Garth Crooks offers verdict on Dele Alli’s first Tottenham match under Jose Mourinho

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BBC pundit Garth Crooks was not especially impressed with Dele Alli’s reaction to being substituted in Tottenham’s 3-2 victory over West Ham on Saturday.

The England international put in an improved performance, but Crooks said he will need to do more off the ball as well as showing a better reaction to being hauled off.

He said: “If Alli is going to be a success under Jose Mourinho, he will have to do more off the ball. Chuntering under his breath when the manager substitutes him after 70 minutes will not endear him either. Mourinho is only interested in team players.

“The move into the space, the turn and the pass from Dele Alli for Son Heung-min to do was superb. What took place minutes later was something out of a box of magic tricks. The ball is running out, caught by Alli while falling to the ground and on the floor, [he] backheels the ball into Son’s path.”

TBR’s View – If Alli can channel his spikiness into his game, he will be ideal for Mourinho

Mourinho actually has a good record of improving attacking midfielders; Deco, Frank Lampard, Wesley Sneijder and Mesut Ozil.

Alli is of the right age and has the right fighting attitude to make himself a success under Mourinho, and it makes sense to play him in the number ten role he took up on Saturday.

Between him and Christian Eriksen, there’s only one clear choice to take on the creative burden and it seems like Crooks is making more of a deal out of a small thing than needs to be done. Managers don’t want players who are happy to be substituted.