JOSE MOURINHO was furious with Dele Alli after he wasted his chance to impress for Tottenham.
The Spurs boss saw his team reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals but was annoyed out-of-favour Dele gave away possession for Stoke’s leveller.
Dele Alli failed to impress on a rare start for Spurs in the win at StokeCredit: AP:Associated Press
Jose Mourinho admitted he was left angry with the England midfielderCredit: AFP or licensors
Asked if was angry with the midfielder, Mourinho said: “Yes. A player who plays in that position is a player who has to link and has to create and not create problems for his own team.
“Of course in that situation, it handed them a counter attack behind our defenders.
“They caught us and it transformed the game that was totally in our hands so yes, I was upset.”
Alli’s Spurs future now looks doomed and he did not even make the matchday squad for Sunday’s loss to Leicester. Just 13 minutes after his mistake, Alli was replaced by Erik Lamela.
Meanwhile, Mourinho was left frustrated after Gareth Bale asked to come off at half-time with an injury after scoring the opening goal. Although Stoke made it 1-1, goals from Ben Davies and Harry Kane put Spurs through.
Quizzed about Bale, Mourinho said: “Yes. It was his decision. He felt something at the end of the first half.
“He did not want to come off before the first half so he stayed but while he was walking to the dressing rooms he told me immediately he could not come out for the second half.
”I think it was his calf. I am not sure. At that time, I wanted to reorganise the team.”
A player who plays in that position is a player who has to link and has to create and not create problems for his own team
Jose Mourinho on Dele Alli
Spurs deserved to go through with Mourinho having won the League Cup on four occasions.
He added: “They did not touch the ball in the first half, have a shot or have a corner.
“We needed to kill the game but instead, we allowed them to score for 1-1.
“After that was a moment we needed stability and attitude and we had it. I thought the second goal was coming. Son also scored a goal that VAR would have allowed.”
Spurs midfielder Harry Winks said: “We knew coming into this one that it would be a cold, wet and windy Wednesday night in Stoke so it would be tough but when we apply ourselves and we are aggressive from the first whistle, we make it easier for ourselves.”
Stoke boss Michael O’Neill said: “We expected Spurs to come with a strong team. Maybe not just as strong as they started with.
“In the first half we were too timid and did not affect the game as near as we had hoped but we were more positive in the second half but Spurs showed their class.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
