“Same coach, different players”, Mourinho slams Tottenham after 2-2 draw against Newcastle

“Same coach, different players”, Mourinho slams Tottenham after 2-2 draw against Newcastle

Newcastle players celebrate their equalizer against Tottenham

Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham squandered yet another lead in the final minutes of the match to be held 2-2 against relegation battlers Newcastle. Harry Kane’s brace wasn’t enough for Tottenham as Joe Willock scored a late equalizer for the Magpies.

Jose Mourinho said his side was the architect of its own downfall after failing to hold on to their 1-goal lead. Spurs have now dropped 11 points this season due to goals conceded in the final 10 minutes.

Tottenham moved to 5th in the table but a win would have seen them edge out Chelsea to the 4th spot

Jose Mourinho’s side looked comfortable and had chances to put the game beyond Newcastle in the second half but failed to capitalize on them. Minutes before they conceded the equalizer, Tottenham had a 3 on 3 chance at the other end of the pitch as Erik Lamela carried on a counter attack but his slightly delayed pass made Harry Kane shoot wide of the post.

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On being asked what is going wrong for Tottenham this season, Jose Mourinho was critical of his players’ ability of closing out matches.

“I am frustrated,” he boss told BBC Radio 5Live at full-time. “We needed to win the match and we came to win. We were not far [but] at the same time, we created instability with so many individual defensive mistakes. We always gave Newcastle a chance to be in the game.

“We had the biggest chance of the game to make it 3-1 and kill it [when Kane hit the woodwork] and then we concede a goal the next minute.”

Pressed on why Tottenham – historically stern defenders of any lead taken in a game – have faltered in such situations, Mourinho simply added: “Same coach, different players.

“We work well, we work hard. But there are mistakes which I probably shouldn’t even call mistakes because they are related to qualities that players have. You can analyse it easily.”

“The Premier League is hard and is high-level football, and when you don’t show that you belong to that high level, it’s difficult. We could have scored a couple more, but in defensive situations, we create instability with our mistakes – and instability brings hope to our opponent, and our opponent didn’t give up.”

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