Jose Mourinho left praying for a touch of magic to save Tottenham’s Champions League hopes despite a career of stifling it

Spurs boss deployed tactics against RB Leipzig that went against the ‘Jose Mourinho way’ that quickly went against his side to add to their unravelling season

Tottenham Hotspur did not do a lot right on Tuesday night. Comprehensively outshot, easily out-thought and, now, out of the Champions League by virtue of three relatively tame goals that confirmed a 4-0 aggregate defeat by RB Leipzig.

But while the only positive Jose Mourinho could find was that Spurs now have more time off in the week after getting knocked out of two cups in the space of a week – Julian Naglesmann had one telling observation. They pressed higher.

His side asked unanswerable questions of Spurs’ shape, tearing through them with greater ease than the first leg. Yet Germany’s next top gaffer admitted to fearing the worst when Dele Alli, Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela hounded his defence and midfield in the opening 10 minutes.

It was in this period Spurs carried the most threat because, for the first time in the tie, Leipzig, who move the ball quickly as it is, had to do so at a speed even they were not comfortable with. And yet, in keeping with how things are going for the north London side, this period ended with Leipzig taking the lead.

Those same three continued to press throughout the match. But as the game wore on and Leipzig doubled their lead on the night, the midfield dropped off meaning there was only ever the first wave to bypass. The hosts grew in confidence, zipping about as per and sapping Spurs’ energy with every one-two.

That last bit is no surprise given the depleted squad. But it was also bound to happen when this pressing game has not really been a feature of Mourinho’s time as Spurs boss, let alone in his managerial career.

If it had been, he might have avoided a 2-1 defeat against his former club Chelsea. Instead, the Blues were able to play their own way at Stamford Bridge without their brittle defence being put under any pressure until Spurs were forced to chase the game at 2-0.

They might also still be in the FA Cup if they had not sat back in their own half and invited bottom-of-the-table Norwich City the chance to grow into a game they would level after 77 minutes, and then steal on penalties. Thus they would have been better equipped physically to maintain sustained pressure on Leipzig. You could even point to the lethargy of the midfield in allowing Marcel Subitzer to drift to the edge of the box for his 10th-minute opener that knocked whatever wind was left out of Spurs.

This has been the most frustrating part of Mourinho’s tactics. Spurs are just too passive without the ball. In an era of football, especially at Champions League level, where the best teams move quickest, that was always going to come unstuck.

Yet while the 57-year-old must shoulder some of the blame, it is worth considering the players who have contributed to Spurs’ season, including those currently injured and those who have already moved on.

A large majority of them were key members of Mauricio Pochettino’s success at the club which came about through posting more yards than any other side in the Premier League. From pre-season right the way through, the Argentine’s intense sessions demanded a lot from his players and, in return, they produced lung-busting displays,

But his downfall came when they could run no more, and those sessions which felt worthwhile very quickly became a chore, especially as results went south. Both his players and messages were tired.

That’s not to say the message was wrong, and the team’s current predicament reflects especially poorly on Daniel Levy who did not heed Pochettino’s warning that a squad refurbishment was needed. In a way it mitigates Mourinho’s approach. Could he really do much else with a squad who’d had enough of running more than everyone else?

It’s clear his way is not working either. Since his first match, Spurs have conceded 37 goals in all competitions, the most of any other Premier League side apart from 19th-placed Aston Villa. They have picked up just three clean sheets in his 27 matches. On a personal level, this 3-0 defeat was Mourinho’s heaviest in the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho's side were well beaten in Germany (EPA)

There are nine games left to save Tottenham’s season with just two fixtures against teams above them in the table at the time of writing. But one of those is Manchester United (this Sunday), the side they must dislodge from fifth who currently hold a five-point lead and are starting to stitch together solid performances and, importantly, results. And so a man who made his career by stifling magic out of the game is desperate for some from somewhere to grant his side passage into Europe next season. They’d even take the Europa League right now.

Mourinho was keen to reiterate on Tuesday night that little will change regarding Spurs' injury predicament, even with the extra rest.

“With the squad we have at the moment it’s going to be very very difficult because our problems are not going to disappear from today to tomorrow,” said Mourinho. “We are going to fight and the players are going to have to be very, very strong to cope with the limitations we have.”

Those limitations as a squad also reflect his limitations as a manager. While the jury remains out as to which is causing more harm, it's clear right now that both are dragging the other down.