Has Jose Mourinho turned Spurs into Premier League title challengers?

The Portuguese tactician is back to business with a fine set of results at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Can Jose Mourinho lead the way to Spurs’ first-ever English Premier League title?

"Jose has brainwashed his players to believe they have to work to achieve something.(Via: Goal)"

This was the statement that Tim Sherwood, pundit and ex-Tottenham manager, said after the North London outfit registered an emphatic victory against Manchester City in Premier League.

With the victory against Pep Guardiola’s men, Tottenham Hotspur are on top of the table with 20 points in their kitty. Though Liverpool are level on points, Spurs’ superior goal difference sees them pip the Reds.

Tottenham Hotspur are a different side this season compared to their lackluster showing last season. The team struggled to keep up with the pace in 2019/20 after the side ended as runners-up in Champions League the season prior. Mauricio Pochettino faced the sack in November 2019 and Jose Mourinho was appointed at the helm.

The “Special One”

The “Special One” was expected to bring a change in the mindset of the players but couldn’t achieve the target. However, the last-ditch effort in the pandemic struck season helped the club to achieve a Europa League qualifying spot for this season.

At the start of the ongoing edition of the Premier League, it was Jose’s first full season with Tottenham. The manager was able to get the players whom he wanted. The club signed Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Matt Doherty, Joe Rondon, Carlos Vinícius (on loan), Gareth Bale, and Sergio Reguilon.

Going in the other direction, the club sold Kyle Walkers-Peters to Southampton, reducing the net spend. After getting the players he required, the Portuguese tactician has instilled a discipline and philosophy in the players. Although Spurs failed to win the first game of the season, they have not lost a game since then.

Against Manchester United, despite going behind in the first minute, his team didn’t lose hope. They absolutely dominated the proceedings in the next half an hour. They netted four times in the first half and in the second half, they scored two more and handed Red Devils a humiliating defeat at Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho shut his critics and fans up who said he is far from the best against Manchester City. The manager turned back to his usual “park the bus” strategy after scoring the first goal. Giovani Lo Celso scored the second goal on the counter, a perfect exhibition of Jose Mourinho’s classic at London.

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The signings that the “Special One” has made is remarkable. Sergio Reguilon has topped the charts for the team at left-back. In five top-flight games, he has provided two assists along with 10 tackles to his name.

Pierre-Emile Hojberg seems like their best summer signing. He has not only complemented the team in their attack but has dropped between the center-halves to protect Spurs’ rearguard.  The former Southampton player has started all nine EPL games.

Jose has created a deadly attacking threat upfront by combining Harry Kane and Son. Though both have played together over the last four years, they never posed a threat like this.

The English skipper has accounted for 16 G/A in the English Premier League, whereas Heung Min Son has 11 G/A in nine games for Tottenham. They have even topped the charts in the Fantasy Premier League too. With the manager yet to utilize Gareth Bale to the full extent, Tottenham are one of the teams who can dare to dream for an English title this season.

Despite the team starting off well and scoring plenty of goals, there are chinks in the Spurs’ armor. The team failed to protect a three-goal lead against West Ham United and just scraped past Burnley at Turf Moor. Jose Mourinho has to figure out the shortcomings in his lineup before teams close in on the title.

Also, we have seen in the past that Tottenham Hotspur have spilled the title to the opposition. May it be in 2015/16 or in 2018/19, the team went to lose steam after the initial spur. But now, it is “The Special One” at the helm in North London. Can the “Special One” lead Tottenham to the most coveted trophy?