Jose Mourinho accused his Tottenham players of being “too kind” in their 3-2 home loss to the Wolves on Sunday.
Spurs’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season suffered a setback, with the visitors scoring twice in the second period and coming back 2-1.
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Tottenham let go of a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2
Matt Doherty canceled Steven Bergwijn’s first game but a good curling effort from Serge Aurier put Mourinho’s men in the lead at the break.
But Diogo Jota equalized the game 57 minutes before Raul Jimenez’s strike on the counterattack sealed the victory that saw the Wolves pass over the Spurs in the Premier League table.
The Spurs boss then said that his players should be more ruthless, but not in an offensive sense.
Mourinho believes that more could have been done to prevent the Wolves’ attacks that led to the achievement of their goals and suggested that visitors were more streetwise.
He told talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams, “I don’t think we deserve to lose the game and obviously when you get that feeling you’re more disappointed.
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Mourinho thinks his players must be more ruthless in the defensive sense
“We have failed to stop two counterattacks, we must be much more ruthless than we were. Ruben Neves did not think twice stopping Lucas Moura at the first minute and Dendoncker did not think at the last minute to get a yellow card.
“At certain times in certain positions, we are a little naive, too kind, too soft. I have to admit it. “
Defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen were left out of the starting lineup when Mourinho appointed a surprise squad that saw players like Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga start from the back.
Mourinho then told another reporter that he believed the team was “defending themselves well” but reiterated their desire to see their players become more “ruthless”, especially with the transition in play.
He added, “I think we were good on the defense. The goals that we conceded were transition goals, counter attack goals and I repeat that sometimes you have to be ruthless.
“People sometimes use this word to attack, but I think you can also use this word to defend yourself. You can’t think twice now … we were too nice. “
