In this “whole new Jose Mourinho” world, the key word is family.
Mourinho said it six times in his post-match presser after Tottenham Hotspur scrapped to a 2-1 defeat of Norwich City on Wednesday in London.
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Spurs had an early lead disappear when Ryan Sessegnon gave away a penalty to Max Aarons, and Teemu Pukki converted it for a 70th-minute deadlock.
Heung-min Son scored nine minutes later. It was a win that is good for the whole family.
From Football.London:“It was fantastic what happened after the 1-1, which happens in a difficult moment for us where I look to the bench and I don’t have attacking players to change the game the team is a little bit fatigued, especially Lucas, Son and of course Lamela. I took him off because he was in trouble and he is a player who is coming from very important and long injury, so very difficult.
“How can we change the game? With the family spirit, the family character and desire.”
Mourinho also praised Giovani Lo Celso’s work on the wing for attack-short Spurs as “a good experience for the family,” and Paulo Gazzaniga’s support for returned goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as “a good member of the family and he is such a special friend of Hugo.”
I mean, I’m getting the warm and fuzzies.
Clearly, Mourinho is stressing unity and there’s a bit of bunker mentality involved, as the manager mentioned some dicey calls not going their way against Watford, Liverpool, and now Norwich.