How Tottenham Hotspur could look under Jose Mourinho after sacking Mauricio Pochettino
Jose Mourinho is set to take charge of Tottenham Hotspur this Saturday for the first time against West Ham United in a fiery London derby.
The new Spurs boss will be in the mammoth London Stadium dugout for the lunchtime kick-off, a game you can hear exclusively live on talkSPORT from 12.30pm.
Mauricio Pochettino was relieved of his duties on Tuesday night after five-and-a-half years in charge in north London, with few expecting a replacement so quickly.
And even the most ardent Mourinho supporter could have predicted it would be the ‘Special One’ to replace Pochettino.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the London club.
He told the : "I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters.
"The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me."
But just how could Spurs look under the Champions League winner? Given we are exactly six weeks away from the January transfer window opening, the Portuguese will have undoubtedly started to line up potential signings.
Scroll down to see what the future may hold for Tottenham Hotspur under Jose Mourinho.
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What is his style?
Jose Mourinho first made a name for himself at Porto when he sprinted down the Old Trafford touchline to celebrate with his players after knocking Manchester United out of the Champions League.
Against all odds, the Portuguese side lifted the prestigious trophy in 2004 and it became apparent their boss would soon be joining the likes of Ricardo Carvalho and Deco through the exit door.
With a squad built from astute domestic signings alongside more experienced professionals, Mourinho also won the UEFA Cup and two Portuguese titles during his time at Porto.
The new Spurs boss implemented a technique called ‘periodisation’ in his training methods at Porto to ensure his players were always ready for game situations. Flowing in peaks and troughs, this method of training was effective in breathing new life into players deemed past their prime.
Porto were solid and structured at the back under Mourinho, but then expressive in attack. It was a counter-attacking style set up in a 4-3-1-2, with width provided by the full-backs and a ball-playing centre-half capable of springing attacks from deep.
In his most recent position as Manchester United boss, he operated using a 4-3-3 formation in attack, which switched to a 4-1-4-1 with a mid-block when out of possession.
As evidenced throughout his career, triangles and diamonds played a huge part in Mourinho’s attacking philosophy. What this means is when building from deep, the nearest centre-back, full-back and central midfielder can form a diamond with the defensive midfielder.
In more advanced areas, the winger, full back and central midfielder regularly form triangles whereby they can progress up the pitch.
Can he play it at Tottenham?
Quite simply, Spurs have more than enough depth I their squad and talent in their strongest XI for Mourinho to play his preferred style in north London.
In Harry Kane, he has one of the most lethal strikers in the world at his disposal. But Kane’s development over the past five seasons under Pochettino saw him develop as a footballer, rather than as just a striker.
The England captain is capable of dropping deep and linking play when deployed as a lone striker, something which Mourinho will look to exploit.
In midfield, record signing Tanguy Ndombele has a perfect midfielder to play deep and create those diamonds and triangles discussed earlier.
The former Lyon star excelled in an inside left position from deep, allowing him to create space for an attacking left-back or a more advanced midfielder partner.
Danny Rose and Serge Aurier may well be poised for January exits if Mourinho gets his way, but both are international-standard defenders and capable of getting forward to supplement attacks.
At the back, Toby Alderweireld may well want out at the end of the season when his contract expires, but his ability to dictate play from the back is still exemplary.
How could they look at West Ham on Saturday - live on talkSPORT?
If Mourinho wishes to use either one of his preferred formations at the London Stadium on Saturday, he certainly has the tools to do so.
As mentioned previously, Ndombele should be fit for Saturday after missing France’s international fixtures and is ideally placed to start at the base of the midfield.
Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko possess the industry and attacking instincts to supplement the midfield and get in behind West Ham’s infamously high defensive line.
If he decides to play a 4-3-3, Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen could move from their central roles to the wide areas.
Spurs travel to Old Trafford on December 4, before a London derby against the Blues on the 22. What a start to his Tottenham reign it would be if Mourinho get rack up wins against both his former clubs.
Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham reign starts with a trip to West Ham this Saturday. You can listen to live and exclusive national radio commentary of the Premier League clash at 12:30