Tottenham vs RB Leipzig: Outdated Jose Mourinho can only turn to classic deflecting act after being left behind

Tottenham 0-1 RB Leipzig: The Germans took a one-goal advantage back to the Red Bull Arena thanks to Timo Werner’s penalty

Jose Mourinho claims Spurs did all they could (PA)

It was vintage Jose Mourinho, but in this instance – at least – not outdated Jose Mourinho.

This tactic was still one that evidently works well. It just doesn’t come on the pitch. It comes where he remains the master: in the media.

“It’s like we go to a fight with a gun without bullets,” Mourinho said, regarding the absence of his two first-choice forwards in the Champions League match against RB Leipzig. “We did all we could do.”

It is those last six words that are really significant in all this, although the first person should really be used instead. For this is all about Mourinho himself.

I did all I could do.

It is also all about expectation management, rather than team management.

The entire idea is to reframe the discussion so he couldn’t be at fault for any of this – or a match where his approach again looked light years behind a modern opposition – and instead actually came close to performing a miracle.

It was the exact same ahead of his very first full season, with FC Porto, in 2002-03. Mourinho played down the idea of winning a title, to make it seem all the more sensational.

That has remained one of the most successful strategies of the Portuguese’s career, while others have declined.

This isn’t to say there isn’t merit in some of what Mourinho says. Missing attackers of the quality of Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min would negatively affect any team.

Spurs would obviously have been better with both of them in the side. They would have had the forwards to take half-chances, to produce something out of nothing.

But that kind of touches on the point, and the key question.

Would they have played much differently?

The evidence actually suggests not. You only have to go back to his last game at this stage of the Champions League, with Manchester United in 2017-18.

Jose Mourinho claims Spurs did all they could (PA)

Up against an inferior Sevilla side, and with a strong squad short on injuries, Mourinho played with a very similar approach. Exactly as he’s done for most of the last few years.

It is why this whole subject goes much deeper than personnel. It is about an idea of football, and what you are trying to do regardless of personnel.

Mourinho’s idea remains rooted in 2004. There have been some additions, some alterations, but the fundamental principles remain identical. They are also principles that have been bypassed by drastic evolution elsewhere, first by Spanish possession around 2008, then by German pressing a few years later. Both of these have been melded together in the time since to produce vibrant varieties of football that have evolved at an exponential rate.

That could be seen – in all its glorious speed – in some of Leipzig’s football on Wednesday.

It is also why it is worth returning to the words of director of football Ralf Rangnick’s, on the first principle of the club’s play.

“One, add maximum possibility to the team and act, don’t react. So you need to dictate the game with and without the ball, not through individuals.”

Not through individuals.

The obvious point here is that the pressing mobile game is so hardwired that you can play it with anyone. It might not be as effective without your best players, but it is still identifiable. It is still dangerous.

This is because, to paraphrase Jurgen Klopp, the system is the playmaker. It is the method – more than anything else – that does the damage.

Mourinho evidently doesn’t feel the same. He remains far too dependent on the individuals, because his approach is not that of a modern collective.

His rationale seemed to be that if he doesn’t have the attackers, best surrender it completely. Go deep.

“We did all we could do.”

But there’s actually a misplaced logic here. The issue is not what Mourinho should do without his best attackers. The issue is what he generally does anyway. The issue is the concept of football.

It is outdated at this level, which is why he has to return to another vintage tactic, that remains successful. What could he have done? Maybe rethink his entire idea of the game

This isn’t to say all his principles are done. He can still battle his way through to the quarter-finals. He’s still given Spurs enough that they should be well capable of getting fourth in the Premier League.

He’ll have done all he can. It’s just that doesn’t necessarily mean what it used to.