Michael Dawson admits decision by Tottenham man was a ‘big surprise’

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Tottenham Hotspur suffered a damaging defeat in the Premier League over the weekend.

Michael Dawson has claimed that it was a ‘big surprise’ to him when Jose Mourinho decided to leave Tottenham duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen out of his starting XI for their defeat to Wolves on Sunday.

The former Spurs defender believes that Mourinho is ‘finding it hard’ at Tottenham and he still doesn’t know what his best team is. 

Mourinho replaced Mauricio Pochettino in the Tottenham dugout in November, and since day one, his teams have been involved in a number of goal-fests. 

Speaking to The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show on talkSPORT (03/03/2020 at 8:40 am),  Dawson shared his thoughts on Tottenham’s problems at the back. 

“I think he’s finding it hard,” Dawson told TalkSport. “He’s still rotating. I don’t think he knows his best team. You have seen Alderweireld and Vertonghen not playing against Wolves at the weekend, which was a big surprise for myself from the outside. 

“He goes three at the back [against Wolves]. He changes formation. I think they are in transition, at this moment in time, with the players they have brought in. Fernandes, Lo Celso, Ndombele and Bergwijn. Even with Tanganga coming in. You lose Harry Kane and no Son, it’s going to be a challenge and they are struggling, at this moment in time.

“Especially with Jose [it’s not characteristic for his teams to be shipping so many goals]. They are usually hard to break down, and you seen them against Wolves, I mean the first half they played well but in the second half, Wolves came out a different team – They have got a real challenge on their hands to be catching the top-four.”

The number of issues facing Mourinho is that he has had to deal with injuries, no focal point in Harry Kane and defensive players who have a number of issues. 

Serge Aurier is always prone to an error, Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Dier’s form has hit the rocks, Danny Rose never got going under Mourinho before leaving Newcastle to go out on loan. 

Moussa Sissoko has been a big miss in the middle of the park. Mourinho also cannot seemingly find the right combination in midfield, and it’s quite clear he needs the summer to arrive, bring his players in and pre-season before he can be judged properly.