The Tottenham players improved by Jose Mourinho's management
Harry Kane
The England captain always looked like a player who was maximising his ability under Mauricio Pochettino’s management, yet has developed even further under Jose Mourinho.
Kane is the division’s most complete centre-forward, capable of creating goals as well as scoring them. Against Manchester City, he spent much of the game playing as a midfielder without the ball, and yet he still looked entirely comfortable with those demands. Kane has always been a wonderful passer of the ball but, with Mourinho often asking him to play in a more deep-lying role, he is now Tottenham’s primary playmaker.
With eight goals and a remarkable 10 assists already this campaign, he has shown that the replacement for Christian Eriksen’s creativity was within the club all along.
Son Heung-min
It takes some player to knock Kane off the top of the Tottenham scoring charts and Son has been in clinical form this season, scoring 10 goals already. The 28-year-old’s goal-conversion rate this season is 60 per cent, comfortably the highest of the Premier League’s leading attackers.
The spectacular goal return has come despite Son playing with less positional freedom under Mourinho than he did under Pochettino. The South Korean is largely based on the left wing but his understanding with Kane, and the timing of his runs behind opposing defences, has made him more dangerous than ever.
Tanguy Ndombele
The resurgence of Ndombele has been one of the most captivating individual stories of the season. It was not so long ago that Ndombele looked to have no future in north London, berated by Mourinho and struggling for any sort of game-time. His transformation in recent weeks has been crucial to Tottenham’s fine form.
The midfielder has started the past six games in the Premier League, alongside the steely Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and has impressed with his forward passing and his ability to maintain possession. At his best, Ndombele is a sponge who absorbs opposition pressure. He is so hard to knock off the ball that he can draw the sting out of an opposing team that is trying to press high up the pitch. Indeed, he has completed more dribbles than any other Tottenham player this season.
Eric Dier
After a difficult few seasons with injury and illness, Dier is rediscovering his best fitness and form as a centre-back. He has always felt most comfortable in defence, rather than in midfield, and he is now demonstrating his defensive ability thanks to a consistent run of games.
The 26-year-old has played 89 per cent of Tottenham’s Premier League minutes so far this season, his highest percentage since the 2016/17 season. He is also back in the England fold, having started five of his country’s past six competitive matches.
Earlier this week, he said every Tottenham player “has put their individuality aside and is in this for something bigger than that”. Dier’s defensive performances have embodied that collective approach.
