Tottenham should expect more freedom - and drama - from Jose Mourinho with new subs rule

With Premier League clubs now allowed to make five substitutions from a bench of nine players, the Special One can chop and change at will
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When the Premier League announced the introduction of five substitutes for the remainder of the season, one manager immediately came to mind.

Jose Mourinho has a reputation for being proactive with his subs, once using all three at half-time of Chelsea's visit to Newcastle in 2005.

The decision backfired spectacularly, as Wayne Bridge was stretchered off and Damien Duff was forced to play through injury in a 1-0 defeat.

Mourinho has never again resorted to such drastic measures but a triple or even quadruple change will no longer be so risky when the season restarts.

The Portuguese remains fond of an eye-catching switch and has already made headlines with his subs at Tottenham, twice hooking Eric Dier prematurely and reducing Jan Vertonghen to the verge of a tears by tactically replacing him in an FA Cup tie.

REUTERS/David Klein

It easy to imagine Mourinho making a dramatic three- or even four-man change when the season restarts, particularly with his best XI still unclear after 26 games with Spurs.

Mourinho has no qualms with shutting up shop when his side is leading, nor chasing a game with a string of attacking subs, so he is likely to use the new freedom as much as any manager in the League.

Initially, however, he will likely use the rule-change to preserve his returning stars.

Mourinho has already pointed out that his players will not be match fit for the restart and he will be particularly concerned about Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Steven Bergwijn and Moussa Sissoko, who have all recovered from serious injuries during the shutdown.

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With Dele Alli is suspended for Spurs' first game back – a crucial six-pointer against Manchester United on June 19 – all four players could easily start and, with West Ham's visit to follow four days later, the manager will be grateful for the opportunity to give them a breather.

The rule-change could also have intriguing implications for Tanguy Ndombele. Mourinho has frequently complained about the fitness of the club-record signing and often claimed he was only able to complete 30-45 minutes.

If Ndombele's fitness remains in a similar state post-lockdown, Mourinho may feel more comfortable in playing him from the start, knowing the Frenchman can be replaced when necessary, with limited risk.

(Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I

For a manager as creative as Mourinho, the extra freedom could also allow him to experiment. An early sub is no longer a wasted sub, so the 57-year-old might be tempted to try unusual systems, as he did when Japhet Tanganga and Serge Aurier doubled-up at right-back against Liverpool in January.

With nine players available from the bench, an experimental move can easily be undone.

The extra freedom should also allow him to give more minutes to promising young players, among them Troy Parrott, who was occasionally excluded from Mourinho's 18, even when the manager had no other recognised centre-forwards available.

(Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I

Introducing academy players from the bench, as Mourinho did with Malachi Fagan-Walcott, in the 3-0 defeat at RB Leipzig back in March, is an easy way to create a positive story, which the manager knows.

While the rule change is primarily to protect players after such a long layoff, the primary losers could be utility men like Dier, Tanganga and Sissoko, who are all able to play in a number of different roles. With so much freedom to chop and change, Mourinho may be less persuaded to use versatile players from the start.

Teams will be able to make their five substitutes at three points in the match, plus half-time, to avoid a string of changes disrupting the rhythm of the game.

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