‘That shocked me’: BBC pundit stunned by what he learned about Mourinho’s Tottenham

Follow us on Google Discover

Matt Upson has told BBC Sport that he was shocked to find out that Tottenham Hotspur collected the fourth most points in the Premier League, after Jose Mourinho’s arrival last term.

Mourinho’s Tottenham side were often criticised last season for their style of play.

At times Spurs looked fairly dysfunctional in attack, while their defence was hardly rock solid.

However, Mourinho unquestionably improved Tottenham’s results, and the fact that only three other teams collected more points than the Lilywhites after his arrival is proof of that.

Tottenham have now strengthened again in the summer.

And while Upson is not fully convinced by Spurs, he does suggest that Mourinho is a manager who knows how to get victories on the board.

“When I watch Spurs play, I have got questions over them but Mourinho clearly knows how to win matches and accumulate points – the stats show that if last season had started when he took charge, Spurs would have finished fourth,” the former England international said.

“That shocked me a bit but it showed why you cannot discount him.”

Tottenham ultimately disappointed last term and finished in sixth place in the Premier League table, despite their progression under Mourinho.

Spurs will be looking to break back into the top four this term, with their first game coming against Everton on Sunday.