Pundit names Spurs player Pochettino will be "fuming" with after Mourinho's first two matches

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino will be “fuming” at Dele Alli, per Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan.

What’s he said?

The England international has been a key member of Jose Mourinho’s squad in his first two games as manager in north London.

Alli scored against Olympiacos in the Champions League and also used some excellent footwork to set up Serge Aurier’s strike, Spurs’ third of the evening.

The England international was also instrumental in the club’s 3-2 win over West Ham United at the weekend, playing a major role in Lucas Moura’s goal and providing the assist for Son Heung-min’s strike.

But Whelan believes that he was disinterested under Pochettino, who was sacked last week.

He said: “You can imagine Poch is fuming. Alli looked disinterested and average for over a year. Mourinho comes in and suddenly he looks a different player.

“He’ll be thinking, ‘what’s going on, why didn’t he play like that for me?’

“The thing is, good players bounce back from blips. Dele Alli has had a difficult time in his career and his performances have been ropey for a long time.

“When players as good as him have a dip in form, it is noticeable. He was integral to the wins and looks hungry and confident again.

“Sometimes a change of manager actually does breathe new life into top players.”

A simple tweak

Alli has merely been trusted to play as a No.10.

Under Pochettino, he was routinely deployed on the flanks – according to those matches in which Transfermarkt have recorded his position for – and tasked with drifting inside, instead of collecting the ball in a pocket of space and looking to provide a killer pass.

It is a simple tweak and yet it has seen Alli enjoy two genuinely excellent displays.

Pochettino could well have made that change, too, but continued to pick Christian Eriksen for the role, despite his own sub-par performances.

Before Mourinho’s appointment, the Dane had registered just two assists in all competitions.

If the Argentine is going to be “fuming” at anyone, it should be the man in the mirror.

Meanwhile, there’s one man at Tottenham who should be fearing for his future. 

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