Jose Mourinho Tottenham 2020-21Getty

Mourinho speaks out against 'Spursy' coverage after West Ham capitulation

Jose Mourinho has spoken out on Tottenham's 'Spursy' coverage after their capitulation against West Ham on Sunday, insisting they "just need to defend better from set-pieces".

Tottenham missed the chance to move up to third in the Premier League standings after throwing away a 3-0 advantage at home to the Hammers.

A Harry Kane brace and a Son Heung-min strike put Spurs out of sight in the first 16 minutes of the game as David Moyes' side struggled to cope with an in-form duo's movement in the final third.

Article continues below

Mourinho saw his side take their foot off the gas thereafter, and West Ham emerged in the second half with a renewed sense of purpose.

The visitors pushed to try and find a way back into the game with Tottenham seemingly content to rest on their laurels, and were eventually rewarded when Fabian Balbuena headed home in the 82nd minute.

A Davinson Sanchez own goal set up a tense finale moments later, and in the final minute of stoppage time, West Ham snatched an equaliser in spectacular fashion.

Substitute Manuel Lanzini struck an unstoppable shot into the top-right hand corner from 35 yards out after Spurs attempted to clear a late free kick, sparking wild celebrations on the away bench.

Questions over the mentality of Mourinho's squad were raised once again in the wake of the result, with Tottenham's reputation as a 'nearly' club often weighing them down in the modern era.

However, the Portuguese was quick to dismiss the 'Spursy' tag ahead of a Europa League group-stage meeting with LASK on Thursday, as he told a press conference: "I believe that winning 3-0 in minute 80 we can play 50 more matches and it's not going to happen again so I don't want to be sticking on this and no stories about 'Spursy' and this kind of thing.

"We just need to defend better from set-pieces. We've conceded just one goal from open play against Southampton."

Danny Rose Jose Mourinho Tottenham 2019-20Getty Images

Mourinho went on to discuss Danny Rose's omission from Tottenham's official 25-man Premier League squad, admitting that he is no longer in his plans after pushing for a move away from the club in the winter transfer window.

"Danny is not part of our squad. Danny wanted very, very much to leave in the January window last season. Why? Because he wanted to play and play and play," he said.

"Then he went to Newcastle and I immediately had the feeling of being a player of his dimension that, thinking about Euros, I thought our future would be Davies and Sessegnon.

"Then we had the possibility to get Reguilon and I thought that would be a good opportunity for Ryan to get game time and develop.

"With Danny, the players and agents make the market. If the agent didn't find a solution for Danny to move then it's a question you have to ask him."

Mourinho also explained why he moved to bring in Joe Roden from Swansea last week, with it his belief that the 22-year-old defender has a bright future ahead of him.

"We got him because we can see a future for him. Let's work and let's see the evolution and step by step he will be there," he said.

Advertisement