change during the interval. ‘I would have liked to make 11,’ he later sniped. Bale laboured through to 58 minutes before he was replaced by Harry Kane. The manager had praised Bale’s attitude after he ‘travelled to Burnley to sit on the bench for 90 minutes’. He travelled to Belgium but didn’t do too much more. Yet it’s the regression of Alli that should be the main concern. ‘You always ask why this player is not playing,’ said Mourinho. ‘Maybe now, for a few weeks, you won’t ask me that because you have the answer.’ Bale and Alli were part of nine changes from the 1-0 win at Burnley. Mourinho called the selection a ‘risk’ beforehand and there was certainly no reward, only a deserved loss. Defeat will not matter in the context of qualification from the group, but it does tell Mourinho his squad depth is shallower than he thinks. ‘I always think players deserve an opportunity,’ he said. ‘It is their opportunity to take the chance. After tonight, my choices are going to be very easy.’ Ben Davies was caught dozing seconds before Antwerp’s goal on 29 minutes. He wanted too long to pick a pass and Dieumerci Mbokani muscled him off the ball. He charged into the penalty area before lifting a neat pass to strike partner Lior Refaelov, whose finish was emphatic. Spurs should have been two down before the hour only for Mbokani to balloon over from barely three yards out. Not even Kane could inspire an effort worthy of note.