Mourinho explains substitution of inconsolable Vertonghen in cup win
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has explained why he had to take Jan Vertonghen off early in the second half of the FA Cup win over Southampton.
Spurs came from 2-1 down in the final 12 minutes to win 3-2 in north London thanks to a late Son Heung-Min penalty that booked them a home clash with Norwich in the 5th round.
But Mourinho decided a change needed to be made when he hauled of a struggling Vertonghen to switch from a back three to a back four in a game Spurs had little control of against a superior Saints outfit.
And afterwards, the Portuguese tactician explained his thought process: “No injury, it was my decision. It’s normal that he’s sad. No player likes to come out.
“I decided to sacrifice Jan, so sad yes and with a reason to be sad, but happy now because he won.
“I don’t need to speak to him because he’s an intelligent guy. He’s very professional and it’s obvious that I did it not to punish because he was playing exactly the same as the others.”
Vertonghen is out of contract this summer and looks almost certain to be allowed to leave on a free transfer, something that appears to be playing on his mind given his struggles this season.
Mourinho, meanwhile, said he is “playing a game of chess without any pieces” after his side overcame selection issues to beat Saints.
The Tottenham chief was without the injured Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela, while a half-fit Dele Alli came off the bench and Steven Bergwijn was ineligible.
“I had to manage this chess game without pieces,” he said. “You know. No bishops, no kings, no queens. Very, very hard with so many injuries and problems. No Bergwijn.
“I cannot speak about the progress I want to make because I don’t have the players I want.
“And the team needs players to progress, collectively, tactically and dynamically. We need to have the players but we don’t have the players.
“We lose so many. Sissoko, Harry, and today Lamela, Lo Celso and Bergwijn. It is so difficult.
“One game we have players A, B and C out and then the next game we are without D, E and F. It’s been a very difficult season.
“So everything was like when you pull a blanket up and your feet are left out and then you cover your feet but half of your body is out. That’s us. But amazing spirit, and that is something I like.
“The best team lost. The best team on the pitch lost.”
Meanwhile, Inter Milan midfielder Christian Eriksen has opened up on how he found the last few months of his time at Tottenham “hectic” and how he was painted as the “bad guy” in the Spurs changing room. Read more…