Jose Mourinho on Arsenal vs Tottenham, Spurs 'chemistry' and derbies
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Sunday 1 September 2019 16:28, UK
Jose Mourinho assessed the importance of an early-season north London derby as he returned to the Sky Sports studio - and wondered whether the chemistry has changed at Tottenham.
Rivals Arsenal and Tottenham meet in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Super Sunday and Mourinho - back to give his expert take on the big clash - thinks the Emirates encounter could prove key even at this early stage in the 2019/20 season.
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"I think both [need a result]," Mourinho said. "Just three or four weeks in and it already looks like Manchester City and Liverpool will finish first and second - or second and first!
"Can Tottenham or Arsenal be there and push? Today is important because if they don't [win], the distance is there already."
Tottenham have taken just 15 points from 15 games and, when asked about the potential reasons for Spurs' recent struggles, Mourinho pinpointed the team "chemistry".
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"I think in the last part of last season they knew they had no chance to fight for the title and at the same time they didn't feel big pressure from the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea going ahead of them," he said.
"They had fourth position more or less under control and the Champions League became more of the dream, so that maybe took some of the focus [from the Premier League].
"But maybe this season they are not having that chemistry. I don't know if I'm right or not but I always felt that while Spurs weren't buying a lot, they were doing something more important, which was to keep all the good players that they have.
"They persuaded the players to stay and stay happy - that was my feeling. They managed to give new contracts to Harry Kane and others and it looked like the players were happy to belong to that project, that club, that dream.
"Maybe now, the feeling that I have - what is happening with Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and what happened at the end of last season with Toby Alderweireld - maybe some of the boys are not so happy to stay.
"Their eyes might be on bigger pictures - look at Kyle Walker, winning trophies. Maybe at this moment the team is not that focused full of chemistry. It looks like the relationship with Mauricio Pochettino is happy; they have an amazing stadium, Champions League football again but maybe some of the boys want something different. Even at the perfect club, if one player isn't happy, it can make you lose focus."
Mourinho lifted the lid on his own derby experience, citing his time at Inter Milan and how he sought to get "under the skin of the fans".
"The preparation is the same, you do many normal things but inside of you, there's is something that takes you back to your basic love for football," he added.
"In a derby, there is something you cannot explain but only feel. It's special. You have to think about the fans of your team - who were born there and born with the rivalry. Milan-Inter - what that means to me; I'm not Italian, I never played for Inter, I never lived in Italy but I have to be under the skin of the fans at that club and that's what I tried to do."
