THOSE EARLY GLORY days under Jose Mourinho seem like a distant, unbelievable memory now.
It was only November when the Portuguese swept into north London as if he was an unrelenting force for good in the world, the source of thrilling football and togetherness that was so badly needed following the dying embers of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign.
Dele Alli was reborn, the poster boy for the renaissance taking place thanks to Daniel Levy supposedly acting so decisively in discarding the manager who had brought them to the Champions League final last May.
There was Alli’s goal against Olympiakos.
The brace against Bournemouth.
The stunning control and strike in a defeat to Manchester United.
What do you mean you’ve already forgotten?
There was another reminder of his talents with a goal against Brighton on St Stephen’s Day. Since then?
Meh.
Two goals in 2020, the most recent of which came from the penalty spot in the 1-1 draw with Burnley at the weekend.
Alli has looked frustrated, impotent in attack and disillusioned by everything happening around him.
Some would argue those were all traits that were clearly recognisable in the months before Mourinho replaced Pochettino.
But Alli has been a constant of the Mourinho era at Spurs – this was the 25th of 26 games he was involved in – and he perfectly sums up the way in which the flame of rejuvenation is already beginning to flicker at a worrying rate.
It may soon be extinguished, and Spurs’ hopes of producing a stunning comeback in this Champions League last-16 tie were most certainly put out when Marcel Sabitzer struck beyond Hugo Lloris after 10 minutes.
Spurs had been completely outclassed on their own patch in the first leg but only trailed by one goal.
After 21 minutes here that deficit was three after Sabitzer doubled RB Leipzig’s lead on the night. By the end it was 4-0, Emil Forsberg netting just seconds after being introduced as a substitute.
Alli finished the evening with a booking for a foul and also needed treatment after getting clattered when he got a harmless shot away during the second half.
He was in the wars but never looked capable of helping his side with the battle.
With Harry Kane and Son Heung-min absent through injury they were never going to have the tools required to produce a shock.
But that still doesn’t excuse the sheer lack of coherence in the way in which Mourinho sent his side onto the frontline.
If there was a moment to sum up the confusion and ineptitude it was Serge Aurier comically – tragically – misjudging the simple diagonal pass which led to the home side’s second goal.
The Spurs right back had a clear sight of the ball for a good 30 yards but still somehow managed to slice a header backwards in the direction of left full Angelino.
His sharp cross was met instantly at the near post by Sabitzer as his header flashed by Lloris at the near post. The French World Cup winner flapped at the effort but he was unable to prevent it crossing the line.
That was a standout moment of despair for Spurs, but Alli’s frustration at the lack of support from those around him was even more evident moments before half-time.
Where once the England international was a rampaging forward capable of unlocking a defence with instinctive skill or a piece of clinical finishing, he now operates as nothing more than a scuttler.
He hassles and harries desperately in the final third, attempting to unsettle defenders in the hope – rather than expectation – that it might lead to a mistake.
Leipzig were never going to slip up here and as Alli bore down on Angelino trying to block a pass out, only to see him play a simple ball back to centre back Marcel Halstenberg, he looked over his shoulder to see where the support was.
Aurier was 20 yards inside his own half and on his heels.
Giovani La Celso was rooted to the spot on the halfway line.
Alli pressed forward, the rest stood still.
Under Mourinho, Spurs only looks to be going backwards.
